EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

May 17, 2003

Vijay Singh

TODD BUDNICK: We thank Vijay Singh, 1-under 69 today. Kind of a ho-hum day after two 65's to start.

VIJAY SINGH: Yes, I haven't played this golf course with that wind. I was always unsure about the club and the wind was always kind of -- it wasn't consistent. And I would come down one way and against the other.

All in all, I thought I played pretty good. I played solid golf and I didn't miss too many shots, but I missed the direction of it. The shots were still solid. And I made some putts. I did not take advantage of two par-5s which is very important on this golf course to do. There is not many of them. Especially 16 with a 6-iron in my hand. Maybe tomorrow.

TODD BUDNICK: You are where you want to be, a one stroke lead heading into Sunday?

VIJAY SINGH: That's what we all play for position is to win on Sunday. I am in good position, probably the best position. So I am just looking forward to tomorrow.

TODD BUDNICK: Questions?

Q. How much more would you like to get, a couple of more shots?

VIJAY SINGH: I did my best out there. That was important. I wasn't trying to make par on 16. I would have loved to made a birdie on 16. A 2-shot lead is better than one. But, you know, I'm still in the lead which is an important thing. They still have to worry about catching me. If I go out there, out of the gate tomorrow, I have to be a little more aggressive tomorrow when I start up, maybe get one or 2-under earlier on, and then, you know, play relaxed golf if I can. Today I was always around par and when you are around par you don't want to throw away shots. You don't want to lose a golf tournament on Saturday. I have been known to get inpatient and throw every shot. But I stuck to it and I am quite happy still leading.

Q. Can you talk about the up and down on 17?

VIJAY SINGH: I thought I hit a very good club off the tee. I hit a 7-iron, 200 yards to the pin. I don't hit a 7-iron 200 yards. I said I could not hit it over the green and I did. I think the wind -- when it's so humid like this the ball flies further. I was just trying to get it inside ten feet, and I made a perfect shot. Maybe If I put another 10 balls there, I wouldn't get inside there, but it came out good.

Q. The way you have been playing since The Players Championship, do you feel like it's matter of time before you win? You have had a lot of high finishes?

VIJAY SINGH: You know, I wish I had the putter that I have now. I feel so comfortable with that putter. I hope I don't jynx myself going into tomorrow but I feel the ball is rolling a lot better. That's why I am leading the golf tournament. I have been striking the ball good for a long time like that, more or less. After the injury it took me like two weeks to get back to it. I needed to make putts and that was stopping me from winning again. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out there and started rolling it again like I did the first two days.

Q. I'm sorry, you were asked yesterday, you put a new putter in the bag this week or last week?

VIJAY SINGH: I took it in yesterday. I was practicing it for the whole week this week. I had enough guts to take it out yesterday and it worked out.

Q. Vijay, Sluman, Nick Price were in here talking about over time they learned to cutback how much they work, we all know your reputation for work ethic, is there anything now that you scale back with over time?

VIJAY SINGH: Well, I'm swinging the club so well right now this day and age that I don't need to go out there and try to find out how to swing the club again. I have to maintain what I'm doing. That's why I am not practicing as much. I don't have too many other things to do. I have a family. After I was injured I was home for four or five weeks. My wife had enough of me, too. She disrupts the 2hole program at home. There is a new chief in the house. But if I have a week off, I take two days off and then what? You have to go out there and prepare yourself for the tournament. I have not lost the desire to practice. I feel that's my work. As much as I work physically I would like to work on my golf side as well. It had not hurt me at all. I would like to go out there and practice. That's how I feel every time I go home.

Q. On a normal day, how many balls do you likely hit?

VIJAY SINGH: I probably go out there and hit two or three bags of balls which is not much. I hit probably like maybe 150 balls, then I go around and chip around and pitch around. There is other things to the golf game. It may take me four or five hours to be out there. I am doing things with my golf clubs.

Q. Is that the scale back, four or five hours, what did it used to be?

VIJAY SINGH: I used to not chip and putt because I was a great chipper. I think I lost some of that feel through the years. I probably hit for an hour and a half and the rest of it is all short game. That's the scale back.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you.

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