FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

May 27, 2005

Heath Slocum

JOE CHEMYCZ: We welcome Heath Slocum. You got off to a nice start with 4 birdies in your first eight holes. Talk about your two days of being 6 under and how you played so far.

HEATH SLOCUM: Kind of opposite round from yesterday. It was all over the place. Some great par saves. I didn't make a birdie yesterday; today I hit it a lot better. Putted well again. Pretty solid.

Q. The difference between yesterday and today, you're all over your place; did you find something, your range?

HEATH SLOCUM: I guess a month ago I started working with a guy that is I helping me with my game, Mark Blackburn. He came here this week so earlier in the week we were working on things. It just felt a lot better on the range this morning than it did yesterday.

Q. What is it you're working on?

HEATH SLOCUM: Just setup and keeping myself from getting trapped inside which I tend to do.

Q. How do you like your position now going into the weekend at 6 under when some guys have had some trouble getting and staying below par?

HEATH SLOCUM: I like where I am at right now, it is Friday with two days to play. I feel really good about my game. Anywhere close to the lead into the weekend, I like that. It is fun to be there and a challenge to myself to see how I can play this weekend.

Q. In terms of how they are setting up the course, do you feel like it is fair and done right?

HEATH SLOCUM: To be honest, I am kind of used to firm greens. I see some of the guys that are used to spinning the ball a lot. They seem like they are having more problems than I am. I go through this almost every week.

This year's weather has been different. It seems like I deal with this almost on a weekly basis. Just trying to land it on the front and generally when I am doing that I have a good week. Some weeks I will fly to the center or knock it over short.

For the most part the greens are firm up front. I am not having that many problems right now. There are a few holes that do get tricky. I missed it in the right spots for the most part.

Q. Did you play much with John Daly?

HEATH SLOCUM: I enjoy playing with him. I played with him five or six times outside here. He is a fun guy to play with. It is fun just to watch somebody pound the ball like that. He has got an incredible touch. He is fun on the golf course, I enjoy it.

Q. It looks like on this one he tried to fly those trees?

HEATH SLOCUM: I am not sure what he does there, he sees different lines than I see. I let him go with it. I think he made 43 there last two days, hard to argue with him.

Q. What about the his pace of play, is it quick?

HEATH SLOCUM: Perfect for me. I mean, I tend to like to hit my ball when it is my turn. I am ready to go. I would rather go on the fast side than slow. We waited all day. I don't know if the course was slowed up. I think we had three pretty quick players.

Q. I think it is in your bio, did you play with another famous guy from Memphis, Bill Weekly (ph) from high school?

HEATH SLOCUM: I did.

Q. You guys still buddies?

HEATH SLOCUM: Yes, sir, he is Nationwide, he is great player. We were great friends.

Q. Do you remember when he had the run here a couple of years ago?

HEATH SLOCUM: I do remember him getting the coverage here. He's a good golfer, hopefully he gets back out here. He definitely has the talent to.

Q. Pretty good golf team you had?

HEATH SLOCUM: We had a good golf team, never did anything with it. Never went to state or anything. We had a lot of guys on that team who are now club professionals. We had a pretty talented team we didn't do much with.

Q. I also notice under your bio, I guess '97 when you had the colitis, I know how awful that can be. Did that have anything to do with the nerves and golf, any ideas?

HEATH SLOCUM: Don't know. Obviously, from what I have heard my doctor tell me, it definitely stress is not good for it. I had a stressful year in '97. I think I made four or five cuts out of 19 on the Nike Tour there. It wasn't it was a pretty stressful year. Who knows.

I definitely looked at golf a little differently than I do now. Kind of ruled my life then, that was all I thought about it. Now once I leave the golf course it is over.

Q. Just going through that was that

HEATH SLOCUM: I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Don't want to do it again. It definitely gave me a different perspective to how I look at my health in general and definitely golf, just trying to go with the flow, even though I get frustrated and down out here sometimes, once I leave the golf course it is done.

Q. Did you figure out what corrected it; was it diet or surgery?

HEATH SLOCUM: For the most part I think that most colitis patients go through a bad stretch. Mine lasted roughly a year and half. After that I was on medication, still am. My diet hasn't changed. Just really fortunate. I get a lot of letters and phone calls from people that struggle with it a lot. I am fortunate that it was just semi quick and that I live a healthy life today.

Q. Did you play much golf at all during that year and half?

HEATH SLOCUM: I didn't play at all, maybe eight times, maybe a few more, but not much.

Q. I know you are not good at remembering some of these things. Start with number 2?

HEATH SLOCUM: No. 2, I hit 3 wood, I think I made an 8 , 10 footer.

4, I hit a good 6 iron to about three feet.

5, driver, 8 iron, six, seven feet.

And No. 8, hit a 9 iron to probably three feet and made it.

And bogey 9.

I hit a driver on 7, driver and 7 iron, fanned it a little bit didn't fan it but the wind got it and knocked it in the water. Made a great 15 footer for bogey there.

12, 3 wood, wedge 12 feet, made it.

16, driver 3 iron in the front bunker, made the bunker shot about four feet past.

Bogeyed 17, hit it off the tee left bunker.

Q. You did better than you thought.

HEATH SLOCUM: You are helping me out.

Q. How about the chip on 18 there?

HEATH SLOCUM: That would have been nice. I had a good chip though. I thought I could get a wedge there. I tried to land on the front and I did but not far enough. I was fortunate it didn't go in the water. I had a good lie and the straight forward chip, I just misread it.

Q. I talked to Nick Price about No. 11, he said it would be brutal this afternoon?

HEATH SLOCUM: You know it, that is a possibility. I mean, luckily for me it was perfect yardage, full shot that helps a lot for spin wise. If you are in between clubs, it can be really tough.

JOE CHEMYCZ: Thanks, Heath, good luck this weekend.

End of FastScripts.