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BARCLAYS CLASSIC

June 21, 2005

Ryan Moore

HARRISON, NEW YORK

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Ryan Moore, thank you for joining us today. This week you make your debut as a profession at the Barclays Classic after one of the best amateur careers in golf history. Start with some opening comments. Congratulations on an amateur career that was surpassed by few if any. Opening comments?

RYAN MOORE: Well, let's see. I guess I'm pretty excited to be here, pretty excited to be turning pro. Something I've been looking forward to obviously for a long time now. Felt like this was the right time for me. This was just a great event, they were kind enough to let me in the field, ought to be a great place to debut.

Q. Obviously familiar with this area having won the amateur at Winged Foot; maybe some comments about this area and playing in the Barclays Classic as well?

RYAN MOORE: Yeah, I think that was some of the part -- some of the decision was in that because I mean Winged Foot is five minutes up the road and obviously played pretty well there last year at the US Amateur. I'm actually staying with the same people I stayed with last time I was at the US Amateur. They were kind enough to let me. I don't know if the house is big enough. They probably wouldn't notice I'm there. Probably walk around half the house and not even see me, so, but I'm going to be staying with them again which is awesome, comfortable with that.

Q. We were kind of wondering, you decided to turn pro here, with the British Open coming up at St. Andrews, we were kind of wondering why you wouldn't wait to play St. Andrews?

RYAN MOORE: You know, that's a good question and a tough question. That's something that we debated a lot about, me and my family, coaches and everybody around me. I would like to play the British Open and St. Andrews. Obviously that's just a great experience to be there, let alone play the British Open there.

But I just felt like this was the right time. I know this was a great event to come out at, right after the U.S. Open, I have a few really good events that I can get in. You know, my first priority once I turn pro is to get my PGA TOUR card and play in the British Open, and that was a bit of a luxury I think, to get out here and start playing.

I still have some opportunities if I play very well over the next few weeks but I can get myself in there. Obviously that will be a bit of motivation, too, giving up that spot and now I have to go see if I can earn it back.

Q. You played the NCAAs, you played the Open and now you're playing this week, can you talk about, is there at all a fatigue factor, tired at all, and what's your schedule beyond this week?

RYAN MOORE: You know, I'm not too bad, not too tired right now well, yesterday very tired, and you can ask my Pro Am partners about that, too. I felt kind of bad, gee, I shot about 85 or something, wasn't too good.

You know it's been a long few weeks, but I had a week off between NCAAs and U.S. Open, and last week was grueling on anybody and everybody. It was just a tough event, tough golf course and a long week. So I'm going to have today to really rest up and not really do much, play a little bit tomorrow and I'll be refreshed and ready to go.

Q. Outside of the course being so difficult, how do you feel you played Pinehurst?

RYAN MOORE: Well, last week was a hard week for me. I was struggling. I wasn't really playing all that well. I was hitting it, if you watched me, all over the place. I think I missed ten fairways the first round and I think I was only in the rough three times maybe. So that means I was in the trees, the pine straw, the people, and I was everywhere you could possibly be besides the fairway and the rough.

So, I really just scrapped it around, I had to play my last nine holes just to make the cut right on the number, and that was probably the hardest nine holes I've ever played in my life. I maybe only hit three or four greens in regulation. I was proud of myself for fighting when I didn't have it in those tough circumstances and those tough conditions, and I definitely could have nailed it in there after even four or five holes in my first round. I mean, I was just I never hit the ball that far off line for that many holes in a row. So that was an experience, and it was something that taught me a lot, and I'm definitely going to grow from and looking forward to next year's hopefully.

Q. Is there any sense of relief now that you've gone and you've turned pro and you can move forward here? Obviously it was a decision that you were kind of figuring out when to do it and whatnot; now that you're moving on, is there a sense of relief that it's finally over and here we go?

RYAN MOORE: Yeah, definitely. I'm just excited. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. So for this to be done and out of the way and just ready to get on my way and hopefully try to earn my TOUR card and that just gives me kind of the next step for me. I'm just looking forward to the road ahead, definitely.

Q. After having won the Amateur and then having experienced a couple of U.S. Open setups, how do you think Winged Foot will be set up next year?

RYAN MOORE: I think that will be a great test. It's just an all around really good test of golf, every part of your game. You have to drive the ball very well. I'm sure they will have the rough nice and thick, probably a little thicker than we even had it for the Am. It was really thick. The greens will be nice and firm and fast. You have to really control your golf ball and putt well. I think it will be a great test. If they get those greens really firm, whew, well be really, really tough.

Q. There have been a number of guys who have tried to do what you're doing, turning pro and trying to sort of play their way on to the TOUR, and it's proven to be difficult. How much of a learning curve are you allowing yourself and how much pressure are you putting on yourself to play well right from the start?

RYAN MOORE: Well, I don't really think of it as pressure. Pressure is all what you make up in your own mind, so I don't really worry about it that much. I'm just going out there trying to play golf, it's as simple as that. I'm going to treat it the exact same. I'm not going it think about it any differently.

Obviously it is a little different and it is going to have a different feel to it, but as long as I can keep it the same way, that's how I'm going to be successful.

You know, I've played in four majors now. I played in Greensboro last year so I played in five events, professional events, so I have a pretty good understanding of what the weeks are all about and how long they are and what goes into it.

So I can't give that as an excuse, well, I don't really know how this is all going on; I do have an understanding of that. I'm just getting out here ready to play golf.

Q. You've obviously played well in the majors you've played in, do you expect it to be different because you're now playing for a paycheck?

RYAN MOORE: I don't see why it would be. A 7 iron is a 7 iron is a 7 iron. Doesn't matter if you're hitting it as a pro or an amateur or if you're hitting it on Sunday afternoon at your home golf course or Sunday afternoon at a major. Obviously it is a little different, but that is the mind set I'm going to try to keep. It is a golf shot, and it's all I have to do, the ball isn't looking at me any differently that I'm a pro now. I'm just standing over it so I'm just going to hit it.

Q. Can you talk about the team, the management team that you've assembled behind you in a little bit of depth, and talk about who picked up the tab, the dinner tab the first night you were a pro?

RYAN MOORE: I definitely did not pick up that tab because I still have no money, even though I am a professional golfer.

We're still in the works of sorting everything out and really get everything done. In the next couple of days we will be settled more on where we're going with everything. I have a great team around me right now. I think a lot of guys are moving in the right direction, and we are all figuring out the stuff we need to figure out. I don't really have any specifics right now of where I'm going. We have a really good idea and we are pretty much right on the brink of being right there, but we are not exactly settled on it.

Q. How about coach wise, swing coach wise?

RYAN MOORE: Well, I decided now that I'm a pro, I'm not going to change anything. My dad has been my swing coach my whole life. I don't see any reason to change that now. You know, I'm very comfortable with my swing, as well as him being my coach. I'm a little my own swing coach. He taught me well enough he taught me so that I can get it all figured out myself and I do that a lot. It's great to have him there to take a look every now and again. I'm pretty comfortable and I'm pretty good fixing it myself.

So I won't be going after any swing gurus any time soon, I don't think.

Q. I ask that only because when Tiger turned pro, all of a sudden Butch came into the picture and he thought he had to really remake his whole swing, but you feel that what you have now is what you want to take?

RYAN MOORE: I think it's all right. I think it's been working. I don't see why I would want to change it and all of a sudden be uncomfortable with my golf swing. That's tough to deal with. I just want to go play.

Q. What was the procedure for turning pro, the formal procedure?

RYAN MOORE: Well, I talked to my dad first, I told him and I kind of moved down the line. It's interesting, people don't really understand the whole process of turning pro as a golfer. There's no draft. There're no you just kind of, well, I'm a pro, I guess. I haven't had to sign anything yet. I don't know, as far as I know, I think I'm just a pro and that's it. It's Sunday afternoon and I'm done at the U.S. Open and all of a sudden I can accept money. I haven't gotten it yet, but I can accept it now.

Q. Have you had any endorsement opportunities you'd care to share?

RYAN MOORE: I do not have an endorsement yet. I guess those are one of the things over the next couple of days that will be sorted out and we'll be a lot closer to. Right now, I'm free for anything.

Q. (No microphone.)

RYAN MOORE: I should, actually. We'll see if I have any takers, I don't know.

Q. In team sports, there's always a veteran do you have friends that can guide you a little bit?

RYAN MOORE: I've gotten to know a lot of the guys out here. I've been fortunate to play with quite a few of them, guys like Peter Jacobsen came up to me last week, another Northwest guy. He came up, gave me his number, said, hey, if you have any questions, give me a call. Chris DiMarco did the same thing; I played with him. They are all really nice guys and are willing to help, if I have any questions. I guess Chad Campbell is another one I know pretty well; if you have any questions about tournaments or want my opinion about anything or anybody, feel free to call.

So there's a lot of guys that have been really helpful so far, and down the line I might definitely be get giving them some calls.

Q. What other sponsor's exemptions do you have right now?

RYAN MOORE: The only one that I have for sure besides this is next week at the Western. That's the only other one I believe I've accepted. There's definitely other ones out there they'll be looking into after these next couple of weeks. We don't know, it's all hard to say, it's just a week by week basis. If I have a Top 10, then I don't have to use next week's exemption. It all just depends on how you play.

Q. I guess the answer is quite a bit, how much golf have you played with Spencer Levin and how much have you talked about taking the step at the same time?

RYAN MOORE: Yeah, I played around with him last year at the World Amateur when we were on the team together, I was like, "Come on Spence, I know you're turning pro at the U.S. Open, don't kid around." We've been kidding around for a long time. He's got a great game and he's a good kid and we've had a lot of fun together, getting to play a lot over the last couple of years, and he's just a great competitor.

I look for him to do very well out here, especially on a golf course like this that's a great golf course for him. It will be fun going around, and I'm sure we'll be playing in some of the same events. I think it will be interesting.

Q. This is quite a stage to make your debut; can you comment on New York City and your experiences with the city?

RYAN MOORE: Yeah, I've been here a couple of times. I've played two or three tournaments in this area, I guess. Well, I guess I played the U.S. Open over at Bethpage. So it's not exactly in this area, but it's kind of in the area, and I've had some success here. I'm excited. I'm excited to be up in the area again and I think it's a great place to debut and a great place to turn pro. I was just downtown this morning doing a little show for ESPN, a lot of fun and just getting out and walking the streets a little bit and grabbing a Starbucks. It's always a good experience being up here.

Q. If you could comment on the fans, the New York fans?

RYAN MOORE: From my experience here, it's been a great experience every time I've been here. I've had a lot of fun. I think the crowd is great, they really get into it and they have a good time out there. I think it's fun when people get into it and get excited. It's very enjoyable, a great environment to play in.

Q. You had some fun with your predictions at Masters, you thought you could win the tournament, wonder if you have any predictions this week?

RYAN MOORE: This week, I'm out here at the tournament and obviously my goal is to win. That never changes no matter what event or what tournament I'm at. So I definitely don't have any predictions about where I'm going to finish, but all I can say is I'm going to be fighting out there every shot I can to play my best. It's hard to say what that's going to be but it's going to be trying to win definitely.

Q. Did you do anything special when you turned pro? Can you tell us about the dinner you had or were you with your family or what marked the moment for you?

RYAN MOORE: Let's see, I got on a flight and flew up to New York and drove in the car for about three hours it seemed like.

No, I really haven't done anything too crazy or special. It doesn't feel any different, for me it's not really something to celebrate. It's me moving on to the next level. I don't want to really want to think of it any differently, and I'm just trying to keep the same attitude and keep the same keep the same thoughts, I guess.

Q. I wanted to ask you, how did you feel about the agent process? Obviously there were many people in the business coming to visit you, just the agent process and the agent industry?

RYAN MOORE: It was a lot of fun actually. It was very interesting seeing all of the different approaches and all of the different people in that area. I've actually enjoyed the process and I've seen what's out there and I'm trying to find the best fit.

Q. Was there a difference between one guy from the next guy?

RYAN MOORE: Oh, they are all the same, definitely, just like a bunch of clones.

Definitely there is a big difference in the approaches and how people, I don't know, I guess, see you and see your image. It was just a whole process of trying to find the right fit, the right people, the right person that sees you how, I guess, want to be seen.

Q. So tell me a little bit about the role that your dad and Jeremy have played in this pro process of lining up the rest of your year and also in the endorsements and the agent process?

RYAN MOORE: They have been great. They have helped me out a ton. They have done anything and everything for me. So I really appreciate, you know, them being there and helping me out, because it's a lot to handle sometimes and a lot more than I can handle myself. They have really taken away a lot of the stress and the pressure by handling a lot of it themselves and not making me deal with it.

No, they have been really awesome through the whole process.

Q. They were pretty actively involved at this point?

RYAN MOORE: Yeah, they will be actively involved at all times and definitely keep them around for now. So they are going to be around for good. They are stuck with me.

Q. Beyond getting your card for this year, have you set any other goals for yourself as for the rest of the year?

RYAN MOORE: My priority is just getting a place to play. That's definitely my goal. I've love to win and it would be a great to win, get my card. That would be the easiest way to get it done. That's definitely my goal, get out there and win and get the card.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Ryan Moore, thanks and good luck this week.

End of FastScripts.

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