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THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

June 4, 2005

Tiger Woods

DUBLIN, OHIO

Q. Tiger, was this a day to get some scores going?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, you had to shoot something in the 60s and I just didn't do it today. All my misses early for about the first ten holes were all on the short side, and that's the only thing you can't do on this golf course is short side yourself, and I kept doing that again and again and again. Unfortunately it cost me a couple bogeys but I made some great saves on 9 and 10 to keep the momentum going. I only hit one bad shot the entire back nine, so I'm very pleased.

Q. Where you saw the pins for tomorrow, do you picture that as being a good scenario for you being 4 back?

TIGER WOODS: I'm going to have to go out there and shoot what these guys shot out there early. Hopefully I can post it and hopefully it will be enough. The guys are going to continue to make birdies because the greens are soft, and on top of that, they're perfectly smooth. You get soft, smooth greens, they're going to take it low.

Q. It's going to be really bunched up tomorrow, which is a good thing, not just in your position but for a lot of guys, to get that low number probably on the front nine?

TIGER WOODS: Well, you're going to have to shoot a low number. I mean, the greens are so soft out there, you can be very aggressive and fire at these flags, and being so smooth, I mean, you feel guilty for not making any putt inside 20 feet because they're so good.

Q. What do you think about David shooting 30 on the front today?

TIGER WOODS: It's very doable, very doable. If you put the ball in the right spots, these greens are so good, that you look at all the guys who went out there and shot great numbers going out, David Toms, Jim Furyk, all good putters.

Q. With all that going on with the greens, is it going to put a premium for you on driving it in the fairway to give yourself opportunities?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I only hit driver two or three times today, so I never hit it. This golf course is so fast, I'm hitting so many 2 irons because the balls my 3 wood I'm hitting on some of these holes 330, and a 2 iron is going 300 yards because the ball is rolling 40, 50 yards. It's the nature of the way the golf course is playing. It's playing completely different than we're used to. The fairways actually narrow up a little bit because they're playing faster. You have to carve the ball back into the hills and try and keep the ball in play.

Q. You probably hit 370 there at one point.

TIGER WOODS: It's just a different line you have to take because it runs out so fast on you. Like on 10, I saw a lot of guys hitting 3 woods off that tee. The hole is lengthened and you're still hitting 3 woods off the tees and hopefully it's enough to keep it short and keep it from going through because the fairways are so fast.

Q. You see a collection of people in front of you, a lot of capable players, still anybody's game at this point I would think?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it is. Anybody can win this tournament right now I would think because it's so bunched up there, and as you know, looking at the scores today, it can be had out there. The guys can go low, and hopefully I'm one of those guys tomorrow.

Q. It would probably help you to have typical Memorial weather at this point, rain and soggy a little bit?

TIGER WOODS: No, I kind of like it the way it is. It's different. You know, it's finally nice to play a golf course the way it's designed to play, fast and firm. The only thing we're missing is the firm greens. But they're still really quick. They're rolling about 12 or so, so they've still got the green speeds up.

Q. That doesn't take away your advantage, though, running fast?

TIGER WOODS: No, you still have to shape shots and put the ball in. We're all going to be hitting balls from the same spots, but most guys are hitting drivers and I'm hitting 3 woods, and I like my chances hitting 3 wood, so same thing.

Q. Do you have the new shirt in red, the new style?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, we're all wearing them on the weekend here. It was hot as hell today in this thing.

Q. Rory Sabbatini, I think, almost passed out.

TIGER WOODS: I'll tell you what, it's hot. Thank God I live in Florida so I'm used to this heat. I'm usually wearing shorts and a T shirt, though.

Q. On the front, the par 5s, what did you hit?

TIGER WOODS: I had 250 to 5, hit a 2 iron, hit it to the right obviously. I had like 246 to the front and had a decent lie where I tried to put the ball in the bunker up there somewhere. I had a good lie in the rough and just tried to put the ball in the bunkers and happened to squeeze it up the gap.

Q. Woody Austin made an interesting comment about temper and that if it's the top 3 guys getting down on themselves, it's competitive fire; if it's him, it's Woody. Is he a little misunderstood?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, he is, I think. If anyone can understand being misunderstood, it's me, and being scrutinized. I can understand where he's coming from. He's competitive. He wants to win. That's the kind of guy you want to see playing out there. You don't want to see a guy playing and dodging and wanting to go home. You want to see a guy fiery who wants to win a golf tournament. I'd much rather have that attitude that he's got than somebody who wants to bag it and go home and wait until next week.

Q. Are you disappointed because you didn't take advantage of your opportunities today or because you didn't give yourself opportunities?

TIGER WOODS: Both. I had a few chances early to make some birdies. I didn't make them, didn't make the putts, and short sided myself a few times today, which ended up leading to bogeys. This golf course you can't short side yourself and expect to make birdies.

End of FastScripts.

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