BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY COOPER TIRES

March 18, 1999

Tim Herron

TIM HERRON: It was a good day. I have never seen the course play this way where it is firm. But the last few weeks we have played some really firm greens, so I guess you can kind of get used to it. The greens were a good speed for me and made quite a few putts today, which I haven't done lately.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, a little bit off and on. But last year was kind of a struggle for putting, but you know, it is coming around, working pretty hard at it. It feels pretty good this week.

TIM HERRON: It was about six feet, I'd say. I just kind of misread it, I think.

TIM HERRON: No, I actually hit a really good -- I knew I needed to kind of get on that 5-iron from 209, hit a great shot, hit the downslope with that little ridge, and went through. I had a pretty easy chip, just a tough little lie. I mean, I could have drawn a better lie in the bunker. I think I would have had a better chance holing it, actually. I was actually thinking of holing it, and it just didn't come up.

TIM HERRON: Being around 30th -- well about, 30 -- think I was 32nd, 33rd in 1996, 1997 on the money list, then to finish 54th. But all it was was pretty much a win. So I played kind of about the same, but I just didn't have a win in there, which is big. But no, you just kind of keep on going. You know you are going to have some peaks and valleys in this game. I think if I am out here another ten years, I am going to win maybe two or three times in one year. So just kind of keep plugging away. Right now, you know, this tournament is still up for grabs. Just got to go out and play good golf the next three days and see what happens, just be in the position.

TIM HERRON: Pretty good. You want to have confidence, but you can't get overly confident on this golf course because it will come up and bite you. There is a lot of water and a lot of forced carries that you have to force, so, you know, you are always into it mentally, I guess. You have to be, or if you lose it mentally a little bit, like the shot I hit on 15 today, I just wasn't really -- I kind of just flaked out on that shot, but wind up making par, so...

TIM HERRON: Well, pretty much how firm the greens are. The greens are always good speed. I don't think they have had too much rain here. Pretty much everywhere in Florida the weather has been good, so, you can't mess with mother nature. But the last few years when we were here we have had a few rain delays which caused the greens to be a little softer.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, I think I finished -- I don't know exactly what I finished. Fifth or sixth or fourth or something two years ago.

TIM HERRON: Yes, a year after.

TIM HERRON: No, not really. I didn't miss too many putts. I had a couple, you know, 15-, 20-footers, but you don't expect to make all of them. I hit a good putt on 9 and 10. That is about it, I think, I missed. They were from about 15, 20 feet.

TIM HERRON: No, it doesn't really matter, because you don't -- I mean, I guess you do kind of play against them. But you are playing against the golf course, so, you can't do anything -- I mean, if someone shot 12-under today, there is nothing I can do about him shooting 12-under. So all you can do is play golf yourself.

TIM HERRON: I played real aggressive off the tee all day pretty much. I hit driver, wedge to about ten feet. No. 4, I hit driver, 3-wood in the bunker and hit it out to about ten feet, made that. Then I made a good uphill bender had about three feet of break on No. 3 from about 20 feet. Then I made about a 15 -- I had to lay-up on the par 5 and had about 15 feet and made that for birdie. Then I hit about twelve feet on the next hole and made par.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, then I birdied 11 and 12. I hit it in there probably about twelve feet on 11 and made that from downhill right-to-left putt. Hit 8-iron in there. Then the par 5, I went for it in two and hit it well short, but I was up the gap and chipped it to about 20 feet and made that. 16, I drove it in the right trees, chipped out, hit a wedge in there about ten feet and made that for birdie. The only bogey was 17 and that was one of the best shots I hit all day, just mis-clubbed it.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, probably hitting the ball high, high floaters, so, you know, if we don't get rain, you know, I should have a little bit of an advantage over probably a low ball hitter.

TIM HERRON: Where are you going with this? (laughs).

TIM HERRON: Since my rookie here I have pretty much stretched everyday, that is kind of my regimen, make sure I get on the bike for like about five minutes, loosen up and stretch and that is it. That is loosening up (laughter). That is about it. I like to relax, that is my hobby, pastime. Watch TV.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, most of them do. Some of them -- it is kind of true -- call me Lumpy, but it is not a bad nickname. I have heard a lot worse.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, I mean, I don't think I am going to get rid of that. What am I going to say? No, don't call me that. Then they are just going to call it to me more, right. It is one of those type of deals.

TIM HERRON: Well, it was the head pro at this golf course that I was working at and all through college no one knew that was my nickname but the golf course that I worked at when I came back from college, they have always called me Lumpy, so the head pro, first day on-the-job, gave me a nickname.

TIM HERRON: Yeah, really, with the sword. Got a long ways to go, but hope to see you the rest of the week in here.