VERIZON BYRON NELSON CLASSIC

May 10, 2002

Tiger Woods

TIGER WOODS: I was out there doing a little work yesterday. A lot of it is just timing. A lot of it is getting up there and getting the reps in and more than anything getting into a competitive flow. You take time off, sometimes it is a little difficult do get the flow back, and yesterday I would have it for two, three holes and then I would lose it. Today I had a feel for the shots and a feel for the round and consequently a lot better shots.

Q. (Inaudible)?

TIGER WOODS: A lot of it is the fact that we had a different wind yesterday. But I haven't played competitively in a while and I took a little time off which I needed to do, and I wasn't as sharp as I needed to be yesterday. I think that's one of the reasons why I didn't score at all, and today I felt a lot better having one round under my belt and shot a better score.

Q. You are 6 off the lead. Is that all you can ask for being in contention?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, with the weather forecast for tomorrow it supposed to be a lot windier than it was today. Six shots certainly can make that up with 36 holes left to play.

Q. (Inaudible)?

TIGER WOODS: No, no, because you know all streaks are going to come to an end, just a matter when. I am going to try to get myself in position to win the tournament. That was my game plan going out today to get myself within 4, 5, 6 shots of the lead and I was able to do that today.

Q. (Inaudible) when you came on, started your round today the big story was Tiger Woods may not make the cut. Can you help us out, is it realistic for us ever to talk about that in the near future or should we just forget about it and accept the fact that you are going to make the cut?

TIGER WOODS: Well, the way I played yesterday, it didn't look good, so, yes, people can assume that. But there's 18 holes to play, and I felt like the changes I made yesterday, I felt pretty good and I went out there today and my mindset is not making the cut. My mindset is trying to get myself in contention with a chance to win and try to move myself up the board so I have a shot on the weekend. I was able to do that today.

Q. As good as you drive it and a lot of these guys coming out here, how important is the short game and -- (inaudible)

Getting up-and-down what it's all about because are not going to hit it good everyday especially when you play in windy conditions like this. You are going to miss some greens. Your short game is what base you out. You are able to win tournaments or at least come close to wining tournaments when you don't have your best stuff. I have won a lot of tournaments not hitting the ball well, but I have scrambled well. And I think that's very underrated out here is how good a lot of these guys are around the greens here.

Q. (Inaudible)

TIGER WOODS: I was just positioning in the swing, trying to get my setup and my take away a little bit better. When I can do that I feel like I can make the correct downswing, but yesterday I wasn't able to do that. I had the thought, I just didn't quite get it.

Q. One shot at a time?

TIGER WOODS: I don't know. I know the weather is supposed to be pretty windy tomorrow. You don't know how windy. If I can shoot another number like I did today if it's blowing like this I would be in good shape.

Q. Throw your name up there and have everybody something to think about?

TIGER WOODS: Certainly I would like to get up there with a chance.

Q. Tomorrow it's 20 to 30 miles an hour even more than today. Doesn't that play into your wheelhouse?

TIGER WOODS: If I am playing well. I think it plays into anyone's wheelhouse if they are playing well because any time the wind is blowing hard the guy who is striking the ball the best are the guys that are going to be on top of that board. You can't get away with hitting marginal shots and just struggling and getting around shooting a good number. You can't do that in winds like that.

Q. When you get up this morning do you have a talk like, gee, I have got to get going or I am going to miss the cut do you -- (inaudible)?

TIGER WOODS: Not this morning, but certainly after I finished yesterday, I wasn't exactly in the best of moods when I went to practice a little bit. It was nice to be able to hit a few balls and cool off.

Q. You did have this look on the first couple of holes out there, just a focus, it was like you were so angry about yesterday, that it is such --

TIGER WOODS: I didn't like the way I played yesterday because I knew what I was doing wrong in my golf swing but I just couldn't stop it. That's frustrating, and today I felt a lot better with my warm-up. I said, just go out there and just trust it, trust your move. Whatever happens, happens. Just be committed. Yesterday I wasn't committed on every shot. I had the intent but not the focus to -- I didn't have the focus I needed to have to hit shots properly.

Q. (Inaudible)?

TIGER WOODS: I think with these windy conditions it certainly helped. If I shoot a good round like I did today, you can move up that board pretty quickly. A lot of the guys who were able to shoot solid rounds moved up that board.

End of FastScripts....