FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

June 11, 1999

P.H. Horgan

P.H. HORGAN III: I played really well tee-to-green. I think -- let's see. I think I only missed one green, which was the last hole, just off the fringe. I chipped up for a tap-in. I birdied 12, which was my 3rd hole, about a 5-footer. And then I birdied 18, which was about a 15-footer. And then I hit it close on 1, about a foot. Then 3, the par 5, I hit it 20 feet in two, 5-wood, and I almost made it; just lipped out for eagle. The par 5, I had about an 8-footer. Next hole, I had about a 4-footer. And the next hole, I had about a 12-footer. So that's 11-under.

P.H. HORGAN III: I have to tell you, that was -- that was -- I'm trying to put this in a -- not an overly-critical light. Those conditions that we played under -- besides it being hot and 36 holes, the condition of the course was not up to the standards that I feel the U.S. Open sectional-qualifying site should be.

P.H. HORGAN III: It was really a disgrace, I felt. It was a disgrace that we had to play that golf course. And I'm not, you know, I still would have said it if I didn't lose on the 40th hole in a playoff. I still would have said it if I had qualified. But, you know, it's not a case of sour grapes. I played 8-under. And there was 15 of us for six spots. Then seven of us birdied the 1st hole, and the 2nd hole, it went from six to five -- six for five spots. And then on the 4th hole, it was close to -- close to 8:30, and I was the last one to putt. I had putted up about four feet short, and I really could not see my line. And I thought for a moment, maybe I should just say: Okay, I can't -- I can't finish out here. But I had gone so long -- it was such a long day, that it had such a -- the conditions were so, you know, unusual, that I felt like I might as well try to end it right now. We still probably would have had to have come back the next day. You know, I've been wrestling with it the last couple of nights if I did the right thing, because I really did want to play the Open. But I didn't want to make everyone come back the next day if I said, "I'm not going to putt this putt." But it was really disheartening to not make it and be the last guy out. And what's even more -- what was even more disappointing was that I called the USGA, and they said that -- I knew I was the first alternate for the Memphis site; that if anyone withdrew from the Memphis site, obviously, but who is going to withdraw after going through 36 holes under those conditions? But I wanted to know if I was first alternate for exempt players, other players that might withdraw, like a Jumbo Ozaki or somebody like that. I called USGA -- normally your field would be the first site that we go to an alternate for under those conditions, but because it was one of the strongest fields -- either the site at the Memorial Tournament or this site. But this year, because we awarded your site and Memorial an extra spot right before, you know, last week, we went from 23 spots to 24 spots, you know, you drop down in the pecking order to 10th. And I said, well, basically I really -- I really said, you know, I don't care how many spots are awarded us. We just feel we deserved it. In the playoff, there was 12 guys in the playoff of the 15 that were in the TOUR and in the event this week; and a guy like Loren Roberts who could contend or win at the Open who was missing like a lot of other players. So I was really disappointed that the USGA decided not to designate our spot or the Memorial one or two in the rotation for picking the spots up. So basically, I knew after that on Tuesday or Wednesday after calling USGA that I didn't have much of a chance to play the Open; so it was a disappointment. But, you know, the guys from the Golf Channel just asked me: Is it kind of an indication for you? And I said: Well, I try to put it in perspective. Being on the TOUR, you can play, 25, 30, or more events a year. Of course, I want to play the National Open, and I really, really wanted to play this year at Pinehurst. But I didn't want to have it just ruin this week for me with, you know, dwelling on not making it in the qualifier after going through all that on Tuesday. And also, the greens were so slow, I was, you know, glad I was not whacking them off the greens over here. But as it turned out, it's good. It's worked out well for me for this tournament right now; so here I am.

P.H. HORGAN III: 18 last week? 36, you mean, on Tuesday.

P.H. HORGAN III: I didn't play Memorial. I played Kemper; was my last one.

P.H. HORGAN III: No. I played well through the Florida swing. I finished 8th at Doral, which got me into Bay Hill. I played -- well, my scores, you know, I don't know. I finished 30-something and 50-something at those next two. But I felt I was playing well at Doral. And I've been playing well pretty consistently all year. I think I've made 11 out of 14 cuts. And the couple cuts I've missed were by one shot, and another I missed by a lot. But overall, my game has been real consistent this year. I played well at the Kemper. I finished 18th my last tournament. So I feel like, to answer your question, I feel like it has not gone anywhere. It's been kind of steady overall this year.

P.H. HORGAN III: I had a lot of birdie opportunities. I really had a lot of birdie opportunities, too. I'm happy with making seven birdies, but I gave myself a lot of other chances, as well.

P.H. HORGAN III: I would say it's probably between -- Pebble Beach in 1990, we played in conditions that were -- it was blowing 50 miles an hour. The ball wasn't staying on the green. I had kind of a -- it was Saturday's round. My partner and myself were second in the team competition with eight holes to go, going out finishing on the front nine at Pebble Beach, with the gale going. And I was more disappointed for him. He missed the cut by one, and he had played -- all these amateurs have stories about never making the cut at Pebble Beach. His hat fell off his head and hit his golf ball on a little par 3, and we had all kind of -- and for me, I missed the cut. But it wasn't -- condition-wise, grueling-wise, that was the toughest I've ever played under. And Tuesday was -- well, it's pretty close. The conditions at -- you know, it's unfortunate. If you go over to the British Open and try to qualify, that tournament, it's almost a tournament within a tournament. It's so well-run. I'm not saying that the USGA -- I'm just comparing the two. I think maybe the USGA should look at how they do their qualifying for their Open. There are four or five different courses right around the tournament site itself. And there's, you know, it's a tournament. There's spectators all over the place and stands. USGA has, I guess we're a bigger country and we have all these different sites. Certain sections of the USGA; different areas run in different parts. But, you know, to me it's our most, you know, it's the most important tournament, for me. It's our National Open. And I know it's an amateur body, but they need to -- it needs to be -- you know, sometimes it might not be, they need to be professional in some of the ways they do things. I think David Fay, I think he's a top-notch guy, but he can't control everyone underneath. In my opinion, I just don't think -- it wasn't fair to subject. Of course, you go back to that whole thing: Everyone is playing under the same conditions. Loren Roberts missing; he's already won this year; and I played with Jim Gallagher this week. Those guys are tournament winners. It just says something for -- they need to -- it should not be: Hey, you have to be -- you should be honored to have the chance to play in our Open. It should be: Look, we're going to have all these qualifyings, and we welcome all of you, and we're going to hopefully do a good job. And the players that play the best will qualify. But sometimes it's a little unfair where you choose to go to, and I think this was a bad choice, this week. I don't know who to blame. I don't know how it ended up on that golf course. But I hope they never -- well, the golf course, the conditions just weren't ready. The greens were really -- the greens were really -- there was a lot of grass on the greens. Layout is a little different. But the conditions, they just weren't ready for the course. I mean, because apparently they just changed it -- changed the site. I signed up to go play at Congressional -- I mean Colonial, and most of the guys did that, as well. And I'm not trying to knock this golf course, Memphis National, but I don't think they were prepared for that event, that's what I'm trying to say.

P.H. HORGAN III: I think that it's fair. It's an Open Championship, and I think it's great, because I've qualified when I wasn't on TOUR for the Open. And I think it's great that we have the opportunity to qualify for the TOUR. But I think the guys that are out here are in a little different situation. For example, a lot of times, you know, I kid -- like Jonathan Kaye was telling me, there was so many rules, you can't change your site after a certain day. We're playing in an event like Dallas, and then we get into Memorial. But you've already sent in your application, and you've already designated you're going to go here. Well, they didn't let you change. I think they maybe should make some kind of accommodation for quote, unquote, guys that are on the PGA TOUR, maybe even give us a qualifying, that might be a good idea. I don't know if they would. But it's tough. I think to answer your question, I think it's good that they have it open, but we also have an advantage playing all the time to the guys that are coming in, and just, you know, playing on tours and wherever. We should be able to get through, wherever. But sometimes, schedule-wise, it's hard for a player to choose a spot or make it to a location. And people look at you like: You mean you're not going to -- there's a couple guys that said, "I'm not going to try to qualify. I can't do it. It doesn't work out."

P.H. HORGAN III: I've led Pebble Beach in 1992 after two rounds, tied for the lead. I've led Nike TOUR events and Hogan events. I led Houston after the first round in 1990. I've been in second other times, too. But leading, I think it's just -- anywhere else? No, I haven't. No. It's nice, though. I'd rather be here than not.

P.H. HORGAN III: Do you think I blasted the golf course, Memphis National?

P.H. HORGAN III: I don't think the course was bad, but I just don't think they had -- you know, everything was geared toward Colonial, and suddenly they changed it to this place. And they did a great job with trying. But it's more, you know, the USGA, it's their responsibility, I feel to have those things taken care of before. But I don't want people to come up to me from Memphis National saying: You said our course sucks. I think it's a decent course, but I don't think it was ready to hold a sectional qualifier. The greens were really in tough shape.