BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

April 4, 2002

Thomas Bjorn

TODD BUDNICK: Thomas Bjorn, 6-under, 66, today. Thomas, let's start by going through your score card looks like you got off to a great start, 4 birdies first six holes.

THOMAS BJORN: I played some good golf early on. I hit an 8-iron to eight feet on the second and holed that one. On the 4th hit a good drive, 3-wood front of the green 2-putted from 40 feet. On the 5th I hit drive and sand iron to six feet, holed it. On 6 I hit a driver and 3-wood to about 40 feet again and 2-putted that one. That gave me a bit of confidence. Then I had a good -- 17, I hit drive, 9-iron to 15 feet. 18 hit drive 5-wood to 45 foot and 2-putted it.

TODD BUDNICK: Looks like conditions were pretty good for scoring today as you had six birdies, no bogeys today. How did it feel out there for you?

THOMAS BJORN: It felt good because I did one thing today I hit -- I missed one green today and that was -- I think that's the key to this golf course when you start missing greens on this golf course, you can get yourself in a lot of trouble. I just played sensible golf. There was a lot of time wedged a 9-iron, I was aiming maybe five, six yards left of right of the pin just to give myself a putt instead of taking it on and making stupid mistakes. I played some of the best golf I have played in a while. I had a long layoff over the winter for three months and played decent at TPC; didn't play very well last week. So I am quite happy where my golf is.

I have been focusing very, very much on getting my swing right for The Masters so at least I go in with a good golf swing. And the confidence in my golf swing, I think that's the key to Augusta. This golf course actually is probably the best preparation you can get for Augusta because it has all -- has small greens and it has -- you have to think about what you do. You can't just stand there and fire at the pin all the time. Here you really have to think about what you do. It was good today. It was nice to play some decent golf.

TODD BUDNICK: Questions.

Q. Do you normally play this tournament before The Masters?

THOMAS BJORN: This is my first time here. I normally come over and play TPC and then when there was only one week in between TPC and the Masters I always thought the TPC is such a hard week and so is The Masters that I -- I always felt that it was -- it would be too hard work to play three weeks and this year I did something completely different. I went over; I played one tournament coming into TPC and I just came over and I thought, well, I will play four tournaments on a spin and try and see if I can get my golf ready. Just do it a little bit different.

I always feel like when I come to the Masters my golf game is good and then it doesn't really stand up and I know that golf course, it suits me really well. It's an iron player's golf course. That's normally what I am very good at. Just trying something different this year.

Q. You didn't play for Accenture because of your shoulder injury?

THOMAS BJORN: Yes.

Q. Which part of the shoulder?

THOMAS BJORN: I had some problems with my left shoulder last year. I hit a shot in Switzerland last year and then my left shoulder just kind of jumped out of the joint and I struggled for a long time after that and after the long layoff it was just not right. It was not strong enough to play golf. I just felt like instead of taking the risk of going to the Accenture and play 12 or 14 holes and then have to go back home, I felt just get myself ready and then come back out and play again.

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