GREATER GREENSBORO CHRYSLER CLASSIC

April 24, 1998

Hal Sutton

HAL SUTTON: I was real happy with the way I played today. It got kind of windy out there this afternoon and the fairways got awful long. We were worried about hitting a few flags out of the fairway. But, I was pleased with the round and, heading into tomorrow, it is the same thing, just try to make birdies.

HAL SUTTON: Yeah, I didn't hit it as good the first few holes today as I had been hitting it. I drove it in the rough. I hit kind of a bad iron shot at 1 and 2-putted; then I drove it in the rough at 2 and had to play the hole real conservative by laying up. And, 3, the wind was gusting really hard; knocked it off the ground; had to make a really hard par. 4, wind gusted up; came up short right. It was in my mind - I wasn't sure if I was hitting bad shots or, you know, just hit it the wrong time or what. So, I was having to play a little mind game with myself and keep convincing myself that everything was okay, don't panic, just keep trying to do the same thing. And, I made a birdie at 5 and that really helped a lot. Then birdied number 9 to go 1-under, I guess. Then 10, I kind of got things going after that.

HAL SUTTON: Yeah, any time you are 12-under after two rounds, that makes me happy anyway. I have really putted the ball well today, too; that makes a big difference. I feel like if I get the ball there, I am going to give myself a real good chance to make the putt. And, I will make my share of putts. The way I am putting right now, I will feel I will make my share.

HAL SUTTON: No. I did miss a couple of putts that I probably should have made. But, you know, we can always say that. I have shot 60 one time and I walked off -- I missed a couple of 8-footers, you know, I am thinking, you know, you can always say: I should have done that, so.....

HAL SUTTON: This is -- I played New Orleans and Hilton Head and this tournament.

HAL SUTTON: Yes.

HAL SUTTON: I don't think playing conservative is going to win this golf tournament. I think I am going to have to play aggressive and every time I get a chance to make a birdie, I am going to have to be trying to make it. And, hopefully, if I go through two or three holes where I am playing too conservative, hopefully I will recognize it and turn the level of my play up a little bit. I don't think Bob is going to go out there playing conservative and nor do I think those guys that are chasing are going to go out there and play conservative. Probably wouldn't be a good idea for me to do it either.

HAL SUTTON: Today played a lot harder for us than it did yesterday morning, I thought. We had no wind yesterday. And, the fairways were quite a bit shorter yesterday morning than they were this afternoon. And the greens were a lot better yesterday morning, whenever we played. After you play -- When there is a morning round in front of you, the greens get just a little bit shaky in the afternoon. So, I felt like it played quite a bit harder this afternoon.

HAL SUTTON: I don't think the greens are firm by any means. But, you know, they are not so soft that we are worried about them spinning off the green every time we hit it too. So, I mean the ball will check and stay in the facsimile of where it lands.

HAL SUTTON: 5, I hit a 9-iron in there about 15 feet, made that. 9, I hit a sand wedge in there about 15 feet, made that. 10, I hit a 9-iron in there about ten feet, made that. 12, I hit a 7-iron about six inches. 14, hit 8-iron about ten feet, made that. 16, I hit 8-iron about five feet, made that. 17, I hit a 7-iron about twelve feet, made that.

HAL SUTTON: Yeah, I bogeyed 11.