DORAL-RYDER OPEN

March 4, 1999

Bob Burns

BOB BURNS: Hit perfect fairways, 135 to the pin, won't want it there on that hole everyday. Hit a 9-iron about 30 feet past the pin, hit a pretty good first putt, and a fair to average second putt and it lipped out.

BOB BURNS: About four feet below the hole. Not that hard of a putt.

BOB BURNS: No.

BOB BURNS: Yeah, it is round 1, there is still a lot of golf left, about three quarters of the tournament left, if my math is correct: But, yeah, I mean it is always nice to have the lead in the first round, second round, third round hopefully be there right there as close to the lead or into the lead or shot back of lead with nine holes to go to always have that chance is nice. But I played well today. I have been starting to play well the last month, starting to play -- take the form that I had last year, hitting a lot of fairways and greens and getting lot of good looks at some putts. So, it is -- the style of my game is starting to come around to normal. I hope to continue that and be great to, you know, shoot 3 more 67s and have a chance to win. I am looking long-term, not just this tournament. I just want to keep building my game and playing solidly out here.

BOB BURNS: Not so much the names, I just always heard about the Blue Monster at Doral, that is all we knew about it, just the Blue Monster, it was incredibly difficult. I saw that the first couple of years I was on Tour that it was a pretty difficult golf course; especially when the wind blew. When the wind was down, yielded a lot of birdies, it seemed like, but now there is so much sand you can't really tell what -- where to hit it sometimes.

BOB BURNS: It can be. It all depends in which manner it is directed to or the other players that are out here. I feel like I am going to shoot the same no matter who is here. They have no bearing on how I do.

BOB BURNS: I didn't do a whole lot. I played in the Mexican Open in the off-season, that was my only off-season tournament. Took it easy practiced a little bit, checked in touch with my golf game a little bit. Just enjoyed not having to go back to Q-School, and enjoyed being able to spend some time at home. Really just was pretty psyched up for that first tee shot there in Hawaii, you know, I thought about that shot for a couple of months, I think I hit a pretty good tee shot, I don't recall, though.

BOB BURNS: I finished first on the money list.

BOB BURNS: I think I barely got in on my number here in '94. I think I was 17 after the West Coast reshuffle. I think I barely got in. I played well here that year.

BOB BURNS: No, no. I live in the same place, my wife is doing great still, we are having a good time. Just had a new litter of puppies. My wife breeds them and shows them so, she has been real busy at home. Haven't seen her since Hawaii, because we have had a pregnant dog walking around the house, she's got to keep an eye on her.

BOB BURNS: Penbrook Welsch Corgie (phonetic).

BOB BURNS: Exactly.

BOB BURNS: She would have come out -- she had planned to come out more this year, but obviously pregnant dog kind of took precedence over coming out every week on the West Coast, but in another month or so I think she will be able to come out with me more.

BOB BURNS: Well, never know if I am here to say. I could have -- I could make -- I could finish in the top 125 somewhere this year and be gone next year. I did that my first two years out here. It was disappointing but showed me how much harder I had to work at my game to stay out here. I worked really hard to get back out here the last couple of years. So I think I appreciate it more and I will keep working at it and hopefully never have to go back down again.

BOB BURNS: In that respect it is a little easier, a little more comfortable, I have played the courses. I know what to expect out of the courses. I know what to expect out of me a little more now than maybe my rookie year in '94 out here. I am a little more confident.

BOB BURNS: I feel like I can play more consistently week-to-week. And month-to-month as far as that goes. In 1994 I played okay, I think I made 13 cuts maybe out of 24 events or something like that. I played okay. I finished 101st on the money list but it wasn't the kind of year I would like to build my career on. I like to make cuts and always have the opportunity to play -- play well on the weekend.

BOB BURNS: Driver, 3-wood to the front about 10 yards off the front edge of the green, chipped to about a foot. Tap in. Bogey at 3. Hit it in the left fairway bunker trying to cut it into the fairway, up against the lip, had to lay up and wedged it to about eight feet and didn't convert the putt. 4, I hit a 4-iron to about six feet, pretty routine putt hit a good one made it there. 8, driver, 2-iron into the back left bunker, blasted out to about four feet. 10, driver, 3-wood, about 80 yards to the hole, lob wedge to about 11 feet, made that one right up the hill. 11, 2-iron, pitching wedge to six inches. 14, I hit driver, 8-iron about 30 feet right of the hole, and hit it really good putt, tried to hang it, caught the lip and fell in. 15, the par 3, hit a 7-iron to about 25 feet, and just hit it dead center. I knew it was going in from about five, six feet out. Really two longest putts I have made all year back to back.