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BAY HILL INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY MASTERCARD

March 16, 2005

Chad Campbell

ORLANDO, FLORIDA

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Chad, for joining us for a few minutes at the media center here at the Bay Hill Invitational.

Great memories here, and you've played pretty good golf the last couple of weeks. Why don't you talk about the course and the week ahead.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, definitely good memories getting back here. I've always looked the course and was fortunate enough to win last year.

And the course is in great shape, greens are a little bit softer than they have been in the past just due to the rain, I guess. The rough seems a little bit worse than it has been in the past, so it's going to make it pretty tough. But in turn the fairways are a little bit softer, as well, but definitely looking forward to a good week.

And like you said, played pretty good the last three weeks I've played. Had one bad round last week, but starting to play a lot better.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Questions, please.

Q. How many times have you worn that jacket since last year?

CHAD CAMPBELL: One.

Q. What was the occasion?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I came out here for a dinner about a month ago probably.

Q. For the sponsor?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah.

Q. Did you get paid for that?

CHAD CAMPBELL: No. Just goodwill. (Laughter.)

Q. Last week was all over the map for you, wasn't it, low-lows to high-highs; the lowest and highest rounds you've had all year.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, well, it was first day -- first day obviously I made a ton of putts, hit it average and just made everything I looked at. Just kind of got it going sideways on Saturday, and you know got a couple unfortunate breaks and I don't know, just kind of lost a little momentum there and just kind of way it goes. It's the way golf is.

Q. You've had some -- what did you shoot last year,66 on the last day?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I think so.

Q. You've had some really birdie-blitz, low-type rounds. Houston was another one, Honda. Do you like that capability? Or would you rather, some guys are the type that you'll see the 66-68-69 on their good week. Is that a good quality to have to be able to pop off a 61?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I think it is. I don't think there's anything negative about being able to shoot low. I know you're kind of referring back to last week, the highs and lows, I think is what you're talking about, you the ability to go low, I think that's huge and gives you a lot of confidence that you know you can do it if you need to, like going into a final round sore some situations.

Q. That's what I'm asking, when you have that capability of popping off a low one; does that complement the package, the occasion where you might have that 76-77?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I don't think they really go hand-in-hand. You know, last week I wish I knew what happened last week. I would be glad to tell y'all if I knew and could figure it out, too. It was just a tough day, and like I said, that's the way it goes.

Q. Did you play Pebble this year?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I didn't.

Q. Have you ever played Pebble?

CHAD CAMPBELL: My first year.

Q. What do you think, if you had to pick the round of the year, is it your 64 that day on Thursday or Phil's 62 at Spyglass?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I'd probably have to say his, his 62 at Spyglass is pretty good. I've only played the course probably three or four times, but 62 around that place is pretty good.

Q. Being an equipment-free agent if you will, do you find yourself experimenting and having the freedom to pick and choose what you play with?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I do like the freedom. I think that's true. I've played the same irons all year. I do have some other irons at the house that I've been testing a little bit at home, but right now I'm stuck with -- not stuck, I am set on playing the irons that I am right now.

I finally found a driver that I'm really liking. And you know, right now I've been messing around with the 5-woods a little bit, and if you noticed on the range, that's why I had all of those extra clubs out.

Q. Have companies approached you in the early part of the season and is that something you'd consider, or are you more content to just play the season with what you have?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Right, there's definitely a lot of interest out there. I just want to make sure I know what I want to play. That's what I'm doing. I want to play with the best stuff and the best stuff for me, so that's what I'm looking for. I'm not rushing it. I'm not in any hurry and just kind of taking as it comes.

Q. Tell us about your wife.

CHAD CAMPBELL: What about her?

Q. The CD that's coming out.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, she's got a CD that's done.

Q. Nice open-ended question, wasn't it?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah. She's got a CD that's done and not too sure when it's going to be out yet, but it's definitely complete. It's pretty good. She can definitely sing, a lot better than I can.

Q. She's obviously been doing this for how long, since she was a kid?

CHAD CAMPBELL: She's always enjoyed singing. She obviously had a good voice and was in choirs and stuff like that.

Q. How did they get wrapped up with this? How does she take it from there to here?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I think she just kind of ran into some people that had some interest and kind of took off from there.

Q. Should we buy it?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Absolutely. You can just pay me if you want. (Laughter.)

Q. Do you have any thoughts on the talk about a shorter schedule for the TOUR?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, I've heard a lot of talk about that. I don't know what exactly -- what exactly is being brought up about it. I don't know if it's just cutting tournaments or cutting some off -- tournaments that are offsetting the World Golf Championships. I don't know the exact talk of what exactly is going on, but, I don't know. I'm kind of on the fence on that deal, if you can't tell.

I can understand. If you wanted to combine the World Golf Championships and the off, and just have one big tournament, I don't see anything wrong with that.

But as far as cutting the field -- how many tournaments do we have a year?

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: 48.

CHAD CAMPBELL: 48. I don't know what they are talking, cutting five, down to 42 or something. I guess what they are trying to do is get more players at every event, is that the objective, I assume?

I think it could help, possibly.

Q. You're kind of a Texas honky-tonk type music --

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yes.

Q. What your wife sings, that is not Texas honky-tonk type music?

CHAD CAMPBELL: No, it's not.

Q. Do you still like it or do you listen to it because you have to?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Generally it's not the music that I listen but I do think it's good. Obviously I'm biased, but, you know, she's got a great voice. You know, I kind of -- I've heard her sing a lot of more like Dixie Chicks kind of stuff, and I guess she just has the ability to do different -- a lot of different types of music, which is obviously a good trait.

Q. When is the first time you heard her sing?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Like, what do you mean by sing, actually?

Q. Ever, publicly. Ever sing.

CHAD CAMPBELL: When we were dating and stuff we went to karaoke and stuff and she would sing karaoke. All of my friends and everybody wanted to hear her sing.

Q. Did you karaoke?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Did I karaoke? Absolutely not. (Laughter.) I didn't want to hurt anybody's ears.

Q. Is she still teaching?

CHAD CAMPBELL":

Q. When did she stop that, after you won THE TOUR Championship?

CHAD CAMPBELL: No. Let's see, she taught for four or five years, and then quit for one and then went back to teaching for a year. I think this is that last year, I think this whole year that we've come up is the -- you follow me on that? That's not very good. 2004 she didn't teach. She taught in '02 and '03 and then didn't in '01, '02. You got me all confused now.

Q. She taught, she didn't, she taught, now she doesn't?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Right.

Q. Did she dig you a little bit in the Sports Illustrated thing for not having much to say?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I haven't seen the article. I haven't seen any of the articles, so I have no idea what's in them.

Q. From last week.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Last week? I heard about it, but I didn't see it.

Q. Same magazine that touted you as the next U.S. Open Champion, and now they are taking shots at you.

CHAD CAMPBELL: I know.

Q. On a half-serious note, do you have any strong opinions on anything? I don't mean that as it sounds but as it relates to the tour, is there anything that really --

CHAD CAMPBELL: Bothers me?

Q. Yeah.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Not as far as that really. I just -- I just kind of go with it. You know, whatever, if y'all haven't figured that out yet. That's kind of my style, whatever happens, happens, and I'll deal with it.

Q. You ever been upset in the three or four years you've been out here?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Like something that went on?

Q. Yeah.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Not really. I guess the only thing that has ever bothered me is when people start off the back nine on the practice round when we get out here at 7:00.

Q. Slows you down?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, slows me down.

Q. When is the last time that happened?

CHAD CAMPBELL: It happened at Riviera this year.

Q. Who was it?

CHAD CAMPBELL: You know what, honestly I can't remember. But we went through them.

Q. Depending on what happens this week, you have Vijay or Tiger or Ernie coming out of here ranked No. 1, as from a player and kind of a fan standpoint, does that excite you at all that it's so close and looks like these guys are going to be trading punches all year long?

CHAD CAMPBELL: I think it's tremendous for golf that it's that competitive up top. I just wish I was more a part of it.

I think it's great for golf. You know, the tournament at Doral was obviously really good for golf. You know, with it being so competitive -- it's competitive every week, you know, but especially when you get those guys in the same field.

Q. Or the same threesome.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Or the same threesome.

Q. Ernie and Tiger are in the same threesome tomorrow,

CHAD CAMPBELL: And Retief, that's a pretty good threesome.

Q. Who did you get for the first two days?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Todd Hamilton and Tom Lehman.

Q. I guess because Arnie isn't playing --

CHAD CAMPBELL: That's right, unfortunately.

Q. The last shot he might have hit in a TOUR competition might have been the driver off the deck on 18.

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, I don't know how far he had in, probably 250 or so and whipped a driver around the water and up on the green about 20 feet. It was pretty good.

Q. Do you think he should play -- not play in the Masters, but he made the point today that he's basically not even going to take his clubs, no par 3 tournament, no practice round.

CHAD CAMPBELL: You know, that's totally his opinion. If he feels like he can still play and still enjoys it out there, you know, he definitely has earned the right to do whatever he wants.

If he wants to play, I don't think anybody would have a problem with it. You know, if he kind of wants to not do anything, maybe that's -- I know it's probably going to be hard for him because I know how competitive he is. I saw it last year playing the first two rounds with him.

Q. Your first Masters was '03 or '04?

CHAD CAMPBELL: This is my third.

Q. '03. When you first went up there during the week, did you have practice rounds in mind, who you wanted to play with?

CHAD CAMPBELL: You know what, I really didn't. I think me and Riley played. I don't think I played with anybody, any of the veterans that have played out there a lot.

I think this year maybe I'm going to try to play with Nick Price in the practice round. Obviously I haven't played too well there so maybe I can get some pointers from him or something.

Q. He shot a 63 there once?

CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah, that's not a bad score.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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