KEMPER INSURANCE OPEN

June 1, 2000

Greg Chalmers

GREG CHALMERS: First time I think I've shot a low round on the first day in a long time. That was really the goal, to get a good start for the tournament. I keep shooting par, 1-under, 1-over the first day. I'm just hoping to keep it going if I can.

GREG CHALMERS: Sure. I'm thrilled there's a lot of Australians. The more the merrier. When you come from Australia, because you're so far away from everywhere, very quickly you learn that you're going to have to travel to play golf. And most people want to come to the best place and that's the U.S. pGA TOUR. That's where it is. That's where you get a lot of guys. A lot of good programs, a lot of good young players coming through. I think the next few years we should see a lot more, hopefully.

GREG CHALMERS: Some are. It takes a while. I'm still adjusting to a lot of the shots here in some ways. Takes a while to get used to the rough over here. It's a lot thicker than what we have at home. And the courses are a lot firmer, a lot bouncier, you have to run in shots here and there. But usually, the grass, especially down in Florida we don't have that much grass around. So adjusting to things like that take a while, yeah.

GREG CHALMERS: Yeah, I mean, I enjoy this golf course. I like the place a lot.

GREG CHALMERS: That's a tough question. I don't know. I don't really know what my strengths are. I'd say normally if I'm putting well, the rest of my game flows from there. Today, that's mainly where my score came from. I putted well early and I hit good shots after that. Just gave me more confidence. I don't know if the golf course, you know, suits any particular player. Personally, I feel comfortable here. I like the place. So I guess it's a product more of being more comfortable on the TOUR because I've been here before, and last year it was all new and I'm coming back to places that I'm more familiar with, so, that's nice. I started on 10. I hit a 9-iron to about 20 feet and holed that. Then I chipped it down on the par 5. Hit it back over the par 5 with a 3-wood and chipped it down to two feet and holed that. I birdied 18. Hit a 7-iron to about six feet and holed that. And then I had a bunch of pars in a row, and then I birdied the first par 5 -- I the par 5, 6, I pitched it. And hit a 6-iron on the next hole and hit a nice shot in to about five feet and holed that. And then the last, I hit a wedge to about two feet.

GREG CHALMERS: No. I wish it was something --

GREG CHALMERS: Not what you imagine, put it that way. No, it's my last name, Snake Chalmers.

GREG CHALMERS: No. Definitely Australian humor.

GREG CHALMERS: I'm more comfortable drawing the ball, I would say. Trouble on the right is probably easier for me to handle because I can start of start on the fat side of the fairway and move it towards it. But that's where I feel most comfortable. I don't know, I mean, the way these play here, it's just a feel for the area. You can just hit any shot you like most of the time. It's just where you feel comfortable.

GREG CHALMERS: No. I got the axe, actually, at the end of the year. I think the paper was broke; so, I can't have been too good at it. I don't do that anymore. That was last year, just an experience, writing about different players and places and stuff.

GREG CHALMERS: I did, actually. I did one every two or three months and, I don't know how much -- I just enjoyed the whole year. I met a lot of people and played with some great players, and it was just nice. You go ahead and you watch all of these events back at home in Australia on TV, there's a certain aura when you're out there playing. It was worth putting it down on paper.

GREG CHALMERS: I'm getting more comfortable out here each week I play. It's great. I really enjoy it.

GREG CHALMERS: No, but I am right-handed.

GREG CHALMERS: We've got a few -- some of the sportsman at home are the same way. I don't know, that's just the way it was, two-handed. Like to throw a baseball, throw it right-handed and bat left-handed.

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