BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

January 14, 1998

Stewart Cink

STEWART CINK: I came out here today, or this week, thinking that if you can play 90 holes without making any crazy little mistakes, then you are going to have a pretty good advantage over everybody else because it is the first tournament for a lot of guys. There are still some places that are cold over the winter, and a lot of players use this tournament to sort of get warmed up for the season. Luckily for me, I got to play last week, so I got to get warmed up before this tournament, and so, hopefully, I can come out and play mistake-free golf, and then just add up the birdies. That is basically what you do around here.

STEWART CINK: Last year coming in here, I was concerned with, you know, making sure I had enough money for the money list to be exempt -- a lot of other things -- a lot of doubts. This year all that is gone. I feel like I am not out here trying to stay out here anymore -- that I'm going to be here, and I can just start from the very beginning, seeing what I can do instead of worrying about that money list. So I am more comfortable. I have got more confidence, and I think I am playing better this year than I was last year.

STEWART CINK: Well, I had a stretch last year at the early part of the season where I missed about 4, 5 cuts in a row, and right now, the way I am playing, I don't see that happening. I am putting a little bit better, and I am staying within myself more, and my mental game is a little bit sharper, whereas last year early on, it wasn't very sharp.

STEWART CINK: I don't think the leader is going to shoot 9-under everyday. If I can shot 7-under everyday, I think I like my chances.

STEWART CINK: No. 1 today, it is a par 5. They are playing the tee from about 15 yards up from where they did last year. It is reachable. I hit it in the green's side bunker in two and made birdie. Had about a 4-foot birdie putt. And No. 3, I hit it in the right rough and had to make a little recovery shot from some trees and got it rolling just right up the fairway; hit it about eight feet, made the putt. 6, I hit a 9-iron about four feet. 8, I think that is the next one. 8, 2-putted from about 50 feet, driver, 3 -- no, 3-wood, 3-wood, 2-putted from front edge of the green. 9, I hit a sand wedge in there about ten feet. 11, I hit sandwedge about three feet. The other one is 18, they didn't give me on the scoring, but 18 I hit driver 3-wood over the green in the grandstand which is going to be a popular spot this week. I took my relief which would be popular as well and chipped about three feet, made the putt. If I had tickets for this tournament, I wouldn't be sitting in those grandstands behind that last green. Someone is going to get hit there.

STEWART CINK: I think probably Indian Wells and Bermuda Dunes are the two easiest. Then La Quinta is probably the next and then I think the most difficult one is the Palmer over there PGA West. I have only played it -- just a really quick practice round on it, so I didn't really take note, but I think because of the trouble that is there and the green undulations, it will be the most difficult one.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, they are all totally different. But, I think that the course really needed it because the greens were so flat and now they have a little character, some rolls and some bumps here and there. They didn't do anything outrageous. They added a little character to the golf course. I think it is great. The grass, as far as putting, it is wonderful. It is perfect.

STEWART CINK: And they are firm. The base underneath hasn't really matured yet. There is a still a lot of sand and probably the moisture is going straight down. It is good. They don't need soft greens around here for these golf courses.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, I'd like to have that course for the fourth round, actually because I think it is probably the easiest. It is the shortest. In my case, I am getting the first two, the easiest courses, out of the way early, so, you know, of course I started well today. Maybe I am keep it going tomorrow. But, yeah, I don't really think it matters which order you play them in. There are going to be some birdies out there no matter what and you have -- you better make a pile of them if you are going to be contending.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, I'd say the Nike courses aren't this easy. The thing about Nike is that the golf courses aren't prepared quite as well as the Tour. They don't have enough time. The greens are softer. They are longer; a lot longer than these. These courses are just short. They are not really designed for Tour events. You have to have the mentality to birdie every hole.

STEWART CINK: Yeah, I guess it does. If you have a more difficult course, it spreads everybody out, yeah, so I guess opposite is true.

STEWART CINK: Yeah.

STEWART CINK: I think it is an advantage to have the host course your fourth round because you kind of get the feel of it from one day to the next. But, you know, again, I really don't think it makes a whole lot of difference but you can maybe get a little momentum going in. You are coming here for the fourth round and the fifth round.

STEWART CINK: I look forward to going tomorrow and getting a little cushion going. Then La Quinta is my third round and trying to get some more going there and then the Palmer course, I guess you just have to stay away from the trouble and try to make a few putts. Pretty simple it sounds like.

STEWART CINK: Thanks.