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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 10, 2004

Jose Coceres

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Let's start with the Crestor Charity Challenge.

Jose, congratulations. You are the 54-hole leader. Jose is the winner of this week's Crestor Charity Challenge. This week's charity, Arrowhead Ranch, will receive $50,000 from the John Deere Classic and Crestor. In addition, $50,000 will be given to a health care charity of Jose's choice.

Q. Do you know which charity you will be donating your money to?

JOSE COCERES: Well, thank you very much, that's great. The name of the charity, everybody that needs charity, I'm saying thank you for all of them. I haven't chosen a charity yet.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: They don't have to make that decision at this point. They can wait three months and make that decision. The players do know about it because it's part of their program.

Jose, you had a great round today. Holding the lead for the third day in a row. Why don't you make a couple comments about today's round and going into tomorrow.

JOSE COCERES: I'm really happy, happy to share the moment with you and to be continuing to lead the tournament. I'm playing very well, and I'm very thankful to all the people who have helped me to get to where I am now leading this tournament.

Q. The two-shot swing at 18, how do you feel about that?

JOSE COCERES: The two-shot swing meaning --

Q. Chalmers birdied and you bogeyed, on No. 9.

JOSE COCERES: Oh, okay. The only thing that I'm sorry about is that I three-putted. That was my mistake. I'm not sorry about Chalmers making a birdie. I'm playing very well and I'm really sad that I had to three-putt, but I don't mind that Chalmers made a birdie.

Q. It turned a four-shot lead into a two-shot lead. Would you play different with a four-shot lead as opposed to a two-shot lead?

JOSE COCERES: Yeah, of course I'm going to play differently tomorrow because it's a big change, two strokes, from four to two, but the main thing that matters to me is how I'm going to feel tomorrow. It's very important to me to feel well tomorrow. I'm just going to see how it goes and I'm going to fight to win the tournament tomorrow.

Q. Did you look at the leaderboard tomorrow? Did you see that a lot of people are sort of making runs up the board?

JOSE COCERES: Yeah, I took a glance at it a couple times, but I'm comfortable because I'm playing very well, and I did notice other players were catching up, but I'm fine with that because I'm playing well, also, so I kept my lead.

Q. Do you prefer playing on a Sunday with the lead, or would you prefer chasing, being behind and trying to catch someone?

JOSE COCERES: I like the front (laughter).

Q. It's been a while since you've played on a Sunday with the lead. Can you remember the mindset you had?

JOSE COCERES: Well, I remember how I felt. I still feel good. When I was winning I feel good, and I feel that way again. A few years ago I did have some problems, but I've been improving or fixing those problems, and again, I'm very happy I'm playing well.

Q. You came from behind at Disney, but you had the lead at MCI; is that right?

JOSE COCERES: Disney I came from behind -- Disney I was in the front.

Q. And MCI?

JOSE COCERES: In the back, one shot in the back.

Q. With the pack of 11s, 11-unders behind you, what's your mindset tomorrow? Does it just protect the lead or do you feel like you have to go out and attack the golf course?

JOSE COCERES: It all depends on how I feel tomorrow, and it also depends on what the weather is doing because that could make the golf course tougher or easier. The most important thing is I'm playing very well, so I'm very confident.

Q. Do you think that people in your homeland will try to follow your progress tomorrow? Sometimes when foreign athletes come to the States and have a chance to win, people will stay up overnight or do whatever they have to do to follow people from their country. They watch at home or try to find a way to follow your progress tomorrow.

JOSE COCERES: Yeah, I'm sure people are going to watch on TV, and I know of a person that took a vacation, flew six hours over here to play.

Q. Has he been up here all week or did he just come into town?

JOSE COCERES: I didn't know this person came in today and he's from Argentina. I don't know if that person is going to stay or not. He's on vacation.

Q. Do you know the person?

JOSE COCERES: Only from Argentina. Only Jose, I'm from Argentina. I don't know, maybe he plays golf. I don't know the name. He speaks Spanish.

Q. Will you talk about the weather tomorrow? There's rain in the forecast. Do you know now that you have to go out and make some birdies?

JOSE COCERES: Thank you very much because I'll put today in my bag the jacket because you said there was going to be rain. Thank you for telling me it's going to rain tomorrow. I'll put the jacket in my bag.

It depends on the exact conditions of the day and how I feel.

Q. Are you having as much fun as you appear to be having? Is this a good time for you?

JOSE COCERES: Yeah, I'm very happy right now, but when I'm on the golf course I'm very focused, I'm concentrating a lot. I'm playing hole by hole, and hopefully it's going to lead me to the win..

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you.

JOSE COCERES: I go have one beer (laughter)

End of FastScripts.

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