FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

July 30, 1998

Russ Cochran

RUSS COCHRAN: That is right. I hit the ball real low and was kind of worried about the length of the golf course because when it is wet like that, I don't hit the ball very far and I hit a lot of good iron shots today and put the ball in the fairway; that helped me a little bit. And putted well too. I think a combination of those things, you know, turned out to be a good round. Golf course is playing long for me.

RUSS COCHRAN: Yeah, I hit and I guess I hit 8-iron in there about, what is it 13?

RUSS COCHRAN: Up the hill I hit 6-iron driver 6-iron in there about six feet, made that for the first birdie.

RUSS COCHRAN: I hit 3-wood, 8-iron to about eight feet. I made that. 16, I hit a driver and 3-iron lay-up and then hit a sand wedge to a foot. Bogeyed 17, drove it right on 17. Hit a 3-iron; had to hook it around the trees, kind of overcooked it a little bit. Hit it just right of the green, kind of a funny little lie; chipped it up about 18 feet, best I could do, and 2-putted from there. Made a bogey.

RUSS COCHRAN: 2, I hit a driver and pitching wedge to about five feet -- four five feet. 3, I hit driver, lay up with a 5-iron then miss -- actually had 85 yards to the hole, missed the green with that and then chipped in from the front, just off the green about 30-foot chip, maybe, 25-foot chip. Made a birdie there. Go to 5, hit driver off the tee kind of down the right side. There is a tree that overhangs - I tried to hit another driver underneath the tree, hit it in the left bunker, so hit driver, driver and left bunker and blasted out about 15 -- about 18 feet; made that. Good putt down the hill; wasn't really expecting to make that one at all. And then 7, I hit a driver and 5-iron to about, oh, 14 feet. Made that.

RUSS COCHRAN: Good save on 12 right off the back there. Played 10 and 11 pretty well. I went to 12, hit it in the left rough, kind of a weak swing; chopped it out in front of the green, to about, oh, 45 yards, wedged it up about 6, seven feet, made it.

RUSS COCHRAN: I think even more so at Colonial. I am trying put my finger on Southwind here. I have a little bit of trouble, you know, with the length of this golf course when it plays well and the course last two, three years, it certainly has been wet enough. That has caused me a little problem. But, for me, it has to do with just the -- you know, we have talked about it before, my family comes down, have friends come down and I think for me, it doesn't make -- obviously, if I am playing poorly, you know, it is not going to turn my game around. But, when I get to playing a little bit better, I think it makes a difference. I mean. It was hot out there today and I had good support, looked over there and you see your nephews and nieces and kids, your own kids, you know, it makes a big difference.

RUSS COCHRAN: People ask me about my older son whether or not he has beaten me yet, and he was close. He had me one down and I birdied the last hole and he bogeyed it not too long ago. But, I don't give him an opportunity to beat me very often. We will go down, work on our swings and that type of thing with the whole family, but we don't knock heads too much. I know better than that.

RUSS COCHRAN: No, I don't. It is funny you say that, I had a little bit of trouble out there today made two or three swings. As a matter of fact on 2 I started sweating a little bit and I swung and actually the club kind of slipped a little bit and I hit it about four, five feet, so, I was laughing with my caddie: Maybe that is the way I better do it all the time, maybe not try and wipe it off. It is a factor out there with weather like that. I have got to be pretty careful; take a couple of towels out there with me, keep them wet, try to keep it dry. Problem is, after you rub it so many times, you know, you still get this kind of a sticky wet feeling anyway, so, just something you have -- I am going to have to live with. I think that is still better for me than trying to play with a glove because I am certainly not used to playing with a glove.

RUSS COCHRAN: Well, as I mentioned, they might not necessarily be able to turn my game around, but if I can get started and get a little momentum, they provide the adrenaline and certainly when you look over there and I don't know, what the heat index is, 105 or whatever it is, and you look over there and you see the kids walking around, it makes you try a little harder. And, obviously, my record over the last two, three years, that didn't help, but I am bringing a little more game in with me this time and just happened to get it going today and of course it helps when you have the people you care about there with you.