JOHNNIE WALKER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

December 17, 1993

Larry Mize

LARRY MIZE: Really was. As you all know, it was a little breezier today and a little tougher day even though there were a lot of good stories out there. And you know, I kept the ball in play; didn't get myself in lots of trouble and my putter worked well today and real pleased with the round; played really solid.

LARRY MIZE: Yeah, it was-- how far was it?

LARRY MIZE: It was about-- I am terrible at this. Probably ten feet. I decided to chip that one because the rough, the fringe was a little hairier; didn't like the looks of it. Just nice chip, uh? It went off my hand; hit a really good putt. I read it good. I have been rolling the ball real good all week.

LARRY MIZE: 2-putt at 17 probably about 40 foot range again.

LARRY MIZE: I think a lot of it is -- it is nice. I grew up on Bermuda there in Georgia, so I am used to it, and you know, a lot of us, when you are putting well, I am rolling the ball real well, and you know, when the greens are grainy -- I have had a couple of putts where the grain had eaten the ball up and I didn't make it, but I have just you know, maybe had it in the right position a lot of times and hit some good putts and they have gone in. I feel you know, I felt really comfortable on the greens, but they are, you know, you have got to be careful with them and the grain does affect some of the putts.

LARRY MIZE: He withdrew and then the tournament -- actually the tournament called me, the cornerstone who I am with, management company, and group; then they called me, so it wasn't Greg himself. But that is who I got in for.

LARRY MIZE: I think it is very nice of him. I just -- he is all right. He just was tired or something? He has had a pretty good couple of months there; hasn't he?

LARRY MIZE: Well, yes and no. I guess you know, I am pleasantly surprised. You can come here -- you come here with confidence that you can play well and you can win, but then you don't-- you don't get out there -- I don't expect it all the time, but I definitely have confidence that I could play well. My concentration, the mental part of my game has been really well for two days. That is such a large part of this game. So that has been the big key and when I am-- when the mental game is on and the putter is on, that seems to be when you play well. That is what is happening this week.

LARRY MIZE: The cup got in the way more often - just kidding. I think trusting my golf swing was a lot of it. I have been working with David Leadbetter for a little over two years now. In the off-season I said it is time to start trusting the swing. I was fiddling and continuing to say, "it was close, it was close." That is not a very good thought when you are out there trying to play golf. This time I was saying it was not close which is the-- I have worked on my mental game a lot for concentration. Richard Coop has helped me with that, I think that has been a lot of it and just trying to relax a little more out there and play my game. Play to my strengths and not try and do anything that I can't do. So I think I have played a little smarter this year, and concentration has been a little better and I have played my game and I haven't worried about what people are thinking. I have just kind of played my game and did my thing.

LARRY MIZE: Oh, I had two weeks, but I had to get ready for Christmas too. I had to get all my Christmas shopping out of the way before I left. When I get back Sunday night we go to Augusta to visit my parents; then I am home Christmas Eve. I had to get everything done. I have got a couple of days in; not a lot of practice. Maybe three, four days. I went out and played one day; played a few holes one day. I hit balls one day, and maybe played a couple of days. I thought I would do a cram session on Tuesday and Wednesday when I got down here. Nice little Christmas bonus this tournament is, and I am looking forward to the weekend. Got a lot of guys playing well and it ought to be an exciting weekend.

Q. Thank you.