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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 25, 2006

Stephen Ames

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Stephen Ames, our 54 hole leader here at THE PLAYERS Championship. Great start through 54 holes. If you want to talk about your day today and maybe about your expectations heading into tomorrow's final round.

STEPHEN AMES: Today was a good day, it was a good ball striking day. I think overall it was a good course management day. The day was not easy. It was tough out there like it was yesterday and the first day, as well. I think overall this week has been a very patient week. And putting the ball in the right spots and course management, getting it around.

I think overall I've been very comfortable with the way I've been setting up to the ball and swinging at the ball, so that's been a big help for me there. And I've had Alan Fine with me the last few days. He's been helping me mentally, trying to get help me free up my thoughts, and that's helped me.

Q. What parts of your game are suited best for playing here? You've had good tournaments here.

STEPHEN AMES: I think the golf course kind of sets up for me. It's not a bomber's golf course. I think it's the kind of golf course that you've got to shape your ball off the tee, keep your ball in play. And same for the second shots; you have to shape it into the greens so you have an easier putt at the hole itself. I think in that sense I tend to like to see shapes when I'm playing golf. So I tend to play a lot of golf that way, see shapes off the tee and also into the greens.

Q. What do you mean by free up your thoughts? What in particular are you talking about?

STEPHEN AMES: Basically I have none (laughter). I tend to have too much excess thinking going on, should I say. It's a bit of an added note from my brother, also. He tends to think too much at times, and it's what we've had to work at, to let me see and hit the shot I see, rather than him trying to stand in there and go, I think it's a 6, and I see a 5. In that sense, that's basically what it is, more than anything else.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about your recollection of the year that Craig won and how close you got and how that feels for you?

STEPHEN AMES: I finished second. I think that was close. What was my recollection? I remember 1 putt, chip in. That's what I remember.

Q. You had a great week that week?

STEPHEN AMES: I had a great day. The first few days it was just gut it around. It was 1 under, 2 under going to the last day. I shot 67 that day, and it was similar to this. The golf course dried out, which it's going to do, and it just played tougher for everybody else coming in. And Craig played some fabulous golf, obviously, coming in, 1 putt, chip in.

Q. Did you feel did you feel snake bitten at all?

STEPHEN AMES: Snake bitten or not, it's still a great finish.

Q. Obviously you play this course very well. But did you think about that coming into this week, saying I know I can get into this tournament and this is a place that I'm obviously comfortable with? Does that enter your thoughts before an event?

STEPHEN AMES: I have various thoughts for that, but I won't comment on it. Next.

Q. So judging by what you're saying, you played much better from start to finish this week than you did in 2002?

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, overall it's been very consistent ball striking and the whole package has been very good.

Q. Was there any thought at all after the Match Play thing with Tiger that that would have a lingering effect on your psyche at all, or did you put it aside right away?

STEPHEN AMES: Put it aside right away.

Q. Early in your career, Sunday scoring was not a good thing for you. Then you won a pretty good event, The Western, and you seem to have a lot more confidence now when you're in the later groups. Can you speak to that a little bit?

STEPHEN AMES: I think I've grown accustomed to how they set up the golf courses for Saturdays and Sundays more than anything else. I think over the years I'm not going to take anything away from Callaway. I couldn't handle the irons more than anything. The ball was also an issue. Hence why I changed and went to Nike, which is more of a bladed club and softer, itself, and I think that's probably enabled me to hit the shots more that I wanted to hit.

And I think as the years have come on I've gotten better and better on Saturdays and Sundays for the way the golf courses are set up, for a softer approach. Tiger does that so well, as an example.

Q. The long layoff before The Hope, when did you see signs that it's good now?

STEPHEN AMES: Doral.

Q. Was there a hole or a nine or anything?

STEPHEN AMES: No, it was actually the temperature (laughter). I couldn't wait to get in the heat.

Q. You talk about it takes you've got the entire package going for you. Do you enjoy that challenge? Is there any added pressure knowing that if any of the parts are missing at a course like this in these conditions it's a short step from a good round to a disastrous round?

STEPHEN AMES: Somewhat, somewhat. I think the challenging part is not so much the fact that you don't have the package or parts of your package are missing, but it's the challenge for upstairs. Jim didn't have his package today, all of it, but he hung in there very well and still fought his way within two shots of the lead with two bogeys. I think mentally it makes it a little tougher.

And for me, I guess overall you've got to believe that you have a great golf swing and it's working. If you start worrying about your golf swing is not there, you're going to fall into that habit, and those are the things I'm trying to change mentally.

Q. Mechanics wise what are you doing best this week, iron play, chipping, putting?

STEPHEN AMES: Everything is good. I've hit it stronger in that sense. I think what's really good is the fact that I'm standing over the golf ball and I haven't got a swing thought in my mind; all I've got is a shape I want to hit it. I stood up there with no other thought coming in. I think that's when we play our best. We hear, what were you thinking of when you were playing, when you shot that 60? Nothing. That's basically how I'm trying to play golf right now; just trying to stay in the moment.

Q. You said you were working with a psychologist. I didn't catch the name.

STEPHEN AMES: Alan Fine.

Q. You were playing with Jim so you saw his struggles. But there were names that were on the leaderboard right at the top and then suddenly, boom, they were gone. And on this course obviously you know that can happen. How do you try to, I guess, avoid the dangers like everybody else and does it affect you when you see names disappear?

STEPHEN AMES: No, I wasn't even paying attention. It was only when Adam Scott walked by me on the 13th, we were waiting for him, he had just teed off. And I looked at his card, 3 over; doesn't that add up to 10 over for the day? And Robert and I said "holy geez." It can happen. It can happen. Something probably triggered had his mind off today, and that's what it takes.

Q. Have you always been a good wind player?

STEPHEN AMES: I have always enjoyed playing in the wind, yeah. It's just the nature of what I see and how I feel the shots.

Q. Was too much made of the whole thing at LaCosta?

STEPHEN AMES: I don't know, what do you think?

Q. Well, I didn't have to deal with it. You certainly still are.

STEPHEN AMES: Did I deal with it? I dealt with it. Didn't go anywhere with it. I left it at that. I got my ass pummeled. I lost.

Q. This is obviously a better place to be, though?

STEPHEN AMES: Florida? Yes.

Q. Same temperature?

STEPHEN AMES: Yeah, you're right, it is. Temperature is about the same, yeah. That's unfortunate, hence the reason why this event is going in May. I can't wait for that next year. I think everybody is kind of fed up with it, too.

Q. Are you mentally more well, you said you were kind of playing without thinking today. But ordinarily on this golf course are you mentally more tired when you finish a round here than you would be at Doral?

STEPHEN AMES: To be honest, no, I'm not. No. I've still got a lot of energy in me right now. I think it comes from the fact that most of the top players work out. I'm in the same boat; I work out, also. I'm not young. I'm not 24 like Adam or 30 like Tiger.

End of FastScripts.

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