CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

October 27, 2005

Lonnie Nielsen

Dave Senko: Lonnie, thanks for joining us. Maybe just get us started, 6 under, 66. You've got to be pretty pleased with the first round today.

LONNIE NIELSEN: I'm thrilled. The way I warmed up on the range today, that was quite a surprise. I was having all sorts of trouble on the range. The first tee shot here is a tough one. You've got to hit a high hard one over that tree, and something about the swing I made on the first tee, I said I ought to hit that hybrid all the time.

I had a lot of good shots today. I was thrilled with my play. The putter was steady, and I drove the ball in the fairway most of the time. That's the key out here, to stay out of the rough.

THE MODERATOR: Maybe go over your card real quick.

(Scorecard done.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. How tantalizing was that on 16? You looked like you had some sort of a funky lie on your second shot?

LONNIE NIELSEN: I did, but it also made me feel like I couldn't miss it left. I took dead aim at it, figuring that lie was to the right, but I hit a great shot there. I hit a 5 wood from 250. I flushed it right straight at the pin. That was probably the shot of the day.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LONNIE NIELSEN: Yeah, it didn't look that hard. I know it was fast, but it was really fast. I got fooled three times today. I made a couple nice comebacks. I had some 10 or 15 footers. You try to make them, and you have a 5 or 6 footer coming back real easy.

Q. Lonnie, how satisfying was it to finish in the top 30 and have your next year all locked up?

LONNIE NIELSEN: Honestly, it's a dream come true for someone like me. I was a long time club pro in Buffalo, New York, and doing that for 20 years, that's obviously the number one goal is to finish in the top 30 out here and have the full exemption.

The number two goal for me is to get a win under my belt. So, one down, one to go on those goals.

Q. Is there any sort of kinship with a guy like Mark Johnson? It's sort of different than the Tom Watsons and Hale Irwins that have the glorious PGA Tour. Is there an unspoken bond at all?

LONNIE NIELSEN: No question there is. It was a real comfortable pairing for both of us. Mark played pretty good today. He really had some terrible luck. No, like I said, it was a real comfortable pairing for me. There is a bond there for us club pros, but to get a chance to come out here to play against these big named players we have been watching our whole careers, it's great.

Q. At this stage, how much of a difference is there in your game versus a guy like Irwin or Watson? It seems like the gap sort of narrows at this point or seems like it does?

LONNIE NIELSEN: Well, I'm still learning about myself and learning about this game, but I think I'm getting closer to understanding what it is I need to do out here. Really, at this level, this game is just about believing in yourself. You have to stand over a shot when it means the most and say, "I know I can do this."

The great players have been doing that for a long time. Someone like myself, I'm starting to get a little bit better at it. I certainly have a lot more to go. I certainly did it today. I hit a lot of wonderful shots and played without any fear today. It's easier said than done, but I got the job done for one day anyway.

THE MODERATOR: Any more questions? Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.