Q. Well how did you feel that you were hitting the ball?
JACK NICKLAUS: I never made par. I made 4 bogeys. And bogeyed both the par-5s on the backside and then when you do that you are going to shoot a bad score. I hit the ball terrible. It just didn't do anything all day long.
Q. There has been a lot of talk lately about 40-year-olds playing well here and last year, do you have any theory about --
JACK NICKLAUS: None.
Q. No theory?
JACK NICKLAUS: No theory.
Q. In this history of this tournament you have such a good international field here, but few international players have won it, do you have any explanation for that?
JACK NICKLAUS: I don't know. I don't have any theories for that. That's like asking about 40-year-olds. I don't know. I don't know.
Q. (Inaudible)
JACK NICKLAUS: I think they are playing.
Q. Is this course unlike what Europeans may be accustomed to?
JACK NICKLAUS: I think they are playing internal. When they play on the continent, they play parts of England, this is very similar to what they play. They only play the British Open on seaside courses. You ask them to say they are going to play, they don't do it either. I don't think it's unlike what they play. As a matter of fact, it is probably more similar to what they play than most of the courses they play over here. Most of the time they got a fair amount of rain and you know their courses are relatively soft most of the time. This course here usually plays softer than I would like it. I think it's probably similar to what they play a lot.
Q. Maruyama says this course is dramatically different to what he would be accustomed to?
JACK NICKLAUS: Core (phonetic) grass they play on. When you got that kind of grass -- --
Q. (Inaudible)
JACK NICKLAUS: The course is a dream golf course. The greens are a really nice speed. I don't know what he said he shot, I would guess between 14 and 15. I would think that you had to be careful with your putt, but they weren't ridiculous by any means. The course wasn't wet. I guess we missed the rain last night here, I don't know. I went to bed early. I was tired last night. And I think the golf course played very well. You had a pretty easy day for scoring, not much wind. The temperature is relatively warm and the ball goes pretty far with warm temperatures. I found myself hitting the ball a little further than I had in the practice round. It seemed like it was warmer. But it was fun. The guys have done a great job on the golf course. He asked me about 17. I think 17 played fine. It played a tough hole into the wind. I hit a 4-wood into the thing.
Q. (Inaudible) was talking about his enthusiasm of playing golf, and the experience of it. When you were 25 years old, or 20 years old, did you have experiences with someone in golf that you played golf with?
JACK NICKLAUS: Yes. As I grew up, I played with Sam when I was 16, and I went on the next day and won the Ohio open. I played with Hogan when I was 20 at the U.S. Open, the last two rounds, and almost won it. I played with Boris the first tournament I ever played in. That was the last round when I was 18, I shot a 68 with him. I imitated everyone of them guys when I played with them. I think as a youngster to play with one of the legends of the game, I think it was always a big thrill for me. I always enjoyed that a lot. I don't like to put myself on that plaque anymore. I guess I fall in that category. I always imitated their swing. Every time I played with Snead I tried to swing like Sam. Every time I played with Boris I tried to play like Boris. With Hogan I tried to imitate Hogan. Kids imitate. Actually I guess I must have been pretty good at imitating because I could play with anyone of their swings. I'm trying to think of someone who I tried to play with that I didn't play well. I suppose Bobby Locke, the first time I played with Bob Locke was 22. I was sitting on the first tee at Truro (phonetic). It goes along the ocean. He aimed it out in the ocean. I thought he was hitting a couple of practice balls. He hit the first ball, and pulled it back into the fairway and walked out. I was playing with Gary -- I thought it was the end of his career. Is that what you were asking, Jerry? I always got a great thrill out of it. That was always a great treat for me. I don't know whether I played well enough.
Q. You played at Augusta?
JACK NICKLAUS: We played at Augusta when we got rained out. Lee played very well as a matter of fact.
Q. What did Jack (inaudible.)
JACK NICKLAUS: Ralph sent me to all of these different guys to learn more about the game and the way different guys played. The more you know about what people do, the more can you sort out how you want to play. Who knows? Maybe I was I'm imitating there.
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