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THE HONDA CLASSIC

March 11, 2000

Jonathan Kaye

CORAL SPRINGS, FLORIDA

JOE CHEMYCZ: Jonathan Kaye, round of 67 today. He hit 16 of 18 greens; 10 of 14 fairways; had 29 putts. Nice round. Why don't you just go over birdies and bogies.

JONATHAN KAYE: Birdied 1. I made it just off the fringe about a 15-footer. Birdied 5, made about a 20-footer there. That was a good putt. Then I 3-putted 6 about 25 feet. Then I made about a 60, 70-footer on 7 for birdie. Birdied 10, about 10-footer there. 13, one-footer. Drove it right on the fairway. 2-putted from there. It was about 20 feet. 16, I made a 10-footer there, and 17 another 10-footer and a bogey on 18. I pulled my approach left of the green and I thought I had a pretty good shot, checked up, left myself about an 8-footer for par and pushed it.

JOE CHEMYCZ: All and all, pretty good day for you?

JONATHAN KAYE: I am happy. I wouldn't want to do it again until tomorrow.

Q. When was the last time you held a tournament trophy in your hand?

JONATHAN KAYE: 1996 State Open, Colorado Open.

Q. Have you ever talked with any of the guys on Tour out here just how hard it is to win out here?

JONATHAN KAYE: No. I don't talk to them about that, just try to take care of business.

JOE CHEMYCZ: Talk about the condition of the golf course a little bit today.

JONATHAN KAYE: It was in great condition. I was surprised at how soft the greens were. I guess the rain really soaked in from this morning and all those downwind shots I was hitting was kind of expecting them to release and they'd hit and stop, all except for one.

Q. You have had a couple of runners-up. Just talk about what you have learned from those experiences of what it takes to win out here.

JONATHAN KAYE: Just to stay patient. If things don't go for you early, hang in there. Keep plugging away, you never know what is going to happen.

Q. Had you been somewhat inspired by the guys who have won for the first time on Tour this year?

JONATHAN KAYE: Lately, yeah. It has been nice to see all the Arizona boys winning.

Q. Will you look tomorrow at the leaderboard?

JONATHAN KAYE: Try not to.

Q. Why?

JONATHAN KAYE: Because it doesn't really affect how I play. I mean, I still got to do what I got to do regardless of what everybody else is doing.

Q. Why do you think people say how tough it is to win your first time out here? Why do you think it is tough to win the first time?

JONATHAN KAYE: I don't know. I couldn't answer that one.

JOE CHEMYCZ: Do you ever look at the leaderboard?

JONATHAN KAYE: I try not to. It is hard not to when they paste it right in front of you. Just try to ignore it, take a glance at it, move on. I didn't look at one all day today.

Q. What was the injury you had -- didn't you have a medical exemption?

JONATHAN KAYE: I had a reconstructed left shoulder.

Q. When did that happen?

JONATHAN KAYE: 1996.

Q. An accident? Was it just a golf related?

JONATHAN KAYE: I don't know. Could have been from a long time ago, car crash, get runover by a truck, who knows, but it started bugging me.

Q. Considering the way Jim Furyk played last week, particularly on the back nine at Doral, would you say that based on who is up on the leaderboard right now, he would be the guy to watch tomorrow, the guy who might make the move, so to speak?

JONATHAN KAYE: I don't know. I'd be watching me if I were you. I am not too worried about Jim.

Q. How long were you out after your shoulder surgery?

JONATHAN KAYE: I missed all but three events in 96 and all but two events in 1997 so pretty much two full years.

Q. You won prior to --

JONATHAN KAYE: I won right after I had my shoulder surgery, actually. Then I had surgery again, so it was a little premature.

Q. Had you surgery on your shoulder again?

JONATHAN KAYE: Twice, yeah.

Q. Came back too soon from that?

JONATHAN KAYE: I don't know if it was too soon. It just kind of reinjured it.

Q. What did you do during those two years without golf? Were you playing?

JONATHAN KAYE: I didn't play. I just hung out at home with the family.

Q. It is like 1998 your first full year back healthy after the surgery?

JONATHAN KAYE: Yeah, played on a medical that year.

Q. Did it give you more of a sense of urgency when you came back or change your approach at all after being away for two years?

JONATHAN KAYE: Not really. Unfortunately, I jumped in right away. I didn't play any warm-up events on the Nike or anything, so it was kind of tough not having competed for two years, just getting back into it. But it came back really quick. I played very well in 1998, but I was kind of practicing all year.

Q. Do you think it is going to be a low score tomorrow that is going to have to win; somebody is going to have to go 5-, 6-under?

JONATHAN KAYE: I think the weather will dictate the scores that everyone will shoot. If it stays nice, I would think so, you have to go pretty low.

Q. How has your year been so far?

JONATHAN KAYE: It has been all right. I have been playing solid.

Q. What would it mean to you to win tomorrow?

JONATHAN KAYE: I don't know, I would have to tell you when it happens.

Q. How come your girlfriend is not caddying for you this week?

JONATHAN KAYE: She is playing.

Q. Where is she?

JONATHAN KAYE: She is playing a Futures Tour event in California.

Q. Do you know how she is doing?

JONATHAN KAYE: I know how she did yesterday. I don't know what she did today.

Q. Is she in contention at all?

JONATHAN KAYE: No, I didn't even hear what the leaders were, so I couldn't say. She played all right, though.

Q. Who is caddying for you this week?

JONATHAN KAYE: My other caddie, Rich Amer (phonetic).

Q. That's the guy that has been on the bag for you?

JONATHAN KAYE: Yeah, they kind of share the duty.

Q. You never had a teacher, you are a self-taught player. Is there someone now that tweaks your --

JONATHAN KAYE: I am pretty open. Whoever is there. Yeah, I mean, a lot of different people have helped me. I don't have one person in particular.

Q. But you are getting some instruction now?

JONATHAN KAYE: Just -- not really. I wouldn't call it instruction, just kind of having someone else's perspective on it.

Q. You seem pretty low key. Are you going to be nervous tomorrow?

JONATHAN KAYE: I hope not. That is my job, you know, that is what I got to do.

Q. So many guys, I guess, are so reliant on their teacher. How come you decided to take that path?

JONATHAN KAYE: That is just the path I ended up on. I don't think we choose those paths, or some do, but I just kind of fell into this one. It is not like I don't have people that have helped me. It is just -- I don't have the same person helping me all the time.

End of FastScripts….

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