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BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

April 1, 2004

Ben Crane

DULUTH, GEORGIA

TODD BUDNICK: Ben, you're back in a familiar spot, looks like two shots off the lead, and you continue to play well here.

BEN CRANE: Yeah, you know, I felt very comfortable out there playing the holes again. It was a tough day and tough day to score with winds gusting and the cold weather. I'm very pleased with the way I played, very solid.

TODD BUDNICK: The course you played last year, at least under these conditions, how much different was that today?

BEN CRANE: It was quite a bit. You're in all different spots, hitting a lot of different clubs into the green, and the greens are more receptive right now.

So, it is. It's a different animal right now, but I think as the week goes on, it continues to be windy and the course is going to dry out and play a lot more like last year.

Q. When is the last time you played in conditions that rough?

BEN CRANE: I don't know. I can't remember the last time it was that cold and that windy. It's been a while. It was cold in L.A. but not like that. So you've definitely got to bundle up. You're in a couple extra layers and so it's a little tougher to swing, you just try not to overpower the course in a situation like this.

Q. Inaudible?

BEN CRANE: I think so. In weather like this, because it's so cold early, and I made an extra effort this morning to exercise for about 30 minutes before I played just so my body would be warm by the time I got out there and I was hitting putts and stuff. So I didn't get too cooled off. I think that definitely helped.

But, it is, when it's so cold on those first few holes, just try to, you know, keep it together and wait for the round to come to you, I guess.

Q. What kind of adjustments to you make for the wind in your shot selection?

BEN CRANE: Well, it's different. In the Pro Am, all of the pins are right in the middle. So you can hit really any shot you want, but come tournament days, with the pins on the edges you have to work your shots and you're certainly not going to start the ball if you have the right pin, you are not going to start the ball over a bunker bring it in. You're going to have to hit a little fade in there and stuff. So you really have to play a lot of different shots, and I think that's why it is so tough. And so I was able to control my ball fairly well on a number of crucial iron shots to help me get on the green today.

Q. Having practice rounds and reliving last year, do you think about any of that today or are you totally focused on what was going on today?

BEN CRANE: I mean, it's kind of hard to not think about last year when you're out there a little bit. But, certainly, I'm out there playing every shot the best I can, and, you know, trying to make a birdie on 18.

But, yeah, I think at times you kind of think, "Wow, last time I played this hole, I was here," whatever. So it's fun to think about. But when I'm over my shots and stuff I'm definitely focused on the task at hand.

Q. This course over the years has been kind of horses for courses type of place; Scott McCarron has won twice.

BEN CRANE: I feel very comfortable here and I like the way a lot of the holes set up for me, and the greens are always really smooth and fast, which I like. So I hope that this is a place I always come to and look toward to playing well. This is only my third time playing here. So I don't know if we can really say that yet. I got off to a good start this week and we'll see.

TODD BUDNICK: You started the day with a birdie on No. 10.

BEN CRANE: Yeah, I got up and down from the green side bunker, made a 10 footer, which is nice. I felt like, you know, there's a little more at stake obviously this week. So it's nice to make the first one and get off to a good start.

TODD BUDNICK: Especially in that cold.

BEN CRANE: Yeah, when it's blowing like that.

12, I hit I hit it right through the fairway into the rough and had to hit way left of pin because there's water right there and I had a 35 footer and one of those where you just have to get it close. It went in and I went, "here we are again." I hit 6 iron out of the rough.

15, I hit it in the fairway and the wind is straight into you. I just turned my 6 iron over a little too much and hit it up against the collar between the intermediate cut and the rough and hit a blade or wedge out and it came out a little short, about ten feet and I missed it. Certainly, I knew if I could just hang in there, it was a tough day and I could probably if I could keep it under par, it was probably going to be a good round.

18, I hit it pretty hard down the middle and got up there and I had like 225 front. I thought, just a crossing wind. I took out a 2 iron and tried to get myself to hit it between the pin and the right edge of the green. I chickened out and just hit it to the right on the fringe and hit a nice bump and run to two feet.

6, I hit it down there about 95 yards and hit a nice wedge in there to two feet, pretty easy birdie.

7, hit it out from the fairway there, a little further back than I'd like to be. But I had 7 iron in, about 175 yards and pin was on the lower front edge and hit a super shot right at it and hit it about four or five feet.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you, Ben.

End of FastScripts.

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