SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 16, 2004

Steve Allan

JOHN BUSH: Steve, thanks for coming by. Nice playing today. Comment on your round. Obviously, a lot of birdies.

STEVE ALLAN: Yeah, I played really good starting on the 10th tee right through until the 1st. I missed a couple of greens. Had good chips. Putted obviously very well, and really struggled from the 2nd right through until the 6th, I think, or the 5th. Missed every green: 2, 4, 5, but managed to get them all up-and-down and big finish.

JOHN BUSH: Nice way to finish with the eagle. Take us through your birdies and eagle starting on 10.

STEVE ALLAN: I hit a good drive just short of the bunker. Pitched it to probably about eight, ten feet and made it.

11, I hit a good 6-iron about probably six, seven feet.

12 was actually a was standing in the bunker, hit it to probably 30 feet and made it.

15, 2-iron, wedge to probably eight feet.

18 was a driver and a 2-iron into the front right trap and a good trap shot to two feet.

7 was an 8-iron to about six or seven feet.

9 was a drive and 6-iron to about 30 feet.

Q. How long were those putts, 2 through 5?

STEVE ALLAN: They weren't very long. I think the 2nd was probably about eight feet. And then the 3rd, 4th and 5th were all sort of three feet or less.

Q. What were your expectations coming into the week?

STEVE ALLAN: I wasn't really sure. I played very well the second half of last year and played a few tournaments in Australia where I didn't play at my best, but I was still up there, which was pretty pleasing.

And then I had sort of a three- or four-week break. So you're never really sure coming into the week. I knew my game this year would be in good shape, but I wasn't sure if it would be this week. I had an open mind to the week, I guess.

Q. So what's clicked?

STEVE ALLAN: I think my putting has been particularly good. Like I really holed out well, as you can see, from the short ranges. Both days I've sort of played well for nine holes and then sort of scrapped it for the other nine.

And I really got up-and-down very well. I think that really held my round together today. I missed the green on 17. I didn't hit a bad shot there, but I hit it long to get it up-and-down. And then to birdie the 18th and then obviously four up-and-downs in a row, you could easily have made two or three bogeys there, and all of a sudden I'm back to 1- or 2-under.

So really, I think my short game has really been great.

Q. Difference in the conditions from yesterday afternoon to now?

STEVE ALLAN: I think not a whole lot. I think yesterday it got very windy but only for last three or four holes. And today there's a bit of breeze in there, swirls around a little bit, but it has not been too strong. The first nine there was not much wind at all. It was perfect scoring conditions, really.

Q. When you see someone like Stuey winning twice in quick succession, does that say to you, "I should be able to do that," or is that really irrelevant to your career?

STEVE ALLAN: Yes and no. I think I played a few practice rounds with Stuey and I think everyone would agree that he's got a lot of talent, when you see his swing his putting stroke and everything, his length; that he really should be sort of one of best players in the world.

Also I feel like my game could get to that level. It's been improving slowly the last few years. Hopefully I can continue to so that I can be there before.

But to do that, I have to be up there a hell of a lot more often than once or twice year. I have to be up there consistently.

Q. Which part of his game do you see specifically that are better than yours?

STEVE ALLAN: Just consistency more than anything. I think, you know, when I'm playing well, I feel like I can match up with the best players. But I don't do it often enough. And someone like Ernie or Vijay or Tiger if they are in contention, I would not imagine they would be feeling particularly uncomfortable or nervous. But if you only do it two or three times a year, you're pretty nervous. To get up there more often and get used to it and consistently have a chance to win, you're going to break through eventually, and hopefully more often than not. I think you just have to put yourself in position a lot.

JOHN BUSH: Steve, keep it going this weekend. Thanks for coming by.

End of FastScripts.