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FBR OPEN

February 3, 2005

Charles Warren

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

JOHN BUSH: Charles, thanks for coming by. 3-under par, a few holes left, I guess, but just comment on your round so far today.

CHARLES WARREN: Yeah, you know, I got off to kind of a shaky start. I started off okay, then hit it in the water on the first par 3, I think it's 12. Hit a bad shot there and made a bogey, but after that I made some good golf shots, gave myself some chances at birdie and ended up birdieing 15, 16 and 17, and that kind of got my round going.

I just solid played. I came out knowing that it was going to be tough today, and you had to play smart and put the ball in certain spots, and take your chances when you get them and your chances weren't going to be that readily available today.

But I'm pleased, you know, getting in as an alternate on Tuesday afternoon, that was -- I was in the mindset that I was going to play, and I tried to prepare Tuesday and Wednesday as if I was going to play today. I think it showed.

I mean, I was ready to come out and get off to a good start and hopefully I can cap off a good round in the morning.

Q. Just take us through that three-hole stretch.

CHARLES WARREN: They had the tee up on 15 because I think the wind blew a lot in the morning. I kind of nicked the drive but I kind of hit it low where it got out there. I got to go to the green, 230 front, knocked it on the green, made a good two-putt there for birdie.

16, always an experience obviously, but I told my caddie, this is kind of like hitting a shot out of a fraternity house. No one really cares if you're there, no one cares if you did it. It's just one of those things you don't encounter anywhere else, and it was my first time so it was pretty cool.

Hit a decent shots, just didn't feel the ball because of the grand stands. The ball kind of flew hole high, and I made a great putt there, 25 feet or so.

Then on 17, hit a good drive up there on the front of the green, hit a decent little chip from 15 yards short of the green up there just behind the hole and made the putt coming back.

Any time you make three birdies on a day like today in a row, you're going to switch your emotions the right way, so that was definitely a good thing.

Then on I guess it's 2, hit a good ball, pulled it left, kind of hacked a shot out left of the green to make like a 35 footer there.

Obviously making a lot of putts helps. I didn't really expect -- I haven't putted very well lately, so I've been working hard on it and I think it was definitely a bonus making a few putts today, and that was definitely a key to the round or half or three quarters of the round.

Q. Does that bother you, not completing a round?

CHARLES WARREN: After San Diego I think we're all used to it. We stopped and started so much there that it was on and off and on and off, and you just take advantage of the chances you have. They blew the horn right before my birdie putt on 4, and I had about 12 feet behind the hole and I would have liked to have made that coming home. I played solidly, played well. I only made a couple bad swings and only one of them cost me a bogey.

If I continue to stay focused and patient, I think my ball-striking has been very good, so I think it'll carry me.

Q. For the fans that don't understand the life of the alternate, can you talk a little bit about the challenge of that?

CHARLES WARREN: Out of our category on the Nationwide Tour, everybody just assumes that you get to play in whatever you want to play in. Obviously that's not the case. We're basically conditional players.

You know, this is a week that I wasn't planning on coming here. Last year Zach Johnson won the Money List and didn't get to go. For it to go 15 spots more than it did last year is pretty surprising to me, considering this is such a great event. But not being a Ryder Cup year and some other factors I guess maybe steered some guys away.

But all in all I think it's a great week. Obviously being a short field, though, not many guys get in, so I didn't really make plans until Monday night to fly out here Tuesday morning.

But obviously I'm glad to be here. This is an event that is definitely a bonus getting into, and I'm enjoying my time and looking forward to the weekend.

Q. You flew out here Tuesday morning, found out you were in Tuesday afternoon?

CHARLES WARREN: Actually I didn't find until I got in I guess Wednesday. Stankowski didn't actually withdraw until last night. I played Tuesday. It just seemed like such a short week because I didn't get here until Tuesday, but I guess it was Wednesday when he pulled out. It's just one of those things where I was ready to play and happy for the chance and glad I got it.

Q. Tomorrow your first shot is a 12-foot birdie putt?

CHARLES WARREN: I missed that, so I'm on 5 tee.

Q. Where were you when you left home?

CHARLES WARREN: I was fifth alternate on Friday at 5:00. I was fourth alternate on Monday morning because Briny Baird withdrew because he had a baby Tuesday, I think, and then we had three withdrawals, I guess, on Wednesday morning that got me to first -- no, on Tuesday. One withdrawal on Monday, three on Tuesday, so I was first alternate most of Tuesday at about 11:00 o'clock and then got in 24 hours later.

Q. What triggers you to get on the plane?

CHARLES WARREN: Just the fact that it ended up being the case with somebody, we played short today one guy, so some alternate that should have been here is wishing he was here, and I didn't want to be that guy.

You know, the weather has been so bad back home that I figured I'd be better off coming down here, I'm a Ping guy, a Ping guy can work on my equipment, the weather is better, halfway to Pebble, getting used to the time change. I can practice here Tuesday and Wednesday, so there was nothing bad that was going to come out of coming out here. My wife had to go to Chicago; she travels with me and she had to go somewhere else this weekend anyway. I was flying to Pebble regardless, so I might as well enjoy some weather, or it's at least warmer than it is at home.

Q. So there was absolutely no reason not to come here?

CHARLES WARREN: Well, I wouldn't have come if I didn't have any chance to get in. I would have probably stayed home. But being that close and having a chance, I definitely wanted to be here.

Q. Were you aware of the numbers that other players were putting up today?

CHARLES WARREN: Not really. I mean, it's Thursday. I've tried to kind of get away from that. You know, I used to on the Nationwide Tour. I used to set some benchmarks, but I told my caddie after we were 1-over through 5 or whatever, I said let's just get it under par before we get done today, and then make three birdies in a row, now you're 2-under. Now you've got to move it up to 3- or 4-under. I like to set round goals, but I really don't do it based on where other guys are.

Q. Do you like playing in the wind?

CHARLES WARREN: I do tend to hit it a little higher and spin it a little more, and I tend not to be as good of a ball flight for the wind, so I don't know what it is, but I do like to play in the wind.

End of FastScripts.

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