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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 15, 2006

John Senden

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

TODD BUDNICK: First off we'd like to congratulate the 54 hole leader John Senden for being this week at AstraZeneca Charity Challenge winner. For his efforts $50,000 will be donated on behalf of AstraZeneca and the John Deere Classic and to the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, and $50,000 to the American Osteopathic Physicians Foundation.

JOHN SENDEN: Thank you.

TODD BUDNICK: It's a chance for your first win on Tour. It's a place where first time winners have won often, frequently. Give us your thoughts.

JOHN SENDEN: Well, firstly, the Charity Challenge, it's a fantastic thing with the PGA TOUR to be such a great charitable organization, and hopefully all the charity goes to good stead.

But going into tomorrow, yeah, really excited. I'm going to go out there tomorrow and really feel great about myself. I probably will be nervous. I haven't held the lead after three rounds, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge. You know, it'll be a fun day.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk about today, seven birdies, no bogeys. A very fine round of golf.

JOHN SENDEN: It felt good. Actually comparing it to other rounds of 64, I only hit, I think, 12 greens on the first day and had 23 putts. But today I put it all together from good ball striking and solid putting. You know, that's what I've been doing a lot, and I'm looking forward tomorrow to being solid again tomorrow and really trying to be strong and hold on.

TODD BUDNICK: You got off to a good start today with birdies on 1 and 2, obviously hoping for something similar tomorrow?

JOHN SENDEN: Well, the thing about tomorrow is I've just got to go out there tomorrow and do my stuff, whether I birdie the first two holes or birdie the last two holes, it doesn't matter. It's about being competitive and being in control of myself. I can't control a score, but I can control how I react to any good breaks, any bad breaks. That's how I'm going to handle it tomorrow.

If you were to say to me, well, is 68 good enough? Well, maybe not. You know what I'm saying? Someone is going to need to shoot low around here because it's really a low scoring course if you're playing well. I've just got to go out there and be competitive and do my stuff.

Q. When you think back to your decision to come over here and qualify right after 9/11, do you think about that from time to time and where your life and career might be right now if you hadn't done that?

JOHN SENDEN: That's exactly right because at the time of qualifying school, I was still playing golf in Europe. I had completed four years in Europe and decided that I wanted to come over to America to qualify. The time of September 11 was obviously a terrible time for everybody, but I don't know, myself my wife Jackie, she said to me, I think it's still a good thing to come over and do it because it's still a great opportunity for us to get to the next level, and she said to go for it.

I said to her, I'm not going on my own, because we wanted to be together. If anything was to happen, I'd rather be together. It worked out really well because she was actually caddying for me in the qualifying tournament, and that was a great experience. You know, looking back in hindsight, you could say that it was the correct decision because I did get my Tour card that year, but it was a tough time for everybody in America. You know, I just had to fight through that, make the decisions. If you didn't watch a TV box you wouldn't really know what was going on at all.

I think that the whole situation of it was America is the safest place to be possibly because there's so much protection going on when that happened that everyone was on alert, so it was possibly the best spot to be. Yeah, it was a good experience for me looking back on it.

Q. What day did you actually leave, do you remember?

JOHN SENDEN: Leave?

Q. When did you fly in, how many days after 9/11?

JOHN SENDEN: Oh, I don't know, I can't tell you. I'm not really sure of the dates of qualifying school.

Q. Was it a week or

JOHN SENDEN: Well, I went through all three stages, all right, so it was like what we did was went to qualifying I went to the No. 1 spot in Georgia, and then after Georgia we went back to Spain to play a European Tour event in Madrid, and then we came back and played second stage at Stonebridge in Texas, and then we went back to Australia and then came back over to play the finals. Whenever that was, that date, you could probably tell me if you look it up.

Q. It wasn't immediately after 9/11?

JOHN SENDEN: Oh, no.

Q. You didn't have to wait somewhere to get into the country?

JOHN SENDEN: No, we weren't held up at all, no. We were in England at the time playing in Europe.

TODD BUDNICK: The first stage is usually in October somewhere.

Q. What about the Deere Run layout has matched up with your game so well this week? You seem to be very at ease here, very comfortable?

JOHN SENDEN: I think with a lot of opportunity of having a lot of birdies I think is the good setup for me. A lot of players have probably experienced that with the softish conditions of the golf course. I don't know, some of the holes you know, there's a few left to right holes. I sort of move the ball from left to right off the tee more so than right to left. Holes like 18 and 15 and 2, 5 is another one, 4, they're all shaped like that, so they set up to me well.

But the condition of the golf course is just lovely, and I just think that setting up tomorrow, I'll just go do the same thing. It fits my eye well.

Q. Have you had to adjust your game at all as the course dried out as the week progressed?

JOHN SENDEN: Thursday morning we teed off early, still quite there was still a lot of dew, and the golf course was a lot softer than it was today. The course is drying out lovely now, and I think there's a bit more run on the golf course and the greens are still reactive to a good shot. I think you'll see some golf with the golf course drying out, there will be some shot making tomorrow.

Q. How comfortable do you feel with a three shot lead? I don't want to put a negative thought, but the last two third round leaders here have had three shot leads and didn't win. I mean, three shots is not safe by any means here?

JOHN SENDEN: No, I don't think so. I've got to go out there tomorrow and play my game. I've got to get birdies out there tomorrow because the score I'm on now is not going to win the golf tournament I don't believe. I've got to go out there and play well tomorrow and grab it because they're not going to no one is they're not going to go backwards behind me I don't believe. I've got to do my job and do it well, and hopefully that's good enough.

Q. How difficult is it out there with the heat and the sun beating down like that?

JOHN SENDEN: Well, you've just got to handle it the correct way with drinking a lot of fluids and even some electrolyte products. Powerade is on the tees, and I've been having a few of those amongst drinking water and also nibbling on some nutritional food. You've got to deal with it correctly like that. It is hot and it's hot for everybody.

You look at the people in the crowds and they're all waving their arms with pamphlets about and trying to keep cool, and everyone is in the shade. You've just got to deal with it the correct way.

Q. How many Gatorades and waters did you go through today? Did you keep count?

JOHN SENDEN: No, probably 15. I don't know.

Q. Going back to the previous question, you know that the guys behind you are not going to fade. In that regard you're going to have to stay aggressive. Is that going to help you win out here, knowing that you're going to have to keep the pedal to the metal, so to speak, and play well?

JOHN SENDEN: The thing I spoke about before is I can't control my score I shoot, but I can control what happens out there, as in what I I should say I can't control my score, but I can control how I react to a good or bad break, all right, and at the moment I've been handling it well, and I just need to do the same job again tomorrow about being professional, having a good attitude out there and going and playing another good round of golf.

You know, tomorrow I've got Heath and Pat Sheehan again. Pat was great, he played well again today. They're nice guys, they're good players, and it's going to be a tough day, but I'm going to enjoy it.

Q. What would a win mean to you?

JOHN SENDEN: Winning would mean a lot because there's a lot of other Australian players out here that have won, and to join that group would be great. Self satisfaction, thinking that I've been out here quite a while now, five years, and I'm really looking forward to getting to that next level and satisfying myself that way.

Q. Would you go to the British?

JOHN SENDEN: Yes.

Q. I believe you said that you looked at the field here when you got here. Did you come with a different mindset because the big guys aren't here, the guns aren't here?

JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, well, I mean, think about playing here with the particular field that is here now and comparing it to the Top 10 in the world that are possibly not here, it is a different kettle of fish, I believe. But that doesn't affect scoring, it really doesn't. These guys that are all in this every golfer in this tournament can shoot really low scores.

It's a matter of thinking that, okay, well, possibly the depth isn't as great as other regular events, but you know, it's still a lot of good players out here.

Q. When you say that you need to play your game, does that mean you just need to stay in the moment? And how much more difficult is it to actually do that, to not anticipate or reflect back on a bad shot or anticipate the next shot? How difficult is it coming down the stretch of a tournament where you have a chance to win, just think shot by shot? Is that harder to do than it is to say?

JOHN SENDEN: It is, absolutely. It's like trying to get you to hit a 350 yard drive. It's easier for me to tell you to swing it like this and hit it, but it's a lot harder to do.

Coming down the stretch tomorrow, I think it'll be difficult, but I've got to just go out there and play my own game, be aware of where I'm at, and try to concentrate on the process of a lot of shots coming down the stretch, rather than the result that it could be or might not be. Those are the issues you've got to deal with when you're looking when you've got say six holes to play and you're right around the lead, and try and just be like that tomorrow.

Q. Are there any tricks or thoughts that you've utilized in that situation before, any mental games you play with yourself?

JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, well, we sort of chat a fair bit to the caddie and keep it easy going, try to stay talkative with my group because sometimes you can get if you're sort of really concentrating and trying too hard, you get quite internal in your own sort of situation, and then you can kind of get a little bit too over trying might be the best word.

So let's hope that tomorrow we can do exactly the same thing because I felt good today. We were discussing things well with regards to the golf and with regards to other things off the golf course, and it was I felt like it was an enjoyable day.

Q. Michelle Wie had a lot of gallery chasing her. If I'm a die hard fan, I'm not watching your game but encouraging, is that bothering your game or not?

JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, you've got to try and be able to enjoy those people that are looking at you. You are on the stage, right, so it's a matter of accepting that and be obliging to the people. The fans are great, they're out here cheering us all on. They come out to watch the players and have fun and do other things on the golf course.

But yeah, you've really got to respect the patrons who come out and give them the best show you possibly can.

Q. When is the last time you took a lead in the final round, and how did you do?

JOHN SENDEN: I can't remember.

TODD BUDNICK: It's his first time on doing this on Tour.

Q. But in Europe or Australia or whatever?

JOHN SENDEN: There was a couple of local, State Open events in Australia where I was in the lead, but nothing like this.

Q. You mentioned you wanted to be aware of where you were in the field when you were playing tomorrow. I'm assuming that means you will look at a scoreboard, or is that your normal routine?

JOHN SENDEN: I think so. You're going to be looking at I'm not generally a person that looks at scoreboards a lot. I like to just be involved in what I'm doing, and if I think about scores, it's kind of a little bit distracting sometimes.

But tomorrow is going to be different because say if I look at the scoreboard after nine holes, okay, well, I'm in this position, okay, make my decisions upon that. I think that I should be aware of where I'm at down the stretch because I think it's important.

Q. Obviously you're having a good week so far. What are your impressions of this tournament? How do you feel about this tournament, how it's handled, how it's run, the course, the fans, the location, the time, the place?

JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, I think the TPC here is one of the best TPCs in the country, the ones that I've played anyway, because it's got a great facility, great golf course, the range, all the amenities, and all the hospitality involved with the golf club is great. John Deere having a great relationship with the Tour with regards to their equipment being at all TPCs is great, and them being the major sponsor this week is even better, and it's a fitting place in this town to have John Deere involved.

I think that the whole scene is a really nice atmosphere. It can be looked at saying, well, it's the hottest place on earth (laughter), but it's a great spot to play golf. TPC Deere Run is great.

TODD BUDNICK: We'll just go through your birdies.

JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, No. 1 was a 3 wood, wedge to about seven feet.

No. 2 was driver, 6 iron, two putt from 40 feet.

No. 8 was driver and a 9 iron to about ten foot.

10th hole was driver, 6 iron, sand iron to about eight feet.

13 was driver in the left trap, wedge out to about 30 feet, I believe, 35 feet.

And 15 was driver and a 9 iron to about nine feet.

And 18th hole was driver, 7 iron to possibly five foot.

Q. The save from the sand, birdie from the sand at 13, were you critical? What would you say really kicked the round into gear?

JOHN SENDEN: I think the first two holes, yeah, good start is important in any round of golf. The opening holes of this golf course are reasonably generous. It's a short hole, the 1st, and where the pin was today on the 1st hole was right at the front, quite accessible, and it was a good chance for birdie on the 1st hole, if you hit a good drive, I guess.

But the 2nd hole, reachable par 5, so it's a reasonably easy opening two holes on this golf course.

Then you've got the 3rd hole, which is a difficult par 3 up the hill. So that's where I think the difficult holes on this course are, they start from the 3rd. It's a good opening.

Q. You didn't get impatient with the pars on 3 through 7?

JOHN SENDEN: No, that's what I've been working best with this week is hitting good putts or hitting good shots and just handing the club back to the caddie. No negative comments at all, being positive and thinking that that particular run of pars, there was no damage at all.

But because I still felt good for the rest of the day, that's one of the secrets to doing well this week.

Q. What are you going to do tonight?

JOHN SENDEN: Well, I think I'm having dinner at I'm not sure exactly where, but with Brendan Jones, another Australian player, and his wife Adele, and my coach, Ian Triggs, and my wife Jackie and my son Jacob. We'll eat an early dinner and get the little guy to bed, and hopefully he sleeps well because then I do, too (laughter). It'll be good.

I'm excited to come out here tomorrow. I can't say that I won't be nervous. I wouldn't be human if I wasn't. But I've just got to manage it the best way I can and get out there and play.

End of FastScripts.

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