	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

BUICK CHAMPIONSHIP

June 29, 2006

Peter Lonard

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

TODD BUDNICK: We thank Peter Lonard for stopping in after a 5 under 65 round one of the 2006 Buick Championship.

Peter, after that bogey on 13, a little string of four straight birdies got you going today.

PETER LONARD: It was nice. I hit a few good shots on the first few holes and made pars and then I three whacked the par 5, 12 or 13. And then I hit a couple to two or three feet and then holed a couple of nice putts on the next few holes.

It was one of those rounds where I hit a lot of greens, a lot of fairways and holed a couple of long putts and maybe missed one I probably should have got. All in all, it was pretty safe.

TODD BUDNICK: Talk about this year. You've only missed two cuts, but just two Top 10s on the season. Are you happy with where you are at the halfway point, a little over the halfway point?

PETER LONARD: Not really. I don't think I've played I haven't played really very well all year. I think at the first Mercedes I seemed to play okay and got myself into position pretty good at Hawaii and then sort of fell off the list. I've pretty much struggled all the way through. I practice just like I always do and have done the same work, but it just hasn't been working out.

Looking from the outside in, I suppose, the courses have been pretty damp all year. I'm a pretty good player on the harder and the firmer courses, like the Colonial, similar to stuff we play on in Australia. So it's been tough going, but that's the way it goes.

Q. General impression of the course. It's not a typical PGA Tour course, it's more of a shot maker course, position course. Do you like playing this type of golf course or do you prefer to just get out there and bomb it all the time?

PETER LONARD: No, I'm not a bomber. I prefer to play these style of courses. This course this year is a little different to what we normally play. I don't know if it's just a couple of months forward than the times I've played here before, but usually the course is pretty firm and hard and bouncy and the fairways are quite difficult to hit and it's pretty difficult to get them into the corners, where as it looks like this week is going to be pretty soft and you can give it a bit of a smash, but you have still got to hit your shots, I suppose.

Q. This course is not necessarily lined up with you said you play better on the harder ones.

PETER LONARD: This is a tournament that I like playing because it's normally firm and hard and bouncy and, that's usually more suited to my game. This week it's not. It doesn't mean I can't play half decent on a soft course, but if I'm looking to play towards my strengths, ball control and the control of the bounce of the ball is what I'm pretty good at because I don't drive it a long way. I'm not great at anything, just good ball control. When ball control gets difficult is when the courses are firm.

TODD BUDNICK: One win came at Hilton Head.

PETER LONARD: Yes, stellar course.

Q. Does a round like this give you encouragement that you might have turned the corner?

PETER LONARD: I think so. I've been practicing hard as hell, and probably the last month or two I felt like it's been going to turn around and it hasn't you know, to gain momentum and I just lost the momentum every week. I feel like it's going to happen, it's just a matter of time of hanging in there.

Q. (No microphone)

PETER LONARD: I've been practicing pretty much the same the last 20 years. I didn't sport a bit of a hangover the next day, but I don't think it's made me play any better.

Q. Did you celebrate a little bit?

PETER LONARD: Well, I didn't play the Open. I was drunk as hell in Orlando. I don't know if you could hear me celebrating or not, but I was with him the whole way. It was great for Australian golf. Australian golf has been struggling a little bit with a lot of things. I think we got used to having Norman as No. 1 in the world for a long period of time and everyone expected us to have a No. 1 in the world for the rest of their lives sort of thing. And now that Greg is gone, Australian golf needs one of the younger kids to take it.

Q. With Bads and Scott and yourself?

PETER LONARD: We have a lot of great players. I think looking at it as a golfer, we have far more better players now than we had when the Shark was at his prime. But they're looking for that No. 1. When you're used to having the No. 1, the public don't go, well, we've got fifty guys in world golf that are playing fantastic. They look at it and say where is that guy that's winning majors. I think it's a good stepping stone. It could help a few more guys to come along and win majors, as well, which is very important for Australian golf.

TODD BUDNICK: We'll go through your card. 3 putt on 13 and the birdies.

PETER LONARD: 14, hit it to about three foot. I hit a knockdown 6 iron in there.

The next hole chipped, drove it next to the green and chipped to three feet again.

Just on the fringe of the par 3, had about a 30 footer, I suppose, and knocked that one in.

TODD BUDNICK: What did you hit off the tee?

PETER LONARD: 6 iron.

17, I hit a 7 wood, I'm guessing. And I hit it to 20 feet and holed that.

No. 2, hit a wedge to about three or four feet.

Par 3, I hit a 5 iron to about 10 feet.

TODD BUDNICK: Thanks.

End of FastScripts.

About ASAP Sports • FastScripts Archive • Recent Interviews • Captioning • Upcoming Events • Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297