U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 15, 2006

Andrew Svoboda

Q. How did it go for you out there?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I played really well out the back nine, you know. Little bit of nerves out there this morning. But I got it together, hit some great shots out there on the back.

I made three birdies and I'm pretty pleased with the way I played.

Q. What did it feel like to stand out there?

ANDREW SVOBODA: It felt good, you know. I was just trying to hit good golf shots down the middle of the fairway. It was something when they announced my name such a loud cheer and everything that definitely got my heart going.

Q. What's it liking come out here and playing where (inaudible)?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I love the U.S. Open. I think everybody does. It's just such a great event. We have the best players in the world here. It's just an honor and a privilege to be playing with them.

Q. When about all this media attention? When was the last time you received all this media attention?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Probably never. In the Amateur, I had a little bit of media attention, but nothing like this.

Q. Talk about your nerves and how they were a factor. At what point did you find you were settling down?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I don't know. Maybe on -- I made a nice birdie on 11, and then I hit a good drive on 12. And then I hit a really good shot on 13 and made birdie and then just played pretty well from there on in.

Q. How did you sleep last night?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Slept good.

Q. Do you find your mind drifting as you're standing on the holes, kind of picturing what it's like playing here on a Saturday morning versus the first day of the U.S. Open?

ANDREW SVOBODA: No. I was pretty focused out there trying to get the job done out there. It was definitely not -- my mind wasn't wandering much.

Q. (Inaudible) gallery throughout the round or just on that first tee?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Well, when you hit a good shot or make a good putt, the gallery was rooting pretty hard, so it was just incredible. It was just really nice.

Q. (Inaudible) out in the gallery were recognizable faces to you?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I wasn't really, you know, looking around much. I was trying to focus on what I had to do. I'm sure if I looked around, it would seem pretty high.

Q. How is this different than what you're usually used to?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Well, I tell you the wind usually never blows quite like this. The course is dried up after all that rain, and it's playing pretty difficult out there. Par's a great score.

Q. Is there any particular shot that you hit like a hundred times here that you just stood over and said, "It's never like this. I can't land it to where I need it to go. It's just a totally different shot today"?

ANDREW SVOBODA: No.

Q. Any particular surprises out there for some of the other players, less wind or slower greens, shots that might do something that they didn't expect?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Well, the greens definitely firmed up on that back nine. On 16, I hit an 8-iron in there and it landed in the middle of the green from the fairway and chased about 20 feet back to the pin, and I made the putt. Usually that shot just doesn't get on top, so that's one instance. That's pretty much about it.

Q. Specifically about the greens, how much, knowing the greens as well as you do stands you in good stead versus guys that are still trying to figure it out?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I made some good putts. I think I had about four uphill 10-footers that I didn't make. But, yeah, I putted all right. I putted pretty well. I would have liked to have made a few more.

Q. How good is a 75?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I think 75 is a pretty good score out there. I'd say anything from 1-, 2-, to 5-over, somewhere in there, you're playing some good golf.

Q. That par save on 18 make you feel good?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Oh, man, that par save was nice. Just -- I hit a great 3-wood off the tee and it just ran into the rough, and I knew I kind of had a down lie in the rough and I was hoping I could use the back stop there on 18, and it just got up on top and I had pretty difficult 2-putt. Very fortunate it make par.

Q. What's you're outlook and approach heading into tomorrow?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Just going to go out there with the same attitude, try to have fun, get comfortable out there, and just try to play the best golf I can.

Q. How important was it on 17 and 18 to make those saves and hang onto the round a little bit?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Yeah, I think that it meant a lot. Momentum is key in this game when things are going well, you have to ride the wave. You've got to find a way to change the momentum if things aren't going well. Momentum is huge and that was definitely a way to finish up.

Q. Is there's value in local knowledge here and what do you think it's saving you out there?

ANDREW SVOBODA: I don't know. This course is pretty much right out in front of you. There might be a few putts out there, but some of these pins I've never seen. A lot of these pins, we don't play in member play, that's for sure. So maybe in some of the tournaments, like the amateur and the John G Anderson Memorial, they might have some pins that are similar to this, you know. I don't know, maybe a few reads here and there, two reads out there.

Q. How different was this an experience than The Amateur?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Much different experience. First of all, you're playing with -- playing in professional ranks, and you're playing for money, and you're playing against the best players in the world. And, you know, it's just incredible to be playing against Tiger, Vijay, and Phil.

Q. Feel more pressure on you?

ANDREW SVOBODA: No. I try to just go out there and -- there's no pressure. I mean, I've got to play as well as I can play, and that's it.

Q. On 17, was that the wind that blew your approach shot into the bunker on that approach shot?

ANDREW SVOBODA: No. I was thinking I probably should have hit a 9-iron in there and I tried to hit a little 8, and I just couldn't quite trust it. It's the type of pin where you know you can't hit it left, so I kind of hit it out to the right. I hit it a little -- little easy bunker shot and hit a great shot.

Q. When the putt went in on 18, that was the most emotion you showed all day. Had you been trying to keep everything really inside till the round was over?

ANDREW SVOBODA: That's how I play. I pretty much try to go about my business out there. It was really great to make that putt. That was just a great hole location right there, and just to make a good par on the last hole and finish up on a good note was really awesome.

Q. When did you start feeling yourself get a little bit more comfortable?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Probably on 11, 12, 13.

Q. After the first four holes your three over, what are you thinking then? Get it going and make some pars?

ANDREW SVOBODA: Oh, man, I was three over, but I had some good up-and-downs. I was playing pretty good. First four holes into the wind and everything are challenging. You've really got to come out of the blocks with your game.

End of FastScripts.