U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 13, 2003

Robert Damron

ROBERT DAMRON: I've got to look at my cheat sheet. Round 2, No. 1, first hole was -- you know, you hit the fairway and it's not a hard hole, , so I hit the fairway, 3-wood up in front of the green, nice chip shot to two feet, we'll call it, and made it.

No. 4, par 3. That's where I realized the greens were faster than they were because I had about a 20-footer and had it not hit the hole, it was -- I mean, it was going seven, eight feet by and I didn't feel like I got it there when I hit it.

No. 6, perfect drive, perfect 3-wood, had a pretty good eagle putt 10, 12 feet under the hole, but for an uphill putt, that's the fastest uphill putt I've ever hit in my life.

11, I took a 6-iron knowing I couldn't hit it over and I hit it as hard as I could hit it and it came off perfect and ran low and came back about eight feet short, made that.

Q. Two rounds in the 60s to start the U.S. Open is a pretty good start.

ROBERT DAMRON: That's what I hear. I've been told that by people.

Q. What are your thoughts on where you are going into the weekend.

ROBERT DAMRON: I'm not surprised. It's just been a matter of time. It's such an odd game, and physically my game has been good. I've been hitting a lot of fairways and good solid shots, and I just haven't been doing -- haven't been making the putts, one, and mentally, two, I've just been making mistake after mistake. I'm just going to try to eliminate mental mistakes and not put any extra pressure on myself. You know, what happens happens and I'm going to try to take that attitude.

Q. You mentioned the greens. How much faster? They said they were 12 yesterday. How much faster?

ROBERT DAMRON: I couldn't get stimp meter-wise, but they're significantly faster. Maybe it's just because I was one of the first groups out. I was the first group on the front side, and maybe we followed the mowers and the rollers and they were really fast on the front.

Q. Where can I get one of those hats?

ROBERT DAMRON: You can have this one. Name your price, you can have it.

Q. Is space for rent?

ROBERT DAMRON: You got it.

Q. What's a fidgety guy like you doing this high up on a U.S. Open? Most of these guys are freaking out?

ROBERT DAMRON: Fidgety is just the way I am. I'm moving all the time, got to walk around a lot. Don't translate that into being nervous or unsure of myself. That's just the way I am. I wasn't nervous at all, even over the first shot, in two days. I haven't been unsure of myself, I've just stood up there and hit the shots I've needed to. Being fidgety, that's just me.

Q. Squirrely?

ROBERT DAMRON: Whatever.

Q. Everyone anticipated the course to be a little bit more difficult today. You didn't find it that way?

ROBERT DAMRON: It's getting more difficult. In the practice rounds the rough was a little more bristley and you got some more good lies. It's starting to lay down and it's getting to where good lies are few and far between, so in that aspect it's definitely getting more difficult. If we get a little wind and maybe a little sun, then the USGA will have it where they want it with the greens a little firmer and maybe faster.

Q. The eagle on 2 yesterday, I forgot to ask you.

ROBERT DAMRON: Sand wedge from 98 yards, hit about two paces behind the hole and spun back in.

Q. You're not supposed to be able to spin balls on U.S. Open greens like that?

ROBERT DAMRON: Look back at Thursday and Friday in the past. You can do it then. It's the weekend you can't do it.

Q. You're exempted the rest of the year?

ROBER DAMRON: Yes.

Q. So you've got to step on the gas at some point here, right?

ROBERT DAMRON: Or what? Thinking about that or putting that in the front of my mind is just a thought I don't need, so it's a long year. I'm playing good golf, so I'm not too concerned with that.

Q. Your wife said she felt like you were getting closer. Can you sort of summarize what that means or is that just a feel?

ROBERT DAMRON: I don't know. It just means that even though the scores haven't been there, my golf shots have been there. You know, it's hard to be patient and not push, and that's what I've been doing a little too much, especially U.S. Open is a great place to go out and test your patience.

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