FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC

June 28, 1997

Robert Damron

ROBERT DAMRON: More barbeque.

ROBERT DAMRON: It is not. You know, it is part of the game. It has happened to me a thousand times before; it will happen again. Just take it in stride. Be patient.

ROBERT DAMRON: No, no, no.

ROBERT DAMRON: They are. But, they are different; but, they are still the same. You still have to wait, and I have got no choice in the matter, so I might as well just enjoy it.

ROBERT DAMRON: A lot of things going through my head. Of course there is a chance of that, but they kind of set the precedent earlier in the season at Memorial to go into Monday, and they seem to say that they are going to continue to do that. So, I don't think that is going to happen, and I am not going to allow myself that is going to happen. I am just going to get out and play as many holes as the weather will let me play and see, you know, what happens at the end of it.

ROBERT DAMRON: There is no pressure with Greg Norman in the group. I have got -- I am not watching him, and I am not really playing against him. All I am doing is playing against myself and the course. I am pretty comfortable. I was today a little nervous on the first tee, but just a little, a little nervous in the short putt on the first hole or the 10th hole, the first hole of the third round. But, I calmed down pretty well. I hit some good solid shots, and, you know -- so to answer your question, the pressure of playing with the lead is far more than playing with Norman.

ROBERT DAMRON: Yeah, I guess so. No, I am not very good. Yeah, I guess so if it will kill the time.

ROBERT DAMRON: I would say not. It is - actually, I consider myself fortunate a little bit that I didn't have to go 36 holes today. I am not in the greatest shape in the world and, you know, who knows what would have happened. I might have given out mentally or physically, but I might not have. But, you know, we will go out and we will try to play some tomorrow. And I will be a little better rested, and I won't have to play quite as many tomorrow.

ROBERT DAMRON: I hope not. I have a trainer at home. And since at Honda, actually, I was playing all right. We had to play 36 on Sunday. I did give out a little bit the last 18 and just kind of ran out of gas. And, after that, I decided, you know, I better, you know, not let that happen again. So, I got a trainer. I have been working out pretty hard at home. And, so hopefully that will pay off. Hopefully it won't last, but if we play 33, I think I am far more prepared this time around than I was the week of the Honda.

ROBERT DAMRON: March, beginning of March.

ROBERT DAMRON: No, they seem to be pulling for Greg. They are cheering more for him when he misses putts than when I make putts. But, that is okay, that is to be expected. You know, he has earned it.

ROBERT DAMRON: My dad knew him pretty well. I didn't know him. I was pretty young, that was probably' 85 when he lived there -'85, '86 - and I was, what, 14 in 1986. So I didn't know him that well. But, I did -- you know, I did watch him, and I kind of idolized him and always pulled for Greg in tournaments and when I watched him on TV. I think this is the first tournament that I am not pulling for him. But, I kind of emulated him a little bit. I tried to, in certain ways, when I was younger. So it is, you know, kind of a thrill to play with him. But, it, is you know -- I have kind of put that out of my head and gone on.

ROBERT DAMRON: This course?

ROBERT DAMRON: I tried to qualify for this tournament in 1994 and I didn't make it. That is the only time. I have played in the Loren Roberts earlier, couple months ago here at this course, but, no, I have never. Just I have been here three days before this week.

ROBERT DAMRON: I think it is -- is today the 28th?

ROBERT DAMRON: I think it is tonight. It probably is going on right now. I am not sure exactly what it was, Florida Amateur Golfer of the year, but that can be way off. Something like that.

ROBERT DAMRON: Well, yeah, I came back from Canada, the Canadian Tour ended at the end of the summer, maybe at the end of August. And, I didn't really have a lot of confidence at the time and I didn't have a lot of money in the bank. I was sponsoring myself. And, it is 3,000 to enter Tour school. And, I wasn't sure I was even going to put that money up to go. I was just -- because it was a little over half of my total worth at the time. So, I did. I started to play a little better and couple of mini-tour events. I finished second and first consecutive and made 6,000 and so that helped a lot with the money situation. And, that kind of gave me the money to go ahead and get into Tour school, plus a little confidence too.

ROBERT DAMRON: Second. I tried to throw that back. I still have nightmares about that. I was tied for third or third by myself going the last round at second stage and just blew. I shot 79 and I had to get into a playoff. You know, and I think it was seven guys for four spots, and I squeaked through there, so it was a lot of luck on my side too. Just one more shot and it-- I wouldn't be here right now. I would be back in Canada probably. I don't even like thinking about that. (Laughter.)

ROBERT DAMRON: No problem. Thanks.