U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 30, 2000

Bruce Fleisher

BRUCE FLEISHER: Fellows, it was very unemotional today. After the first green, in which I had an, about a 20-footer, then I left myself for about a 12-footer. I knew I was in for a good awakening. But I was able to get that putt in, and it wasn't really much going on today. I birdied 2 and 3. 2nd hole, I hit 7-iron to that green, playing downwind; and I made a real good putt there, about -- I want to say about 15 feet, if I remember correctly. 3rd hole, I hit 5-wood, 9-iron to about eight feet right below the hole -- actually hit the only place you could really probably make it on that green. But that was really it. Then I kind of parred all the way in. If I look at my stats, I think -- I don't know how many greens I missed today. What did I do today? Anyway, any questions? I hit a lot of greens, hit a lot of fairways today. I felt I kind of overheard they were going to do a number with the pin placements today.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Superstitious, he is. I think at any moment in time, any golf course can jump up and grab you. Again, I said earlier this week, if you can keep it in the fairway and, you know, look at the -- greens are fairly small. Of course, these pin placements today were such that I didn't feel comfortable myself. Tom Kite must have felt comfortable today. But I seem to have a lot of 20-footers and -- but became very tentative a lot, because I felt I was always putting downhill. Where yesterday I could -- then when I did have a putt uphill, I left it short.

BRUCE FLEISHER: On a scale of one to ten, about eight.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Well, I think today I said earlier, if you left it short of the hole, you are going up these, you know, these loops; and if you are long, you are going to lag. It seemed like the pins were on these shelves today, where if you did leave it short, even twelve feet short, you are going way up. Very hard to gauge the speed of the putt.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Yesterday was a very long day. Of course, with the delay, which I wasn't involved, the sun doesn't go down 'til 9:00, so you don't want to go to bed at 9:00. I like a late/early rotation. I think it is better early/late. Don't ask me why. I think it is easier to prepare. You finish late, you have dinner, you go to bed; you get up, you play. Versus having finished early, having all afternoon, then all day the next morning.

BRUCE FLEISHER: I had birdie chances. I had a good birdie chance at 17. 16, I hit it right a little bit long. It was just a lag putt. 14, I had a pretty good chance there. I had about an 18-footer up the hill, left-to-right putt. I am trying to think. I tell you what, 10, 11, I had very good chances. In fact, I hit two very good putts. 10, I had about a 6-footer; lipped out. 11, about an 8-footer that just -- I don't know how it didn't go in. After that, I really didn't have a legitimate try. At that point, I figured, well, maybe just not going to happen today, and just don't do anything stupid.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Are you a golfer?

BRUCE FLEISHER: No kidding. That is the reason. No, absolutely not. I think that is why you have your Open Championships, whether it is the PGA or Senior PGA. These courses that are set up are not set up for birdies. If you happen to get a birdie, it is a real plus. Par is not a bad score. Par is a good score.

BRUCE FLEISHER: Absolutely not. (laughs). You know what, I have no control over Tom Kite. We all know how great he is. Whether it is Hubert Green, Hale Irwin, I don't know if I feel comfortable with a 10-shot lead, to be honest with you. I am just going to go out, just try to be the best Bruce Fleisher can be. If it is meant to be, then maybe I will get -- I will have that rainbow shining over me come Sunday afternoon. But there is a lot of golf left. I said earlier, you still got to play. You can't be sloppy around here. And it doesn't take much. A bounce here, a bounce there. So be comfortable. I have no control of their game.

BRUCE FLEISHER: I am just hungry. I am just a growing boy. What can I tell you? My wife made me a peanut better and jelly. I was a little nervous this morning, and I didn't eat breakfast at all. I had to wait in line for 20 minutes for a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee that I didn't want to wait in line. But I waited, because I wanted that cup of coffee. You know where that Dunkin' Donuts is, by any chance? It is hard to find.

BRUCE FLEISHER: 309. 378 doesn't have one. Actually, it is the opposite direction of where I am staying too, so I had to get up about 30 minutes early to do that. But no, I think a lot of this is just nervous energy. And the peanut butter and jelly just goes so far. But this is looking better every minute. It will be cold by the time I get to it.

BRUCE FLEISHER: A little more sleep tomorrow morning. Probably as tough, if not tougher. I think these gentlemen, these fine gentlemen -- these fine USGA gentlemen will probably -- greens will certainly get a lot firmer. You know, bearing the forecast is going to be what they say it is going to be. It is going to be harder. Going to be harder.

BRUCE FLEISHER: This is my fourth time this week. The people behind the counter knew of me. They didn't know who I was, but they did know that -- I am from Callaway gardens. (laughs).

BRUCE FLEISHER: Are you trying to get in a fight with me? If you read back in my track record, there are times when I am going to be smiling, this is a very tiring, very difficult week of high expectations, not only of myself, but a lot of things that I deal with within. And things that distract me are people who come out and I have had a lot of friends this week that will come out middle of the round, that is a distraction. So I try to avoid eye contact as much as I can, certainly during a high-profile week like this. If I am a wall flower, so be it.