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MERRILL LYNCH SHOOTOUT

November 11, 2006

John Daly

J.B. Holmes

NAPLES, FLORIDA: Second Round

PHIL STAMBAUGH: John, J.B., better ball score of 62 today, and at 125, 19 under, you take a one shot lead into tomorrow. A couple general comments about how you played in the better ball format today.

JOHN DALY: I think we brother in lawed pretty good. J.B. played exceptionally well today. I made a couple putts on 10 and 11. We just kind of brother in lawed it really good. The front nine I couldn't hit a fairway on the first six holes and J.B. kind of took care of that.

But he played exceptionally well on the back nine. If I hit it in there seven or eight feet, he'd hit it in there two or three. 18 was kind of the only hole that we were kind of out of it, didn't have a chance of really making birdie, and he ends up making birdie. He played great today.

J.B. HOLMES: I felt like we brother in lawed it real well. We didn't play good the first five holes, but after that we played pretty well.

He picked me up on the holes I was down, but like I said, he made a couple putts when we needed. He made his putts I had a 15 footer, and then he'd hit one seven or eight feet and I'd hit one in there two or three feet. Of all the birdies I made on the back side, he had one right there, so if I missed it he had a great chance at it or something like that.

But it was a lot of fun today and just played really well as a team together I thought.

PHIL STAMBAUGH: Can we run through the ten birdies and you just tell me who made them and about how long the putts were starting at No. 1?

J.B. HOLMES: We both birdied 1.

JOHN DALY: We both birdied 1.

J.B. HOLMES: Mine was about a foot and a half and his was about three feet.

PHIL STAMBAUGH: Par 5, 6th?

J.B. HOLMES: I made like a 10 , 12 footer there.

PHIL STAMBAUGH: Par 3, 8th?

J.B. HOLMES: He hit it like a foot, tap in.

I made a 15 footer on 9.

Made a six footer on 10.

15 footer on 11.

Then made a six footer on 13.

Then I made about a half inch putt on the par 5.

16, I about holed out, six inches on that hole.

Then 18, whatever that was, 25, 30 feet.

Q. Can you go over 18 because we were in here?

JOHN DALY: I hit my drive and they said it was fine. It was between two of the ugliest bushes I've ever seen in my life. J.B. thought it was okay so he was going to rip it down the right side and just caught it a little off to the right and it went in the bunker. He looked at me, we're 50 yards apart, and he looked at me, and he had a nice bunker shot on the green, right side. I thought he hated it because

J.B. HOLMES: I was trying to hit it a little closer than that. I had to play that shot right of the hole, so I knew when I hit it, it was going to be 30 feet, but it wasn't going to be spectacular or anything.

Q. And the putt was 25 feet did you say?

J.B. HOLMES: Yeah, something like that.

Q. How about 17, too? The group in front of you well, behind you was shocked you didn't birdie 17.

JOHN DALY: Well, I hit a horrible chip.

J.B. HOLMES: It was nothing on him. I had a 15 footer for eagle and I three putted.

JOHN DALY: It's always tricky there. I knew, just hit a good chip and at least get him a birdie and give him a chance to run at it.

The thing about these greens are if you push a putt and the grain is going that way, it just keeps rolling, and that happened a lot today with both of us.

But no, I hit a horrible chip. I didn't give him an opportunity.

Q. Were there a lot more chances out there?

J.B. HOLMES: Yeah, we definitely left some shots out there, but overall we made some putts.

Q. You had five eagle putts today? We were all

J.B. HOLMES: I had four on the back side.

JOHN DALY: Yeah, he drove 10.

J.B. HOLMES: 10, 13

JOHN DALY: He had four eagle putts on the back nine.

Q. Everybody is like expecting they're almost talking it isn't fair because you guys are playing together. Do you feel any more pressure because everyone is expecting you to play so well?

J.B. HOLMES: I haven't heard that.

JOHN DALY: I haven't heard that.

J.B. HOLMES: We're just going out there and having a good time. Our games match up. We're quick players, a lot of feel. We're not real technical on anything. I think our games match up great and we're just out there having a good time. When we came in we thought we'd have a good chance to play well, and we're playing pretty good.

Q. J.B., what were your yardages on 17, the length of drive, and what did you have left?

J.B. HOLMES: I don't know. I had 180 yards to the hole, pin was back, so I was 170 middle or something.

Q. Every year at this tournament we're always looking to see who might get the 18 under in the scramble, birdie every hole. You guys would have as good a shot at it I would think as anyone?

J.B. HOLMES: Has anyone ever done that?

Q. Last year Norman shot 17?

J.B. HOLMES: It's a scramble, but still, it's just two guys. That 17 under is good. I think we can go out and play well tomorrow and shoot a good number. We get a lot of wedges in our hands and get some chances and make some putts, we can shoot a low number. It depends on how good you play and depends if you get some of those putts to go in or not.

Q. John, you had a good shot at this in '01 with Frank. Would it just be nice to get it that much farther this time?

JOHN DALY: It would. Greg has invited me a lot to this tournament and it would be great to have a chance to win. I think this has got to be my 13th or 14th Shark Shootout. I love playing with J.B. Hopefully we can go out there and get it done tomorrow. I'd love to win Shark's tournament.

Q. What do you think about the galleries? These seem to be the largest galleries ever. How are they treating you out there?

JOHN DALY: They're wonderful. I was telling J.B. yesterday walking down 18, there wasn't this much people on Sunday. In the first round we had more people this year than on Sunday. It just shows what Greg has done around this community and the tournament is just getting bigger and bigger. We just love to come play. Bottom line it's for the kids, anyway.

Q. (Inaudible.)

JOHN DALY: Yeah, yesterday's crowd was just incredible. And today, too. It's just nice to see that it's a full I mean, there's people everywhere in this tournament compared to it didn't used to be that way. Golf is getting bigger and Greg is promoting it and people are coming out and supporting it because I think most everybody knows now that the bottom line is it's going to the kids.

I felt good about raising over $4 or $5 million for Make a Wish in 12 years, and I see Greg has made over $10 million for his charity. I mean, that's the bottom line. That's what it's about. We want to win badly, but at the end of the day, it's for the kids, and he's done a remarkable job.

Q. Tell us what you know about Rod Pampling.

JOHN DALY: I know Rod just a little bit. He's a great guy. He's funny and he's a good player. He's a wonderful guy. He's always cutting up in the locker room and stuff.

J.B. HOLMES: I know him a little bit through the Tour, just a good guy, always joking around, obviously a great player.

Q. Would you say he's one of the best kept secrets on Tour?

JOHN DALY: Yeah, I mean, he's a good player, there's no doubt about it.

Q. Those two guys were saying they have a love of beer in common. We know how much J.B. likes his beer (laughter).

J.B. HOLMES: I'll have a few now and then, but I don't drink a whole lot.

Q. I was wondering how the two of you got to the partners. How did that come about?

JOHN DALY: Well, I was fortunate to get a sponsor's invite and Taylor asked me who I wanted to play with, and I said, "Well, J.B. is playing, right?" He said, "yeah." I said, "Can I play with J.B. Holmes?" He said, "Sure, no problem."

Q. Just talk about where you're at in relation to the rest of the field. Did you think the way you played you would be farther ahead or are you surprised you are leading?

JOHN DALY: I'll tell you, Scott Verplank and Justin Leonard, Scott Verplank played awesome today. I mean he when Scott wasn't in it, Justin made birdie.

They're going to be tough to beat. They might not be the longest hitters in the world, but them two didn't miss a fairway today.

J.B. HOLMES: They almost had two chances at birdie every hole.

JOHN DALY: They were always in it. It just shows, we're only beating them by one shot. They're going to be tough.

And Rodney, his team is going to be tough, too. It's whoever gets off to a good start and gets some rhythm and gets some confidence.

Q. (Inaudible.)

JOHN DALY: Yeah.

J.B. HOLMES: A little. You've still got to go out there and play. You can't scoreboard watch the whole time. The scramble format they're going to make a lot of birdies. Just don't put too much pressure on yourself. Every par 5 we come to we've got a great chance of making eagle, even driving that one hole, put it on the green the last two days. It's a long putt, but you get two putts at it, a lot better chance of some eagles.

Q. You go out and you're playing for place or your playing for money when you're on the Tour. I mean, there's some kind of agenda every time you're on that course. Now, here you're saying, well, the kids are the bottom line. But are you as driven does your adrenaline get as pumped because the bottom line is winning?

JOHN DALY: No doubt.

Q. Is it the same kind of feeling, though, as it is when you're playing for a Top 10 or whatever?

JOHN DALY: It is for me because if you win you're beating great, great players. You want the trophy.

I mean, not like Vijay. Vijay said he just gives his trophies away. I cherish my trophies. I've said, "Vijay, why do you get rid of your trophies?" He says, "They don't mean anything to me." But I cherish trophies, I cherish crystal. And a chance to win it and something that your kids can fall back and show their kids one day or something. It means a lot to me. I asked Vijay, "What are you doing with your Masters and PGA?" He says, "Oh, they're in the garage somewhere." I said, "Hell, give them to me, I'll take them."

Q. Where are yours?

JOHN DALY: Actually, Houston was struggling last year and I wrote him a letter my two major trophies are in the Broyles Complex right now. I gave them a letter. My mom had always said something about "Champions come from the heart," and it stuck with me. And when the Razorbacks come out of the chute, they put my lion logo with four Razorbacks on the side, "Champions come from the heart," and the guys slap it every time they come out of the locker room. It meant something to them.

Q. Are you the reason for the turnaround this year?

JOHN DALY: No, I'm not the reason. Good coaching. We've got everybody healthy, which really helps.

Q. Are you worried about the game at 4:00 o'clock?

JOHN DALY: I am. I think the kickoff is at 7:00 o'clock or something.

Q. You hit it pretty good yesterday, I watched you. Was that the best you've hit it this year?

JOHN DALY: Like I told J.B., I think it's the first time I actually got to play when I put two hands on the club.

J.B. HOLMES: He's pretty good with one hand but he's really good with two hands.

JOHN DALY: It's only the third time I've played since Vegas because I just wanted to rest this thing up.

PHIL STAMBAUGH: Thanks to you both. Good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts.

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