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WGC BARBADOS WORLD CUPDecember 8, 2006Roger Beale, Jr.James JohnsonST. JAMES, BARBADOS: Second Round Q. You were trekking today, but this is tall timber, as it stands now, what are you going to take away with you from this week? JAMES JOHNSON: Well, we've still got two more days. We try to be as kind of mentally at ease, that's not really the right word but we're trying to have as much fun as we can this week. I know that we're not expected to do -- if you were to rate us in the World Rankings, we would be way down. So we know if we played well on our home course, we can do well. It's a very new experience for me, and I'm trying to do as well as I can and promote the island and just enjoy it as much as I can. Q. How have the other pros reacted to you? Do they know your circumstances and are they interested? JAMES JOHNSON: I think a few of them know but I haven't really heard too much from them. Stephen Ames had a brief chat with me. They are very supportive. I think anyone who plays professional sports understands how tough it is. I just -- it's a difficult decision for me. I love the game but you know, I just chose to stay or go back to amateur status. I think try and enjoy it. It was the right decision for me. Basically not playing well enough in my own mind. Q. So explain what happens on Monday as you hand your professional status back or what goes on. JAMES JOHNSON: Pretty much as soon as I give back the money that will come to me, I will be an amateur. The Barbados Golf Association pretty much runs the amateur body here. Then just contacting the R&A and asking for advice, and they were a little bit surprised because they never heard of a case where an amateur was receiving this much money and giving it away so to speak. They had said because of the uniqueness of the situation and having wanted to represent my country in this event, once I give back or donate my earnings, I'm not gaining monetarily from this. So as far as they was concerned -- but they said it would be the PGA's decision. As far as I've been told, I'll go back relatively immediately to amateur. Q. Will you go back to your old job on Monday? JAMES JOHNSON: Not Monday. Probably about Wednesday. (Laughter). JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Have you had any conversations with any of the other professionals? ROGER BEALE, JR.: No, just how are and you basically just asking them how they are doing; if they, you know, need anywhere to eat dinner and stuff like that. Just trying to be the best host that we can and certainly on the West Coast there's plenty of great restaurants. It's been great. The locker room is cool. You see your name with the rest of the best players in the world, so, yeah, that's something certainly you remember from this week. JAMES JOHNSON: The Welsh team was very supportive of us yesterday. ROGER BEALE, JR.: Unbelievable, classy guys, really. JAMES JOHNSON: They were really encouraging us. We got off to a good start and we were kind of hanging in there and they were -- ROGER BEALE, JR.: Not to take away from the Danes, but we got off to such a rough start -- it's contagious or something. JAMES JOHNSON: Thomas didn't really speak much but Soren was very nice. Q. Thomas has got a bad neck so that might explain it. JAMES JOHNSON: Okay. Q. You struggled early on, what were the mental challenges early on? JAMES JOHNSON: In this format we've been trying to emphasize getting into a good rhythm. ROGER BEALE, JR.: Good rhythm. JAMES JOHNSON: Because it's that much more tricky than the better ball, once you kind of consistently are hitting fairways and get the ball on the green, we felt very comfortable on the greens all week and we've made four birdies yesterday and three today and our kind of goal is to get ourselves on the green as much as possible. But earlier, starting off early today, like any other round, you're trying to get into a flow. ROGER BEALE, JR.: Just get relaxed. JAMES JOHNSON: Ideally we want to be hitting all the fairways and the greens but it doesn't always happen. It's tricky with the wind. All the players will tell you, 20 to 30 miles an hour wind, it's hard. You've got a little white ball that, you know, is going 300 yards and you're trying to keep it within a 25-yard fairway is tough for even the top players. Q. James, based on the expectations you had before the start of this week, has anything particularly surprised you, and what's been the most difficult thing to handle? JAMES JOHNSON: As I said yesterday, I thought I would be a lot more kind of overwhelmed with this week and a little bit more nervous. I haven't really felt much of that at all which surprising. We've both played golf for a long time so I think the golf side of it, pretty much know what's got to be expected. You've got to hit shots and you've got to make putts. The mental challenges are I suppose the biggest challenges in any sport. We both try hard to just relax and enjoy it as much as possible, and that is our way of dealing with it. ROGER BEALE, JR.: It's the secret to our success I would imagine. Again, as we said before we have nothing to lose so just go out and let it rip. We did that for about 14 holes. The first couple obviously we got a little off our rhythm, got in some water, bailed it out and we're good. Q. What were the nerves like standing on the first tee yesterday? JAMES JOHNSON: Not too bad for me. ROGER BEALE, JR.: Believe it or not, before I hit the shot, I was fine. After, my heart was beating a thousand beats a minute. I thought people could hear it. When the crowd yelled, I just was shocked that I would be feeling that way to be honest with you. It felt great. JAMES JOHNSON: The biggest surprise for me so far this week is that I haven't been as nervous as I was expecting. I don't know, I guess being in Barbados, maybe just a little bit different. Maybe if it was in the States, you're in a bit of a strange place maybe. Q. The gallery seemed to be treating you like national heroes. I mean, they are just going crazy for you boys. Do you think that once you see yourself on television, it might sink in a different way? When you look at the tape and the broadcast? ROGER BEALE, JR.: Possibly. JAMES JOHNSON: I don't think it will for me. I'm a pretty laid back person and I've thought it out. We've had some mental drills with our coach, and even if we were to win this week or finish in the Top-10, I don't think it would change the way I live my life. So, you know, this is a big deal, but I kind of -- you know, it's still just a game I suppose. That's how we're trying to look at it. JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you and play well tomorrow. End of FastScripts… |
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