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BUICK INVITATIONAL

January 27, 2007

Andrew Buckle

LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Andrew, for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at the Buick Invitational. Nice round of 68. As you and I were talking walking in here a few minutes ago, we had discovered that you had won the Junior World twice in '99 and 2000, I guess you feel pretty comfortable here.
ANDREW BUCKLE: Good memories, that's for sure. But it's changed a bit since last time I was here. The course is a lot longer and moved a lot of greens towards the cliff. But it's a beautiful city, San Diego. The weather has always been good when I'm coming here and great golf course, you know, public course, pretty a amazing.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Talk about what you did well today.
ANDREW BUCKLE: I don't know, I got off to a nice start, hit a -- I've been driving the ball pretty good, so the first front nine, birdied the second, and birdied the third, a nice shot into the third. Then birdied I think -- made a bogey on 5 and then kind of hit a nice shot into 10 for birdie and then 12, birdied 12 and 13.
So all of a sudden I was 5-under, you know. Then after that, kind of struggled a bit for the next few holes but it was nice to birdie the last.

Q. What do you remember about the Junior World in terms of what position you were in going into the final round and who else was involved in contending in those two tournaments?
ANDREW BUCKLE: It wasn't Tiger Woods, that's for sure.
Yeah, it was fun. When you're a kid, when you're 16, 17, life's pretty easy. So it wasn't -- you're just out there for a laugh and try to play some golf.
Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I remember the last day both years, it was good fun to be in contention for an overseas player. It was kind of a big deal when you're that age, I guess. So, I don't know, I can't remember so long ago.

Q. You've been on a pretty fast track in your career, are you relieved or disappointed that you're not going to play with Tiger now as things turn out tomorrow? You'll be in the final group which is probably a good bit in itself but not with him.
ANDREW BUCKLE: Not playing with him?

Q. He'll be right in front of you.
ANDREW BUCKLE: I think I would have been pretty nervous. Would have been good fun to play with him, just see how he handles everything and just to learn from him, see how he goes about it.
But it was pretty nerve-wracking today when it was up there, still another round to go. So yeah, kind of relieved I guess.

Q. Looking at your scores from '99 and 2000, you actually threw up 65-66 in 2000 on the South Course. Obviously it's a different course, but those are some pretty amazing scores for junior players. Do you remember being incredibly pleased with a 65-66 the last few rounds?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Oh, definitely. But like I said, it was a pretty different course back then. I can't remember but I don't think -- I think they must have put a few fairway bunkers in. You know, so much longer, they have moved a few of the greens towards the cliffs, and I remember hitting 8-irons into a few of the par 5s where out there this week, you're hitting -- you're hitting 4- or 5-iron sometimes. It's a lot different.

Q. Can you give us just a brief synopsis since you've turned pro? You got your World Ranking up pretty high, was it in Europe or Asia?
ANDREW BUCKLE: I turned pro a few years ago when I was 20 and didn't really have anywhere to play for the first couple of years, so I was kind of in limbo I guess.
Then end of 2004 I think it was, I got my Asian Tour card and played there for that year. Yeah, that kind of got me going, had a couple of nice finishes there.
Asia has quite a few co-sanctioned with Europe, they have maybe 11 or 12. So it's great competition and good experience for us to play against some of the top European players as well. Played there 2005 and then went to Q-School over here at the end of 2005.
Went through all three stages and got my Nationwide Tour card. Then played Asia the start of 2006 again, and then came over here about -- I think it was about April or May for the Nationwide Tour.

Q. So your only previous TOUR starts were majors, British in 2004?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, I played the British in 2004 and last year, and then played the PGA last year.

Q. Last Junior World question for you. Did you play Junior World before Torrey Pines events; did you come here at an earlier age also?
ANDREW BUCKLE: When I was 16, 17.

Q. Are you a product of the academies over there or what was your -- how did you come up through the system and how did you get your training wheels?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Just played a lot of -- played junior tournaments, you know, and I was very fortunate that my parents were very supportive. They sacrificed a lot of time and money to support my golf, and they are still working today. Yeah, I had a lot of help from people back home so I could travel and get experience to play tournaments.
No, I didn't go to a BIS or an AIS or anything like that. Just stayed home in Queensland and had people help me out.

Q. You're playing with another tour rookie tomorrow in Brandt Snedeker. He's had a lot of crowd support this week, are you hoping to feel some of that tomorrow?
ANDREW BUCKLE: I think there were quite a few people out there claiming to be Aussies a few times. It will be fun. Brandt is a good fellow and he's a hell of a player. We played quite a bit last year, so it will be fun.

Q. He's been in the limelight all this week, he's been coming in here every day, it's been exciting for him, but I'm sure you get up and up and up, and when-is-it-going-to-crash-type thing. You kind of made your run today or gotten up there, do you think it's almost easier to now go into the last round not having dealt with all of the build up the rest of the week?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, I don't know, it's hard to say, you know. Brandt is playing great golf at the moment. 61 and then he's hanging in there. So who knows tomorrow.

Q. I know you've had a lot of success and you won your very first Nationwide Tour start here and all that, but is there any part of you that's surprised to be sitting in that chair so soon, so early into your tour here with the big boys?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, I think so in a way. I love playing golf. It the best job in the world and I work pretty hard at my game. I don't know, just enjoying it.

Q. Did you grow up playing with any of the Australian players that are on the PGA TOUR now?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Adam Scott when we were young played in -- we're from the same state from Queensland. He was a couple years older and we played penance, which is like an inter -- kind of an interclub thing back home in Brisbane at the same course.
So he's always -- yeah, Scotty's always been good to me, you know. Whenever I see him, he'll stop and have a chat.

Q. Can you win with pars on the back nine tomorrow?
ANDREW BUCKLE: With pars on the back nine? Depends what everyone else does I guess.

Q. Does this course set up -- is par a good score on the back nine here?
ANDREW BUCKLE: I think so. You've got to -- there's a couple holes out there where you've got to hit some pretty decent shots, you know. So yeah, just like I said, there's a few -- there's still a couple on the back nine if you're playing well, you can make birdies. But you can also, you know, if you're not on your game, you can definitely go the other way.
So, I don't know, just have to wait and see I guess.

Q. Now you said your parents were still supporting you, they are still working, what do they do?
ANDREW BUCKLE: My mom's a nurse and dad's a retired school principal. He just does work one day a week back home.

Q. What are their names, please?
ANDREW BUCKLE: David and Fran.

Q. Can you talk about the Nationwide Tour and how much it helps to make the transition to the PGA TOUR, a lot of those guys are having success right now?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, it pretty similar. The only difference really is the amount of people who come out and watch, and of course the prize money. So the Nationwide Tour, it certainly prepares you well and when you come out here the first -- the first few tournaments, you're paired with guys from the Nationwide Tour and Q-School and stuff like that.
So it doesn't feel much different. So yeah, definitely prepares you well, that's for sure. I think it's a great theory having a Nationwide Tour.

Q. You said you played with Brandt a few times last year. Can you elaborate on have you guys interacted at all, and have you enjoyed the experience and what it was like playing with him?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, he's a lot of fun. He's a pretty laid back bloke, so he's all good for a chat and a laugh. His caddie, Scotty, he's always got some stories. Yeah, that's about it.

Q. Had you been back to Torrey Pines since you won in 2000?
ANDREW BUCKLE: No.

Q. Were you blown away when you got here when you saw the big lodge and the grandstands; it's a completely different golf course essentially. What do you think when you first saw it?
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, it looked -- everything was just kind of coming back to me I guess. Yeah, like you said, the grandstands and all that sort of stuff, but the lodge was here back then in 2000.

Q. So you are undefeated on this golf course if I'm doing the math right, two-for-two, not to put the pressure on you or anything.
ANDREW BUCKLE: Yeah, two-for-two.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Let's go through your birdies and bogeys real quick, what you hit to the green and how far from the pin the par 4 No. 2, birdie.
ANDREW BUCKLE: No. 2, I hit driver and then just a gap wedge to I think it was maybe about eight feet or so. Made the putt.
Then No. 3 down the hill, we hit a 5-iron to about three feet. Made birdie.
Bogey on 5. I hit just blocked my second shot a little bit and hit it in the right trap, didn't get up-and-down. Hit it to about ten feet and missed the putt.
No. 8, I hit 7-iron to about ten feet, made the putt.
10, I hit driver and then 8-iron to about an inch for birdie.
12, I hit driver, then 3-iron to about eight feet, birdie.
13, I hit driver, 2-iron into the right bunker. Hit it out to about three feet, birdie.
14, I hit driver, wedge in the left bunker. Hit it out to about six feet and missed.
16, hit a 2-iron in the front left bunker. Hit it out to about maybe ten feet and missed.
18, I hit driver, then 2-iron. Hit it right behind the right bunker. Hit it down to maybe 15 feet and made it.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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