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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 6, 2007

Vaughn Taylor

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

BILLY MORRIS: Ladies and gentlemen, we're delighted to have Vaughn Taylor with us. Vaughn had a very fine round at even par today and he is 1-under for the tournament at this point. Would you like to say a few words to start with, and then we'll go to questions.
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It was an exciting day out there and had a blast. It was a pleasure to play with Mr. Player. Just had a really good time out there today.

Q. Just to get things rolling, just walk us through your birdies that you had out there today on 7, 14, and 15.
VAUGHN TAYLOR: 7, I hit driver, 9-iron, and made about a 15-footer or so. And 14, I hit driver, 9-iron about the same distance, 15 feet.
15, I hit driver, 5-wood, and holed about, I don't know, 18-footer.

Q. So you laid up on 15?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: No. I went for the green and hit it in the right hand bunker and got up-and-down.

Q. Gary Player was saying he talked to you a little after the round was over and gave you a little bit of advice. Could you say what he said and how encouraging that was for you?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Oh, he told me that -- he said that I was a great player and that I could win this thing this week. "Just go out there and play to win and be tough and stay focused," and those are very kind words. It puts a smile on my face to hear him say those things.

Q. After struggling, you know, your last time here, how exciting is it for you to just put two good, solid rounds together back-to-back, obviously given you live here?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It feels good. I really wanted to play well last year and kind of put too much pressure on myself. I was kind of overwhelmed all week by the whole thing. It feels good to come back this year and play two solid rounds and hopefully I can keep it going.

Q. How did you manage that? You talk about sort of the pressures from last year; how did you manage that this year?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Just tried to feel like I've been here and done that. You know, I think it's always easier the second time around and just feel more comfortable this year.

Q. The seven top names on the leaderboard are three-fourths of last year's U.S. Ryder Cup rookies; is that all Ryder Cup coincidence?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I was thinking about that earlier. I was looking at the board. I think we kind of got a little bit of a hard rap for having four no-name rookies on the team. I feel like, you know, we all have something to prove somewhat. It's pretty neat to actually see our names up there.

Q. To follow up on the Ryder Cup point, do you think that the exposure that you had a year ago helped prepare you for this and what you're facing for the next two days?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Most definitely. The Ryder Cup was big-time pressure and we all felt it and we all dealt with it. And it's helped us -- it's helped me every week I tee it up now, and it especially helps here in a major where the pressure is big time.

Q. A couple questions. You moved here at what age?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I lived here pretty much my whole life. My whole family is from here. My dad got a job in Roanoke for like a six-month stint and I just happened to be born there. We moved right back after about six months.

Q. When you people talk about baby steps on the way to where you want to be, even though this tournament is halfway over, is this one of them, given the importance and the roots, to be playing well?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, definitely. I've always dreamed of playing here and it's pretty special to be here.
Every week is a learning experience and you try to take the positives and you just try to better yourself, and definitely this week is helping me out.

Q. Have you shown something about yourself this week?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I think so. I think -- (smiling).

Q. Why are you smiling?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It's tough to answer. You know, I feel like I've proven myself somewhat. But, you know, we have two more rounds to go, so I have to just keep doing what I'm doing.

Q. The conditions as they are right now with the greens in the condition they are, do you feel like it's setting up pretty well for you because it's going to take somebody who's going to have to keep it in play and be able to putt?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, somewhat. I feel like I'm putting well and I feel like I'm swinging well and, you know, speed on the greens is really key. You definitely have to hit it in the right spots on the greens as well.
I feel like I'm rolling it good. So hopefully that's an advantage for me.

Q. Do you find yourself looking at the leaderboard wondering where Tiger is, where Phil is, and when they are going to make their move?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, somewhat. I didn't have any idea out there how they were playing, but I know I didn't see them on the board.
So I figured they were just lurking a few shots behind. I'm still not even sure where they are at.

Q. The golf course was tough enough as it was, but you had to deal with a couple other, I guess you could call them distractions, with one of your playing partners not playing very well at all and then all of the hoopla surrounding Gary. Is it that much more difficult to focus on the business at hand?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Somewhat. Yesterday was a tough -- was a tough round to focus.
Today I kind of expected the same. You know, I felt like I was fine. You just really have to be patient and not let those things bother you. I feel like I did a good job on that.

Q. With Gary as a guy who is never at a loss for words, can you share any anecdotes or anything like that through the 36 holes? Is there anything that sticks out?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Not too much. Just kind of small talk here and there. You know, I don't speak too much on the golf course. I'm pretty quiet out there. I've usually got my head down and thinking about what I'm doing.
But we talked a little bit, not too much.

Q. Did you say the '87 Masters was the first one you attended?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, I believe it was.

Q. And what did it mean to you, looking back?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It was awesome. It was pretty special. I was just getting into golf and didn't know a whole lot about golf, and obviously the story was Larry was from here. I thought it was pretty amazing that he won here in his hometown. That was pretty special.

Q. How long was the par putt on 18, and did you wish you were in the final group tomorrow?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: It was about five feet or so. I don't know if that would have put me in the final group. I think Brett and Tim are already in. I think they would have gone out first -- or last, anyways.
You know, everything works out for a reason.

Q. Do you remember how old you were when you first played this course and any particular memories of that round?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I was 18 years old. I was a freshman in college and I remember shooting 2-over par, which I was pretty pleased at the time with.

Q. I know the score is one shot worse, but considering that you were on the leaderboard all day long and playing in the afternoon, how did this round compare to yesterday's?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I feel like I played better today than I did yesterday. Tee-to-green, I definitely hit it better than I did yesterday. I had a lot more chances at birdie. You know, definitely felt like I played more solid today.

Q. You mentioned the hoopla. How much do you think was for Gary Player and how much for you? You created enough of your own.
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I think most of it was for him. It's his 50th year, and you could definitely tell a lot of people were standing for him. And I think most of my crowd was yelling my name, and I kind of knew who was rooting for me and who was rooting for Gary, but mostly for Gary.

Q. You told me a couple of days ago that you and your dad watched Larry's chip-in shot in '87 and that you jumped off the couch. Do you have that same excitement, that inner child, of knowing that you're in Augusta and sort of on your home course?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: Yeah, I do. You know, this week means a lot to me. I'm usually pretty low-key as far as when I'm making putts or anything.
This week I feel like I've got a little more -- a little more excitement in me. It feels good to hole shots out there. I feel like, you know, hopefully come this weekend I can keep it up. I'm sure I'll get excited out there.

Q. Any of your friends on the Tour staying with you since you live in town?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: No, just my caddie and a few close friends, but no players.

Q. You're known as an outstanding putter. Did you always think that, gosh, if I could just get enough time on the course at the Masters, that's a place I could win?
VAUGHN TAYLOR: I didn't really know I was that good of a putter until the last couple years. I kind of struggled, as does everybody, with putting. So definitely I really, really improved my putting the last few years. It definitely helps out on greens like these.
BILLY MORRIS: Vaughn, thank you very much and good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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