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EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIPApril 25, 2007Nick WatneyIRVING, TEXAS JOE CHEMYCZ: We welcome Nick Watney into the interview area, Nick the winner last week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. You move to 13th on the FedExCup points list, and after your first win, Nick, I imagine it's been kind of a whirlwind couple of days for you, and also happy birthday today. It's your 26th. Maybe just talk about the last couple of days and what's gone on for you. NICK WATNEY: It has been a bit of a whirlwind but it's all good stuff and definitely not getting tired of it. But at the same time, I know that starting tomorrow is a new event, a new tournament, so I feel like I've been getting better every year, and hopefully I can keep improving this week. JOE CHEMYCZ: Tough to focus on golf after Sunday evening and the win and things like that? How do you turn that back around and get ready for tomorrow? NICK WATNEY: Well, I mean, it's what I do, it's what I love to do. The last few days have been great. But I want to keep improving, so it's time to go back to square one Thursday morning. Q. What does it mean this week to be playing at Byron Nelson's event? And the chance to put your name on the trophy at his place, is that kind of a special buzz this week at all for you? NICK WATNEY: Yeah, definitely it's a special week to be playing in an event with his name on it. He's done a lot for the game, and what a great champion. So to be here is very nice. Q. I was just wondering, you're a pretty young guy, and I was wondering if his name has rung a bell with you over the years, or maybe just since you got on TOUR? NICK WATNEY: Well, I mean, obviously his record speaks for itself and the stats are pretty incredible, so I definitely know what he did and how much he accomplished in a very short time. I know a little bit about him. Q. What's the difference -- obviously you've been playing well. What's the difference between just playing well and winning? NICK WATNEY: For me it was mostly putting. I've been working with Butch Harmon the last year and a half, and I mean, I feel like I've made great strides in my ball-striking, but my putting was lacking. So last week at Augusta -- well, I didn't get into Augusta, and then I took off Hilton Head and really worked on my putting, and last week it all came together. Q. Does it feel different to you being in a field when you don't have Tiger to deal with? NICK WATNEY: It does and it doesn't. I mean, Tiger brings -- it's easy to tell when he is there because everything is kind of magnified with the amount of people and the buzz around the event. But at the same time, there are a lot of great names here and a lot of great players. You can't really worry if Tiger is there or not because you have to take care of your own business. Q. Have you played the TPC course here? NICK WATNEY: Yeah. Q. I just wanted to know what you thought of how the greens have -- have they improved any and how they'll be for tomorrow? NICK WATNEY: I definitely think they'll improve because I played this morning and they were still very wet from the rain, so I think -- it's a little windy out there, and it's getting warmer, so I think they'll dry out a little bit. But I think they'll improve as the week goes on. Q. Are they still a little bumpy? NICK WATNEY: There's some that are a little bumpy, yeah (smiling). Q. What's the best part of coming here as a PGA TOUR winner as opposed to -- NICK WATNEY: I would say just getting the congratulations from the players because it's always nice to have -- get respect from your peers. They know what it's all about, the experiences that you go through and stuff like that. So getting the respect from the players is a very gratifying feeling. Q. Has ball-striking always been the best part of your game? NICK WATNEY: Actually not. In college I kind of got it around and I was a pretty good putter. But I think I saw I needed to improve in that area and worked on that and maybe slacked a little bit on the putting. So then it actually flipped. But now I'm going to try to be more complete. Q. In college -- you went to Fresno State as a walk-on, right? NICK WATNEY: Yeah. Q. But then you evolved to be a nationally renowned amateur player. What happened in those four years? NICK WATNEY: Well, I mean, I think I was around better players and just tried to learn as much as I could and improve -- I mean, I love to work on my game, and I think that's one of the funnest parts about golf is to work on things and test it out and see yourself make progress and stuff like that. I think just really wanting to improve and being around better players. JOE CHEMYCZ: Nick, thank you. End of FastScripts |
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