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EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIPApril 27, 2007Scott VerplankIRVING, TEXAS JOE CHEMYCZ: We welcome Scott Verplank in, Scott with a 2-under par 68 today, 5-under for the first two days. Maybe talk about your opening 36 and what's been going well for you and then we'll open it up. SCOTT VERPLANK: Yesterday was a much more difficult day weather-wise than today. Playing across the street, the first seven holes over there yesterday was pretty tough. The golf course was built for kind of a southerly-type wind, and when the wind is blowing out of the northwest at 20 or 25 miles an hour, that's a tough place to start. You've really got to survive the first -- really the first seven holes. Then after that, I mean, I played pretty well yesterday, not great. I actually played better today. I didn't score as well, but I hit the ball a little bit better today, more solid off the tee and stuff like that. Yesterday I got it around good, made a couple nice putts coming in and came in with 3-under. Today I hit the ball pretty solid, just made a couple of long -- couple of pretty good putts on 3 and 5, and then I kind of -- I never really got the feel for the -- I kind of lost the feel for the greens. Every one of them is a little bit different. I putted okay, but I had some really good chances, really good chances on the back nine, and I didn't take care of them. But the scores aren't very low, and I guess hitting it in the fairway and hitting it on the green and one- or two-putting is still working. Q. You mentioned -- why aren't the scores as low do you think? There's no wind? SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, I think yesterday was because that's a tough wind. With the north wind, this golf course is actually easier than that one, I think, because you get to finish up -- you're fighting and fighting and then you get a little break coming in. These last four or five holes on the TPC when the wind is blowing 20 or 25 miles an hour south, they're pretty dicey holes. But I don't know, I'm assuming it's because the greens aren't -- it's pretty hard to get in the rhythm, although I watched a guy today who made a lot of bombs, and he didn't have any trouble putting. I think that's probably the reason why. Q. The short one that you missed, I'm sure it was the only short one you missed, about a four-footer, was that because of -- did that hit something? SCOTT VERPLANK: No, I just hit a bad putt. But it's all -- you know, I just didn't prepare to hit that putt like I needed to. No, they're not good, but if you don't hit a good putt there's a good chance it's missing, and I just hit a bad putt. The hole before I had probably eight feet going on the worst-looking green, and I hit a beautiful putt and it didn't go in, didn't break. That one I hit a bad putt and it broke across. I guess I didn't want to jam that one in there and have it go four feet by and have that deal again. It is what it is. Hopefully tomorrow and the next day I'll make those. Q. Did you see a good week coming? SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, I always enjoy playing here. You know, I know how to play the golf courses reasonably well because I've played here so many times. Yeah, I mean, I haven't played very good this year by my standards, but it's been -- it's just been a number of things that have just made it harder to line up all the stars. And as far as golf goes, I haven't putted as good this year as I've been used to. You know what, I got a new set of irons this week, playing with steel-shafted irons for the first time in 15 years, and I've hit a lot more nice shots. Q. Steel-shafted irons? SCOTT VERPLANK: I'm just hoping my body can withstand it. I've used graphite shafts for my irons after I started having all these surgeries, and I finally said, you know, decided I'd try and go back to steel. I wanted to because they're a little more consistent, and I've done it, and so far I haven't fallen apart (laughter). Q. Was it a big adjustment to go back? SCOTT VERPLANK: Not really. I mean, I got the same -- I'm hitting it pretty much the same distance. They're just more consistent. I've noticed that over the last two days, the shots and the flight of the ball and the way it hits, it's just a little more consistent than graphite. I've won a couple tournaments out here using graphite shafts in my irons and played pretty good using them, but it's just something different. Q. When did you make the switch, what event? SCOTT VERPLANK: This week. Q. I thought you said this year. SCOTT VERPLANK: This week. Q. So the practice rounds this week the first time -- SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, I played Wednesday in the Pro-Am with them, yeah. Q. Did somebody suggest it? SCOTT VERPLANK: No, I just didn't like the way I've been hitting my irons. I just haven't hit enough good shots here in the last year with them. I mean, honestly I had a nice set that I used for about three years, and they finally got worn out, so I switched about a year ago, and graphite shafts are very difficult to make them identical apparently. I mean, I put the exact same shafts in, and they just weren't the same, and I struggled with them for about a year, and finally I said I'm going to have to do something different. If this doesn't work out I'll have to find a different shaft or a different set. But as long as my body doesn't start hurting too bad (smiling), which hopefully it won't, they seem pretty good. Q. Did you have to change your mechanics any when you changed shafts like that, or pretty much the same type of stroke that you had before? SCOTT VERPLANK: No, I'm not that good (laughter). I can't do that (laughter). No, you just keep trying to make good swings. Q. The first couple you hit, did you go, wow, this feels different? SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, it's different. But I've always used the steel shafts in my wedges so it wasn't like it was totally foreign to me. It's different. But today I hit some really solid iron shots that kind of reminded me why these are just a little bit better. Q. Did you have to club yourself a little different? SCOTT VERPLANK: No, it's very close. I have the same lofts and lies. Q. What would you guess the percentage is out here of steel versus graphite for irons? SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, for irons, probably 99 percent to 1. It might be 99.5 to .5 now (laughter). I'm not sure I know anybody else that uses graphite in their irons. I know there's probably a couple people. It's hard to make it as consistent as steel. Q. So you were a rebel and now you're mainstream? SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, I just did it because after I had three elbow surgeries I figured that might help -- and it probably has helped, so I'm hoping this doesn't turn out to be something that flares my body up. Q. You had a good T8 early on, T9, something like that? SCOTT VERPLANK: First tournament of the year. Q. And then it just kind of stagnated? SCOTT VERPLANK: I just haven't played very good. I haven't hit my irons very good and I haven't putted like I've been used to for the last 20-something years. Not that I'm putting good all the time, but it just hasn't felt right. As far as this week I made some adjustments last week when I was at home with my putting, and it seems to be a little bit better. Q. How much of a help is it for you having played this place or this tournament 21 times? SCOTT VERPLANK: I don't think I've played it 21 times, though, because I was hurt two or three or four years out of that 21. But it's a big help. I mean, I know the golf courses -- well, like yesterday I played across the street and I haven't played there in a year, but it wasn't like it was a shock or anything. I mean, I know the golf course good enough that I don't need a practice round on it to feel like I can go play it. I think it's a big help to have some, whatever you want to call it, local knowledge. Q. You're like the old guy on the leaderboard. SCOTT VERPLANK: Thank you. Q. Did you look at that? SCOTT VERPLANK: No. Q. With Anthony Kim and Luke Donald and -- SCOTT VERPLANK: No, I haven't. I don't even know what's going on. I just know I just kind of got it around and it was okay, and I guess the scores aren't very low, so I'm -- if I play well the next couple days I should have a chance. JOE CHEMYCZ: Scott, thank you. End of FastScripts |
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