SEI PENNSYLVANIA CLASSIC

September 15, 2000

Chris DiMarco

CHRIS DiMARCO: Actually, 10, I made a par on 10, but it was a really good par that hole is really, really playing tough. I hooked it in the left rough and I hit a 2-iron over in the bunker and I chipped it out about four feet, and that just kind of relaxed me, making that putt and going on. And then the first birdie was on No. 14, the par 3. I hit a 6-iron about 15 feet behind the hole, had a pretty straight putt and made it. Bogeyed 16. I hit a good shot. My second shot went long over the green and I actually chipped it up about seven feet and missed it for par. Then I hit a really good 3-iron next hole right at 17 to seven feet. Then on 18 I hit driver 3-wood about 18 feet short, putted up an inch, made birdie there. Then 5, the par 5, I hit driver, 3-wood just left of the green. Chipped it up about four feet and made birdie. 8, I hit 3-wood and little pitching wedge about eight, 10 feet short and made that one and that was it.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Luckily, I got to play in the Pro-Am and the Pro-Am was the same exact wind. So it was very similar to that; so it was nice. The greens are really soft. And for as fast as they are, it's really hard to get the ball close because you're just spinning the ball everywhere. I hit 6-irons that are backing up 20 feet. So it's really hard to play that, especially some of the back pins where you know long is absolutely dead.

CHRIS DiMARCO: It was weird because yesterday it was almost a little different wind. The holes that played long yesterday played shorter today and the holes that played shorter today played longer today. So, it's a good course. A lot of long holes on it. So you're going to have some 6-, 4- , 5-irons into some greens, and I'm hitting those pretty good this week. So that's a good thing.

CHRIS DiMARCO: How long did it take? I don't know, four hours -- no, more than that. Five hours.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Not really. We waited a little bit. It's about normal out here; four and a half to five hours. That's like nothing out of the ordinary. There's way too much slow play out here, so it's -- it's there. But, you know, this is a long course. We played lift, clean and place, and the greens are real big and undulating; it's going to take a long time to play. It's not like you're putting 20-footers to six inches. You're going to have a lot and 3- and 4-footers, and with the greens being as fast as they are, you have to take your time on those.

CHRIS DiMARCO: I've played really well. You know, obviously my goal is Top-30, and right now I think I'm like 40. Trying to get to a number. Obviously, winning would help quite a bit. So, you know, it's been a good season. I had a couple seconds. I've been close. Put myself into position to win. Hopefully I've learned from those and I'll go out and keep playing good.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Not really. I mean, I like northeastern-type courses. So, you know, coming here, knowing that nobody has played here, you know, that's always a good thing. Nobody has an advantage over you because they have played here 15 times or whatever. Nobody knows the greens. It's a first time for everybody; so that's partly why I came.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Yeah. You know, it's easy for everybody -- you guys, to have that number, the bubble guys and all that, but, you know, if you think about it, you're in trouble. So, you know, I try not to let myself think about it. I mean, you're just trying, you know, you do the best you can, and hopefully at the end, you know, you finish in the Top-30.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Yeah, it is a little awkward, isn't it? Skip Kendall, we played in 1995 in a mini-tournament after the season, and I was putting terribly and he said, "Try this." And I looked at him and I said, "You've got to be crazy." The next day I went out and played I had one of these putts I just know I've been having trouble with and I tried it and, boy, I just stroked it right in the middle -- wow. So that was five years ago. Basically it's like a long putter grip with a short putter. Takes my right hand out and I just putt with my left side. Calcavecchia is doing it right now. He saw me doing it and now he's doing it and he's having a whole bunch of Top-5's.

CHRIS DiMARCO: I told him I want 10 percent but I haven't seen one yet.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Well, I guess I'm going to have to say I like Florida. I don't know, there's something going on. If we're favored by three, in that stadium, then they must not be too good this year. So hopefully we can prove that right.

CHRIS DiMARCO: I traded the van in. I had a Gator van. I did. I traded it in last year.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Because I had to drive in the off-season, and if you lose to Georgia -- in Florida State, it's a pain to drive that thing around.

CHRIS DiMARCO: You know what, I heard about it last night at like 11:30 on ESPN. Somebody said something about it on the range. He's worth it, that's for sure.

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