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CANADIAN OPEN

July 25, 2007

Jeff Sluman

MARKHAM, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: We welcome Jeff Sluman into our interview area this morning. Jeff, making his 20th appearance at the Canadian Open. Made his first appearance here in 1985, and tied for 17th last year in this specific tournament.
We're also here to announce that Jeff has been named an Assistant Captain for the President's Cup coming up at the end of September in Montreal. And, Jeff, want to congratulate you on that. This is the third time you'll be doing that. Maybe just talk a little bit about being named by Jack Nicklaus, and we'll open it up to some questions.
JEFF SLUMAN: Well, thanks. It's a pleasure to be here. I haven't seen many press rooms this year. So Jack called me, I took a two-week vacation with my family up to Alaska prior to Milwaukee, and got home, and there was a message from Jack. So I called him, and I was actually a little bit surprised.
I hadn't heard either way throughout the course of the last year and a half what Jack was thinking or where he might go. There's certainly a lot of other wonderful golfers on our tour that could handle this. But I was very, very pleased and honored again that the greatest player that I've ever seen play so far -- well, you could throw Tiger there, too. But, that he asked me to help him out for the third consecutive time, so I'm really, really looking forward to it.
I haven't been to Montreal very much except for the Canadian Open and what year was that? '01. So that was the last time I was there. We're really looking forward to it. The International Team is loaded, and we're going to have our hands full to make it a great match.
THE MODERATOR: Might mention, too, that you have Canadian roots.
JEFF SLUMAN: Yeah, my dad was born here in Toronto, and my mom was born up in North Bay. So all of our trips from Rochester, New York, where I grew up were always to Toronto and then up to North Bay. So that's probably -- that is one of the reasons that I hold the Canadian Open as dear to me. And I come here as often as I can.

Q. Can we count on you now, Jeff, as the first Canadian since 1954 to win the Canadian Open?
JEFF SLUMAN: Well, I came close a few times. But maybe it's the Canadian blood, I don't know. But it looks like Mike's playing real well now. He had a great British, and, you know, I don't know how any of the other players -- I don't know, do you consider Stephen Ames a Canadian? Yes. Well, he's obviously in contention also for the International Team, I believe.
So these next couple of weeks will be quite a shakeout. This will be obviously one of the big tournaments.

Q. You imagined about how Jack Nicklaus making the decision to name you as assistant captain. If I could switch over to Gary Player now, talk about tough decisions. He's got the possibility of naming Mike weir or Stephen Ames to the President's Cup. And obviously, there is some pressure on him, you know, with this being the host country. I was just wondering would you want to be in that position to make that?
JEFF SLUMAN: I was just going to say, I wouldn't want to be in Gary's shoes. But, you know, he picked Mike and/or Stephen, they're going to be great picks. They're both wonderful players. And players have a certain ability to really rise to the occasion, especially in a format like this in their home country.
And I think if you look at Mike's record lately, his game's getting better and better, and it's not like they're on the teams in the competition. It's not like they're back in 30th or 40th place. I mean, they both would be great picks and great additions.
Unfortunately, there would be other players that would be as deserving, and that's just the way these teams go. It's a 12-man team, not a 14- or 15-man team. But, it's going to be a very difficult decision for Gary. And I know that he would just love to see them play well the next couple two or three weeks and then make the decision much easier.

Q. (Inaudible).
JEFF SLUMAN: No, not really. Not at all.

Q. Jeff, because you have played here so often, and you say that it's an event that is close to you in some ways, I was wondering, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but is it disappointing, maybe, to see the slide in prestige, of the tournament over the 20 years that you've played here at all?
JEFF SLUMAN: I think when I first started playing here, it was right after our 4th of July, or maybe it was during the 4th of July of the tournament. And if I remember correctly, didn't Trevino win the US Open, Canadian Open, and British Open all in a four-week span? And we came here, and Jack was heavy on Trevino and all of that. I think the date changes, and probably kind of hurts the field a little bit. I really think this is probably going to be a better date than mid-September, certainly.
And then with the Royal Canadian Golf Association moving the championship around, that really does help it a lot. Last year's golf course had rave reviews by all the players. I certainly hope it goes back there every four or five, six years if they can get it there. The golf course in Vancouver was unbelievable.
You know, there's great venues all around Canada, and I think that will really ultimately help with the golf tournament again. But got a great history here and everything, so I think the tournament's on the upswing again.

Q. We were just at breakfast there with some of the RCGA folks, and they were saying that their goal would be to establish a rotation similar to what we see with the British Open, to some extent, the US Open. Do you think that would also help. Say, like a Hamilton every four, five years. A Shaughnessy? You know, that kind of thing?
JEFF SLUMAN: Absolutely. Absolutely. And I don't know, because I haven't really played at too many golf courses here up in Canada, but I don't know how many other great courses you have. I would assume there are a lot. I remember a long time ago playing Essex over there in Windsor. I thought that was an unbelievable golf course. I don't know facility-wise or with today's equipment whether it can host an event, but I just remember that golf course as being a very special place also.
So I'm sure the Royal Canadian Committee is looking at venues like that. But I think some sort of rotation would be very good for the event.

Q. Given your involvement, talking about the President's Cup, how do you account for the U.S. team being seemingly so much more successful in the President's Cup than they've been, and perhaps the Ryder Cup, given the fact that, if anything, on paper, you're actually against a stronger opposition?
JEFF SLUMAN: You know, that's a question Corey Pavin asked me after last year. I mean, Tom Lehman was an unbelievable captain from what I've heard. He did everything the players could have asked. And you know, there is no right or wrong answer, but sometimes the other team just plays better than you.
And there's great players on the Ryder Cup teams, obviously. The Europeans are loaded. You look at the International Team, and it's an unbelievable team. And the players that are going to be three, four, five players left off the team that you're going to kind of shake your head and say, "Wow, I can't believe they didn't make the team."
So we do have our hands full, but it seems like our guys rise to the occasion when it's in front of them. And I also think that for a while the way the format was set up, it isn't now, and hasn't been the last couple of four, five years, maybe we had a little more depth. You're playing ten guys a day instead of eight. So I think maybe that had a little something to do with it. But that depth is probably now more on the -- maybe shouldn't say the international side, but it's probably that even. I mean, there's no players that you wonder how they made the team anymore. It's more much how didn't they make the team.

Q. What do you think the appetite is at this point for the President's Cup, given the change in the schedule, and how the FedEx Cup plays into things? I mean it's going to --
JEFF SLUMAN: I'm having trouble hearing you.

Q. It's going to make a different approach run-up to the President's Cup this time, given the timing of the FedEx Cup and everything?
JEFF SLUMAN: Right.

Q. How do you think the appetite is? And do you ever see any lessening of willingness to participate or anxiousness to play say between Ryder and President's Cup?
JEFF SLUMAN: You know, money -- money is obviously what we play for on a weekly basis. But to play for your country once a year or once every other year in a President's Cup or Ryder Cup is so important to the players.
There's been no lessening of anybody saying maybe I don't want to -- I want to skip it this year. You've got guys that just want so desperately to be on a team, and they're working really hard. You talk to a few of them this week, Captain Jack asked me to kind of, you know, talk to a few of the guys. They're dying to get on the team, they'll do anything. And ultimately good play gets rewarded in this format. It's not on money versus the Ryder Cup, it's the Top 10 deal.
So the guys are going to play, and they'll play the next three weeks trying to get on the team. And I sense a lot of excitement.
Now on the other hand, they're probably going to be relatively exhausted after the FedEx Cup. They're going to play all the way up to the PGA, so probably skip maybe the week prior and play three in a row. Then it's the Tour Championship, then a week off. So I would expect that zero President's Cup guys play the week before the President's Cup. I would be kind of shocked if any of them did. You never know, but I'm counting on them being well-rested and getting up to Montreal so they'll all be prepared.

Q. When Jack Nicklaus was at Royal Montreal back in may, he described himself as a little bit more hands off as a captain, and a little bit more laid back than perhaps some of the Ryder Cup captains. How would you assess his approach to the competition during the week from what you've seen the last couple of times?
JEFF SLUMAN: Oh, he's fantastic. He's done everything as far as I've ever seen and been involved with the correct way. And the first thing he tells the guys is, you know, let's have fun. Let's enjoy the week. It's an international sportsmanship event. Sure, we all want to win and get excited about it. But it's about sportsmanship, and showing off the game of golf. And you know, he just continually talks about that.
Actually, one of the great things I saw two years ago at Robert Trent Jones was the fans were -- they kind of cheered when the Internationals missed the putt, and Jack stopped them right away. Said, huh-uh, that's not the way this competition is. You cheer or you cheer more loudly for the team you want or the players you want, but you do not clap when somebody hits a bad shot or misses a putt.
And that's just the way he is, and that's what he believes. He instills that in the players and makes everybody have fun and have a relaxed time.

Q. Just wondering specifically in his approach to, I know he let Furyk and Woods play together as they wanted to. Could you sort of compare him to a players' manager in baseball where he sort of lets the guy do their own things to make sure they're relaxed and stuff?
JEFF SLUMAN: There is a lot of thought going on in pairing more than just whoever wants to play -- it's not whoever wants to play with each other plays. But Jack and myself, we talked quite extensively about the pairings and personalities and the golf balls, and the ultimate shot ball format. So there is quite a bit of thought on that. And who he wants to pair them against, and who we think Gary's going to have playing as a team, and where he's going to place them. You know, it's the old deal, I guess in the Ryder Cup, they just come out and drop them down like that and see who is playing each other.
Our format is a little more unique, where I pick, and then they pick, they pick, and we pick. You can kind of hide a player or force a match, if you want. Certain players can play against another certain player, which is pretty intriguing. You find out right away if somebody's trying to hide somebody from playing against this type of player. It's kind of a little battle of whits. It's a lot of fun. Pairings are very interesting, and they are a lot of fun.

Q. Talk a little bit more about the role as the assistant to the captain, and maybe what your favorite part of that role is? And is there a downside? Are you ever asked to tell a player is he sitting out the afternoon? Is there a part of it that you like less?
JEFF SLUMAN: Well, I've got the easy job. I don't really get any of the blame if something goes wrong. But I think all the pairings and talking with Jack about who he wants to be together with, you know, within our team, and who we want them to play against. And then what we think Gary's going to do. You never know what Gary's going to do. But from that point, that is a lot of fun.
Then, going back to the team dinners is great. You know, we don't have that very often on tour where 12 or 14 guys will get together and go out to dinner. And we do it every night. We start telling stories, and you know, the wives are there. And we just have a wonderful, very personal week that you spend with everybody. That doesn't happen very often, so that's pretty special.

Q. At the Ryder Cup, there are so many social engagements, and so many things going on, and sometimes long drives and the team buses and that sort of thing. In the past some of the players have said, you know what, we can do without some of that, and I believe maybe they've tried to. How does the present President's Cup compare in terms of those types of obligations? And what place do you feel all of those parties and events and social stuff has to do with it?
JEFF SLUMAN: Well, I've never been involved in a Ryder Cup, so it's hard for me to really gather what demands are placed on the players by the organization. But, they truly love the way the President's Cup is set up. We have a Tuesday get together South Africa with a barbecue with both teams. In Washington, it was dinner at the White House, and I believe this year, it's dinner with the Prime Minister. And that's it. So they're ready and they can get in.
We start Thursday versus Friday, so the guys are ready to get into their own kind of mindset for how they prepare on a weekly basis. And they don't have to worry about dressing and going somewhere Wednesday or Thursday night. And the matches are, you know, I'm playing early. And this dinner's dragging on till 10:00 o'clock or 10:30. They don't have to worry about any of that. They get into their own routine. And I think the players on both sides really appreciate that.

Q. Is it an advantage or disadvantage to the U.S. Team that have played every year a Ryder Cup followed by a President's Cup, followed by a Ryder Cup? And would you ever want to see a three-way competition that would have a week long between International and European and U.S. teams?
JEFF SLUMAN: I don't think you'll ever see a three-way competition. But, you know, it can be an advantage, and it can be a disadvantage. I think it's up to each individual player's mindset. But I've never heard anybody say it's a disadvantage.
I think any time you represent your country in a format like this, it's an honor, and the guy's try awfully hard. They spend a lot of energy. And by the end of Sunday night when the closing ceremonies are done, they're all exhausted. They've given it their all.
It's a shame sometimes to have a team -- a team that's been in the W. They've all given it their all. At the end of the week, they're pretty darn tired. But I don't really view it as you stated the question, as an advantage or disadvantage. I think it's just one of those things that it's just an honor to play for your country.

Q. Two-part question. What are your memories of Royal Montreal when you played there? Second question, with the President's Cup being pushed back to the end of September, obviously, that brings weather into the possibility in Montreal, as I'm sure you're aware. Do you see this year's competition maybe taking on a different face than what it normally does?
JEFF SLUMAN: Well, my memories of Royal Montreal were everybody was complaining about the traffic getting there. I rented a house right next to the golf course, so I didn't have to fight that traffic. But I'm sure they've got that all figured out.
But I think you're correct about the weather. At that time in the area, you just don't know. It could be wonderful, it could be not so nice. It's at that point in time, I think, the strength of the players is a big determinant when playing in foul conditions.
I mean, physical strength. You need guys that, you know, are pretty darn strong that can handle cold, maybe wet weather. I think that's kind of what I meant more in the physical strength to play under those conditions. It gets pretty difficult.
But when you're teeing it up, and they announce your name and from the United States, you get a lot of adrenaline going, and you kind of, a lot of times, forget about things like that. I don't remember much about the golf course to tell you the truth, but I know it's a heck of a trek. I don't know, do we play a combination of both courses? I don't know. I don't remember.
But the one course we didn't play, I kept looking at the holes saying I'm glad I'm not playing that course, because it looked like Winged Foot, the east and west there, and Oak Hill, like the east and west. Equally challenging, great holes.

Q. I'm wondering to a certain degree or to a large degree, actually, we kind of know who the U.S. players are going to be (inaudible). Do you care to mention any players that you think could maybe play their way on the team or have identified themselves as essentially Captain's pick?
JEFF SLUMAN: I think Jack needs to do that, not me. But I think if you look probably all the way down, maybe the top 30 guys right now have an opportunity if they play well in the next three weeks, to make a significant jump or even get in there.
I mean, if you're 30th, you're going to have to play very, very well, probably win one of the events. But, you know, certainly it seems feasible that any of those guys could do that. I think the talk with Jack about it prior to him going over to Europe, was I think he's going to base his picks on the experience of our team when it's all said and done after the PGA, and then kind of go from there.

Q. (Inaudible) he played quite well in both key competitions?
JEFF SLUMAN: Yes, he has.

Q. It would be a benefit to the U.S. if he would start playing a little better in the next three weeks, would you agree with that?
JEFF SLUMAN: We'd love to see Chris playing great. He's an unbelievable teammate. He's got fire, and he's got passion. And he's got what it takes coming down the stretch as we saw numerous times, the hole putts, and key matches and key points.
THE MODERATOR: Jeff, thank you, congratulations, good luck.
JEFF SLUMAN: My pleasure, and we'll see you all in Montreal.

End of FastScripts

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