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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 9, 2007

Brad Lardon

TULSA, OKLAHOMA

Q. Can you talk about the round today?
BRAD LARDON: I played very well. You know, I was -- if you told me at the beginning of the day I would shoot even par, I'd probably have taken it for sure.
But you know, mixed emotions really because I didn't end the day well. I bogeyed the last two holes on each side and I played wonderful before that.
But even par is a good score. This is a tremendous golf course.

Q. Is it realistic that you could go out and do this again; this wasn't a one-time thing, can you play this well again on course how it is?
BRAD LARDON: I think the golf course suits my strengths very well. I'm a control player. I have been most of my life. It's not that imperative that you shoot the ball a long way out here. I thought if I can hit it in play and strategize my way around the golf course and hit some fairways and make some putts that I can play well and be competitive and that's what I was able to do today.

Q. What did you hit in on 1, 2, 4 and 6 for your birdies?
BRAD LARDON: 1 was a great start. Actually I hit a poor drive out in the right rough and chipped out and knocked a wedge in for a three there. So that was --

Q. How far out?
BRAD LARDON: I had 108 to the hole. So, you know, that was a way to get things rolling. Sort of loosened me up a little bit.
On No. 2, I hit a 4-iron, did a nice job, hit a 4-iron to probably about five or six feet, beautiful shot there and converted that one.
On 4, I actually hit a poor drive there into the right rough but was fortunate. I drew a lie that was playable and I would have to chip out and hit a very good shot from the lie. I got it on the green and made about an 8-footer down the hill there.
6, I hit a 6-iron. We had 200 yards. I hit 6-iron down that hill about ten feet left of the hole and made a very nice putt there.

Q. Is it any extra gratification knowing that you, representing the other PGA professionals in the field have other full-time obligations outside of playing and practicing; is it okay to expect to you compete on a world-class level? Obviously you're doing it, but is there any special gratification in there?
BRAD LARDON: There's certainly some special gratification. I said yesterday that I feel like we're sort of the links between the PGA of America and the PGA TOUR. We're fortunate we're very good players, and for one reason or another, we're working in clubs in stead of playing out here.
I'd like to put some pressure on myself to play well. I didn't come here -- I'm ecstatic to be at the PGA, but that wasn't all of what this was about for me. It was about playing well at the PGA and that's what I'm trying to do.

Q. Is this the best round you've had at a major, including Bethpage?
BRAD LARDON: Score-wise it is. 70 is my lowest round in a score. I made the cut at Bethpage a few years ago. I shot a 73 on Friday, though, at Bethpage in some terrible weather and I gained a tremendous amount of ground on the field that day. I think that leapt me into the top 20 after 73 on the first day. That was an unbelievable round of golf, but so was this in it's own way. It's tremendously hot out there, it's a grind, course is relentless, you have to play and think every single shot.
You cannot take a moment off. So it's one of the two best rounds in a major, certainly.

Q. Do you think that being a native Texan is what helped you out in this heat?
BRAD LARDON: I don't know if you ever really get accustomed to a 110 index like we have today. But, you know, I at least know to hydrate and throw some sunblock on. Obviously I'm not in the greatest shape of anybody in the entire world. I've got my "club pro" physique working right now.
I've played a lot in it. Actually I would much rather play in hot weather than cold weather. I don't have a very good back and I've had a few injuries in my career.

Q. When you got it 2-under, did you start to feel more nervous than you ordinarily would?
BRAD LARDON: I was nervous every shot of every second today.

Q. And what did you to calm yourself?
BRAD LARDON: I just tried to breathe. I drew on some good experiences. Qualifying School, I've played in that many, many times. I'm fortunate, I'm a good Qualifying School player. I've been in the finals of Qualifying School many times, and I've had success in a couple other majors.
I played solid in both those majors, even though I missed the cut at Shinnecock, I missed it by a couple.
I just try to stay focused and keep it in perspective, you know, relative to the stress that my teenager gives me occasionally, this is easy.

Q. What's your home club?
BRAD LARDON: I'm fortunate, Miramont Country Club, it's a magnificent club. We have 165 members all who have been extremely supportive about me having the opportunity to play some golf 67 our founder, Don Adam, has been tremendous. He's given us a facility in Bryan, Texas, that it's hard to believe it's there. It's spectacular.

Q. Who is the designer?
BRAD LARDON: Robert Trent Jones, Junior. So we have a great golf course, an incredible facility. I'm lucky to be there.

Q. Do you think that that course is similar to Southern Hills and perhaps if it is, did that help you out there today?
BRAD LARDON: It's not similar at all.

Q. How come?
BRAD LARDON: It's just a different kind of course. Southern Hills is tree-lined, the fairways are extremely narrow, it's probably not this narrow for a regular member club and imagine there's a little more leeway off the fairways. My course there, there's not much undulation in that part of the State of Texas. So, it's a little bit flatter. I do have some severe greens, though, which will certainly help because these greens, they are dramatically sloped in areas. So you've got to keep the ball underneath the hole and strategize. We have a great course. It's just different from this.

End of FastScripts

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