FBR OPEN

January 29, 2004

Scott Verplank

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you, Scott, for joining us. Great start to the week, 8 under par 63 here. Why don't you just make a couple comments about today and then we'll go into questions.

SCOTT VERPLANK: It was very cold this morning. I can't remember the last time I was chipping ice off the bottom of my shoes while we were actually counting our score. On the first hole we had to do that. Once it warmed up, it was a beautiful day. The wind is not blowing, it was a typical Phoenix day.

Surprisingly, for only my second tournament after a couple months, I'm hitting the ball pretty solid and I feel pretty comfortable driving it in the fairway. And today I found the feel for the greens to make some putts. Last week at the Bob Hope was my first tournament since the Tour Championship, and I really struggled with my putting, and I made a couple nice ones early today and I kind of got the rhythm and was able to go with it.

Q. Can you describe some of those early putts that you made, where they were and how long?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah. The third hole I made about a 15-footer, a little right-to-left breaker.

The 4th hole I had about an eight-footer. They were both good putts, though. When I made both of those I felt like I was starting to get a little confidence in my pace and my feel.

The 5th hole was about a 10-footer.

7th hole was about a 15-footer.

And then the 9th hole, I made a long -- about a 30-something, 35-foot putt, I guess. You'll have to check with the stat systems. It was a long one.

The 12th hole, I made about an eight-footer. And.

13, I made an eight-footer.

14, I made a four-footer, and I missed all the rest. I actually had a close putt -- except for 15, I could have -- well, and 18, I kind of messed up 18, but I had easier putts on 10, 11 and 16 than I had on some of the ones I made. And 17, actually, I just chipped it past the hole on 17 and missed it. But no complaining. Any time you make eight birdies, obviously I'm happy with that.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: How long was that putt on 18?

SCOTT VERPLANK: It was about a four- or five-foot putt. I was trying to hit a real smooth 9-iron in there and I came out of it enough to go into the bunker. That was just a bad shot.

Q. What do you think of the changes on the course this year? Did it affect how you normally play?

SCOTT VERPLANK: The four holes that they lengthened are all longer for me. Yeah, the 6th hole is -- put it this way: Everything they did was to benefit the guy who bombs it and not necessarily hits it straight. Since I don't hit it that far but I hit it straight, they wouldn't have my first choice for changes, but whatever. They didn't ask me.

Q. Is there anything you can identify in just the week since your last tournament that you're putting has improved that much?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, not really anything -- I mean, for all of last week, and then in the three days here, I've been just trying to get rhythm and get my stroke smoothed out. Like I said, today I figured -- It was a little bit better last night before I left, and I told my caddie hopefully I'll wake up tomorrow morning with my putting stroke smooth, and apparently that's what happened.

Q. So last night you had a feel at the end?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Just trying to slow it down and smooth it out.

Q. Did you have a shot out there that you felt was your best shot of the day or something?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, yeah, I'd say on 14. I hit -- one of the new holes, new tee, back 30 yards, and it's a lot tighter driving hole for me because it's about 270, 280 carry over the left side of the fairway, and if you don't carry it that way and then the fairway is about half as wide. I actually had to hit a 5-iron in, whereas in years past I was hitting 7 or 8. I hit a real smooth, nice, high draw with a 5-iron about four feet from the hole. That was easily the nicest feeling shot I hit.

>Q. How do you consider yourself in terms of the other guys out here hitting the ball? How would you characterize your driving distance?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, I've got to be at the -- I don't even know, but short (laughter). I think I've picked up ten yards because last year Hank Kuehne hit it 70 by me and today he only hit it 60 by me, so I think I'm getting longer (laughter), but I would love to hit it lot longer but I'm not sure I'd give up hitting 80 percent of the fairways. Over the long hall, it's a lot easier to play out of the fairway.

Q. So accuracy and putting is your only real defense when they do something like this?

SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, yeah. It's not a problem, but I actually have to hit it straighter than the guys who hit it further now because they moved the tee back far enough where I can't make the 280 carry. Some days I can, but not every day. You know, one day I think guys that change golf courses hopefully will wake up and realize that they need to just make it the same for everybody. But like I said, they didn't ask me.

Q. Did you know that Weiskopf wasn't in agreement with the changes on the golf course? He thought they could have done other things rather than lengthen it. But he was told -- the Tour told him to do it.

SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, there's a lot of things you can do, and I don't mind going back, because equipment is so much better, it's almost too good. I like going back but I don't like going back 70 yards per hole. Nobody hits it 70 yards further than they used to. People hit it 15 or 20 yards further than they used to. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but nobody is paying me to make those changes.

Q. Is it still a two-shot hole, 15?

SCOTT VERPLANK: I laid up. I hit a nice drive today. I hit it as good as I can hit it, and I could have gotten to the green but I needed a 3-wood. And I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm not going to hit 3-wood into that green. If it was a little shorter, if it was only back 30 yards instead of 60, then I'd still be able to get there. I always thought it was a great hole that everybody in the field could get to the green in two, either make a 3 or a 7. Now only the guys that bomb it can get to the green.

Q. I was a little late getting in. If you could just address your round, how you felt the best out there today.

SCOTT VERPLANK: I found a nice rhythm on the greens and just started making some putts, hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in, but all of a sudden I made eight of them. I drove the ball pretty straight.

Q. Do you like or dislike playing with a guy like Kuehne who hits 60 or 70 yards --

SCOTT VERPLANK: I laugh every time he hits it. I think it's great. Like today on 18, I hit a pretty nice drive. Gosh, I had 150 to the hole and he took it over the left bunker. They made the left bunker -- extended it over the water so the guys couldn't hit it over. Well, he hit it over anyway. But he's obviously the exception. I like watching it. He and I are friends and we get along well and I enjoy -- I think we both enjoy playing with each other.

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you, Scott.

End of FastScripts.