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VALERO TEXAS OPEN

October 3, 2007

Chad Campbell

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS

NELSON SILVERIO: Chad, thanks for joining us for a couple minutes here, Valero Texas Open.
Obviously coming off the win last week, just give us some thoughts on your season so far.
CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah. You know, prior to last week, it's kind of been a long season. I only had I think one Top-10 before that at the Match Play and I really hadn't been playing that well but, you know, I've been -- had been working hard on it and felt like there was good things coming so, you know, it's nice to get a win last week and, you know, back to playing a little bit better.
So, you know, I'm obviously not all the way back yet but it was definitely a great start and to show a little, get a little results from all the hard work that I've been putting in. It was a great week, kind of made the year, good way to end the year so I got this week and next week. So, hopefully couple more good weeks and wrap it up for a little while.

Q. Being here this week, I guess a lot of folks say, "He won last week." You're still here though. You still working on the game or is there a reason?
CHAD CAMPBELL: Yeah. Still always trying to get better. Obviously I feel like I'm playing pretty well. Wanted to come play and, you know, I don't live too far from here so try to support most of the Texas events and, you know, I like coming here.
We've got a couple guys that me and my caddie went to junior college with and spent the week with them, hadn't seen them in a while. It's relaxing here.

Q. They over here in town?
CHAD CAMPBELL: Just five minutes away.

Q. My question is kind of similar to his, at this point in the Tour and this tournament recently has gotten guys working hard to get their card, maybe older guys even that are looking towards the senior tournament.
You're not that into that extreme but where do you see yourself fitting right now with your game?
CHAD CAMPBELL: You know, obviously I don't know. I just try to win golf tournaments. That's my goal every time I tee it up.
My percentage rate isn't very good like a lot of guys out here. There's one guy that wins pretty often but it would be nice to be in contention every week. I think that's, you know, what I'm striving for to be more consistent.
This year has been a long year. I just want to end everything on a good note and get a little momentum going into next year.

Q. This course, they've had 70 inches of rain here this year. The rough is about 2 1/2 inches, little higher than they usually typically have here.
I guess the greens are a little softer. How is it playing?
CHAD CAMPBELL: It's great. The rough is -- I didn't see the rough being that much higher. It's a lot thicker. You have a tough time getting it to the green, which is unusual for bermuda rough.
You're trying to judge the lies and see if it's going to fly and stuff like that. These you got to take a whack at it and can't -- not getting many fliers out there today anyway.
After the week goes on might be a little bit tricky. It's playing pretty tough. Got to get the ball in the fairway.

Q. Just one of those events that guys are going to be into, you think, the 20s?
CHAD CAMPBELL: It's hard to say right now. I think this tournament has been kind of all over the place. I don't know what won last year, 15 or so?

Q. 16?
CHAD CAMPBELL: Tommy Armour shot 22 or 23 that year. Somewhere in there. That's pretty obvious statement. I would say 17, 18 has got to look pretty good.

Q. You still live in "Lousiville"?
CHAD CAMPBELL: Collierville.

Q. Do you know Colt Knost?
CHAD CAMPBELL: I don't personally, no.

Q. For anybody who is jumping out -- this is his first event. Anthony Kim, I think this was his first event last year, he finished 2nd.
CHAD CAMPBELL: Yes.

Q. What happened to you when you did that and what sort of advice can you give anybody?
CHAD CAMPBELL: You know, the times -- my first event on Tour I believe was actually -- actually my first event on Tour was the U.S. Open if you kind of consider that. Actual event on Tour was Kingsmill. I had gotten a spot into there.
It's wild. Your first week -- the guys now, they probably know a few of the younger guys since there's a lot of young guys out here. I went out there I didn't know anybody. It was just me and my caddie and that was about it.
I was telling a story, a guy asked me on the course today, I remember my first practice round I went and -- Mark will like this. I didn't have anybody to play with. I'm on the putting green kind of waiting to go. Probably kind of wanted to play by myself. Didn't get intimidated by anybody.
On the tee I walked up to the tee and Frank Lickliter was there. Seeing Frank the first time, your acquaintance with Frank, it can be a little bit intimidating, his look.
Me and Frank are great friends now. It's pretty funny. He was super nice that day and, you know, made me feel real comfortable.

Q. I'm sure he didn't say one word the whole round.
CHAD CAMPBELL: He was awesome. He comes up and asked me, "Are you going with us or not?" I'm like, "I don't really know if I want to or not. I think I'll just hang back behind y'all."
Q. He's a pretty shy guy.
When you look at this event -- Tim kind of touched on it -- lot of first time winners over the year. Only three times they've ever had a repeat winner. It's all over the map. You'll have Robert Gamez winning and Eric Axley and Justin Leonard, obviously. I think one of the organizer terms it an "opportunity tournament".
CHAD CAMPBELL: Absolutely.

Q. Is there a reputation of this event on the Tour?
CHAD CAMPBELL: I wouldn't say that at all. Like you said, I think it is. Lot of young guys have won out here and you get veteran players that are winning here as well. You get a nice mix.
It is a great opportunity for younger players. Some of the top guys aren't here and, you know, I know there's a lost guys fight to go keep their card, fighting for Top-70, Top-30, all sorts of different things. There's a lot things people are playing for this week.
It's been a great event. They do a good job. I played with the CEO of Valero today, he's a great guy. I know they're really enjoying their sponsorship of the tournament and they do great things for charity.
He was telling a little bit of stuff they do, the tournament they have on Monday. It's great.

Q. Your game this year, what in particular have you been struggling with?
CHAD CAMPBELL: Actually a little bit of everything but the main thing I would say is driving the ball. For me I got to get that ball in the fairway. It kind of seems like an obvious statement but there's some guys can play out of the rough all day and I can't.
I don't know if it's just mentally or what it is, being able to get the ball and have a feeling that I can that I can hit fairways. A lot of times this year I step on the tee and I had no confidence I could hit a shot.
To be able to stand up now and feel like I can hit a fairway. Once you get it in the fairway, it makes the game a whole lot easier. Also putting. I obviously putted very well last week. Can't ever win a tournament without putting good. Most of those things came around so I think that's kind of why game came around.

Q. Looking back at the whole FedExCup stretch, an obligatory thing, what do you think of that? Any tweakings that you would recommend?
CHAD CAMPBELL: I think it was great. I thought it brought a lot of attention to the Tour and I think it did what it wanted to accomplish. You know, I thought it was very exciting toward the end.
There are some things I would change. I'm not a know-it-all but it seems like in the last four events maybe if you miss a cut you should lose points, make it easier for people to move up and pass people if they have good weeks, you know, like the first week I missed the cut and I was 105 or somewhere in there.
There's pretty much no way that I wasn't going to get into the next event. I think missing the cut I should have lost points and would have been borderline me getting into the next event.
I know it's the first year. First year of everything there's going to be some tweaking to it, I would imagine. I'll be anxious to see what they have in mind.

Q. This Tiger Woods guy, does he have a future?
CHAD CAMPBELL: I think he's alright. I think he's playing pretty good right now. He's pretty tough.

End of FastScripts

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