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CHARLES SCHWAB CUP CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 26, 2007Joe OzakiSONOMA, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: Just rundown on your take ask how you've played. And then we'll get your birdies. JOE OZAKI: Yeah, I think I had some good up and downs today and made some good putts, and that sums up the day. The reason the score was so good is because on 10, from the rough, it was a tough, downhill chip, and I chipped it in for birdies and that kind of got things going. THE MODERATOR: Could you go through your birdies. JOE OZAKI: Okay. Two, putt from 2 feet; seven, maybe 20 feet; number nine, 6 foot; number ten, chip in. Q. How far? JOE OZAKI: About 7 yards. And 12, 7 foot. And then a 35-foot, and then 17 was 15 foot, maybe. Q. A 65? JOE OZAKI: Yes. Q. You've been coming here before you were in the Seniors. I just wonder, do you feel comfortable more now than you did 10 or 15 years ago? Do you look at golf as an international thing, meaning you're up here and the Argentinians are up here? I just wondered how you look at it playing all these years? JOE OZAKI: When I was on the PGA TOUR, I went through some tough times, struggled a lot, and went through some hard times. Right now it's just a lot of fun to be out here and playing golf. You know, with the golf being more international, I feel like it is getting more international. You look at the regular TOUR and you have more guys from that European Tour and more Japanese guys coming along. Q. Obviously you know Dice-K. Are you familiar with him, and did you watch the World Series? Hideki came in last night and did a great job. Are you watching and do you know these guys? JOE OZAKI: When I'm over here in the United States, I have a lot of free time, obviously. The only thing I can do is golf. So it's nice to be able to watch TV and have baseball games on, especially Japanese guys on that I can root for, and I'm just hoping that Matsuzaka can have more strikeouts! (Chuckles.) Q. You were in the sand on 18 and had a nice bunker shot to save par. What happened on the shot and how important was it to save par to keep the momentum you had built up throughout the round? JOE OZAKI: Even yesterday I had a nice par there where I had to save par yesterday. And so today I had an 8-iron to the green, but I was just trying to get it over the hazard, because the lip was right there, and so it was going to be a close, close call. I'm just glad -- anything over that hazard was going to be a good shot. And when I went in the bunker in front of all the gallery right there, being able to make a nice bunker shot was nice. Q. You said that you had tough times on the PGA TOUR. It's not easy getting on this Tour at all. Did you ever envision yourself playing in the championship and now contending? JOE OZAKI: I didn't think I would come over here for the Senior Tour. Q. Why is that? JOE OZAKI: You know, when I turned 50 I think -- or when I was close to turning 50 I looked at how much the Champions Tour was doing, getting a lot of following and looking at the names competing and all those guys I competed with. It made me want to compete with them again and that's why I think I wanted to come again. Q. So you played on the regular TOUR, but you're doing much better here. Why do you think your game is having more success now? JOE OZAKI: On the regular TOUR I went through tough times, but I grew as a golfer, and I got a lot better. That experience has gotten me where I am today, and I am able to do the things I do today because of what I had to go through on the regular TOUR. Q. Did you start late in life playing golf? Is that why you're now starting to find your game? JOE OZAKI: When I became a pro and got my first win, there was a big gap there, and also it's another big gap to where I feel like I'm playing well, and I think that's -- it kind of gives me new life in golf. It starts -- it's something to look forward to now, a new chapter in my life where I can enjoy golf again. Q. You have to be rolling the dice, though, to try this, because of the way it's structured to get out here. JOE OZAKI: To be honest, I think I'm surprised to be where I'm at today, right here playing in the Charles Schwab Cup, but like I said, all the tough times and all the struggles that I had to go through and I went through on the regular TOUR is what made me what I am today, and that's why I'm here. Q. Was it was hard to change and adapt to the different culture? JOE OZAKI: You know, I think it's tough even today trying to adjust to America and being away from the family. Obviously when I first came, it was my first time coming here, and I was homesick a lot, so that was tough to go through. I'm still feeling that right now. Ninth time coming to America, it's very, very tough. THE MODERATOR: It's your ninth time? JOE OZAKI: Yes. Q. Do you go home for, like, a day? JOE OZAKI: One week, whole day no. I go back one week, stay, and come back here. Q. Do you ever stay in the United States, or do you always go to Japan? JOE OZAKI: My wife maybe here three times? (Chuckles.) Only three time. I have two boys, 9 and 17 years old, and they stay in Japan so -- yeah. Q. How do you cope with that? Nobody else has that kind of obstacle to get over to come here. How do you deal with being away from your family for so long? JOE OZAKI: When I go back after being here, I look at my family, and I look at where I live in Japan, and I feel how -- all the good things that maybe I wouldn't have thought of if I was always there. So all those -- it's tough to be out here and being homesick, but when I go back, it makes it that much better to realize how good things are. Q. What do you miss specifically about Japan and your family? JOE OZAKI: Oh, one is communicating, and then food, and then family. Q. Were you Joe the Jet? JOE OZAKI: No, those were my two brothers. Q. Where are they now? JOE OZAKI: Jumbo, the oldest, is on the regular TOUR, and he has not played on the Senior Tour yet; only on the regular Tour. Jet is enjoying the Senior Tour in Japan. Q. How come you don't have a nickname? JOE OZAKI: Being the third one -- Jumbo is big, so Jumbo Jet, but they couldn't think of a name for Jet so he's Jet. The fans were able to vote in on what they wanted to call me, and Joe is what won. Q. What is your real name? JOE OZAKI: N-a-o-m-i-c-h-i. Q. Do you have a residence here in the United States where you get mail? Or are you always living out of a suitcase? JOE OZAKI: No, no residence. Q. What's the secret to packing well? You must know how to pack a suitcase. What's the secret? JOE OZAKI: Well, when I was on the regular TOUR, I never did my own laundry, but right now I do my own laundry. (Chuckles.) Q. It's got to be a hard life to be away from your family. Do you ever think now, or back when you were on the regular TOUR, you've had it and you want to do something else? And if you wanted to do something else besides being a pro golfer, what would it be? JOE OZAKI: When I was about 45, after being on the TOUR for eight, nine years, I got to the point where I was -- it was really tough. And so I said I was not coming back again and that's the attitude I had when I left here. But during the 46 to fifty years, I think I started to miss it a little bit and my golf got better. So I was able to, I think, want to come back and that's why I think I came back. Maybe if I wasn't playing golf I would be Jumbo'S manager. I was 49 when I went to the senior Q school and I didn't know why I was here, but I was here to try to make the Tour. Q. Did you figure it out somewhere along the way? It must have made sense somewhere along the way. JOE OZAKI: Having the great year that I've had, I look back and I'm so glad I did try and come out here and challenge this Tour. Q. Between 46 and 50, what did you do when you weren't playing golf? JOE OZAKI: You know, I don't think I could have done anything but golf because that's kind of a job. During those years I think on the Japan Tour it was fun, but there was something missing, and I knew that. Q. So you played on the Japanese Tour. Okay. JOE OZAKI: Yeah. End of FastScripts |
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