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CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK CLASSIC PRESENTED BY WAL-MART

October 31, 2007

Scott Verplank

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA

STEWART MOORE: Scott Verplank, thanks for joining us at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. You've had a great year, 15th on the year on the Tour, had an undefeated record at the President's Cup, so maybe sum up your season.
SCOTT VERPLANK: Highlight actually was winning again. You know, that's what most guys are out here trying to do, I think. You know, I'm kinda getting a little deeper into my career, so that's really the number one thing I want to accomplish is try to win a few more times.
I think I'm capable of that, and health permitting I think I can play better than I've played up to this point. So I'm hoping I got three, four, five more years where I think I can play better than I've ever played. This year has obviously been a good year, since I did win, and I've had a bunch Of, Top-10s, but it's been frustrating, because I really only had that one chance to win on that one Sunday.
I've been in good spots, decent after three, so that was the only real chance I had to win, and that was disappointing to me. I had the one good shot and pulled it off, so that kinda soothes the pain a little.
STEWART MOORE: When you wrap up your season this week, maybe some comments about the golf course and the wet conditions out there?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, man. Well, I played most of the Mag yesterday, and today and it's pretty wet. I played one hole on the Palm this morning, and it's really wet. You know, it's just -- I guess obviously it's rained.
I talked to Brendon last week, and he said, "Oh, it's great; it hasn't rained here in forever," and first guy I see, and he blames it all on me. I said, "I knew when you said it," -- but it's wet, just like I like it, balls plugging, 3-woods, 5-iron every hole. That's right up my alley! (Chuckles.)
STEWART MOORE: Questions?

Q. With all of the upheaval with the schedule in the FedExCup and the fall series and moving the Players' Championship and all that, what's your spin on how it's played out, pros and cons, if any?
SCOTT VERPLANK: I think it went okay schedulewise. I never felt great about it, touring the middle of it, because I've been playing for 20 years, and my whole schedule was totally different than it's been before. But it worked out okay. I liked being -- having The Tour Championship earlier.
The tournament I played earlier this fall I had a difficult time to get motivated, and usually you're playing through here and hard, because you want to get into the Players' Championship, and I'm spending time at home, and my girls were wearing me out to make sure I was ready for this tournament.

Q. Most guys that are 15th and better on the Money List aren't here, but evidently Scott is here because of other pressures from other people?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh, yeah, I got bullied into being here by a 12 year old, a 10 year old and a 3 year old. (Chuckles.) No, I've enjoyed being here, honestly. I would prefer if it's not soaking wet. I play the golf courses good out here when it's dry and decent conditions. I'm hoping that they're going to -- I'm hoping they're not going to use all the new back tees, since every hole with a new back tee is into the wind and plugging.
I'm hoping they'll use their heads, at least the first couple of days, to get everybody around. Then it will make it more bearable. If it keeps raining -- it's pretty sloppy. It's going to be tough on the amateur guys. It's unfortunate for them, because, you know, the conditions aren't going to be great with everything being -- with so much water.

Q. Talk about what's been the key to staying Top-10 consistently?
SCOTT VERPLANK: That's a great question. As I alluded to before, I've was somewhat frustrated earlier in the year; obviously my expectations went up after I won. But you know what? I hit the ball reasonably consistent, don't hit it very far by today's standards. I'm an okay iron player, mediocre, and if I putt well this week, I will have a chance.
If I don't putt well, I won't be good enough to contend. I'm kind of a veteran, and I kinda know how to play, how to get the most out of my game at any given time. Don't always do it, but that's kind of the -- all these drop courses are -- I know them all like the back of my hand. I'm not overly concerned. I didn't get to play a practice round on the Palm; I've played it 20, 30 times, so that doesn't bother me. I'm always just trying to get better, and that's kind of what I'm up against now.

Q. I remember you were in contention to win a championship down here a few years ago, weren't you?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, it had to be 2000, 2001.

Q. I remember it now. You withdrew from Tampa and got fined.
SCOTT VERPLANK: I didn't get fined!

Q. Got a letter, sorry.
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, I got a letter, but I got the lead, and I was walking over here, and I got a phone call, and my grandmother had just died, which was a big deal to me, because she started me playing golf. And I remember I was just numb the next day. I talked to my grandfather and he said to go up there and play well and -- I got here, and I had nothing in the tank.
I do remember I had a chance to win the golf tournament that year, and I didn't, but that's part of life. Maybe I'll have a chance again this year.

Q. How much consideration did you give when they rang you up asking you about China?
SCOTT VERPLANK: I didn't get an official call. I got a call from my agent and told him that I was -- I'm eating turkey and dressing. (Chuckles.)

Q. As opposed to?
SCOTT VERPLANK: As opposed to rice and Peking Duck.

Q. The two that are going over there --
SCOTT VERPLANK: I think they -- you know what? They could make a difference in world relations. (Chuckles.) I tell you what, they could open a new era in U.S./China relations. I'm not sure Heath will do a whole lot, but --

Q. He won't have to.
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah.

Q. Do you think Boo will do the talking?
SCOTT VERPLANK: They're probably going to be looking at him and needing an interpreter for him. I think they're going to have a good time and do well.

Q. You talked about playing better than ever for the next three, four years. What leads you to the belief that you think you can play better than you have before?
SCOTT VERPLANK: I've been reasonably healthy, and I'm probably stronger now than I've been, from continuing to try to work harder. I don't know, like I said, I just -- I kinda got shot in the foot going into the prime of my career with health problems, and I was a good player as a young kid, in college and coming out of college, and then I got knocked out of it in what would be considered coming into your prime.
I don't know, I still -- particularly if they start monkeying with the equipment and bring it back, I think that might give me another year or two, because it will take some of the -- hopefully if they get it done, which I don't know if they will, but if they get it done, it will put more emphasis on the basic skills of playing golf versus the grip-it-and-rip-it or whatever. What do y'all call it? I don't read the garbage yous guys write so the -- what is it?

Q. Bomb-and-gouge!
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, yeah, that's it, bomb-and-gouge. That's it.

Q. Yous guys?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, yous guys! So I think that would help me, and it would be more important to be in the fairway.

Q. Is that one of the things you think about this game, where if you were a major league pitcher, you would be winding it down, and you could play better than ever at this point in your career?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, it is neat. To me it's all about my health and staying where I'm not hurting too much. My head has always been my biggest asset. Sometimes it's my biggest opponent, you know, but generally when I play well I can -- you know, I think the right things and know how to approach it and things don't bother me too much.
Over the course of my career that's been an asset, and I think I can still use that as an asset over a lot of the young guys or a little different style player.

Q. Couple of rule changes announced today. Your thoughts on them: One, if you damage a club and use it, it's only a two-stroke penalty instead of a DQ. The other one being if a ball deflects off you or a tree and a bunker and hits you, that means one shot instead of two. That mean anything to you?
SCOTT VERPLANK: One shot instead of two?

Q. Yeah.
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, I'm not sure I've ever had one bounce off a tree and hit me. I have had one hit me in the bunker before, I think. You know, since I'm getting older, and my reflexes are slowing down -- (Chuckles.) That's probably a good deal. That might come in handy sometime.

Q. Since you are the veteran here and have all this help of picking this tournament to play in, give us the breakdown on the theme parks at Disney. Where do you go and what do you do, stay out of the tea cups?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, you know, I don't know how to answer that. I do the best I can to stay here with yous guys! (Chuckles.) My wife is one tough lady. She takes those kids and they go. I did go down to Cinderella's Castle last night. All night they called me "My Lord." That was pretty great. You know, the waiters refer to you as "My Lord," and he called the girls "Princess," and he called me "Princess" one time, but I straightened him out.
When I have time, yeah, I'll go do it. The kids love it. It's a lot of fun. It's a little tiring if you've been out trying to play in the tournament and you go walk around there all night, but it's worth it.

Q. Did you have a chance to digest the proposal that will be afoot at the November 12th policy board meeting about moving The Tour Championship? Does it fix the problem?
SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, yeah, I think it's a good idea. I think it would be very difficult to have The Ryder Cup be where it is, and the 7th or 8th, and I still don't think it guarantees a guy is going to play every week, three or four in a row, but obviously one guy proved you don't have to.
I think The Ryder Cup is a big enough deal, and most guys take it seriously enough, and they would like to perform well in it, so I think it's probably a good idea to have a week off and The Tour Championship behind it. I don't know what they did in Atlanta. Did they change the greens?

Q. They're going to.
SCOTT VERPLANK: They should probably wait now. Go back in two or three weeks they would probably be perfect. They would have been fine this year two or three weeks later, because they would have had time to grow in. But that course would probably play better. Nobody asked me, though, I just threw that in.

Q. As a golf fan more than a player, what do you think 2007 is best remembered for?
SCOTT VERPLANK: As a fan? Well, it would probably be Tiger's dominance at the end of the year, you know? He played so good! You know what, I don't know the dynamics about his relationship with his teachers or whatever, but whatever he did apparently was more on his own. Whatever he did after the British Open was pretty impressive. He started hitting the ball very straight, and he just played smart, like he always plays. I don't know, that or me winning the Byron Nelson; it's a toss up (Chuckles.) That or Woody falling in the water. That was a historical moment.

Q. Hysterical moment.
SCOTT VERPLANK: Historical or hysterical, whatever. You were part of that; it was great.
STEWART MOORE: Scott, thank you..

End of FastScripts

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