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BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

January 20, 2008

Justin Leonard

LA QUINTA, CALIFORNIA

JOHN BUSH: Justin Leonard in the interview room. Our runner up. I know that's not the result you wanted today, didn't get off to a bad start, 3-under on the front nine, but just couldn't get anything going on the back.
JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, I played pretty good the first eight holes. I didn't hit a very good third shot into 9 and didn't really have a putt at it there.
Then bogeying 10, 11 from the fairway, they're two difficult holes, but to make bogey there at those two holes was obviously a huge difference in the outcome.
Then never really gave myself a chance the last four holes. Which is disappointing.

Q. You had played the par-5s previous four rounds I think at 11-under. Didn't turn out that way today. Was there any difference in the conditions or just wasn't happening?
JUSTIN LEONARD: No, it was a little -- probably a little windier today than it was yesterday, but no. I hit a good putt at -- I can't remember -- the first par-5. 6 and 9, I hit a pretty weak third shot, and then hit a poor chip at 14, and then obviously a bad drive at 18. So, yeah, I played the par-5s pretty lousy today.

Q. Is it tough -- people talk about holding on to a lead in the fourth round when you have been leading round after round. In a five-round tournament, is it just that much tougher?
JUSTIN LEONARD: I guess it is for me. I said yesterday the challenge was to come out today and with the same attitude. And I felt like I did that. I played solid the first eight holes. I was 3-under par. Obviously D.J. was playing very well. I just didn't get that to the back nine today, and he did. And that was the difference.

Q. You mentioned 10 was a disappointing hole, the 3-putt. What did that do? It was a two-shot swing there.
JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah. I hit a 4-wood on the front part of the green and had 50 feet or so. And I hit it about 10 feet by. I hit a pretty good putt. I misread it a little bit, the second putt. The first one I just hit too hard. To hit two pretty good shots in there and come away with a five, D.J. made a great 25-footer for birdie and obviously any two-shot swings are pretty big.
JOHN BUSH: Take us through those birdies on the front and we'll wrap it up. The birdie on number 3.
JUSTIN LEONARD: 3, I hit a pitching wedge to about 10 feet.
4, I hit a 5-iron, I made a 40-footer kind of up over the ridge.
7, I hit a 7-iron about 10 feet.
JOHN BUSH: Anything else?

Q. As a person who's played a lot of golf and won 11 tournaments and won a Major, is something like this easier to accept at any time with your record or do they all hurt as much?
JUSTIN LEONARD: No, I think they all pretty much hurt the same. I'm disappointed that the last four holes I didn't give myself a chance. A bad tee shot on 15; 16, I guess I hit it too good. I really didn't think I could get to that bunker and it rolled up into a pretty bad lie.
17, it was just a normal 7-iron and I just didn't catch it all.
Then obviously a pretty bad tee shot on 18.
But 15, 16, 17, I was kind of hanging in there and probably figured with D.J.'s length that I would probably need to make eagle, and just hit a bad tee shot on 18. But I guess I've been through that already.
But, yeah, it's disappointing. To have a four-shot lead and come out and play as well as I did the first eight holes, and lose a golf tournament is disappointing. But I get some perspective in the fact that this time last year I was pretty lost. So that gives me a little comfort, but still it only takes a little bit of the sting out, not all of it.

Q. Justin, yesterday you looked very comfortable from start to finish from tee to green. Today, although you played okay the first eight holes, was the comfort level not quite there?
JUSTIN LEONARD: No, I felt pretty good. Even through 9, I just misjudged the second shot, I hit a good shot into 10. The pins certainly we all know they're going to be tougher today, because the first four rounds you got to get the amateurs around and everything, and so there weren't as many chances that you could take.
I just didn't play as well on the back nine and give myself those chances to make some birdies.

Q. Could you give us your schedule for the next few weeks?
JUSTIN LEONARD: I'm playing the next three weeks. Then from there, it's unknown.

Q. Despite the bad drive on 18, and you still were able to lay up and have a chance, were you not able to lay up as close as you would have liked? And also, can you talk about both the approach shot and the putt on 18?
JUSTIN LEONARD: I dropped it, I didn't have a great lie. And I just felt like hitting -- trying to hit a 3-wood over that bunker wasn't going to do me that much good, and at that point just trying to inflict as little harm as I could. So just kept it out to the left there.
Then the third or, I guess, my fourth shot played a little shorter than I thought it would. I guess the ball took a big skip. I never -- somebody beat me to the ball mark. And then obviously, I'm on the green and I'm just trying to 2-putt and make sure I get second place. So I wasn't too worried about making that, I just wanted to get out of D.J.'s way.
JOHN BUSH: Thank you, Justin.
JUSTIN LEONARD: Thanks.

End of FastScripts

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