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PUERTO RICO OPEN PRESENTED BY BANCO POPULARMarch 20, 2008Ted PurdyRIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO Q. Ted Purdy, thanks for coming in today. Why don't you give us some general thoughts on your round. TED PURDY: I am very pleased, 6 under, my best round of the year, best round in a while so I am excited about it. It was windy, and I was determined to play well in the wind because we have had some windy days on tour here in the last few weeks, and I haven't fared so well, but I am excited. (Sound disconnected.) TED PURDY: Trying to improve my physical condition, primarily in the core and hips. I had some parts that were supposed to move and that weren't and had some parts that should be stable that were moving. Really focused on training in the off-season and try and perfect my golf swing. And really worked on my putting. And last year I was 180 -- (Sound disconnected.) TED PURDY: Try and implement, try to change. They weren't effort less changes, there was some effort involved, and it was because of my status. He is not real sure what you have got in -- I have played plenty, this is my sixth event of the year, I have only made two cuts, and about $24,000 and I think Tiger's played the same amount and made over 6 million, so it's all relative. But I am excited. Hopefully, there is more good golf to come. Q. Did you feel earlier this week like, okay, new location, new locale, golf course, I really feel like things are starting to -- TED PURDY: I do. I had a great -- had last week off, had a great week of training with Tyler Kirkendahl at home in Phoenix, and I ended up Monday qualifying for Tampa the week before, so I had some momentum. I was actually in the top 10 going into the one on -- we had 40 miles an hour average winds on Saturday into the wind, and I played 31 holes in it and played poorly, but I took a lot from even that poor finish, I took a lot from the PODS championship, because I played well on Monday to qualify and then I was in the top 10 going into Saturday, so I could see the progress and I could see my short game improving and my putting was improving, so I am excited about the rest of the week. Q. (Inaudible). TED PURDY: Again, that's part of the short game. You are going to miss greens in the wind, and I was able to get up and down when I missed those greens. Birdied the second hole, it's a par 5, I hit a ball -- my second shot went over the green and I was able to hit a nice pitch to about two feet and got up and down for birdie. And then I made a nice about 25-footer on the fourth hole for birdie, and then 6 was a long -- it was a 60-foot putt, and 6 was playing very difficult because of the wind, and the length of the hole, and I hit it right in the middle of the green, but the pin was in the back of the green, and I made the putt from 60 feet away. I watch Tiger do it a lot on TV, so it has been done. Q. (Inaudible.) TED PURDY: He didn't need to. He would have if he needed to. Those greens aren't that big at Bay Hill. And then I birdied the 10th hole, which was my first hole of the day, I hit a driver and a sand wedge to about a foot, so I started off with a great tap-in birdie, and then I birdied the 13th hole, which is -- I hit a driver and then 8-iron to about four or five feet and made the putt. And then I birdied the 18th hole, 3 shot par 5, 650 yards, I hit a driver and a 4-iron and a wedge to about 3 feet and made the putt, so my wedge game was good. And I was able to hit some chips close when I missed the greens, and that's been the difference in my game. Q. (Inaudible). TED PURDY: Oh, yeah. No, this is, you know, one of the finest resorts in the world, so it's always nice when we can come to a location, stay on site, like this week they are at Doral, all the guys stay at Doral, so there is no commute for the week. It's a beautiful golf course, it's in great condition. They are treating us like kings. The Puerto Rican people have been very supportive, and I am really excited about this weekend, and it's a big weekend for Puerto Rico, and Easter. So it's exciting to be here over Easter. We are having a great time. And my caddy, actually, is head -- I got a local caddy, so -- I have got a local -- local help, and he has been a great asset. He is very light-hearted. We are having a good time. He is very positive. And he is the head pro next-door at Bahia Beach, beautiful golf course, took me out there on Tuesday. Just a beautiful golf course. This is beautiful, too. Two special courses right next to each other here in Puerto Rico. And I would tell you his last name but I can't pronounce it. His first name is Craig, my local caddy, Craig Swiberski, and he has been a big help. And he is a good pro himself, so he actually helped me a little bit with my golf swing on the range, helped me with my alignment and a few things, so it's been nice having somebody like him on the bag. Q. (Inaudible). TED PURDY: Yeah, yeah. The wind is difficult. Anytime it's blowing this hard, it's difficult to control the golf ball. What I am trying to do, hopefully successfully, is in a cross-wind I will try to -- like a left to right wind I will try to hit a draw. I will actually try to hook it into the wind, and the ball flight will stay generally straight, but the wind is so strong out there that even when you try to draw the ball into the wind, it still blows it to the right. So -- and vice versa, on the other wind, I would try to slice it into the wind. So I am always trying to work my ball spin into the direction of the wind to control the flight. And if you need to hit a big long drive, then you do just the opposite, you will hit it with the wind. You will hit a slice with a left to right wind and you will hit a hook with the right to left wind to get more distance because that wind will help push your ball. And into the wind you have to hit the ball solid. You have to be able to keep the -- there is my caddy, so you can get his last name. Craig has been great. But yeah, in fact, I am going to go over to Bahia Beach right now and find a hole into the wind and practice some into the wind shots because those were my difficult shots today. But it's just -- and we don't get to practice in this very often, so while I am here, I might as well take advantage of the opportunity. Q. (Inaudible). TED PURDY: Thank you. End of FastScripts |
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