	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

VERIZON HERITAGE

April 19, 2008

Jason Bohn

HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thanks, Jason, for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at the Verizon Heritage. Nice solid round out there, 10-under for the tournament. A couple strokes behind Boo Weekley, who isn't quite finished. Talk a little bit about the conditions and what you've been doing well this week.
JASON BOHN: The conditions were a little bit tough today. The breeze definitely played some havoc, even though I kept looking up and seeing the scores were good. You still have to try to fire at the flag sticks and make birdies.
But for me personally this week I made a lot of putts, some long putts that I haven't done in the past probably five years in my career, and I really thought well this week. I'm really kind of proud about the way that I'm thinking on the golf course, the way I'm working with my caddie and just the mental aspect, because this golf course, tee-to-green, is as difficult as we play from a mental side of you have to folk on your targets. You've got to trust your shots. So this is good for me.

Q. With the medical extension, how important is to be in the position you are this week?
JASON BOHN: The medical was kind of like the 125th number. You have a certain number of events that I have to gain status to continue to play full-time out here this year. So it's there, but we really try hard not to think about it. But it's like being on the 125 bubble. It's always there. It's in the back of your mind. And I'm just trying to take advantage of the weeks I'm able to choose to play the golf courses that suit my game.
I played with Ernie Els the first few days, and Ernie and I were talking about how difficult it is to come back from a medical injury. It's not just the physical aspect of the game. You can really hit good shots, you can putt, and do it all at your home club. It's difficult, the mental aspect, seeing the shots and feeling the shots, flight of your ball, seeing where your ball is pitching on the green. So we talked about that a lot and how difficult that is to actually get back.
And so I've done that really well this week and that's the thing I'm most proud of about myself, and that I've really been kind of committed to what I've been trying to do.

Q. Do you mind talking about the hole-in-one that you made back in '92? Did that just change your life and did it change your life for the best?
JASON BOHN: I never mind telling the story about the hole-in-one. But it definitely changed my life. I mean, there's no question that I wouldn't be sitting here right now without that opportunity. I mean, without me winning that it gave me the financial ability to kind of chase my dream. It took me a long time to get here. I played the mini tours, I slept five guys in a hotel room and I've got some stories to tell about it. But it was definitely the opportunity. I would never have had that opportunity to chase that dream without that.

Q. The other side of the coin is, did it force you to go pro a little sooner than you might?
JASON BOHN: Absolutely. I played at the University of Alabama. I need to plug that. And No. 1, in the country right now. But I went down there from central Pennsylvania, I walked on the golf team. I turned down some scholarships in other places just to have that opportunity. When I lost that opportunity, it was pretty disappointing for me. I wanted to just practice. I wanted to be able to play, I was unable to do any of that. Actually for me I got a job ten days after I hit the hole-in-one. I worked at a golf club just, so I was able to practice and play. I could see my teammates come out to the course, and I could sneak out that way without violating any NCAA rules.

Q. You can't count that 50 grand toward your medical extension number, can you?
JASON BOHN: No. I could certainly use it for sure.

Q. Sort of a follow-up, how many hole-in-ones have you had since then?
JASON BOHN: I've actually had three hole-in-ones total, and every one of them has paid, believe it or not. I've been very fortunate in the right place at the right time. Obviously my very first one was the most profitable to me.
I had another one that I won $1,200. They put a car in one hole and $1,200 in the other hole. And then a third one at an international event in Canada that I won $5,000.

Q. One other question on that: The first one you made that won you the million bucks, what was the club and the distance?
JASON BOHN: It was 9-iron and it was 135 yards.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Where is that 9-iron?
JASON BOHN: In my office with a golf ball framed, and I look at it every time and smile and think about. Everybody talks about being in the right place at the right time, and that was truly it for me.

Q. That was a whim, you went out that day to do that?
JASON BOHN: It was a charity fundraiser. I bought 10 balls. You had to hit within a six foot circle to qualify you on to the semifinals and finals.
But the true story, and I'll relate it to you straight. The night before was Halloween night, I was 19 years old in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I went to every costume party in Alabama. I was Batman. I was trying to find Cat Woman. And that's the honest truth. I was unsuccessful at finding Cat Woman that night. But I had a good time, I can tell you that.
I didn't feel very good that day that I actually hit the shot. I couldn't wait, after I did hit the shot, to tell my parents, because my parents always told me that a hangover is the worst thing for you, but I was able to prove to them once that it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I think I wouldn't have been able to hit the shot if I knew what I was doing.
JOAN vT ALEXANDER: How many people were around?
JASON BOHN: There was about 150 people. It was on film. They had to film it for insurance reasons.

Q. They showed it a while ago, of you running down?
JASON BOHN: I got about 50 yards off and hit the deck. My body gave out completely. I had dirt on my face. I'm rolling around, really, because I only got maybe four hours of sleep. And after that I didn't sleep for two more days, so it was all right.

Q. As far as today, I think I caught it on TV, did you have an especially long putt maybe on 14?
JASON BOHN: I made a great putt on 16. I couldn't tell you how far it was, but it was breaking to the right up the hill and probably -- I don't know, I'm not very good at that, but I'd say 25, 30 feet. It was a bomb for me, which I was thrilled to see go in.

Q. Where did the hole-in-one take place?
JASON BOHN: It took place at the Harriet Pritchard Golf Club in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which I'm sorry to say is not there anymore. I saw a picture of the second hole the other day and it's all grown in. It was a charity called the Jameson Society. It was to raise money to repair a home that wasn't burned in the Civil War.

Q. Last year when you did have that long time off when you were injured, what did you do during those six months?
JASON BOHN: Yeah, I was out for six months. I did the best thing that I've ever done in my life, actually: I spent six months with my two-year-old and we went to the park every day and we went swimming every day. Being out on the road a lot, they get to travel with me, but you never get to experience what that life was like. I really took advantage of it. We had a ton of fun. I pray to God that that never happens again, trust me, but I definitely took advantage of my time.

Q. On the injury, how did it happen? Just swung wrong?
JASON BOHN: Actually I was playing at the Memorial, and I was playing on Friday. It was about the 13th, 14th hole and I made a couple of -- I made a swing from the middle of the fairway, I felt kind of a tweak. I thought it could be muscular. Kept going, I made the cut. Went in, came back out Saturday morning, I couldn't make a swing. I wish I could say it was the click of a camera, and maybe I could sue and ask for an exemption, but that's not going to be the case.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297