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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

May 7, 2008

Trevor Immelman

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA

JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you, Trevor, for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at THE PLAYERS Championship. Thanks for joining us. You had a chance to play out there today and practice. Just talk about the course a little bit and where your progress is with your game.
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, the course is in fantastic shape. It's really come along well since we were here last year, so I think the greens are really starting to firm up. I don't anticipate the scores being too good, to be honest.

Q. When you talk about the greens being fast, is it close to a point where they're too fast? We've heard a number of players say they can really see these greens getting quick.
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Right now it's the speed that's perfect. It's the firmness that's going to be tough to handle if the breeze kicks up.
This course is all about distance control as it is, so when the breeze kicks up and the greens are that firm, it really will make your second shots quite demanding. So I think that's really the thing that's going to defend the course this week.

Q. How close is this course playing to a U.S. Open-style course?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Generally at the U.S. Open you don't see as much water, so I wouldn't --

Q. But the greens, though, the green speed.
TREVOR IMMELMAN: The green speed? I think it's probably got a little ways to go before you gets to U.S. Open green speed, but the firmness is quite up there.

Q. Talk about the 17th hole. Where does it rank on your list of just your favorite holes of all time? Do you like it, love it, hate it?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, I wouldn't say it's in my Top 10 (laughter).

Q. Just give me your thoughts.
TREVOR IMMELMAN: I think it's a fantastic hole. You know, I said to Jim Furyk today when we were playing out there, could you imagine if this hole was surrounded by sand, how much easier it would be; every second guy would probably make a birdie.
But it's a fantastic hole because of the theater there. You can get a lot of people around it, and you know, a lot of atmosphere going. It's a great little hole. You've only got to hit between a 7-iron and a wedge depending on the breeze conditions, and you've just got to step up and hit a straight one. It's a great little par-3, and I think we need to start seeing more short par-3s that are that demanding, rather than having 250-yard par-3s.

Q. Have you been successful in avoiding disasters there?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: No (laughter).

Q. What's it like compared to the 12th at Augusta?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, the 12th at Augusta, you know that you can go a little long. I mean, it's not great going long, but you're probably going to make a 4 at worst. Whereas here, you've just really got to step up and hit a good shot. You've got to just hit it straight on the right number. You can't be left, right, short or long. And then once you hit it in the water, then the odds are that you're probably going to make a 5. So I'd say Augusta, the 12th hole, there is probably a little bit more margin for error.

Q. Have you been able to just relax at all since Augusta, maybe take a deep breath and sit down?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: No, not really. I'm looking forward to -- I've got two weeks off after this. And it's going to be nice to get home and just decompress, I guess, would be a good word, and just try and figure out what's going on and how I'm going to go about it from here.
It's been real interesting, because after I won, I think it was just going from such a huge high to, you know, coming down, and then having to deal with everything that I had to deal with that I had no clue what to expect from that aspect; so trying to get all of that done. And then going out to play again and not being focused when I was playing. My game has kind of gone sideways since then, too, so that's been a little disappointing.
I think for me right now I need to get some time away just to think about how I'm going to start building again from here.

Q. What were some of the things that might have given you the most problem that you didn't know about or some of the things that maybe surprised you what you had to deal with in the last couple weeks?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, I mean, you know, I probably get about 30 to 40 Masters flags arriving at my house every day. I never had to deal with that problem, not that it's a problem. But you know what I mean, that kind of thing. Those are just little adjustments that I am going to have to learn to deal with and maybe take some advice on and try to figure out how the other guys go about it.
And also, I think, you know, once you win a big tournament like, that your expectation level probably rises. I've never played when I had too high of expectations because I put too much pressure on myself and go to tournaments and want to win too badly, instead of going out there and free-wheeling it a little bit more.
So those are the things I'm going to need to take some time away and figure out how I'm going to go about it from here.

Q. Is there any one thing when you go back home that you're looking forward to doing to depress? What do you do to decompress?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Just spend time at home with the family. Just relaxing, taking it easy, not planning to do anything during a day. That will be nice, just to have to wake up when I want to wake up and just chill out, a little vacation.

Q. When you say home, where are we talking about?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Orlando.

Q. What do you foresee yourself going back to South Africa?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Towards the end of the year. I'll be going down there for the Nedbank Challenge, so at that point I'll be heading down and meeting up with everybody down there.

Q. Is there any one person that you've gone to now so far, after winning, for kind of advice on how to deal with what you're now dealing with?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, I've spoken to a few guys. I spoke to Zach, obviously. I think because him and I, we're in a similar situation where we hadn't been seasoned winners; and so all of a sudden then to go and win the biggest tournament in the world was a huge step for us, and so obviously a lot of it gets thrust upon you that we weren't quite used to.
I spoke to Geoff Ogilvy a little bit. I was speaking to Jim a little today on the way around. You know, just trying to get some tips from some guys. Sergio has given me some good advice. You know, obviously you've got to do what feels right to you and make sure that -- you know, at the end of the day, playing good golf is my priority. So I've got to make sure that the way I handle it still works with the amount of time that I need to put in to get ready for events.

Q. Do you feel like in your career that you've almost skipped a step, from Trevor Immelman, PGA TOUR member, to Trevor Immelman, Masters Champion? Is there something missing in there that you feel, in your career?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: I don't really think so. I mean, I think probably a couple more TOUR victories would be nice. You know, a whole bunch more would be very nice.
But, you know, hey, all I know is you work your butt off, you try your best, and if you happen to win a tournament, good for you.
Obviously for me, I timed my best golf on the right week there, and obviously I'm thrilled about that. I'm sure not going to give it back.

Q. This may be an awful question --
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Then don't ask it (laughter).

Q. It might be a brilliant question, too. You talked about looking forward to getting that time off to decompress and kind of get your feet back underneath you, so why do you decide to play in this tournament this week instead of starting it early?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, that's a good question.
This is a huge tournament, and this tournament is important to us as players and as the PGA TOUR, and I think it's important for us to try and get the strongest field possible to this event. You know, for the amount of time and effort and money that has gone into developing this facility to what it is today is very important to the TOUR.
And this is a huge event to try and win. If you look at the guys who have won this event, they're all damned good players. It's a good list of victors around here. Also it's only an hour and a half from my house, so how could I skip it.

Q. They resurrected that FedExCup spot that you did last year, obviously, now that you won the Masters. Can you talk about how that came about and what that was like to do?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: It was fun. After my -- when did we shoot that? I think we shot it towards the end of 2006, and obviously I played quite well there in 2006. So they decided to run a commercial, and when they came with the idea of Vijay and I doing it together, I was pretty excited. I've known Vijay for a long time. He used to come and play down in South Africa 15 years ago.
You know, he was real nice about it. We shot it in Tampa at the facility there, and we got it all said and done in about two and a half hours. We did a bunch of different takes where we were doing different things. We had a great time shooting it, and I think it came out quite well, other than my corny put-on American accent. You know, the put-on American accent is supposed to be Jim Nantz, but it didn't quite -- that's why I golf and don't act (laughter).

Q. Can you talk about how much more you're recognized now, and has there been any one really surprising place or strange place where you've been recognized where you probably wouldn't have been a year ago?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Yeah, obviously it's definitely kicked up a few notches. Obviously I used to be recognized at golf courses and golf clubs, but now every now and then I get spotted at a mall or something like that, so things like that.

Q. No place really weird like Waffle House or the men's room or anything like that?
TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, I haven't been to too many Waffle Houses lately, so definitely not there. Not really. Once I take the hat off and get a real goofy hairstyle, nobody cares about it.
JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thanks, Trevor.

End of FastScripts

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