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AT&T CLASSIC

May 17, 2008

David Toms

DULUTH, GEORGIA

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, David for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center at the AT&T Classic Center. Good round today. I don't think you quite got out of it what you wanted to but you're still in position going into Sunday and you've had that experience. So just talk about what you did today and tomorrow what you think you are going to need to do.
DAVID TOMS: Okay. Today was just a good solid round on a day where, you know, you can't win the golf tournament but you can certainly lose it today and not have a chance for tomorrow. And my game plan was to, you know, hang around the lead somewhere at least within striking distance tomorrow. It's been a long time since I had that opportunity.
And, you know, I stayed patient out there today. I didn't get off to a very good start, bogeyed the 4th hole, the Par 5 there with a wedge in my hand. A little bit hot under the collar. But my caddie told me just hang in there and stay patient. I did that.
Birdied the 9th hole to shoot 1-under on the front, then birdied 10, just played solid after that. Snuck in a birdie there on 17 and I guess I birdied 13 also. Had a good score on the back nine, and right in the thick of things.
You know, what I'll say about tomorrow is I do have a chance. The guys that are around the lead right now are -- if you look at them they're pretty long hitters of the ball. And for me I'll have to get it done just a little bit differently. The golf course is playing long. So I'll just have to play solid and I'll need to putt a little better tomorrow to have a chance.
THE MODERATOR: Questions please?

Q. David, yesterday I asked about your back and obviously today it's seems to be coming along quite well. How that is progressing and what type of injury was it specifically?
DAVID TOMS: I just have a couple bad discs in my lower back that, you know -- really what happens is the muscles around will flare up from time to time if those discs get inflamed. Something I just have to monitor all the time. I told you yesterday I'm not able to practice after these rounds as well as normal. Not very -- can't practice my putting very much at all just because I can't stay bent over that long.
As far as, that it affects my preparation, but as far as me playing golf, you know, this is my third straight week to play competitive golf almost every day, and on some tough golf courses and some tough conditions so I feel good physically. And, you know, it's kind of funny. When you start shooting good scores it tends to ease the pain a little bit. And that's what I've been doing lately and enjoying playing golf just a little bit more. So, you know, I just need to put a good round on the board tomorrow.

Q. What won't you be able to do tonight that you might have done in a similar position two or three years ago?
DAVID TOMS: Nothing really. I'm going to go practice putting just a little bit. I probably won't hit any balls. I feel like my ball striking, as long as I'm committed to the shots, is where it needs to be. So there's nothing really I want to work on. So I think I could only do myself harm by going out there and hitting some balls. So I'll hit a few putts and try to work on my speed and, you know, go back to the hotel and relax.

Q. There's been a lot of talk this year about the 20-somethings winning. They've won nine tournaments I believe?
DAVID TOMS: Right.

Q. Do you feel like it's about time for one of the 40-somethings to breakthrough here?
DAVID TOMS: I guess so. I'm obviously starting to feel a little bit older these days. The young guys are doing well. It's just was a matter of time. There's so many of them that are good players.
You know, there's just a little bit of, you know, a shot of confidence here or there and the guy starts winning see his buddy win and makes it easier when they get in position. So it doesn't surprise me that's the way it is. There's just a lot of them. You know the numbers, you know, there's just a lot more of those guys playing out here and playing well.
There for a while I'd say, you know, 8 to 10 years ago there weren't that many of them. And certainly not playing well every week. So I think it was just a numbers game and sooner or later it was going to happen.
As far as me, in my 40's now, you know, obviously it would be a great thing for me because, you know, my game hasn't been where it needs to be the last six or eight months and where I am accustom to having it. So just for me, just for confidence in my game, you know, it would be great to go out and play well tomorrow; regardless, if I win or not, just to go out there and have a chance.
I mean it felt good today. Out there somewhere around the lead and playing like that and feeling nervous and just, you know, it's been awhile. So it was nice today. And I just hope it continues tomorrow and I have a chance.

Q. Starts for you, I think 38 rounds in this tournament in the 60s, two top-ten finishes. I mean this is a good, place is it not, to kind of get it going?
DAVID TOMS: Yeah, it is. You know, I've always enjoyed playing in this area, this golf course. I've had some good rounds on it. You know, I don't know why other than it's just -- I enjoy playing it. I think there's some risk/reward holes out there where you can score on this golf course. It's not-- you know, you don't have to just beat it with a long drive and a long shot into every hole. There's a lot of variety out there. And, you know, when I'm playing well I take advantage of those scoring opportunities. That's what I've done here.

Q. Talk about the age differential, the 20-somethings and yourself and Kenny. What kind of advantage, if any, would Kenny or you have going into a Round 4 with a tournament at stake?
DAVID TOMS: Just having been there before, you know, knowing how you react to certain situations and I know I watched Kenny play a lot, and when he's playing well and I know myself, you can watch us, we don't get ahead of ourselves out there on the golf course, just kind of play what's in front of you.
It's hard to make it happen in golf. You have people out there cheering for you and say, Go get 'em, and do everything, you're like, I wish, What does go get 'em mean. I wish you could hit a button and go get 'em.
But just playing your own game, and it's worked for me for a long time. I know it's worked for him for a long time. And, you know --

Q. Is there a kind of calm --
DAVID TOMS: I think so. Just having been there, been in just about every situation where you're coming from behind to win, whether you are way out in front, whether you are back and forth. I think we've both been there. Not saying that's going to translate into winning a golf tournament tomorrow, but I think it could. And certainly I know how to do it.

Q. You seem to start a few weeks ago at Wachovia that you really started working something really good?
DAVID TOMS: Yeah, I had a good first round there on a tough golf course. Didn't follow it up with a very good second round, but I played solid I felt like all week. Last week I was 5-under par on the back nine on Sunday going into the last hole and made bogey there. So I finished up TPC well.
Then came here with what I felt like pretty good swing keys and it was a matter of, you know, getting the putts to fall. And so far they really haven't gone in for me this week like they normally do when I'm playing well and scoring well. But, you know, maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow will be the day where they go in.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, David for joining us.

End of FastScripts

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