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CIALIS WESTERN OPEN

July 2, 2004

Matt Gogel

LEMONT, ILLINOIS

TODD BUDNICK: We thank Matt for talking to us today. 7-under 64 will do that for you after a 72 yesterday, so it's nice to have you here, 6-under for the tournament. No bogeys today. Looks like five birdies and an eagle. Talk about how everything went today.

MATT GOGEL: Well, I'll back up just a little bit. I finished yesterday with three bogeys in the last five holes, so a disappointing finish. I played real solid today. I was never really in any trouble. I had some makeable birdie putts. I had an eagle on 15, which kind of took me to 3-under par, hit driver, 3-iron into that, and that hole is kind of playing downwind today, so a lot of the guys are going to be hitting 5-irons in there.

Anyway, I made eagle there and got through 17 and 18 with pars. Came around the front side and played really solid, steady golf. I think I hit just about every green. I birdied 1 and 4.

4 is a little different hole today. I went ahead and hit driver because the pin is so far back left that it got me down -- it's a risky play because it's pretty narrow down there, but I hit a 9-iron to about four feet and made birdie.

Got through 5. 5 is different this year, playing as a long par 4 instead of a par 5. Two-putted there for par, and then two-putted for par on 6. Those are kind of the two holes you've got to get through on the front.

I birdied 7 from about eight feet and birdied 9. It took me three shots to play that. Some of the guys are going to be able to get it out there and go for the green in two, but I laid up, I had 107 or 108 yards to the hole, and I hit it about 15 feet, made it for birdie.

TODD BUDNICK: This will be your seventh cut in your last eight events. You're 124th on the Money List and not where you want to be, but it looks like you might be turning it around.

MATT GOGEL: I've been playing well since Hilton Head. I haven't been able to put everything together. I'm excited to be in this position and my expectations are low. Now that I'm kind of in contention I'm not trying to finish it off and win. I'm just kind of more committed to kind of playing the kind of golf I've been playing the last five or six tournaments. Other than the U.S. Open, I think I've made the last seven cuts, so I'm playing pretty solid golf.

TODD BUDNICK: And this is a course you like, as well. This is the fourth time you've made the cut in five appearances. You finished T10 in 2001. Talk about that.

MATT GOGEL: I think it's a very straightforward golf course, pretty fair. I think that -- I'm not a long hitter, kind of middle of the pack, but I think with the changes it's favoring more of a long hitter. Typically long hitters do well here. People like Nick Price have done well, he's not overly long, but of course Allenby is long, Kelly is long, Tiger is long, so it certainly favors the longer players. The greens are big so you don't have to be as precise. It's easy to be precise with a 9-iron versus a 6-iron. I'm playing pretty solid golf right now. If it rains tonight, it'll soften up the greens a little bit, but I think the course is playing -- I think it's in the best condition I've ever seen it in in five years.

Q. If you would have had your finish yesterday before this recent good run, would you have had to carry it over today -- (inaudible).

MATT GOGEL: Yeah, that's a good question. I think that you try not to get as upset as I was earlier in the year. That's what happens when a guy is playing poorly. Every little thing sets him off. Of course, I started so poorly on the West Coast. That's obviously where I've played pretty well. I was behind of kind the 8-ball, and then I was forcing it for the next four or five events, and I've gotten back to playing some solid golf. I'm not playing great yet, but at least things are heading in the right direction.

Q. Was there a swing change or anything? What got you back on the right track?

MATT GOGEL: Basically I've kind of been in between some irons. I've been struggling with my irons for about two years and I've got a set now that I feel a lot more confident with. I've always been able to putt well, and I've been driving the ball adequately. I wouldn't say great because in my opinion I'm not as long as I want to be, but I'm finding enough fairways.

If I can just get the ball on the green, my best part of my game is my short game and putting. I'm just trying to get on the greens and not worry about hitting it five feet but getting it on and getting into some reasonable birdie putts. The more chances I have to make putts, the better off I'm going to be.

Q. What kind of irons are you in?

MATT GOGEL: New Taylor Made LT irons.

Q. I'm following a rookie who made his debut yesterday and he shot a 1-under. Do you have any advice on what you do to keep your emotions in check when it's the second day and possibly making the cut and heading into the weekend?

MATT GOGEL: A rookie on the Tour or his first PGA TOUR event?

TODD BUDNICK: Affrunti.

THE WITNESS: Well, I think the biggest challenge is just not getting overly excited. Obviously he played a nice round of golf yesterday and you have to sleep on it. It's part of the deal that everybody goes through. You just learn how to keep your emotions on a little bit more level field. I think he's just going to be pretty jumpy. If he can just find some fairways today and make some pars early on, he'll play a pretty good round of golf.

Q. What was your experience on your debut?

MATT GOGEL: Well, you're jumpy, there's distractions. It's a little intimidating, which is exciting for me. It's funny, I'm back in a position where I'm going to be in one of the final groups tomorrow, and that's what I need to do. I need to kind of get back to feeling a little more confident, a little more comfortable in that position, and so it's just a matter of -- this will do wonders for his game. Whether he plays well today or tomorrow or not, he'll take the experience, and I think that's the only thing you can really gain out of this is experience.

Q. You were joking before and reintroducing yourself, but when is the last time you've been in this position at this juncture?

MATT GOGEL: I've had some decent finishes. I finished 3rd at Greensboro last year. I was right there, but Shigeki got out in front of everybody, so it really wasn't a chance to win, so to speak. I really don't think I've had a decent shot at it since Pebble Beach in 02. I've had some nice finishes, but it's been a big disappointment really for the last two years. I finally feel like I'm on the right track.

Your question is how is he going to feel comfortable. Well, how do I feel comfortable going against Vijay and Phil and Tiger every week? You've got to understand that those guys are pretty much better than everybody else in the world. I'm not going to be there every single week like Vijay is. This is my fifth year and I've had some moderate success. You want to be like Vijay and you get disappointed when you're not, but, I mean, that's a different animal. Those guys are the top three players in the world.

I've got to just realize what I do, figure out what I do well and just know that in the course of the year I'm going to have four or five chances to win, and that's my game.

Q. Can you talk about the 9th hole? That was a hole that yesterday a lot of people didn't like the changes on and it was kind of being criticized. A couple of your partners hit to it today?

MATT GOGEL: Yeah, it's playing downwind. The fairways are firm. The golf course is playing pretty fast right now. Craig Perks and Jose Coceres both got it out there -- Craig Perks hit 2-iron just short of the green. Personally I don't see the advantage of making it 600 yards. I know they wanted to turn it into a three-shot hole, but it was a great, difficult driving hole to begin with when it was 560, and if you hit a great drive, then it brought up a risk-reward. Other than today, nobody is going to be going for it in two.

Again, that's another setup that doesn't help the field, it helps the longer hitter. I'm not a proponent of trying to make golf courses longer. If there's going to be changes, then the changes should be equal throughout the field. I know David Toms had a pretty big issue with that, and I agree with him.

TODD BUDNICK: Just finish off with the birdies we missed, Matt. No. 1.

MATT GOGEL: Hit driver to about 190 to the hole. I hit a 6-iron about 15 feet, made that for birdie.

13, again, another hole that's difficult but playing easier today because it's downwind. I hit driver, pitching wedge, and that hole can play easily driver, 5-iron or 4-iron. I hit pitching wedge to about eight feet and made that for birdie.

Eagle, driver, 3-iron for me to about ten feet, hit a really nice shot, made a great putt.

Q. Are the greens firm?

MATT GOGEL: Yeah, kind of like they always are here. To me these greens are very, very thatchy and the ball doesn't explode into the turf, it bounces like a trampoline and it takes off a lot of spin. The morning rounds are going to be easier to score because there is a little bit of receptiveness to them, but they are a little bit firm.

Q. Was the tee all the way back on 13?

MATT GOGEL: Yeah, I hit a good drive. I told you I'm not long, but I'm not too short, either.

End of FastScripts.

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