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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 10, 2008

Garrett Willis

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

DOUG MILNE: We'd like to thank Garrett Willis for joining us for a few minutes here at the John Deere Classic. Great first round today, seven birdies and just a lone bogey. Can you comment on how great it feels to be here and to put out a great first round?
GARRETT WILLIS: Yeah, it's obviously a nice feeling to be here because I was first alternate pretty much half the day on Tuesday, and then Wednesday I was alternate pretty much all day, and they finally gave me the call about 3:30, 4:00 and let me know I was in the field.
And then I was informed, as well, I was playing with Kenny Perry and Kirk Triplett, which was even an added bonus with Kenny being the hottest golfer in the world right now, between him and Anthony Kim, so to play with him today was just icing on the cake.

Q. How about some of the emotions you've gone through the last 24 hours, knowing, hey, here we are?
GARRETT WILLIS: Yeah, being in this position, being in the past champion category that I play out of, two weeks ago I was first alternate in Flint, Michigan, stuck around all day Tuesday, all day Wednesday, went to the tee Thursday, waited for the entire morning wave to go through and the entire afternoon wave to go through, and then I was waving myself goodbye heading home when I didn't get in.
This time of year is the typical time for me to get in some tournaments, and I wanted to play here. I've played well here in the past. I've got off to some pretty good starts here in the past, and I was really focused on preparing to play in the tournament this week.
So mentally I was trying to prepare, physically I was trying to prepare, just for the opportunity if I did get in I wanted to take advantage of it.

Q. How do you keep yourself mentally prepared when you're basically on standby?
GARRETT WILLIS: Yeah, I mean, I just try to prepare like I'm in the tournament. I actually came in on Sunday morning and I actually tried to Monday qualify just to give myself an opportunity to play, give myself one more opportunity if I were to Monday qualify.
This is a little bit of a unique year for me because I was in the midst of losing my PGA TOUR retirement, and I need to play in 15 tournaments this year or lose a significant portion of my PGA TOUR retirement, and I've been going around all over the country trying to Monday qualify, and it's not an easy feat when you've got 150 guys for four spots. I was able to Monday qualify for two earlier this year and haven't played well when I've gotten in.
I was pretty much just sick and tired of getting into fields and not performing the way I know how, and I just kind of made a little pact with myself, the next opportunity you get to play, you're going to have to focus your butt off and get out there and get it done.
Like next week they've got a 132-man field. Some of these tournaments are reducing their fields to 132, which gives me a decreased opportunity to get in. And next week, again, I'm an alternate. So a Top 10 would go a long way here, and that's basically my goal is to get Top 10 and try to get my 15 tournaments this year.

Q. Does playing in a group with Kenny and Kirk help you raise your game?
GARRETT WILLIS: Absolutely. Kenny got off to a great start and birdied the first three holes. I hit a great shot on 11 to about three or four feet and was able to make birdie, which settled me down pretty good. Kirk hit the ball great on the back nine. He hasn't hit the ball great this year. He's just coming off I think it's his shoulder. He has a shoulder issue. And Kenny being the hottest player in the world, it was a real comfortable pairing out there and saw a lot of good golf shots.

Q. Have you ever stood on the first tee like you did at Buick and heard, "You're up"?
GARRETT WILLIS: No, I haven't. I've actually been first alternate about six times in my career over the last two or three years, waiting around to see if I got in, and I've never gotten in, so this was actually a nice little bonus being able to get in.

Q. How often had you gone, done what you did at the Buick, stood on the first tee and waited?
GARRETT WILLIS: I've probably done it at least six times, maybe seven or eight if my memory was a little bit better.

Q. Just standing there with your driver and your caddie?
GARRETT WILLIS: Pretty much. Typically I just stand there with my cell phone in my hand, and I'm either on the putting green or the driving range waiting for one of the rules officials to call me if somebody pulls out.

Q. Do you have family that travels around with you?
GARRETT WILLIS: Yes, it's been very fortunate. My wife, we got married in 2001, and she's actually with me. She misses one or two tournaments a year, but other than that, we're pretty much inseparable. It's nice being able to have her out here week after week. She's actually done a lot of caddying these weeks for me. Being an alternate, not being able to pick up a caddie or not wanting to pay for a caddie that you're not going to use, so it's been nice having her out here.

Q. When you're standing there and you don't get called, is it a sinking feeling, or do you just move on?
GARRETT WILLIS: It's definitely a sinking feeling. I feel like I showed up for my free lunch and breakfast is the only consolation.

Q. How long do you keep doing something like that, going week to week?
GARRETT WILLIS: Yeah, I mean, that's a good question. I haven't really -- I've played seven tournaments this year and only made about $40,000. If the opportunity is there I want to take advantage of it and I guess just keep doing it until I get physically or mentally hurt, whatever comes first.
DOUG MILNE: Garrett, thanks for your time today. Great round.

End of FastScripts

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