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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 13, 2008

Jay Williamson

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

Q. We'd like to welcome Jay Williamson for a few minutes to the media center at the John Deere Classic. Just talk about the day in your own words.
JAY WILLIAMSON: I don't really know where to start. I don't know if I -- you know, I don't know if I should be jumping for joy or disappointed. I feel like crying. I am happy. I don't know. Ive got the same thing at Hartford last year. The range of emotions that's hard to really describe.
I really thought it was my time and I did as much as I could do and it just wasn't quite enough. Very disappointed at my second shot in the fairway. I still don't understand. That's golf. You know, you watch Kenny Perry make five from 20 feet and I just told my caddie that is why this game is so difficult. For some reason, I just can't believe I hit the ball in the water. Unfortunately, that is what I am going to remember for a while. I have got to get fast that quickly.

Q. I know you have been hearing conflicting stories, but you are in fact in the British Open. I chatted with you for a few minutes out there. You said that, yes, you are going to go. Obviously, the emotion goes from one extreme to the other. Just a few thoughts on the British Open this week?
JAY WILLIAMSON: Well, first I need to cancel my reservation for the Great Wolf Lodge. That is where we were going to go tonight. I mean, you know, I have never played the British. I didn't try to qualify this year because, you know my -- I mean, if you look at it in that perspective, the lie I had, I should be happy. I didn't try to qualify this year. I felt like I needed to play here and Milwaukee and blah-blah-blah. I didn't play a practice round this week. I jammed my hand Monday night in St. Louis, and didn't play a practice round. That might be my new MO.
To go play the British Open, I don't think that has quite sunk in yet. I am blinded by the playoff. To go play the British Open, I mean, I never thought that would happen to me. So, obviously, I am really looking forward to it.

Q. Do you have your passport?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I do, I do.

Q. So the thought must have crossed your mind at some point?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I am almost embarrassed to tell you. I thought it was at home and I probably needed it for Canada, you know, it is in my briefcase. And we checked into a room and a hotel with my family and I opened the curtains and I am looking at the runway and this big jet. You know, this happened last night. So obviously that was a sign. You know, it's pretty unbelievable that, you know, they are going to let me on that plane. I would have paid anything to get on it and now they are going to let me on. I still have to pay, I think. (Laughter.) It will be nice to have a seat. It was for the Maverick, so I am sure I will fit in the seats.

Q. Is it too soon to assess whether or not this was like a positive experience or is the playoff hole like a bad experience or is it way too soon to tell how you feel?
JAY WILLIAMSON: You know, I am -- I don't want to say that I am jaded because I'm not. This is a great sponsor. John Deere does a fabulous job here. To have the opportunity to play for this kind of money, I am foolish to be disappointed. I am upset with myself because of what I did at the last hole.
At the end of the day I think I will sleep pretty good tonight. You know, getting on that plane will be fun. I wish that, you know, I was going with a trophy.

Q. Golfers talk about their swing thoughts looking back 20 minutes ago. Were your swing thoughts different on that approach shot?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I was a lot more nervous in the playoff. No. I was a lot more nervous in regulation. I wanted to put some heat on Kenny. For some reason in playoffs -- the same thing happened in Hartford, I lose my -- I don't know what it is. I lose my edge. You know, I think what happened on the playoff hole is I was aiming so far to the right that my body knew that I needed to compensate and I mean I hit it off the trailer. Tractor, I should say. I really wanted to drive that tractor home, too, by the way.
It was a great day and when I step back from it, I had a lot of people here that were supporting me.

Q. What is it like to watch Kenny make putt after putt?
JAY WILLIAMSON: And watch me miss after miss. (Laughter.) You can say what you want, Kenny is a great player. I will certainly have no career like that. I played right with him. I drove it with him. If I could putt like he did today -- I said this, you win on Sunday with your putter and he won today with his putter. No question about it. I am happy for him. I just wish it was me.

Q. As a fellow 40-something, do you take inspiration?
JAY WILLIAMSON: Sure. I mean, how do you not? There are a lot of guys that stay out here. I mean, it is a tribute to him and I like to -- I just really wanted some respect. I wanted to win today because I don't think I get respect for being out here for 11 years, you know. When you win you get to a certain level where they can never take that away from you. Hopefully this will get me back into a position where at least I am on the Money List.

Q. On that same line, yesterday you said it was a round of your life. Did you play with that kind of confidence today or did you think you needed another round of your life to win?
JAY WILLIAMSON: It was tough out there. I don't know if I ever played it this tough at this golf course. The wind was blowing, gusting had to be 25 miles per hour. It was a difficult day. I thought if I could shoot 67 or 68 I could win. I was right. It was just a tough day from tee to green. I feel like I can play with everybody but probably the top three in the world, you know, on a consistent basis. I really feel that way. My putter needs to be better.

Q. Is that part of learning with that putter?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I don't know, probably. This was the first time I was really under the gun with it. Unfortunately, it looks easier than it is. You know, it is something that I get better with through time.

Q. What was the club and yardage on that shot on 18?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I had 192 in the hole.

Q. What club did you hit?
JAY WILLIAMSON: 6-iron.

Q. How surprised were you on what Kenny did on 18 in regulation?
JAY WILLIAMSON: He kind of did it on 16, too. His lie was actually worse on 18 than it was on 16. So I told my caddie, you know, we're not out of this yet. I really thought I was going to make my putt and win right there in regulation. I wasn't surprised. I know how difficult golf is. We all get nervous and obviously Kenny battles that. That is the only place that he seems to make any mistake is right there around the green. It is a tough shot, especially when you are trying to win a million bucks.

Q. A day like today, can you think about watching a scoreboard?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I was looking at it a little bit. I actually like it when I am -- you know, I don't get nervous -- I get nervous when I slide down. I made a couple of bogeys from the fairway. I was very disappointed. I was disappointed because your name disappears. I feel better when I see it up there. That doesn't make me nervous. That is where it is supposed to be. I am not saying that in ego -- if you see it disappear, you know you have got to do something.

Q. Talk about the weather conditions between here and the British Open. What are you going to do as far as the rain here?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I am hoping that it's been nice like the last few British Opens that I watched that have been pretty nice. To be honest with you, I can't believe that I am going to the British Open. You know, I hope they laundromats over there. I mean, I don't have any long-sleeved shirts. I don't have a caddie. He doesn't have a passport. I've got a lot of issues right now.

Q. Poor caddie. Is your family going with you?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I don't think we can take George to Manchester, England. George is not going to Manchester. I don't think they allow two-year-olds. I would love for them to go. I'm not sure how to make that one work.

Q. What does it mean to play in the British Open?
A. I never have. I always felt like the U.S. Open was something. If I was going to win a tournament, it would be the U.S. Open. I heard that The Open Championship is the ultimate.

Q. -- two of the guys that won weren't going to go?
JAY WILLIAMSON: I think that I would regret that for the rest of my life. I don't know how many chances you get to go to the British Open. I understand why Kenny didn't go. But I never experienced it. It is time. I feel like I achieved that today. I achieved the opportunity and the -- you know, it's -- for them to actually invite me to play is, you know, it's giving me goose bumps. I think I would regret it if I didn't go.

Q. How do you sum up that putt that you had in 18 regulation?
JAY WILLIAMSON: Actually, it did not go to the water like I thought it would. It actually went to the left. It was very similar to the putt that I had yesterday on 18 that broke a little bit to the right. This one, you know, it just -- it was dead straight. It might have fallen to the left.

Q. Given the fact that you are going to the British Open, is this better than Hartford?
JAY WILLIAMSON: Yeah. Well, the consolation prize for Hartford was status out here. The consolation prize for this was the British Open. I think if you ask me that in ten years, I would probably say this is a good consolation prize, a better one. Again, it will take some time for me to accept this. I felt like it was my time to win.

Q. We're going to let you run. Congratulations on the trip over and well played today. Best of luck next week.

End of FastScripts

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