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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 13, 2008

Brad Adamonis

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

Q. Brad Adamonis, thinks for joining us for a few minutes here in the media center of the John Deere Classic. Not the outcome you were hoping for obviously, but you really proved I am sure a lot to yourself, let alone the golf world. Just a great week. You finish your T 2 finish here, pumps you up to 75th in the FedExCup points list. Tell us what's going through your mind.
BRAD ADAMONIS: It's definitely a big goal of mine to play in the Deutsche Bank Tournament. I got a sponsor exemption like about three years ago and I think I came in last place. So I have some redemption there. I also grew up about ten minutes from there. I was really hoping to get into that tournament. I think I pretty much locked that up. That's definitely a goal that I achieved. To come in second is definitely a good stepping stone for me. I wish I could have won, but that's just the way it goes. I made a step in the right direction. Hopefully I can build off that.

Q. One of the things Jay was talking about his consolation for winning was the British Open. He said his consolation for winning at Hartford was status. Do you feel that you earned that status?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Definitely. I think I have proven to myself with two solid tournaments that I can play with some of these guys out here and just hopefully I can move on from that and definitely I've solidified some kind of status for next year. That is definitely something that I -- a goal of mine for this year, obviously.

Q. Is it more sweet than bitter sweet?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Yeah, it's sweet. But also I want to thank all the fans from the Quad Cities because they were behind me. They were great. They probably may have helped me one or two strokes. As you guys know, I came in second. I may have finished like sixth. That is probably like $200,000 and might keep my card for me, who knows. That's part of my -- you know, me moving on hopefully.

Q. You talk about the birdie putt in regulation. You had to know that was -- can you walk us through that?
BRAD ADAMONIS: You know, I didn't really know where I stood all day. I kind of ignored the leaderboard. I saw I was leading after nine, though. You know, 15, I screwed that hole up. A pretty easy par 4, I bogeyed that hole. I birdied 17 and I hit a perfect drive on 18. I hit a good shot. I didn't know where I stood. I figured I was somewhere around first or second. I went on at the green I said, "Duff, how do we stand? Are we one behind?" He said, "No, we're tied."
I pretty much Axley was on the green. He was one behind me. I knew that was a chance to win. I was like wow, this is pretty awesome. I didn't hit a very good putt. But maybe next time.

Q. What was the mindset going into playoff? Beforehand obviously it didn't work out to your advantage at the end. What was the thought process as you were driving up to the playoff tee?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I wasn't thinking. I really wasn't. Just trying to think same as I was playing in the tournament really. Just trying to execute the shot that was coming. Unfortunately, I hit a bad drive there.

Q. Brad, everyone is expecting of the main contenders you might be the most nervous. Even though you are 35, you are the rookie. You had two early bogeys, I think three and four. You came back from that to take the lead. Are you proud of yourself for not letting that round get out of control at that point?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Yeah, I've let quite a few rounds get out of control from that. I've learned from that. I am proud that I was able to hold it together. I missed some short putts. Things weren't going like they were.
It was windy out. It was tough. But I hung in there and I had a chance to win, so you can't ask for anymore more than that with 155 other guys playing in the PGA TOUR. It was pretty solid.

Q. What was the yardage you had in the playoff from the right rough? You switched clubs. What did you switch to?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I just had the worse lie that you can ever think of. It was like matted down grass where my ball was. It was a downhill lie with a big clump of grass behind it. I had a ten-foot space to hit it through and a low trajectory. I couldn't hook it. The wind was blowing right to left or whatever it was. I almost pulled -- I almost got lucky enough to pull it off. It was pretty close. Ten feet to the right and it would have been a really great shot.

Q. What club did you end up hitting?
BRAD ADAMONIS: 6-iron.

Q. Did you have a five or a seven?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I had five. I just needed a little more loft. I had to just kind of -- it was just kind of a lucky shot really. I pulled it off.

Q. Was there a thought of maybe laying up on the fairway?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I think my caddie wanted me to lay-up, but I didn't really want to lay-up. It's the kind of shot I want to hit. I am pretty good out of the trees. In retrospect, I really should have chipped out. It was just such a horrible lie.

Q. Did the British Open exemption enter your thinking at all?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I am definitely disappointed I am not playing in the British Open. I thought that Williamson didn't -- I didn't think he played in the qualifier, so I didn't know how that worked out. But I guess those are the rules. The low guy, if there was a tie. That is the way it was. I was disappointed because I wanted to go over there. That is a $8.6 million tournament. Milwaukee is a great tournament, but it's half the money and not a major. I've never played in a major, so --

Q. Does a guy like Kenny Perry at age 47 give a 35-year-old rookie a reason to believe that this could be a steady career?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Yeah, he has three wins this year. Hopefully that could be me. Hopefully, I'll have a long season or career, I mean.

Q. You did try to qualify for the British?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Yeah, I tried to qualify I missed the cut. The cut was like 5-under.

Q. You didn't make it to the British, but can we count on you coming back to John Deere next year?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Yeah, definitely. It is my best experience as a golfer. Thank you guys. You made it easy for me. You made me feel comfortable. All the fans were great, too. We had a great time out here.

Q. First phone call to your father?
BRAD ADAMONIS: Probably.

Q. What are you going to say?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I don't know. He's probably pretty excited, you know. I wish I would have at least gotten that putt to the hole on the last hole.

Q. Is he going to talk to you about that?
BRAD ADAMONIS: No. He is going to say good tournament. It's definitely a step in the right direction. Look at me, I mean, I was like 200th on the Money List about a month ago.

Q. When you were walking up the hill, obviously after the playoff you said, "What a great day." What does this day mean to you? You know, you have done -- at the age you are at and believe me -- obviously, you want to believe in yourself more and more. What did you mean by that quote that today was just a great day even though you didn't win?
BRAD ADAMONIS: It was just a great day because it was a nice day. I was in a playoff. I mean, I have never been in an atmosphere like that. That was awesome with all the fans. I don't know. It was a great day.

Q. Brad, everybody kind of sat in here thinking it was going to take somebody going low today to win. Nobody did. Was it the wind, the weather conditions, or was it the pressure of the situation that kept scores right around par?
BRAD ADAMONIS: I think it was a combination of the pressure and the wind was tough. It was steady 20 miles per hour probably. And the pin positions were much more difficult, too. But definitely pressure for my sake. I missed a couple of putts I probably wouldn't have normally. That's the way it goes.

Q. You say you tried to ignore the scoreboard. Just better not to know that?
BRAD ADAMONIS: You see, I am just a little inexperienced. Usually when I look at the scoreboard, if I was to lead the tournament, I would start you know thinking about that instead of actually the next shot. If I just play my game, I usually play pretty good. When I attach the emotional stuff, you know, wow, I am leading the tournament. This could mean my wife and I could get a house or something. I am rookie. You know, these guys are all making a lot of money. It's a lot of money to me. The difference between first and second is quite a lot. First and tenth. If I had a bad finish -- I had numerous tournaments on the Nationwide Tour where I bogeyed the last holes and I end up finishing 12th instead of second or third, that is a huge money difference.
Now, coming in second that is pretty good for me. My biggest check by far.

Q. Brad, I know I speak on behalf of everybody here. You talk about you appreciate them and us. We certainly appreciate you and your positive attitude. Great tournament this week and thanks for joining us for a few minutes.
BRAD ADAMONIS: Thanks a lot. I appreciate everyone helping me out.

End of FastScripts

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