U.S. SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 1, 2008

Eduardo Romero

FULLAUDIOINTERVIEW

EDUARDO ROMERO: I played good today. The course is very tough in the afternoon, especially the afternoon. The greens are unplayable today, especially No. 9, a couple more very difficult playing position today.

It's a typical U.S. Open, you know. It's very good, very competitive, very challenging golf course. I played really good, especially the back nine. And then I make birdie on 15 and 17 or 4-under.

Then I miss a good chance on 18 for 5-under, but it's okay. I'll be two behind the leader, and tomorrow I'm playing the last group. It's very good. I like it. I like it. I love playing the last group, a tough group.

Q. The shot you hit in the water on 3, looked like you just kind of chunked it?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. I think it was, you know, a big mistake I make there, because I had to play a lie out, but it was a good lie to try to make on the green. It was a good hole, probably I made it to the back nine I make on the green but it's okay. I tried and missed it and make a good bogey there.

Then I continued with good concentration and make a couple of birdies on the rest of the course. But I'm happy. I'm happy, I'm very good and it's two more rounds ago. I'm half of the way, and my game is very good, very good.

Q. Could you have got more out of this round, with the conditions?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. Well, 69 is perfect round. Yeah, before I start the round I say to my caddy, 1-under 11 par today is good round, make 1-under is very good. I don't expect to get 1-under today; 6-under, Fred, he's a very good champion, good player and he make 6-under.

Q. What's the hardest part, playing at the altitude or playing these greens?

EDUARDO ROMERO: I think both. I think both. The green is very difficult, very, very difficult, but I'm telling you it's the U.S. Open. It's very good to win like this because it's one of the best tournaments in the world. It has to be tough.

Q. When you say it's difficult, was it the firmness of the greens?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah, the firmness of the greens, it was more in the afternoon than the morning. I think it was more difficult today. But it's okay. It's the same for everybody, and tomorrow is another day.

Q. How would you rate the greens in terms of the difficulty, all the golf courses you've played in your career?

EDUARDO ROMERO: I think this is pretty difficult. My caddy helped me a lot. He tell me a lot. He has good eyes for this golf course. He helped me a lot.

Q. On 17 for that birdie, was that where you wanted to hit the ball because you made that green look easy. How long was that putt?

EDUARDO ROMERO: I started with the driver. I hit it 391 with my driver. I hitting a pitching wedge for the second shot. I think it was the longest drive this year. And then the line, my caddy, I think it was outside right but caddy said no, just hit it straight. And it was. It was straight.

Q. How long was that putt?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Probably was 25, 30 feet.

Q. And how is your confidence right now? I know you just had a win recently.

EDUARDO ROMERO: I have a lot of confidence, yeah. I tell you it's a dream to win this tournament. That's why I come here and my game is very good. My concentration is good. It's two more rounds to go. I'll be there.

Q. You know who won the first U.S. Senior Open, don't you?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Oh, yes. Yes. (Laughs).

Q. I wondered if you knew, if you were paying attention.

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. But it's two more rounds to go. I'm in good shape there. It's fantastic.

Q. I don't know if you watched in the morning on television. There's a lot of wildlife out there. Did you see any when you were out on the course?

EDUARDO ROMERO: No. No. Normally when I finish my round I don't want to see TV about golf, nothing, just to stay there, and then I take a rest because it's a lot. I feel like I'm 90 years old now. (Laughs).

I just have two more rounds to go and I'm very happy to be here.

Q. And Colorado owes you one. I remember a lipout bunker shot about 40 miles up the road.

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. You have a good memory. Yeah. When I'm playing, I remember the mountain like this, the golf course seems very much like here, but it's very similar playing the altitude.

But I like it. I like it. When I play in Denver in Castle Pines, I have a good result over there. Just want to come here because I like to play here.

Q. Did you come out early? You said your caddy has a good eye for the greens.

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yes. My caddy come in very early this morning to see some shots, and telling me especially on No. 8, par three, he was the morning over there, he said to be very careful because this putt was very, very, fast which was true. I make 2- putt from there.

Q. How far were you on the 2-putt on No. 8?

EDUARDO ROMERO: No. 8, it was 25, 30 feet, too. Yeah, very long putt.

Q. Were you up on the ridge, I guess?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yes.

Q. When you come to a course like Colorado from other courses that you play, do you have to adapt your game or change it any because of the altitude?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. We have to be very careful because at least it's two clubs. Normally when you hit the five, it's a seven over here. When you hit a seven, it's nine.

You know, it's very difficult. You have to concentrate because it's two more clubs from the altitude. The balls stay more in the air.

Q. Do you think you have this in your grasp?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Q. Talk a little bit, you told me once, Roberto and you two, oh, hell, it's passed down the ranks.

EDUARDO ROMERO: You know, after the Cabrera victory, after the U.S. Open victory, the golf in South America is completely different now. The golf wasn't a sport in South America and Argentina. Before, it was soccer. Now golf is very much the same line.

It's very important for South America and Latin America, especially Argentina. Roberto took our game, the golf in South America up a lot and we all have to say thank you Roberto, and also Cabrera and the young Romero coming in and a lot of players coming from Argentina.

Q. Roberto gave it to you; you gave it to them. Don't take yourself out of the middle.

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yeah. I'll tell you tomorrow. I'm very tight.

Q. I wonder if you could go through your birdies and bogeys quickly for us.

EDUARDO ROMERO: Well, the first bogey was No. 3, bogey on par 5, and then I went into the water, just chipping and miss a putt for par.

And then the first birdie was No. 7, driver, good iron and one putt for five feet.

And then the next one was 15, I think. 15. Yeah, it was a driver, sand wedge and then one-putted for ten feet.

On 17 it was 25, driver 390 yards and then it's a pitching wedge and one-putted from 25 feet, 30 feet for birdie and then I missed a good chance on 18 for par.