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OREGON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY KENDALL AUTOMOTIVE GROUPSeptember 21, 2008Matt BettencourtJUNCTION CITY, OREGON NATIONWIDE TOUR MEDIA OFFICIAL: Matt, talk about the day that unfolded for you. You started with a three-stroke lead, and it looked a little bit like a roller coaster. Bubba's catching you and breaking away. He's catching you and breaking away. MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, we had great competition today. Made a great scramble on par on 1 and on 2. Picked up a birdie on 3. He birdied 3. We were just going toe-to-toe. It was exciting. I ended up, you know, I made a few more putts. Got it up to five shots after 14. But as you know, Buba is such a great golfer and great competitor, he came fighting back. Eagled 16. I bogeyed there. And pretty soon that five-shot lead went down to one shot. It was an up-and-down day all around. Fortunately, I was able to hang in there and collect my first victory. Q. Big three stroke swing on 15. Talk about what happened to you on that hole? MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, he hit a good drive down the middle. But if you know the hole, it's a sharp right par 4. The trees overhanging the fairway. It was 238 yards trying to cut a 4-iron on to the green which I had done earlier in the week. Just came off of it and clipped a tree. Kind of overhangs the green and the ball shot to the right into a flower bed. My only shot from there was to hit it sideways to 16th tee. Was fortunate it did that. Hit a good pitch shot. Ended up making bogey, which I was fortunate to do. It could have gotten worse. Also could have dropped down and could have had a nice little pitch up to the green. All in all, I minimized the damage, which is key. It's been key for me. Q. So that hole is a three-stroke swing, and now the lead's down to one with three to go? MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, absolutely. And that's always tough. Bubba got up on 16. Hit a short iron short of the bunker. I'm about a half club longer than he was with the irons, so I knew I had a great club in my hand. Hit a 7-iron to about 20 feet. Thought I really hit a good putt there, caught the right lip. It didn't go in. He made a great par save, so we were back to game on. Another shot. Great drive down 17. 17 is just a very difficult driving hole. And I hit it there two rounds. I went with the 3-iron off the tee, which I didn't realize had left me 200 yards in. Hit a great 6-iron to about 12 feet. Hit another good putt, caught the left lip, lifted it out. Bubba ended up three-putting that and put the lead back to 2. We were off to 18, and we both made mediocre pars. But he had missed about a four-footer for birdie, and I was able to two-putt and it was my first victory. That was the greatest feeling. Q. Talk about the feeling of winning? MATT BETTENCOURT: It's so cool. It's like a monkey off your back, man. I haven't won at any level for a while. I guess it's not going to hit me for the next couple of days. But I'm just ecstatic. This is the greatest thing ever, so... Q. With the win, $90,000, and you push into the top 20 now and you can refocus and change your focus for the last four tournaments? MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, absolutely. That's the whole thing. Now instead of trying to play to secure my playing privilege in the Nationwide next year, I'm going for the PGA TOUR and this is a great avenue for me. So if I can go out and have a couple of good weeks here, I'll move up that money list more which is all important. I'll get myself in position for the Tour Championship. Q. What's been the key the last two weeks? Fifth at Boise and a win this week, is something different? MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, patience. I've stayed in the present really well. Also, I really like the golf courses out west. I wish we could play some more events out here. They just really fit my eye well. I had some great vibes coming into those weeks. Fortunately it turned out for the best. Q. You've been putting well as well. MATT BETTENCOURT: Yeah, absolutely. I switched to the Super Stroke Grip 13 weeks ago. Went from around 150 to the top 50 in putting. It's made all the difference in the world for me. It's taken my hands out of it. I got really back and forth with the belly putter. But with this Super Stroke Grip, it's been fantastic. Really changed my game. Q. Thanks and congratulations. MATT BETTENCOURT: Thank you, Joe. Have a good day. End of FastScripts |
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