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GINN SUR MER CLASSIC

November 1, 2008

Michael Letzig

PALM COAST, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome our third round leader of the Ginn sur Mer Classic, Michael Letzig, into the interview room after 2-under par 70. It was sort of a roller coaster of a day for you out there. If we could get some comments.
MICHAEL LETZIG: I've been playing so well the first couple of days. And today I lost that feeling a little bit.
So, I don't know, two 3-putts, maybe three 3-putts. Just gotta hang in there. You're going to make some bogeys. And the first two days I was putting so well, I was making the 10- and 15-footers to save par. And today just didn't make all those. But you've just got to hang in there on days like this and try to hit a lot of greens. And when you do get those chances for birdie, I made a few.
THE MODERATOR: A lot of changes in the leaderboard there, those last two holes. Were you watching the scoreboards all day.
MICHAEL LETZIG: What happened?
THE MODERATOR: You're now the leader.
MICHAEL LETZIG: I know that. But, I don't know, I don't try to watch it. You notice it, but you kind of just see it and it doesn't matter today. It matters tomorrow.
THE MODERATOR: All right. Get you to take us through just a few of your birdies before we open it up for questions. Start par 5, first hole.
MICHAEL LETZIG: First hole made a 15-footer, hit a 3-wood close up to the green and hit a chip. Never broke the way I thought it was going to.
Then started the day off great, just like I had been putting, made a really good putt there. And then after that it was -- they weren't falling.
THE MODERATOR: You did birdie the par 4 fifth hole.
MICHAEL LETZIG: Fifth hole, I think I had 200 yards in, ripped a 5-iron right at it and expected the wind to push it back left and it just stayed at the flag the whole way. And I think I had eight or 10 feet left there, and that was a good momentum putt. Bogeyed the hole before.
THE MODERATOR: 9.
MICHAEL LETZIG: Straight downwind, hit a driver and it kept leaking right. Then hit a 4-iron pin high right and chipped it up there and made probably an eight-footer there.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie on No. 13.
MICHAEL LETZIG: 13, I don't know 3-putted 12 and I think I had a lot of anger in the driver. I hit 5-iron. I was 60 yards past the guys in my group. I don't know if it landed on a sprinkler head or what. But hit 5-iron from 230 and had a really good look at eagle, couldn't get it in.
THE MODERATOR: Par 4, 15.
MICHAEL LETZIG: 15, probably the best shot I hit all week, my second shot, had 211 yards with the wind kind of into us and from the right.
And I don't have a 3-iron in the bag this week. Been using a hybrid for a while. I really wish I had my 3-iron because I've needed it. The hybrid goes so high in this wind. So I just -- I just hit the biggest rope hook 4-iron and tried to ride the wind and it landed perfectly. Landed in the fringe and rolled up to six feet.
THE MODERATOR: Then your fourth birdie of the day on the par 5 at No. 18.
MICHAEL LETZIG: 18, you just -- you can't get greedy or anything on that hole. I just blew a drive way right and laid up way right with a 3-wood and skewed a 9-iron down that slope and let it take over by the hole. Had eight or 10 feet left there.

Q. How much tougher is the course with the wind? Do you have to be more patient with that? Looks like the score is going to go up when the wind rate picks up?
MICHAEL LETZIG: The holes into the wind are extremely tough. You're very fortunate if you can get it close on an into-the-wind hole because you're hitting such long irons into most of these holes. I've just been really trying to take advantage of the downwind holes.

Q. You made the birdie and Ryan made the bogey, so the lead flipped. I didn't get a chance to look it up. Have you had a 54-hole lead before?
MICHAEL LETZIG: No.

Q. When was the last time you slept on a lead in a comparable position, do you remember?
MICHAEL LETZIG: I'm sure I did last year at the Nationwide. I had two or three top four finishes last year. I was very close last year to winning but never got the job done. So maybe I'm due.

Q. Does your approach change knowing that you have a lead going into the last round; or do you try to keep everything the same, or will it be tough sleeping tonight?
MICHAEL LETZIG: I hope not. I'm sure it will be. But I've just had the approach all week that my job is secure and my card is secure.
I'm not the one with the pressure on me. Those guys that are outside the number right now are really, they've got a lot to play for. I'm just going to go out there and hopefully continue to hit greens and hit fairways and just give myself a chance.

Q. Knowing how much guys like to rag on the other guys out there, do you get teased much about your hair?
MICHAEL LETZIG: I haven't had a haircut in a long time. I'm definitely due.

Q. It does tend to spread up at the top.
MICHAEL LETZIG: Hopefully people will recognize me.

Q. This is your first full year out here. But do you feel like a rookie? I know you've been playing some really good golf last year on the Nationwide.
MICHAEL LETZIG: Last year I played beautiful. Every week I felt I had a chance. This week I've missed a lot of cuts. It's been a real learning experience this year. A lot of lessons the hard way for sure.
I mean, it seems like everybody out here is, they're so good and errors or small mistakes out here, you just get ran over. People run right by you.
So securing my card means it's been a successful year. But to me it really has been a struggle. I mean, this is the first week where I've really felt like I had a chance to contend. So I'm very excited to be here.

Q. With that in mind, you already feel it's a successful year by maintaining your card. How much more does a win mean to you as far as proving yourself and showing that you belong?
MICHAEL LETZIG: I haven't even thought about it. I'm not going to think about it. It's just another golf tournament. I'm in a very good position. Hopefully I can continue the good golf and we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. As you've worked your way up the food chain, what various TOURS and stuff have you played on? Have you been pretty successful, in your mind, all the way up? Has it been a fairly steady progression; did you flatten out anywhere along the way?
MICHAEL LETZIG: Definitely every year, my dad has always said that to me. He sees me getting so much better.
Every level that I've played at I've gotten to the top of it. The mini tours, I won quite a few events on the Hooters. And last year, I know I didn't win on the Nationwide TOUR but I had so many chances. I don't know how many top 10s I had, but I think I was probably the only one that earned my card that didn't win last year and I finished 12th.

Q. That would have been on the Hooters?
MICHAEL LETZIG: Yes.

Q. When and where would that have been?
MICHAEL LETZIG: I don't remember. I know I won one in the Winters Series event. After last year, the Panama event, the Nationwide, I finished like last in the Nationwide event, my first one of the year. I flew back here. I think I played one at this LPGA course in Daytona. I won that one the very next week. I knew the game was fine. Go back to the Nationwide.

Q. '07?
MICHAEL LETZIG: Early last year, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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