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OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE PRO-AM

April 18, 2009

Mike McCullough

LUTZ, FLORIDA

MIKE McCULLOUGH: Kenny Perry is an inspiration, an elder statesman out here, so apparently it's in the blood. So, yeah, at my age, I'm very happy to have opportunities to shoot lower scores.
Towards the back nine my ball-striking wasn't as good as it was yesterday. I have hit a few errant shots, but overall I recovered nicely most of the time. It's kept me in a position to be in the hunt.
I'm still playing with my partner. I'm not sure, we might still be leading the tournament in the...

Q. You're up there, for sure.
MIKE McCULLOUGH: Yeah, so that is a nice thing, to have him again tomorrow.

Q. You've already won one of these with a Pro-Am partner back in '04.
MIKE McCULLOUGH: I did. I played with Bob Basham and, oh, what was his name?

Q. Steve Chapman.
MIKE McCULLOUGH: Steve Chapman. Steve was my partner, and Steve outplayed me the whole way around. I think that he had about a 17 or 18 handicap, and think that was the last time he ever had a 17 or 18 handicap. (Laughter.)
But he made everything he looked at. He putted so well and he kept the ball in play, so that was nice.

Q. What are you doing particularly well this week?
MIKE McCULLOUGH: Keeping my head. Keeping my head. I don't want to put any particular emphasis on any part of the game. I'm not driving the ball better than hitting the irons or putting better than chipping, it's just a combination of trying to be patient. Nothing spectacular.
But the wind plays a big factor here. And as the wind is blowing, it's caused everyone to kind of not able be to shoot right at the flag several times. Some tough pins out here occasionally, and you have to be able to get away from them.
You can't short-side yourself, which means you hit -- if the pin is close to the edge of the green and you hit to the left of the green or the right of the green where the pin is and you get off the green, it's pretty hard to get it up-and-down. A lot holes out here like that.
I've been able to recover most of the time.

Q. Any long birdie putts or saves out good there? Anything that kept the round going?
MIKE McCULLOUGH: 16, I hit an errant drive on 16 and was able to pitch out. From about 60 yards, I was able to get it up-and-down. That saved the round. That was a nice time in the round to do it.
My lag putting was decent. When I had to hit away from the hole I was able to lag putt. That's not exactly the best way to play golf, but sometimes that's all you have.

Q. Can you just talk about - and you mentioned Kenny Perry - but being your age and still being able to compete out here with the guys that are 14 or 15 years younger than you.
MIKE McCULLOUGH: I think a lot of times the golf course matches your skill level. I've had success on this golf course in the past. Part of that is knowing where I would like to hit the golf balls.
When I'm able to do that -- I think I can honestly answer you another way. As you get older, it's harder and harder to stay focused. I'm finding myself harder and harder to mentally be prepared to play golf every day, because I know that no matter what I do I'm going to shoot within the range of two or three strokes whether I'm concentrating super hard or not.
It's hard to get up for it every time, and you waste shots you shouldn't have. Other times you'll save it because you just know you're going to be in those parameters. It's difficult the more you play. I've played almost 40 years now.
It's difficult to get excited and focused as intensely as you need to all the time. I think that's a fair assessment.

Q. You had a 65 late last year early in the round. (Indiscernible) What's the last tournament you were in a Sunday...
MIKE McCULLOUGH: About a month and a half ago at Boca -- Naples.

Q. Naples. Yeah, one back with about three to play, I think.
MIKE McCULLOUGH: Yeah, I was one back with three to play. It's not unfamiliar territory, but it's territory that I have to hope that my golf game is holding together tomorrow. I'm looking forward to having my partner with me again tomorrow. That'll be nice.

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