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U.S. BANK CHAMPIONSHIP IN MILWAUKEE

July 15, 2009

Mark Wilson

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: We'd like to welcome Mark Wilson to the interview room. Mark is a Wisconsin native, and currently 34the in the FedExCup standings and, on the strength of his win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic earlier this year. Can you talk about coming back to your home state and how your game is right now, and then we'll take some questions.
MARK WILSON: Yeah, it's always a pleasure coming back to Brown Deer I had my first golf tournament here, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tournament when I was 11. So it's always fun to come back.
Brown Deer is a course that suits my game. My record doesn't necessarily show that, but I've had a couple good chances the last few years. Feel like I've had a good chances to win, and come up a little short on Sunday.
I'm excited to be back. Game feels pretty good. Had a rough go last week at the John Deere, but I put that behind me and ready to go forward.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Questions.

Q. There hasn't been a lot rain around here. Can you talk about the rough, the thickness of it, and whether it'll be a big factor as it has been some years in the past.
MARK WILSON: The rough, from what I've seen around the greens, is pretty lush, especially like left of 18 and left of some -- or around the greens.
The fairway, when I've missed a few fairways I have gotten decent lies in the rough. Certainly much different this morning, say, the first nine holes because of the rain that we had overnight. Then some dew in the morning might make the rough tough.
I think Brown Deer is actually the best I've ever seen it. The greens have a little firmness to 'em. I don't think there's any more rain really in the forecast. Maybe Saturday a possibility.
I see the course really playing nicely, and the rough is definitely a factor.

Q. You've won this year. Jerry has won this year. Strick has won this year. Is this the best time in Wisconsin golf history? I mean, is this a good time to be a Wisconsin golfer?
MARK WILSON: It sure seems like it, probably if you ask us. That's right, we've got three cheese heads going to Maui for the first tournament of the year, which is exciting. We're rooting for J.P. and Skip to join us there.
Yeah, so far so good. It's fun watching Stricker play. His wins at Colonial and then last week, too. He just looks like he's so in control. Wish him the best over there at the Open Championship this week.

Q. (No microphone.)
MARK WILSON: Did not, no. And I didn't try to qualify quirky ways. If I had tried to qualify, the which they do the alternate list I would have been in as of today off the world ranking. I didn't even know that existed. And to be honest with you, I'm happy to be here.

Q. As a local guy, thinking about this tournament and kind of where the future may go from this point, I know that a couple of the guys have talked about doing what they can to ensure the future of the tournament here. Have you talked to them about that? Is there any thought for you to try to do anything to ensure the tournament is here for years to come?
MARK WILSON: I haven't really been proactive, I will say. Sounds like Jerry has something up his sleeve. I'm anxious to hear what that is. He hasn't filled me in either. We've been on maybe different wave of tee times and haven't seen him. Saw him across the fairway as he was making the turn today and I was finishing my Pro-Am.
But I certainly haven't -- I mean, I'll do anything I can if someone asks me. I haven't really been asked. Sounds like Jerry and Steve are taking a more direct approach. I applaud them for that, and hopefully we'll have something here in the future.

Q. As somebody that seems to really enjoy being here, what can you say about what the tournament means to the local guys and to the community here?
MARK WILSON: Well, for me personally it was my first chance of playing at PGA Tour events and rating my game against them as I was grinding away on the mini tours. Elcock has always been nice enough to give me a spot when I wasn't exempt. So he gave me three or four spots.
It was really neat to actually make a little money in those. I made the cut, and how exciting that was and feel like I can do this and go with more a little more confidence into Q-School.
In the Milwaukee area, I really hope the people come out and watch. You got a great chance to be up close to some of the greatest golfers in the world. I know it's taking a back seat to the Open Championship, but thankfully with the time change it doesn't have to. You can watch the Championship get done and then come out and watch any of the rounds here.
I think it means a ton to Milwaukee, and I hope it stays. Milwaukee is, from what I see, Milwaukee is a big golf town.

Q. On this same line, a lot people, I guess, think, or weekend duffers think, Oh, man, it's great to be a PGA golfer and go out and win a ton of money and get trophies. Talk about now winning twice what it's meant to you to finally breakthrough, whether you're in your upper 20s or 30s or whatever and finally get your shot. How does that feel?
MARK WILSON: It's kind of two different ways I look at that. I'm really glad I started where I did and didn't get out here right away. I certainly appreciate all the perks of the PGA Tour more than if I had come right out of college to here.
I mean, playing on the Hooter's Tour and grinding it through Q-School ten times and finding my way the out here and feeling like I really earned it means a lot to me.
But the other side of it is that the more you win, the more people expect of you and the more I expect of myself. There's always another level to get to. I feel like I'm on the verge of being the type of player to play in and contend in major championships, and I can't get in 'em.
So I got get in 'em first. The big goal now that I've had a good start to the year is to get myself to a Tour Championship, which would ensure me to have the majors on the schedule next year.
A good week here in Milwaukee, another win, would get me really close to that goal.

End of FastScripts

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