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U.S. BANK CHAMPIONSHIP IN MILWAUKEE

July 16, 2009

Jeff Klauk

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Jeff Klauk, thanks for joining us after a 6-under, 64. Great start to the week, co-leader right now with Greg Chalmers. A long way to go in the golf tournament, but obviously a great start for you. Maybe a few opening comments.
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, I played well; obviously putted well. On a day like today with being so windy and stuff, you got to hit it straight and putt well. I was able to do that.
Just really tried to stay as patient as I could out there being that it was -- you know, it was challenging.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: This is your rookie season on the PGA Tour and you're near the top 50 in the FedExCup standings and you're having a good season. But that being said, you've been playing professional golf for quite a while. Maybe just a few comments about your first season on tour. You had a great finish at the Honda, finished fourth. Good PLAYERS Championship. I think Top 15. Maybe just a few comments about your first year on tour.
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, first year, you know, I grew up around the PGA Tour with my dad, you know, a superintendent and stuff, so the transition for me -- you know, I've known a lot of these guys for a while, so I haven't had -- you know, I played the Nationwide Tour for seven year, so I know a lot of these players, I know a lot of the reps, you know, all the guys from the Tour, so the adjustment hasn't been what it is for a lot of the guys.
So just feel -- you know, I just wanted to come out here this year and play well and contend, and I've been fortunate enough to play well.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Okay. Questions.

Q. You said you putted well. What went especially right on this front nine when you had five birdies in nine holes?
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, I hit it decently close. I made, what did I have, one two-putt or something like that, I think, and I was on the eighth hole.
Just putting. I mean, really, I hit it close and just made some nice putts. Hit the fairway, more importantly.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You ever done that before where you had nine putts in nine holes?
JEFF KLAUK: Not in a while, out it that -- I mean, not in a while, for sure.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Just explain a little bit more. I think your dad was the super at Sawgrass, is that right?
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, TPC Sawgrass for 25, 23 years or so.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Can you just talk a little bit about that experience as a kid. I'm sure you were out on the course quite a bit and got to know a lot of the players come tournament time. Maybe some of your experience of that growing up.
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, having grown up out there at TPC, you know, I mowed the fairways and greens and all that good stuff. We used to mow -- my brother and I used to mow fairways until lunch and then go practice so we could pay for our (indiscernible.) Through the summer.
I mean, growing up there, I can't tell you how much it's meant knowing all these guys, being able to get help from -- a guy especially that has helped me out is (indiscernible), being a Southern Florida alum like myself. He's been -- when he lived in Ponte Vedra he was very -- you know, he kind of took me under his wing. He'll say he didn't do anything, but he's done a lot.
Just being around all those guys, Blaine McCallister, Vijay, Jim Furyk, just when I was on the Nationwide Tour and in college.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: How many times you played the 17th?
JEFF KLAUK: I would say somewhere around thousand times or so. You go out there, and even if we didn't play the golf course, you would always -- when you were a kid, you would always go out there and play 17 late in the day and just see what you could do.

Q. How many times you hit it in the water?
JEFF KLAUK: You know, yeah, maybe 10% or so, I guess.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Ever made a hole-in-one?
JEFF KLAUK: No, never have.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Close?
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, come close, but maybe someday.

Q. You said your dad was the super there for 23 years?
JEFF KLAUK: I mean, yeah, something like that.

Q. Is he still there?
JEFF KLAUK: He retired after last year's event.

Q. With your experience on the Nationwide Tour, Greg obviously was the top of the Money List there, as well.
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah.

Q. Just his game and just watching both of you guys, he mentioned this as a real opportunity for somebody, these alternate-field events. How do you feel about playing in an event like that and someone like Greg who you've seen also work and take the steps that you did.
JEFF KLAUK: Yeah, he's played out here on tour a couple years and stuff, and he's obviously played on the Nationwide Tour, as well.
Yeah, I mean, these tournaments are definitely an opportunity, but you still have to play well. I think if you play well any week you're gonna have a chance on Sunday I mean just because it's a -- yeah, you might not have a lot of the guys here, but the depth of the PGA is very deep. Everybody is good.

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