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FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN

January 28, 2010

Ryuji Imada

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Ryuji Imada, thanks for joining us here at the Farmers Insurance Open 2010. First round 65 on the North Course. As we were just talking about, you were 7-under through 11 holes and had it going and made pars the rest of the way in, but certainly a good way to start your week here in San Diego. Maybe some opening comments, please.
RYUJI IMADA: Definitely. I got off to a real good start this morning, birdieing the 10th hole. And also birdied No. 12, which is a tough hole today. It was playing about 220-something-ish, and hit my 2 utility, hit that up to about eight feet and was able to make that.
After that I just -- the North Course is definitely easier than the South Course, and I was able to make a few more birdies.
After 11, I did have a few more chances to make birdies, but I was not able to make it. You know, 7-under is a good score anywhere, so I'm happy with it.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You've had some success here, finished second with Stewart Cink two years ago. What is it that you like about Torrey Pines golf course?
RYUJI IMADA: That's a good question. I don't know why I like it here, but I do. It's a tough course. It's a long course, the South Course, and I'm not a long hitter. I don't know why, but I just enjoy coming here. I couldn't really tell you why I like it here.

Q. Kind of a follow-up to that, is playing this early in the year an advantage for you? Do you feel like you're in better shape maybe than some of the other players, or your game is further along?
RYUJI IMADA: I think so. I mean, the less break you have, the better off you are for golf. For me I took -- I only took about maybe four weeks off in the off-season. I played some in Japan and also went to China to play in the World Cup to represent Japan. I came back to the States, I only had about three weeks which I basically practiced as much as I could. Granted, it was a little bit cold out there, but it's always nice to be able to play well early to get some momentum for the rest of the year.

Q. A follow-up to that, is that your typical pattern, to take very little time off between the end of one year and the start of another, and when do you get your break?
RYUJI IMADA: Well, I mean, I think three weeks off is plenty enough. I do like to take some time off, but when I do, I come back really rusty. I mean, I have a hard time breaking 80. So I hate to take a lot of time off. You know, even at home, I've got to keep my game in shape. At least I try not to take more than a week at a time off to practice.

Q. Two years ago, my recollection is you played very well the last round that year. Any memories from that that help your attitude on this golf course this week?
RYUJI IMADA: Well, that year I believe Tiger was leading by 20 shots going into Sunday (smiles), and I had no chance of getting him basically. It didn't matter how well I played. I had no chance.
So my goal then was to finish second going into Sunday, and I was able to accomplish that. So on Sunday, you play -- I played well enough to beat everyone else in the field except for one person, and that was really big for me at that time. I really hadn't really had much success on the PGA TOUR at the time, and that gave me a lot of confidence. To do it especially on this golf course, the South Course, it's one of the tougher golf courses on the PGA TOUR, and to shoot 67 I believe I shot on Sunday was a great round.

Q. How does the atmosphere today compare to past tournaments?
RYUJI IMADA: Past tournaments this year or past tournaments here?

Q. Here.
RYUJI IMADA: Definitely less crowd, maybe definitely less attention from the media, I don't know. But maybe that's from Tiger not being here. Tiger always plays here. What can I say? When Tiger is here, there's a lot more electricity in the crowd, in the field, everywhere. More security, more media people, more camera crews, you know, more people out to watch him. You notice that right away. When he's not around, it's easy to tell that he's not here.

Q. When you do lay off for more than a week and you say, maybe exaggerating, that you have a hard time breaking 80, what parts of your game come back the quickest, and which are the ones that you really have to work at?
RYUJI IMADA: I would say my short game is usually pretty good even after a break, but my long game kind of gets way off. But after a week, week and a half of practice, it usually comes back.
JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Ryuji Imada, thanks a lot, good luck the rest of the week.

End of FastScripts

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