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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANSApril 25, 2010Jason BohnAVONDALE, LOUISIANA DOUG MILNE: We'd like to welcome the 2010 Zurich Classic New Orleans Champion, Jason Bohn. Congratulations. A birthday weekend. You certainly capped things off in dramatic fashion there at 18 with the win. You pick up 500 FedExCup points and move to 11th in the FedExCup point standings. You're the third player this year to lead wire to wire. It's just overall a great week. Just some initial comments on it sinking in? JASON BOHN: We're going to have to talk in about three weeks for it to be sinking in. But I'm going to enjoy this one for a long time. Unreal day for me today. Just, you know, I talked earlier in the week about how patient I was in my golf game. And my caddie just all week, he just kept saying just stay patient, just stay patient. Don't try to force anything, and we really didn't. Especially when Jeff Overton got off to a good start, started making some birdies, started to apply the pressure. I knew it was coming. We knew somebody was going to shoot a low round of golf today, and I just really stayed patient. So my overall thing that I'll take away from this more than anything is how proud I am of myself for -- should I say listening to my caddie or staying patient? I don't know which one is right. But I really stayed patient. DOUG MILNE: You told us earlier in the week that you're used to kind of being the sneaky cat on Sunday, and kind of making those charges, but leading wire to wire, was there an added dimension to staying focused having the lead the whole time? JASON BOHN: Unreal. It's a completely different dimension when you're leading and holding the lead versus when you're chasing the lead. I mean, it's -- you know, inside you're -- I can't tell you how many times today I'm looking off. I'm looking at the leaderboard, and I've got to catch myself and say whoa, whoa, whoa, you've got to be in the moment. I was trying to slip out of that moment so many times today, and I just kind of brought myself back into it. But it's way -- I mean, for me, it's way more pressure. I mean way more pressure. I felt it from the time I hit it this morning, and that was only Saturday's round, but I knew it was going to be a long day and a lot of golf to be played. I was feeling the heat. I felt the heat the whole day. Q. Would you walk us through 18, the 72nd hole, particularly your third shot coming in? What did you hit? JASON BOHN: Yeah, I had 148 yards to the hole. It was downwind. I hit a pitching wedge. I knew there was a little bit of adrenaline, but I knew I only had to carry that ball about 135 yards for it to skip back there. I mean, when I hit the shot, I was playing to hit it about 15 feet short of the hole. So for me for it to skip and end up right behind the hole, I mean, I don't know. You dream about stuff like that. You hope that you've got four inches to win a golf tournament versus four feet. You know, a little bit of luck, but an aggressive shot. So I knew Jeff had an opportunity to make eagle. If I made birdie, I knew I closed it out. So if I had a good look, it might put a little more pressure on him. Q. On Monday, did you ever imagine that you'd be celebrating your 37th birthday this way? JASON BOHN: Am I 37? No (smiling). I feel like 22 right now. No, I really didn't, to be 100% honest. I didn't think, I didn't see all of this coming out of my game. I knew I had some good things going. I thought it might take me a little longer in the summer until I kind of got everything worked out. So to be 100% honest, I'm a little shocked that I'm sitting here right now. But I'm thrilled to be here. I'm excited to play now. This is going to change everything in my year. So I can't wait to go tee it up again and I just finished. Isn't that sad? Like 40 holes or whatever I played today, I don't even know. Q. You touched on it right after you won. You said this has changed your life. That is an awful big check you've just been handed, in what ways do you think this will change your life? JASON BOHN: One, financially. More so than anything, this changed my life in the fact that every guy out here when they start the year with full status, your number one goal is to win on the PGA TOUR. It locks up a job. You know you've got a job for two years. The security of that is unbelievable what that can do from a guy from my standpoint who has won once every five years. The confidence that it brings me, that's changed my life. To know that I'm now a multiple winner on the PGA TOUR has changed my life. I mean there are so many -- to know I'm going to go play Augusta again, you know. I'm going to Kapalua. I mean, there are so many things that I'm so excited about that are in my future. So my future is definitely brighter today (smiling). Q. You talked about the pressure when Jeff tied you I guess on 13, tied the lead and then you started birdie, birdie, par, birdie the last four holes. Just that stretch, what was going through your mind after he tied you? JASON BOHN: Yeah, Jeff was playing beautiful. He played beautiful golf today. I would say almost perfect. Hit a couple of drives that might have gotten away from him, but he was able to scramble right back into it. My goal there, I knew that if I could just hit one solid shot -- I hit a lot of solid shots, but if I could get one in there close and make a birdie, that the roles were going to be reversed and the heat was going to be back on the guy who is trailing. So the shot that I hit into 15 bar none changed the dynamics of this golf tournament. No question. I mean, when I had five, six feet for birdie there which is a tough pin. I mean, I kind of got a good skip to get it all the way up to the top tee or so, I think that was the changing moment for me. But, yeah, I felt the heat though. I'll be honest. I really did. I knew he was coming and I knew I had to continue to take quality shots. Q. How does this compare to number one, your first one? JASON BOHN: Well, it feels like number one because it's been so long since number one. You know what? Emotionally this one is different, completely different in the fact that I've had some injuries the past couple of years. I've had to sit out. I've had some back surgeries. I never knew if I was going to get back it to that level. So it's impossible to say more special, less special, but completely different special. I mean, this one is really special to me because this one -- I went through a lot of adversity for the last couple of years trying to grind with my game. You know, to come out on top is awesome. So this is one I'll never forget. I was telling Martin as I walked down the chute to go out on the green, I just said I probably won't say much because I'm capturing all of this. I want to take this one to the grave. I want to remember every little detail that I missed in my first one. Q. 18 played a big role for you throughout this tournament. In fact, if you go to the 54th hole when you save par, talk about that and how that kept the impetus going for you into the fourth round? JASON BOHN: I'll never hit this green in two. I'll never attempt to hit this green in two again the rest of my career. I've hit it in the water twice trying to hit this green in two. And both times I laid up I made birdie. So it was a massive momentum swing for me because I had just chucked the chip on the 53rd hole, made bogey, and then, you know, to get it up-and-down and salvage a par and just get out of here. Go get something to eat and reset my mind going in the final 18, that was really big. You're right. I didn't really think about it until you put it there. But I was glad that I held the lead. I had a two-shot lead going in, so that was great. Q. Can you tell us about your caddie, his name, how long you all have worked together? And I thought I overheard a couple of times before shots he kept saying pick a target or something like that. Can you relay that to us what he said? JASON BOHN: Yeah, absolutely. His name is Billy Spencer. And Billy Spencer and I have been together for 13 years. We knew each other when I played the Canadian Tour, and he's been on my bag as a faithful friend ever since that point. One of our deals is that and Billy knows when I kind of get in the hunt, I kind of want to wander. So his goal for me and every time he says it is to stay patient and to get your target. Get into your target. Look at what you're trying to do and get focused before you hit the shot. He's seen it go the other way a couple of times when I've maybe been in the hunt or the playoff and kind of not been right there. So I give him a lot of credit. I really do. A good caddie and a good friend can go a long way when you really need him, and Billy was awesome today. I've seen him get a little nervous, but today, man, he was solid. He's exactly what you want out of a caddie. Q. Talk about 14, the par 3, that first putt you had, you kind of ran it about six feet past, left to right coming back, and Jeff almost chipped in. That really could have been a two-shot swing. You make the putt and go on to birdie the next two holes. How big was that putt and what were you thinking when you left that green? JASON BOHN: Yeah, that's another pivotal point there, I guess. The putt was huge for me. The putt it might have been the best putt I hit all week because I knew -- I kind of knew the scenario. Once he didn't chip in, I knew he had tied the lead. If I miss this putt I give him the lead. And I stayed really committed there. I stayed down, and I hit it really solid. I putted those putts extremely well this week. I don't know my stats on it, but I really felt confident from 6, 8, 10 feet. I felt like my ball was starting where I wanted it to start, and I had good pace on it. But, yeah, that could have been flipped around too. But it's not, right, so that's the way I've got to look at it. Q. Obviously the weather was a big factor this weekend and you didn't even get to play on Friday. How did that affect you on Saturday and today? JASON BOHN: The weather is a major factor. And I can tell you, four years ago I could not have won this golf tournament. Because after I had some injuries, I worked really hard physically with a trainer, with a physio. I have a team that comes out and helps had me every single week, a trainer at home. And that is why I was able to win today because I was able to do the physical fitness part of it which four years ago I didn't have that. I would have crashed. I didn't know how to eat right. I didn't know what to eat on the golf course. So all of those things are credited to being able to play more than 18 holes in a day. So in the last two days, my body probably would have crashed. I probably would have done -- I did the rights things in my nights. I ate the right foods and I prepared properly for that. You hate to say that to them because now you know they're going to go bust your ass more (laughing). But it is true. There is a lot to golf fitness and keeping you physically able to stay mentally ready. Q. You had said that you dream about -- these are the things you dream about, the four inches, not four feet. Did you know that you had stuck it that close when you were out on the fairway on the 18th? And if you did, if you knew how close it was, what was that walk like for you up to hit a four-inch putt to win a tournament? JASON BOHN: I knew I hit it really close by the reaction of the crowd. I had no idea it was four inches, but I thought it was two or three feet. You never say a gimme, but a very accessible opportunity. I didn't know that it was that close. But the reaction, I mean I'm telling you, the chills that shot right down my spine hearing that and knowing that I got -- obviously, the reaction of the crowd felt like I closed the deal right there. So that was huge for me. I mean, I got teary eyed. It's unbelievable. Like I never thought of myself as the cry guy. That just wasn't me. But the emotions are just pouring out you, so... Q. When you were 19, how long was that hole in one? JASON BOHN: It was 135 yards. And I hit a 9-iron. So now I have 148 and I hit wedge, so that must be my trainer. That's what I'll say. Q. Do you have it framed at home? JASON BOHN: I do. I have the ball, the club, everything framed. Yeah, it's something I'll never forget because it's the only reason why I'm sitting right here. There's no question. Without that I would not have been able to succeed on the PGA TOUR. Q. You made your mind up right away? JASON BOHN: Yeah, it took me about half the length of time it took you to ask me that question so, yeah (laughing). Q. How excited were you by your shot at 18 today compared to that hole in one shot? JASON BOHN: Oh, this is way better. No question. Doesn't go in, doesn't matter. I mean, this is -- this is what I work for. I mean, this is absolutely why I go hit balls in the rain and do everything that I possibly can to become a better player. You know, a hole in one is luck. But it definitely I was able to spin that luck in a good way. But winning golf tournaments, right behind children, absolutely. Q. When you won the B.C. Open five years ago, I believe, Jason, do you remember the winning putt? Was it a short one? Do you remember all that? JASON BOHN: Oh, yeah. It was a seven-footer left to right that broke about three inches. I'll never forget that putt. Absolutely on terrible greens because they had the flood right before we got there, and they weren't able to prepare it like they wanted. So real kind of bumpy greens. I'll never forget that moment either, pretty intense. Q. I know it was early in the round, could you talk about that fourth hole? You had kind of a weak drive and 240 in, then hit it pin high, a great shot. Looked like you were going to birdie, and Jeff made about a 50-footer and you didn't make yours. Was that a turning point or was it too early to matter for you? JASON BOHN: That was a turning point for me in the quality of golf shots that I was going to start to hit. That shot jump started my ball striking day, absolutely. That was the best 2-iron I've hit in a long time. I took tremendous confidence from that, even though, you know, I fell one shot closer to tying the lead. But that was huge for me. Q. You've touched on the 18th a lot. But what is that feeling like walking down the 18th fairway knowing you have the lead on Sunday in a tournament? JASON BOHN: You know, I was pretty nervous on 18 tee. I really was. Even though I was only hitting a 3-iron off the tee, I still -- I was still pretty nervous. I knew that I was only up by two, and there is a two-shot swing very accessible on a reachable par 5. But once I hit my third shot in there, yeah, the feeling is -- I don't know -- it went from nerves to crying. I mean, that's crazy. But it's an incredible feeling. It's so hard to explain. I don't know how. My body's just tingling, my tears are flying. I'm thinking about my wife, I'm thinking about my kids. I'm just -- there's a lot just jamming in that brain. But I hope I get to do it more (laughing). Q. When Jeff hit that shot on 18 on out of the rough, what goes through your mind at it that time? You said all these things are going through your mind. When you see that shot, do you say, holy cow? JASON BOHN: I did. And I complimented him when he walked past me. I said that was an awesome shot. Great shot. And I can't control what anybody else did, and I knew that. And that was part of my game plan today was the golf course is set up that guys could make birdies and somebody could shoot 65, 64, 63, and I was going to have to deal with that. I kind of knew that. But he hit an unbelievable shot. I knew I had an opportunity to make an eagle, so I knew that par gets me in a playoff, and birdie wins the golf tournament, so... DOUG MILNE: Real quick, if you wouldn't mind running us through your birdies. You've been through 18. Just take us through the rest of the birdies and give us some clubs and yards as best you recall. JASON BOHN: Number 8, big strategy actually today with number 8. They played the tee way up where guys could drive it up near the green. I elected to lay up. I hit a 4-iron off the tee. I had 113 into it and I hit a lob wedge to 8 feet and made that putt. It was within my game plan, so I was pumped about that. On 11, I hit driver, 3-wood from maybe like 265 to the front right of the green, and pitched it where it almost went in the hole, I guess. Jeff actually told me that it looked like it lipped out. So another little four inch or foot putt there. To me, the pivotal point of my round was 15. I hit driver and I hit 6-iron from 210, and just trying to land it in the bowl and skip it up there. And it did exactly what I wanted it to do for sure. It made about a 6-footer. 16, I hit a 3-iron. And I had 122 left. I hit a little pitching wedge that went to the back of the green. When I hit the putt, it was probably 18 feet. When I hit the putt, I thought I left it short, and it just creeped over the edge. Then, obviously, 18, lay-up, lay-up, lay-up. I've got it in my yardage book for next year. DOUG MILNE: Congratulations. JASON BOHN: Thanks. End of FastScripts |
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