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HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

May 20, 2010

Jordan Spieth

IRVING, TEXAS

Q. How are you?
JORDAN SPIETH: Good.

Q. Out here on this stage in front of 200 of your closest friends, talk about the experience of your first day.
JORDAN SPIETH: It was a lot of fun. Everyone that I walked by told me just to enjoy it, and we had a lot of fun out there today. The crowd was awesome, all our friends that came out were -- you know, it takes the pressure off when they're out there supporting you.
So overall I think the day went really well. Obviously there were a couple of missed opportunities that are ringing my head right now but, you know, it was just exciting, it was a great experience so far.

Q. Obviously a delay with the weather. Getting more nervous waiting to get going today?
JORDAN SPIETH: When I woke up I was nervous, and I don't think it got any worse as the day went on. The only thing the weather delay did for me might have gotten me a little tired, a little burned by the sun, because I hung out outside too much. But, you know, everyone has to deal with it, and I look at it as getting lucky. It wasn't in the middle of my round and then go back out and pick up with a long-iron shot or something. Wasn't too bad.

Q. What did you do during that time?
JORDAN SPIETH: We played Ping-Pong with my caddie in here, and I walked around, went over to the main tent over there and bought some souvenirs and just hung out with friends, hit a lot of putts; didn't help me, though.

Q. What did you buy?
JORDAN SPIETH: A hat and a shirt.

Q. How did you sleep last night?
JORDAN SPIETH: Slept fine, yeah. I was in my own bed so it was easy.

Q. But you woke up nervous?
JORDAN SPIETH: I woke up and I was like, "Wow, it's Thursday!" So it hit me, and I was more anxious I would say than I was nervous. And I've never been as nervous as I was hitting that first tee shot, and the nerves stayed with me for five or six holes, and then I settled in and I started getting pumped up, I guess.

Q. How big was it for you, that first tee shot that went right in the middle of the fairway?
JORDAN SPIETH: That was big. I stood over it and I thought, take it back smooth and fire, no reason to hold back, just trust it's going to do what you want it to do, and it ended up perfect.

Q. What happened on 18 in that second shot?
JORDAN SPIETH: Just a loss of focus, didn't take my time. I got over there and I was so pumped up because it was such a hard tee shot, and I couldn't have dropped the ball in a better spot. And I had 110 yards into the breeze, sand wedge, perfect club, perfect yardage, and I just lost focus on it.
Just came a little over the top to try to make sure I struck the ball first, and right after I hit it -- while it was in midair I was like, "I just hit it in the water," and I think up and down was a big save.

Q. Was that what you expected for the day?
JORDAN SPIETH: I thought that -- my expectations going in were I needed to stay consistent out here, and I thought today I was really consistent. I hit -- I think I missed two greens or so, and, you know, through 11 holes, I would have definitely taken that going in.
I wanted to give myself as many birdie opportunities as I can. Some of them are going to fall, and I hit one close on 14, so that was easy, just a tap-in there, and I missed -- I missed opportunities on 11 and on 16, and then obviously the wedge on 18, but there were putts that fell for me, like on the last hole, that last putt was sick! It was a 6-footer, and I had to play 2 feet of break on it and just touch it, and when that fell in, it got me going. I wanted to keep on playing; I don't care how dark it was.

Q. Was your putter good all day?
JORDAN SPIETH: No. Kind of average. I missed putts that I almost never miss, and then I made a couple of putts -- I made a par save on 12, and like I said on the last hole there.
I would say average to a little below average with the putter, but everything else was definitely on today. My long game and my iron ball striking was definitely on today.

Q. How important for you was the crowd? Did you feed off that? They were loud.
JORDAN SPIETH: Definitely. I didn't think they were -- when they were announcing us after the first tee, I was the last one to tee off, and everyone was clapping for the first two guys, and they announce the my name and everyone went nuts, and I thought, whoa, this is what it's going to be like today.
And I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to feed off of it but I did, and it's only going to grow for tomorrow, not early, I don't think many of my friends will be out here at 7:15, but definitely for the second round we're expecting more people. So I need to just take the same game I had today. You know, you've got to stay consistent out here. If the putter starts going, I could easily be at the top of the leaderboard right now. But it's golf. Some fall, some don't. We'll see what happens.

Q. What's your plan tonight?
JORDAN SPIETH: I think I'm going to stay here tonight. I'm like, last night, I think it would be a hike at 5:45 in the morning to get out here.

Q. Are you going to miss class?
JORDAN SPIETH: Of course, I mean, I don't think I'm going to show up tomorrow. So this will be my eighth straight day that I've missed, I guess I went for a few classes Wednesday, but 8th straight day, that's not good with finals coming up. Wouldn't have it any other way, I guess.

Q. Jordan, what will you remember most about this day, the roar?
JORDAN SPIETH: No, I would say the roar on 14 when I hit my wedge and it landed 3 feet above the hole, and it was tricky, and I thought, just play it in the middle of hole, quit making this more difficult than it needs to be, and when it went in the place erupted, from what I'm used to. Of course most of these guys are here for crowds 10 times greater than me, but for me that was special, put it in and just tried to carry on with it, and I got good chances on 15, 16, but it's whatever.

Q. I saw you look at the leaderboard a couple times. What do you think it would have felt like to roll one of those in and see yourself on the first page?
JORDAN SPIETH: That wasn't in my head, I guess. I was looking at the leaderboard. I wanted to see if it was going to be at 4-under; that's not different than what I normally do. Every tournament I like looking at the leaderboard and knowing where I'm at. So it would have been cool to get my name up toward the top, obviously, but we have a lot of golf left to do that.

Q. What was the hardest part of the day if there was one?
JORDAN SPIETH: Hardest part was having to come in. No. 3 isn't quite the awakening you want at 7:15 in the morning, 528 yard, par 4. Hopefully the tees are moved up, I think they are. I at least wanted to get the tee shot away because I was feeling good over the ball today.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Jordan.

End of FastScripts

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