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HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

May 21, 2010

Jordan Spieth

IRVING, TEXAS

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Jordan Spieth into the interview room here at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. 1-under par 69 today. You become the sixth youngest player in PGA TOUR history toy make a cut. If we can get your comments on what's going through your head right now.
JORDAN SPIETH: I'm not sure. I'm in shock right now. Looking back I'm extremely pleased with how the week has gone so far, and hopefully I can make a run at the top of the leaderboard the next two days, but we'll see.
THE MODERATOR: 3 birdies today, 2 bogeys. Talk about the 69.
JORDAN SPIETH: It was consistent. That's what I wanted to do, that's what my caddie and I stressed the entire week, and that's how the first round went, too, just stay consistent, get on the green and give yourself as many chances as you can. I wish a few more had dropped, there were a few more out there that definitely could have fallen, but that's golf.

Q. You didn't look 16 out will there. Did you feel like a pro walking around with those guys?
JORDAN SPIETH: Not really. I mean, I wouldn't say I felt like a pro, because I don't know what a pro feels like, I guess, but it was pretty cool. The guys I played with only helped. Playing with Blake -- and obviously he's leading quietly. He's just out there droppin' putts left and right and no one could stop him, but he's so calm and you can learn from a guy like him.

Q. What did you enjoy most today?
JORDAN SPIETH: The crowd. Especially at 16, 17, 18, walking through and I didn't really expect the cheers that, you know, the loudness of the cheers that were there. But it was really cool. It's a different -- it's a new experience for me, and I could get used to it.

Q. After you bogeyed 15 you came back on 16 and had that great shot out of the bunker. Already what were you thinking when you made that shot?
JORDAN SPIETH: Well, I was deciding between two different clubs to use, and I went with the one where my miss would have been short. I just, you know, tried to go back to basics and blasted it out and happened to hit right into the hill and feed perfectly. Luckily it went to 2 feet, because if it was anymore I probably would have missed the putt at that point. It was exciting, especially after Blake hit a shot like he did right before me.

Q. You talked about the scene on 16, 17. I wanted you to focus on 17, especially, and you got a big ovation from the grandstand after your shot.
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, when I walked up it was almost like walking into 16 at the FBR Open in that dome, you walk in there and then everyone just all of the sudden starts to go crazy. I kinda almost felt bad for Blake because everybody was screaming my name out there and he was tied for the lead but, you know, that's him; he doesn't mind, I'm sure. But it was definitely almost surreal, really.

Q. How is it having your parents out there with you? You're probably the only player in the field that has to go up and visit with his parents afterwards.
JORDAN SPIETH: Obviously, you know, without their support I wouldn't be here, so it's awesome. I couldn't spot them, to be honest with you. I was looking around trying to spot them a couple times but got into a big gallery out there, which was different. I've never had that happen before. I can normally spot them easy; they're normally the only two out there.

Q. Jordan, when you were in here on Tuesday you talked about not just making the cut, you thought you could challenge for the tournament. Did anybody say anything to you, did you second guess yourself at all? Did that remain your thought process the last few days?
JORDAN SPIETH: If you talk to my caddie, he'll tell you, throughout the entire round yesterday and today I don't think I mentioned the cut once, until after I hit my second shot on 18 and it was kinda "safe!"
I'm -- actually kinda looking back, I left a few out there, and I don't think I got any good breaks. I don't think I got any putts that fell on the lip or anything, so I feel like I played better than my score showed today, and when something like that happens and you're still somewhat in it, you kinda realize that, you know, if putts start to drop, you can make a run at it.
Sure, I don't want to think of myself as the amateur out here. I want to think of myself as a contender.

Q. Speaking of making the cut, for most pros that means they're guaranteed of finishing in the money. For you I wonder if come Sunday you might look over and see what you would have earned and right now I think you're -- you might be in the new car area.
JORDAN SPIETH: I think so. I think my caddie would be more disappointed than I would if he looked at what he would have made. But I'll look at it as a joke, and hopefully I can make a run and get it up there to where it would have been pretty high. It's not like I'm regretting not turning pro before the event. Who knows what could happen.

Q. Your coach, Cameron McCormick, said he was amazed that you were still firing at the flags even when you were at a 4-under earlier in the day. Is that just in your nature, are you always going for the kill?
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I would say that my game is -- I play pretty -- I'm a pretty aggressive person when I have the golf club in my hand. You know, like I said, we've been stressing consistency the whole week, which doesn't necessarily mean fire at the pins, it's almost like straying away from what I'm used to, but when you have a wedge or a short iron in your hands and you feel comfortable, go ahead and fire at it, and that's what we've been doing.
I would like to see more putts drop and start to get it going, but ball strikingwise it's been the best I've ever had it.

Q. How many students go to your prep school and how many of them were out here today?
JORDAN SPIETH: I think there is 1060, and to be honest I don't know exactly, but I would say a few hundred maybe today.

Q. Will your teachers be happy about that?
JORDAN SPIETH: Not at all, not at all. They're not happy with me, either.

Q. What was it like when you went up in the tower and were interviewed by Nick Faldo and Kelly?
JORDAN SPIETH: It was awesome. I cannot wait to watch it later tonight if I get the chance. But I watch the Golf Channel all the time. I like watching when the players -- through tournament week and watching them on TV, so to get to meet Sir Nick Faldo, it's an honor to be able to meet him.

Q. The birdie on No. 2?
JORDAN SPIETH: Yeah, I hit out of turn there, just kind of an interesting fact. We had played earlier in the day, we played 7 holes earlier in the day, and I was keepin' the same playing position as we were doing earlier. So I went up there and hit second and hit out of turn, but just a cut 6-iron from 190 into the wind. I've been playing everything a club shorter just because I'm so pumped up on every shot.
It went close and felt comfortable over the putt.

Q. Did they give you a rough time about that?
JORDAN SPIETH: No, he was pretty chill about it, but I went over and apologized of course. When my caddie told me I hit out of turn I was like, "What? No, I didn't," but I forgot we started a new round because we only had a 30-minute break, and he was like, "Don't worry about it." The guys that I was playing with were great, awesome guys.

Q. Birdie on 4?
JORDAN SPIETH: Hit a driver, which was probably not the smartest play because it gets narrow up there, and I had 94 yards, and I hit a lob wedge, and I had the same putt really that I had on 2. Just kind of a 4-, 5-footer, left to right, uphill, just stroke it and trust it.

Q. Bogey on 5?
JORDAN SPIETH: Bogey on 5 was interesting. I had 185 to the hole and I took out a smooth 7-iron and it flew 185 yards, which is kinda not supposed to happen, and it got a bad kick. I guess it's a normal kick, and nothing I could do over there. I tried as best I could to hit a perfect shot, but I knew my miss was going to be on the green, so putt didn't fall for me.

Q. Bogey on 15?
JORDAN SPIETH: Long hole today, 500 and something yards, par 4 into the wind, so I hit a 4-iron from 200 into that breeze and it was just a tough shot. It just kind of floated on me out to the right and got into the thickest rough out on to the course.

Q. Birdie on 16.
JORDAN SPIETH: 16 was pretty cool. I was in the middle of the fairway, hit my second shot, and I was talking to my caddie and we were talking about the best miss being right side and if it happens to roll up on the green, it does.
And I didn't want to go into that bunker. I wanted it short, just left of that sand trap, and I went right in the middle of it, and it's hard to control it from 260 yards out but -- then I went in the bunker and stuck to the basics and just swung hard with the 60-degree out of the sand trap and it happened to -- Blake and I made those shots look easier than they were. Those were difficult golf shots but it splashed out the right way and went close enough to where I could make the putt.
THE MODERATOR: Jordan, thanks for coming by. It should be fun this weekend.

End of FastScripts

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