BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

January 28, 2003

Peter Jacobsen

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: We welcome Peter Jacobsen, past champion. You have the chance to break the record for most cuts made.

PETER JACOBSEN: I wasn't aware of that. I was not aware of that, but that's a cool thing. As important as the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic is, I think to the PGA TOUR, this really was the start of celebrity involvement on TOUR. It all begins and ends with Bob Hope. Believe me, this guy has done more for Americana and he's done a lot for the PGA TOUR and golf in general.

So for me to have the chance to break the cut record, it's quite an honor. I really have to play good this week now.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Mr. Hope is celebrating his birthday.

PETER JACOBSEN: It's a special week, that's right.

Q. You and Ray Floyd are tied at 21 cuts each and 24 starts.

PETER JACOBSEN: 21 cuts in 24 starts. That's good.

Q. There are players here who are not even 21 years old.

PETER JACOBSEN: That's true. There's probably quite a few of them.

Q. What is it about this tournament, obviously you have a great deal of respect for Bob Hope, but what is it about this tournament that helped you or fit into your game better that you've made all those cuts, including one win?

PETER JACOBSEN: I enjoy playing with amateurs. Amateurs are the lifeblood the PGA TOUR, period. The players think it's about them, but it's not about them. It's about the amateurs and the corporate support that we get around the country. And for me to be able to play in the Bob Hope Classic, 25, 26, 27 years now, it's very special.

I think the tournaments that we play on TOUR, I would include AT&T, at DisneyWorld, any tournament where we can play an amateur component or a celebrity component is very important. Don't forget we play a Pro-Am every Wednesday on TOUR, and I think that's the highlight of the week. That is the most important day of the week. A lot of guys think it's Sunday or Saturday moving day, but it isn't. It's Wednesday, Pro-Am Day. And here the Pro-Am becomes Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and that is the most important aspect of tour.

I enjoy it. I like meeting new people and having a chance to play with amateurs and play with the celebrities.

Q. So you never found that to be a distraction or something that took away from your game?

PETER JACOBSEN: Not at all. It's never been a distraction. I mean, played in the AT&T Pebble Beach tournament for 18 years with Jack Lemmon, for God sakes, and Jack would sit -- we'd have 160 yards and he would say, "What do you think?"

I would say, "Jack, it's a 9-iron or a 4-wood, it doesn't the matter; you hit all of them the same distance, anyway." It's never been a distraction for me.

For some players, they might not like it. I enjoy it. I love it.

Q. You won here in '90?

PETER JACOBSEN: Yes, at this golf course.

Q. It was an important win for you for a lot of different reasons.

PETER JACOBSEN: A big win for me.

Q. Coming back here now, do those memories still flood into you?

PETER JACOBSEN: Yes, I remember a lost a brother in 1988 and he died of AIDS. This was the last golf course we played before his death.

So coming down the stretch here I was thinking about my brother, Paul. It was very emotional and my brother, David, was here. It was just everything factored in. I remember walking up 18 and I had to 2-putt for birdie to win the tournament, to beat I think Scott Simpson by one stroke and Bob and Dolores Hope were on the 18th green with my wife and clapping and saying, "Oh, you've done it."

I said, "Yeah, I've got to 2-putt here from 52 feet, Bob. Have a chair. Grab a cold one and wait, I've got to 2-putt."

This tournament, it's very important to the PGA TOUR. I hate to see tournaments like this that start to go away. A lot of the players need a refresher course in how important the amateur involvement is.

Q. Obviously back in the 60s and the 70s, the heyday of celebrity golf and celebrity having their names on tournaments, everybody knew what this tournament was, who Hope was and Crosby and Dean Martin and Sammy Davis and all those people. There are players out here who basically know Bob Hope by reputation only. Do you think that it's all getting lost maybe in the corporate world that is the PGA TOUR now?

PETER JACOBSEN: I don't think the corporate world is taking that away. I think each tournament -- I know the Bob Hope committee is looking to increase their celebrity involvement and keep the young celebrities coming into the game. Samuel L. Jackson is here, A.J. McCleaf from the Backstreet Boys, Kevin Sorbo is here. I know they are working hard to get the Will Smiths and the Tom Cruises and the Bruce Willises and the Mel Gibsons. They work hard to get them here and I think they are going to continue to do that. You just have to continue to have celebrities that are big at the time. A lot of these young guys know who they are and they do play.

Q. Getting back to the younger players and playing in this tournament, what advice would you give them as far as some of them that might not have as good a time as you do during the week?

PETER JACOBSEN: Well, there's 40 -- how many official tournaments on TOUR now? There's 44 tournaments. This is one. AT&T is two. These two tournaments should be required attendance, more than THE PLAYERS Championship, more than the majors. These should be required, because it's early in the year, you have a chance to play some great golf courses in fabulous conditions, and you have a chance to rub elbows with the corporate CEOs that make our tournaments go.

They should be required. And I would just tell these guys, look, if you had a chance to play an a Saturday afternoon with Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Sorbo and Joe Pesci, would you enjoy that? Yeah, you probably would. So why don't you just enjoy it here during the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, because those guys come out because of the star, the David Duvals, the Phil Mickelsons, the Tiger Woods, they want to play with them. The combination of those two things, plus the great image the PGA TOUR has, there's no professional sport in America that can beat that.

Q. Is it a situation where in all of the times that you've ever played in these Pro-Ams, did you ever not have an enjoyable experience with one of the amateur players?

PETER JACOBSEN: Again, I've never not enjoyed a round of golf because it's my job when I tee up in these things. I have three amateurs tomorrow. It's my job first and foremost to make sure each of those three players has the best day they are ever going to have on a golf course. Not to say my golf is secondary, but it's not as important as having those guys have a great day. That's my perspective. Probably is not shared by a lot of the players out there.

I learned that perspective from players that came before me, like players like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Fuzzy and Chi Chi, guys that got it. Basically, that's part of a crash course the PGA TOUR should probably educate players, maybe give them those tapes where they go to sleep for a month at night and listen to that stuff.

Q. How do you get the younger players to get it?

PETER JACOBSEN: Just orientation, just a little bit more focused on that.

Q. Do you think they would be receptive to it if they understood?

PETER JACOBSEN: Once you are done with the Bob Hope and AT&T, you've got L.A., you've got Tucson, you've got La Costa, you've got Doral and you've got Honda and Bay Hill and the year goes on. There's a lot of tournaments guys can be selfish. Maybe it's this week and next week is a time to be a little unselfish.

Q. There's a rumor circulating that the beginning of 2003 you lost approximately 10 or 11 pounds -- is that true at all?

PETER JACOBSEN: Yes, I did. I had a friend of mine named Mat Griese (ph) I hung around a lot and he weighs a lot more than 12 pounds and I dumped him so I actually lost about 220 pounds, which was great.

Q. So you are confirming --

PETER JACOBSEN: Yes, I'm confirming, I lost a lot of weight.

I'm a cereal/doughnut guy. Just take a look at me. I haven't lost weight since probably 40 years ago.

Q. Countdown to the SENIOR TOUR?

PETER JACOBSEN: Yeah, Champions Tour.

Q. 21 cuts ties the record. The other record here is 42 starts by Arnold Palmer. Any interest in that?

PETER JACOBSEN: You know what, I will get 42 starts at the Bob Hope. I will play in this tournament until -- I think being a past champion allows me to play every year. And this tournament means a lot to me, as does the AT&T. I will be eligible for these events -- next year I'll be 50 in March of 2004, but I will play this event and AT&T as long as the tournament committee will let me play, as long as I'm still competitive and I can add something to the tournament, I will play.

I might get to 42 starts. What do I have, 24? 18 more? You never know.

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