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THE HONDA CLASSIC

March 12, 2004

Fredrik Jacobson

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Fredrik, thanks for joining us. Rounds of 67 69 puts you in good position going into the weekend. Just some opening comments about the first two days here at the Honda Classic.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I've been happy with the way I've played overall. I got on off to a nice start early yesterday. And having some family and friends over this week, all staying in the house, it's nice to get them to cheer on a little bit and get them with you early on in the day.

It was a little uncertain around the turn yesterday but I managed to finish off well which put me in a good position for today. Did really well today, though until these last three holes I didn't have any bogeys today. I had a couple of shots, I didn't manage to get the up and downs, unfortunately, that I might have done before, but still in a good position, like you said. It's a good score to be on after two rounds.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: You've had a lot of success on the European Tour and you came over last year and really took the PGA TOUR by storm and have two Top 10s this season. Just talk about how it is to play on the PGA TOUR compared to maybe the European Tour.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: For me, basically, I've done nine years in Europe. I came out quite early which I was 20 years old, started on the European Tour. Especially after winning three tournaments last season in Europe, I felt good with moving over here. Like last year when I had a little test of playing here, I got to play seven tournaments or something which was nice.

It also helps starting up this year, having played a few tournaments, knowing how things run here and recognize a few faces when you come over this time. So that was really nice.

No, I really like this, to have a little bit of a change, even though it does require a bit more from you preparation wise since all of the courses are new for me this year, compared to having played them eight times or something. Coming up until last year, it was a lot easier on the practice days. You didn't have to test the grass and you already knew what you were expecting when you were traveling to a place.

This first season will definitely be a little bit tougher than it has been for a while.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: So this course might be even an advantage to you, because pretty much nobody has played the course, except maybe some local players.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: No, we are all starting off equal this week. Living nearby, I even had a chance to go down last week to chip and putt around the greens, so that felt like I had a very good chance to prepare for this week.

Q. Could you talk about how you like this course, and if you took a couple of rounds to get used to it or your feelings about this whole setup?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I think the course is for a nice layout from tee to green. It's pretty straightforward. There might be a few places where you don't see the ball land, but if you've been around, which you should be before teeing off on the Thursday, you knew what lines to pick. It's pretty wide and fair. Some places, it's a bit tighter. But then it comes to putting the ball in a good position on the greens.

I think it's nice with a course where you have to think a lot and plan your game.

Q. You mentioned you had family and friends over, how many family members and friends have come over?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I'd say six of us staying together, and then a few more coming on and off to watch a day here and there. So, yeah, it's not that many, but it's more than it is normally. (Laughter.)

Q. How far away do you live?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: 20 minutes from here.

Q. One of the golf courses?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I live out on Medalist, which is Hobe Sound.

Q. How much does that change just the way you plan your day? Most often on TOUR, it's just you and maybe a couple of family members are friends, but when you've got a dozen or thereabouts that you are juggling, how does that change it?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Well, you have a chance to do different things then when you're staying in a house rather than a hotel room. Today I think I'll go by the beach a little bit in the afternoon and take it easy. Then we'll have a barbecue tonight with some of the Swedish players and the friends and family lies. It's a nice opportunity to get to see each other a bit more in other circumstances other than going out and eating in restaurants every night.

Q. How long have you lived up there?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: It hasn't been that long. Since New Year's Eve we came in and moved in there.

Q. Happy New Year.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah. (Laughs).

Q. How much do people recognize you out there, even in the area, because you're still new to the United States, how much do people see you and know who you are? Like if you're shopping and whatever, do people know who you are yet here in the States?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Some people do. It's not nearly the majority, not that many, but every now and then some people will come up. I'm surprised with the golf crowds how many them do that recognize me. And I suppose it has a lot to do with previous year's work. The Golf Channel showed a lot more European golf than I could have imagined before coming here. I suppose it's good hours, as well, for people to see it, when it's on in the mornings a lot of the times.

So they do recognize a lot of the European players. I also had a bit of publicity last year when I was over for the U.S. Open, and for four weeks and coming back in that World Cup was over here, as well. There's been a few features in the magazines, so I think that helps, as well, early this year.

It's been nice. It's nice if a few guys recognize and you cheer you on a little bit.

Q. Do you like it the harder the golf course is or do you just happen to play better the harder it is? Or am I wrong in that assumption?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I don't know, I don't really think too much about it. I think what there is, I try to play. I mean, you know if it's an easy course that you have to shoot a bit lower and if it's a tough one, it might do, under par is a good score.

I don't really have any preference. I like to play. I like the variety. I don't necessarily like when it's the same every week. I think you should be tested different ways. So when it's the same every week, it might suit one kind of player every week. I think it's nice when you have to maybe change your game, one week is important with ball striking; the next week, your short game is important. I think that's what I like, anyway, because it sees who is the best overall player and who can adapt the best to different courses rather than playing the same and getting used to it and do that week in and week out.

So I do like when it's different and you get to try new shots and all this.

Q. Along the same lines, how different is this course compared to the other ones that you've seen out here?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I mean, since I've been, the one course I played the most since coming over here has built up a little bit similar where it's run offs, maybe not as big as this, but a little bit the same way. I didn't feel that this one was so different for me.

So, I mean, I know noticed last summer a lot of the courses we played was heavy rough around the greens and quite thick rough. The West Coast wasn't that much rough in the first few tournaments we played. So I still haven't got enough experience to really talk about what all of the courses look like. I'm still surprised coming to the West Coast, I thought it would be more rough than it was and coming here. I probably thought it would have been rough around the greens, as well.

So I'm still noticing what's going on out there.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Let's go through your round. You had three birdies on the front side.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: No. 1, I hit a middle wedge to eight feet.

5, that's a lay up on the fifth. I hit the same middle wedge to probably 15 feet, 20 feet, 20 feet more likely.

6, just right off the green on the right and pitched it up to four feet.

11, I hit 6 iron up to seven feet.

16, I went in the fairway bunker on the right there and caught a little fat. So it came up short and the pitch wasn't too pretty, either. So that was probably 15 feet short and I missed that one.

17, I had to lay up again and hit the sand wedge to probably 15 feet.

18, I hit it in the rough left and then went in the green side bunker and played a good shot to five feet and then lipped out.

Q. How long have you known Carl Pettersson, if you know him very well?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, Carl, I've known since he came over to Europe and played, I don't know whether it was two or three seasons in Europe before coming here. Carl was hiding for us for a long time since he lived over here in North Carolina. But we got to know him when he came over to Europe and he played really well there for a couple of years and he went back here. He seems to be in very good form now which is nice.

Q. Have you noticed a little bit of that American southern accent when he talks every now and then, you seem like you hear a few words, is that noticeable for you guys?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: From Carl?

Q. Yeah.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, absolutely, you can hear his southern accent. (Laughter.) I was in Alabama six months myself for ten years back, so I do recognize the Southern swing.

Q. What were you in Alabama for?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I went to college for a short time. I did it quick. (Laughter.) I pick it up quickly.

Q. Which college was that?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Wallace State Junior College in between Birmingham and Huntsville. There is still two Wallace States, one further south.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.

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