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WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP

March 8, 2011

Jhonattan Vegas

MIAMI, FLORIDA

CHRIS REIMER: Hello and hola. First off, we want to welcome Jhonattan Vegas here in the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship due to your standing in the FedExCup and the fantastic start to your rookie season. I know that when you won the Bob Hope, questions immediately started about coming here to Doral because of the great Latin and Venezuelan population here. Just talk about, I know you've had this kind of event circled on your calendar now for a little while and finally getting here and seeing what it's like to be here in south Florida.
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Hi, everyone. It's good just being in one of these tournaments. I mean, you know, once you make it to a World Golf Championships event, it's great. It means that you're doing something good and it means that you're hitting it the right way I guess. So that's exciting.
This is my first WGC, which is a lot of fun. It's good for a change not to worry about making a cut, and like last week, I had to make an 18-foot tore make the cut on the number. It's good not to worry about that this week. Besides that, it's fun. I love Miami. It's a place where a lot of Latin people and a lot of Venezuelans live. It's good to have their support. I've seen a lot of friends and a lot of people supporting me so far, which is even better. So it's exciting to be here.

Q. You played with Nicklaus yesterday, what was that experience like, and who did the talking, you or him?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: We both did. You know, I guess me more than him, but I was asking the questions; he was responding.
It was a great day. Every time you have a chance to spend time with somebody like that, you know, he's a legend in this game. I mean, I'm a rookie on the PGA TOUR. So I tried to learn a lot from him. I talked to him, asking a bunch of questions, questions about the PGA TOUR and the majors and all this stuff. It was fun, just sharing that moment with a guy that has done, you know, so much for this game.
And so, I mean it was great. When I go back and think about one of the great moments for me in golf, that's going to be one of those. It was pretty special.

Q. Did you ask him any advice about the Masters and Augusta or anything like that?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: I did. I did. He told me a few questions and you know, one of the things that he said was just keep it around the middle of the green, you're going to have a good chance making birdies from there. (Laughter).
It was good. It was nice just to hear some of that advice and just to share a nice round with him, and great guy, man.

Q. Obviously there were a lot of steps that you took between then and now, but a year ago at this time you were just starting off on a Nationwide Tour season. How long did you figure it would take to get from there to sitting up here at a WGC event?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: I mean, if I would have known, I would have done it earlier for sure. (Laughter).
No, I guess this is the beauty of this game you is never know when things are going to happen. All you can do is work. All you can do is try to get better.
Fortunately I have two great teachers which we spend so much time on trying to get better. It's been almost nine years since I came to the U.S. and the goal has always been to be here, so we have been spending all of this time on preparing ourselves to get here. I think we are doing the right things. We still have a lot to do, but it's been a nice journey, I guess, for us.

Q. Are you more excited about being in Miami than you would some of the other tournaments you've played, beyond the fact that it's a World event?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Miami is a fun town. I think every tournament for me this year is going to be exciting.
This one, because of who gets in, it's even more special. It's just like almost -- not almost, but it's like almost playing a major, where you have to do something good to be here. It's a rewarding feeling that you have done good to make it here.
So, it's nice. It's nice to be here and it's nice to hang around some of these guys and just keep learning.

Q. What are you doing this week before the tournament starts that you maybe haven't done at previous tournaments?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Nothing different. Just a lot of media. I just have lot of Venezuelan friends and people around, so always going to breakfast and lunches and stuff like that with a lot of the Venezuelan groups around here and just sharing with them and sharing some of these great moments with them.

Q. Are you expecting -- there is a big Venezuelan community here, as you said. Are you expecting a lot of people following you around and a lot of noise and distractions that maybe you haven't had before at tournaments?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: You know what, I hope so.
I know that back in Venezuela, me having some success here on the PGA TOUR has been great news and I really hope that transcends into a lot of people here. I know there's a huge community here in Miami, so I really hope for them to come and support. I know they have done it for Camilo here, so I really hope that we get ten times more than Camilo gets; so that's good. (Laughter).

Q. Have you played in any majors before?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: No.

Q. What are you trying to do now to get ready now that you're going into the major season? Are you trying to learn and pick ideas from people to get ready for Augusta and then maybe the U.S. and the British?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Definitely, I've been trying to talk to all of these guys. Last week I played two rounds with Ernie and was talking to him about some of the things, and definitely he's a major winner.
Like I say, I've been trying to learn a lot from these guys and I know that I've moved up pretty quick. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can as I'm trying to move up. And like I said, I've always been the kind of player that's always trying to find that person, or somebody or something to learn from, and just make the experience even better. So like I said, as long as we can keep learning, I think we are doing something good.

Q. I believe the pairings came out and Thursday and Friday, Rickie Fowler and also Ishikawa Ryo, the 19-year-old golf star from Japan, will be rounding with you. Do you have any impressions about Ryo Ishikawa? And also both of you are coming from far away to play here; if you would have any advice in that sense.
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Yes, well, I don't personally know Ryo. I know Rickie a little bit. But no, I haven't met him, so I'm really excited about playing with him. I've heard so many great things about him and what a great golfer he is and at such a young age. It's great. I'm excited and it's going to be fun and it's going to be a young group, even though I'm going to be the oldest one, so I'm going to feel old for a change. Yes, it's going to be really exciting and hopefully I can have a great week.

Q. Any advice about coming to the United States, the PGA TOUR?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: You know, in my personal opinion, this is the best TOUR in the world. We have the best players in the world. You know, we can see some of the Europeans coming this way now, so it's great. It's great that we are getting the best players here because it makes the competition even tougher and better for everyone. I mean, that absolutely makes everyone better. That's why it would be great if Tiger can start playing great again because that's going to absolutely make everyone better.
So just by having Ryo and some of the great players playing absolutely great, it's fun for the TOUR.

Q. Since the success you've had in the last few months, have you had any difficulty with success? In other words, has there been any kind of tough parts with it?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: It has. I mean, it's tough trying to manage time. It's just like this; you know, before, I didn't have to worry about having to deal with the media and having to come talk to you guys.

Q. "Getting" to deal with media.
CHRIS REIMER: Having the pleasure of.
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Yes, exactly; having to make the time to do it. Usually you just come to the course, play 18 holes, practice, went home, took a nap, got ready, work out, went out to dinner and that was it. Now you have to add some of these things, which it kind of wears you out; it's more, more and more doing.
So that's the tough thing about it. You have to keep learning and you have to find a way to balance it besides playing golf. You know, it has not been easy, but we are trying the best to still keep the focus on playing well, playing golf.

Q. Before you take your nap, was there a problem that you had with someone on Twitter, someone using your image for something?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Back home, like I say, by not being there, it's hard. People can take advantage of things, which is something common in our country where people don't ask you anything and just take advantage of things. I just tried to make things clear and send a message to some of the people back home, that it's not good. It's not good for an athlete and for everyone to be associated with things that you don't want to be associated with, and that's kind of what's been happening. And back home in Venezuela with all of the political issues and all of this stuff, I want to try to find a way to keep sports from politics as far away.

Q. This is all a new experience for you. What is your schedule going to be like for the next couple of months leading up to Augusta and early in the summer?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: I'm going to try to play a lot this year I think. I'm definitely trying to take some time off and rest. But I'm going to play a lot. I'm going to play this week which is going to be my fourth week in a row, and then taking next week off. Playing Bay Hill, Houston, Masters, probably San Antonio, too. So just playing fairly good and feel like I'm playing well.
It's good to take advantage of that, and just try to do it as long as I'm young.

Q. Do you mind playing long stretches at a time, a month at a time? That doesn't bother you?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Not really. I mean, I enjoyed it. This is what I love. This is what I've enjoyed doing all my life. And what better way than to be here on the PGA TOUR. And now that I made life a little easier for myself by winning, I want to try to take advantage of some of the things that come with that, so that's kind of why it's good.
Like I said, also try to play some of the courses so later on I can schedule a little bit better and some of the ones that I play good and some of the ones that I don't play as well. It's good, and going to try to enjoy it and play as good as we can.

Q. Which would feel more like a home tournament for you, Miami because of the Venezuelan population, or San Antonio because it's close to Austin?
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Well, probably Houston.

Q. Or Houston.
JHONATTAN VEGAS: Yes, probably Houston, because I've been living for almost -- well, between there and Austin, for around nine years. So I have got a lot of years; I grew up and I pretty much developed my game there with my teachers. So that's pretty much where I live, too, so it would make that one feel a little more at home.
CHRIS REIMER: Thank you.

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