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SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

March 31, 2011

Nick O'Hern

HUMBLE, TEXAS

DOUG MILNE: Okay. Nick O'Hern, thanks for joining us after a quite the impressive bogey-free 7-under 65 today. You obviously got to feel good about that after round one of the Shell Houston Open. Funny, someone outside asked if you're disappointed that you didn't tie the course record with a 64. You said, "I'll take 65 any day, everyday." So, just some comments about the round and how your game is as you're heading into the rest of the week.
NICK O'HERN: My game started coming around last week at Bay Hill. Last few weeks it's progressively better. I knew a good round wasn't far off. I really holed nothing last week, but struck the ball beautifully. So I knew if I could do the round here with the greens being as good as they are, I figured a low one was in the cards.
You know, I had some chances to let a few bogeys appear on the card, but when the situation arose, I holed a couple of good putts and I kept the round going. As you say, 7-under, you're be pretty happy.
DOUG MILNE: With that we'll take a few questions.

Q. Could you talk about 14 for a second, that sand shot obviously probably the shot of the round for you.
NICK O'HERN: Probably. I hit a little 4-iron off the tee and put in it bunker. It was a pretty regulation sand shot. You take them every time, they just fall in the hole like that. I was trying to get it up and down. If it went in, great. It certainly kicked some momentum into the last few holes.

Q. Then you sort of say it's an easy round of golf today or was the course really there for the taking?
NICK O'HERN: The front-9 seemed pretty comfortable for me. Then I hit a few loose drives and then game got hard again. I holed a couple putts, and with the conditions being so good, if you struck the ball well, you're going to have birdie chances. But the greens are a little tricky to read, but I've always found that I putted well here.

Q. Can you sort of talk about your season so far. It wasn't the sort of best of starts.
NICK O'HERN: I had about seven, eight months off after Sawgrass, I had the injuries. I was hoping to get back on the horse a little quicker than I have. I missed a few cuts, but I found the last few weeks, my game is starting to really come round. I've done some good work on the range, and, you know, the mind is in a better place than what it has been in the past. You add all those things up, I think some good golf is on the horizon.

Q. Have you been a one-putter guy?
NICK O'HERN: Pretty much. I've used the long putter for 16 years, but I probably used this long putter for five, six years. I'd say it's pretty rare I swap. After last week on the greens, I thought maybe give the short putter a go. But I'm glad I didn't.

Q. I was wondering if those things do cross your mind when you start struggling?
NICK O'HERN: It's natural for anyone to start tinkering if things aren't going according to plan. I didn't think I was putting badly, but nothing was going in, so that's when you probably think maybe a change is on the cards. But as I say, it's worked out pretty well.
DOUG MILNE: Okay. Anybody else?

Q. You said your game was coming round. It started coming round at Bay Hill. Was it one thing in particular or was it just timing and everything get being back into it, tournament golf and that?
NICK O'HERN: The big thing for me on this Tour is driving the ball. I'm one of the shortest hitters, but I'm usually one of the most accurate. I haven't been accurate at all of late. My game revolves round hitting fairways and therefore I can hit greens and hopefully make putts.
I really started driving the ball well last week at Bay Hill. This week if you don't drive the ball well, you're be in a whole lot of trouble. I drive the ball great out there. Probably missed a couple fairways and gave myself chances from there.
You know, when you're short and you're missing fairways, that's a problem. If you're long and missing fairways, you can get away with out on this Tour a little bit, but my combination isn't good. I was happy to hit some good shots off the tee.

Q. What sort of injuries were you having?
NICK O'HERN: I had an ACL reconstruction on my right knee last year. I snapped it about 20 years ago. Just wear and tear it was time to get it fixed. I actually had my left knee done at the same time. So I have both knees operated on, went for the package deal and had them both done.
I think my last event last year was Sawgrass. My first event this we're was Bob Hope. Fair bit of time off. I played a couple back in Australia in between. But, you know, on this Tour if you're not on the top of your game, you're going to be left behind. That's probably what I found out the first few months of the season.

Q. After the surgery were you saying "What was I thinking?"
NICK O'HERN: No. It needed to be done. I've been playing on a poor right knee for a long time and I lined up a putt in Charlotte, I think it was, and heard a pop in my other knee and thought two bad knees isn't good, so let's get them fixed.

Q. Do you think the time off did -- served you well or were you bored?
NICK O'HERN: No, I loved it. It was great to take the kids to school every day and live a normal life for awhile. My wife probably wanted to get me out of the house after a few months. But the first few months were pretty good anyway. But the recovery process for those sorts of operations is a very long one and, you know, the mind can play a few tricks on you, but I knew I would get there.
DOUG MILNE: Okay. Nick, we appreciate your time. Congratulations.

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