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SHELL HOUSTON OPENApril 2, 2011Scott VerplankHUMBLE, TEXAS MARK STEVENS: I'd like to welcome Scott Verplank. Scott, you closed with a birdie to close out a nice round today to get into the tie for the lead. If you want to talk about your round today, and we'll take some questions. SCOTT VERPLANK: Okay. I mean, I played really solid. I did the same yesterday. I think I missed one fairway and one green today, and on a relatively long golf course, that's pretty good for me. But just -- the few times I've gotten to play in the last four, five months, I've actually played well, but the problem is I can't -- I haven't been able to play like the next week. I haven't been able to go home and practice. So I knew I was -- I felt like I had a chance to play okay here. But the weather has been good for me, and obviously got to hitting the ball pretty solid and been putting good, not great, but hit it close enough times where I've been able to make quite a few birdies the last couple days. Q. Aaron was saying afterwards he played with you last Sunday or the last time. And he was saying that he said, "I wouldn't have bet that he'd be back out, the kind of pain were you in." SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah. It's not -- I've always -- I put up with a lot of stuff, so the pain is not the thing that has really bothered me. The pain obviously bothers everybody in different ways, but the thing that's bothered me with my golf has been kind of loss of stability. So, what I've been struggling with, I can go and feel pretty good for two, three days, you know, at home and then kind of be real sore, and if I try to hit balls, I just don't have good stability in my left wrist. I start hitting some funny-looking shots. So, you know, these young guys are too good to come out and compete with if I'm hitting a bunch of if funny-looking shots. Been very pleased that I've held up really well. I hit the ball today pretty good. Q. Is the fact you went through the things you've gone through physically, is it the reason you're able to come out and play? This like "Okay, check this off the list of things I've done"? SCOTT VERPLANK: In a certain way, yes. But I'm hoping that something will happen -- sorry. I'm hoping that I will just kind of stay stable, because I don't know that I can get it really any better. I've been able to change my weightlifting routine, which has helped, and try to get some strength back. So my problem is I haven't been able to maintain strength in the wrist capsule. In the last three, four weeks, I've been able to start doing stuff where I can at least hold on to some strength. I can just tell by the way I hit shots. So it's better now than it's been in six months. Hopefully, it will continue that way. Q. Was there a question as to whether or not you might play here or did you -- SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah. I played last week and went home Sunday night, and my goal was to get down here and play. You know, I played in Mexico early in the year. And I went to the Honda on Sunday night, and I was down there at Honda until Thursday. I tried -- I tried to warm up every single day, never got off the range. I hit balls for like 15 minutes on Thursday at a 12:00 tee time with Davis. It was in the first round. Out there hitting balls. About 11:30, I'm done, can't do it. It's been -- it's pretty hard for me to be there and to give up, you know. Knock on wood right now, I'm okay. Hopefully, it will -- like I said, I just need stability. Q. Using the relative term, does it feel good, pretty good right now? SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, feels great compared to what it's been. It's still sore. I will ice it a couple times a night and go in there and have them do some PT stuff here whenever I'm through. Try to get it done before the basketball starts. Q. You've been to several experts about it. There's still not a real good feel of what's going on there? SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah. I think in layman's terms I have kind of a degenerative bone issue. I've seen -- I've done all the MRIs. I've done -- I just did one of those arthrograph MRIs a month ago that shoots the dye. The tissues are good, but the bone doesn't look very good. That's why I had this loss, kind of sapping of strength. I talked to my doctor on the way down here. He had sent my stuff off to another guy in Vail, you know, trying to find someone -- my problem so far is I haven't been able to find anybody that wants to operate on it because nobody ever had to do that to a guy that needs it to work, for sure. So right now it's like I'm not hurting myself. They just said it's how much you can put up with. Q. You know the answer to that. SCOTT VERPLANK: It's a lot. Q. Given that, I mean the position that you're in right now, the doctor is probably texting you saying, "What the devil's going on with you?" SCOTT VERPLANK: Well, my main doctor at home has been -- he's been an orthopedic guy working with me for 20 years, so he knows me pretty good. He's operated on me. I've taken him out when Frank Jobe operated on me, he assisted in that. He's a neighbor, really good friend. He's like the Oakland City Thunder's team doctor. I've got a great backboard right. He'll take care of all the stuff as best he can. He's trying to find someone who has the answer. Q. But don't you think he's probably sitting there going, "He's leading the tournament." SCOTT VERPLANK: Oh yeah, probably. He's known me a long time. We'll see. Q. Does it surprise you a little bit that you've been able to play this well in the second week out? SCOTT VERPLANK: Yeah, a little bit but not -- like I said, my attitude has been great because I've been thrilled to be here. You know, I know what I'm capable of. I know I can't hit it where Aaron Baddelly or Phil does, but it doesn't mean I can't -- if I do my stuff good, I'll be fine. So, same old deal. Like I said, what a great deal. I get to possibly play in the last group tomorrow. I mean, I was hoping to make the cut, you know. MARK STEVENS: Everybody good? Q. You are in the last group. SCOTT VERPLANK: Maybe. I don't know. I don't know what the scores are. Q. No. Welcome to the last group. SCOTT VERPLANK: All right. MARK STEVENS: Last two amateurs to win on Tour. Thanks a lot. Good luck tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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