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SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY KITCHENAID

May 27, 2011

Nick Price

LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

KELLY ELBIN: Nick Price, ladies and gentlemen, two-time PGA Champion and 1994 British Open Champion, joining you us at the 72nd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid. Nick in with a 2-under par 70 today, two day total of 137, 7-under par and the leader midway through the second round. Nick, congratulations. Comments on your play carrying over from the first round to today and then your full second round.
NICK PRICE: It was really cold this morning. I came ill prepared. I just had this sleeveless sweater. So I was a little chilly the front nine this morning.
And it played really long. The ball wasn't going anywhere. But I drove the ball well, I kept it in the fairway, which is obviously a prerequisite when you got lift, clean and place and when the rough is so heavy and wet.
So that really has been the key to the way I played the last two days. I've driven the ball really well.
The greens are beautiful though. You would think that it's never rained. There's no dampness to them at all. There was a little bit of firmness to them, in fact.
All in all, I think that the golf course is obviously very playable. It's still pretty sloppy out there, a lot of mud on the ball still, and I can't see them not having lift, clean and place tomorrow, but that's obviously contributing -- any time you can get a ball in the hand and clean it, that always takes a shot or two off each day.
But I don't think there's going to be much option over the weekend, because the amount of rain that we have, that did fall here, it's still very, very wet. But it's playable.
Obviously the conditions this afternoon were probably the best conditions that we played under the last two days, because it was warmer and there was no wind. But you still had to make the birdies.
I think it's going to be tough for the guys this afternoon because there's going to be a lot of traffic on the greens with a round and a half being played in front of the guys who are playing this afternoon. So hopefully that score will be somewhere close to the lead at the end of the day.
KELLY ELBIN: Any particular shot or putt stand out from your afternoon round?
NICK PRICE: No. 6. I birdied 6 this morning. I hit a driver or a hybrid and a 3-iron and putted it in from just off the green about 30 feet.
And then this afternoon I hit two hybrids to about 12 feet. So I'm very proud of those two birdies. Because that hole is a beast.
But all in all good solid play. One poor tee shot for me today, that was on 17. I think maybe a little bit fatigue there, but bounced right back and birdied 18.
But I felt like I hit a lot of greens this afternoon, probably 13, 14 greens, which is good in any Major Championship. And then when I did miss the green I got up-and-down. So I probably had two or throw chip and putts and bunker shots saves.
But I don't know what else to say.
KELLY ELBIN: Open it up for questions.

Q. Can you remember the last time that you played in a tournament where the conditions have been so different, meaning the first couple days with the rain and the cold and now this weekend it's real supposed to heat up.
NICK PRICE: Get real hot. Yeah, well I prefer the heat. So I'm not saying I'm going to play any better, but if you ever look at my record over the years, the heat never was much of a factor for me. I always seemed to play best in summer.
But it will be an adjustment. I guess it's going to be in the 90s on Sunday. And it will be very humid because the moisture's going to come out of the ground. But I'm much happier to have the warmer weather.
Today this morning was as cold I think as I've been on a golf course this year. So us old guys, we don't really like that cold weather too much, we need WD-40 or something in our drinks to get us going in the morning.
But I think that as the ball, as it warms up the ball will go a little further. So that's a good thing. But I think we'll all adjust. We have all been around long enough.

Q. Is your back all okay now?
NICK PRICE: I took 12 days off after Birmingham and I just figured that the best thing to do was to rest it. I did some exercises, which were supposed to strengthen up the other side. Which always happens, one side gets weak, sometimes the other side takes over. That's what the physio guys told me. And knock on wood, I haven't had any twinges this week, so. But I was in a lot of pain in Birmingham.
KELLY ELBIN: What was the length of the birdie putt on 18 that got you to 7-under?
NICK PRICE: Oh, probably about eight feet.
KELLY ELBIN: What did you hit in there?
NICK PRICE: Well I was in the bunker for two just left of the pin, just short of -- well pin high, but left of the green. And hit the bunker shot out to about eight feet.

Q. Irwin's lurking there. What do you think about what he's doing?
NICK PRICE: I tell you what, I have nothing but respect for that man's game. What is he 63 now?

Q. 66 next week.
NICK PRICE: He's 66?

Q. 65. He'll be 66 next week.
NICK PRICE: Wow. I just hope I'm still playing at that age, honestly. I mean that's -- the man is, he's perennial. He just keeps coming out.
And he played well I think in Birmingham or somewhere earlier this year. He was -- may have been Outback -- he was in the top five or something. But that guy, you got a record like his, but he's just got such a great golf swing. He's got -- every time I play with him it just seems like he has no weaknesses.
And I mean, the career that he's had on the Champions Tour is second to none. I mean, I don't think anyone will ever match what he's done out here. I got nothing but admiration for him. And if you can play like that at 65, it gives us all a lot of hope still.
KELLY ELBIN: Nick Price in at 7-under par. Thank you, Nick.

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