THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 22, 2002

David Gossett

Q. I thought you needed to have lots of experience to play this golf course.

DAVID GOSSETT: I think you do. It doesn't hurt. But nice to be under par with the wind blowing like this. I went out this morning, I played really solid yesterday, no bogeys. I went out there and hit it really close on 7 and missed it for birdie. Then bogeyed 9, the par 5. But I made a double on two kind of -- threw a couple away on the par 5s today, but I hung in there, battled, like birdied two of the last 3. Was nice to make a 30-footer on 16 and to play 18, I played that one like a champ.

Q. Talk about how difficult 18 is playing today. Although it wasn't very difficult for you. But with these winds, that had --

DAVID GOSSETT: It is very challenging, no question. The wind is blowing, it is constant, and gusty as well. Same thing on 17, I was pleased to get that one on the green and good distance control. 18 is brutal. That second shot is really whipping a little a -- I hit a great little low-cut shot against the wind and that wind kept it and kind of straightened it out, almost fell left a little bit. Luckily hit that slope and rolled down there about three feet and I made birdie. It's very challenging. That's what I love about this course; not only is it so difficult, you really have to stay on your toes with the regular conditions. The swirling winds with the trees and such, you got to be sharp on this one.

Q. Which holes are playing the toughest?

DAVID GOSSETT: I think 17 is one of the toughest just because of the surroundings with the wind and stuff. As far as difficulty, I don't know, 18 probably is very difficult. Also I felt like holes number -- even 9 today, the second time around it's a par 5, I hit a driver and 3-wood and 7-iron in there and I made good birdie there. 8 is always a tough hole because it is about 225, but 18 is probably the most difficult.

Q. That's with the wind today, you think?

DAVID GOSSETT: Correct probably. Just because it is blowing so hard right-to-left and that front pin, if you don't start it that way right, you can get it in the water.

Q. You relatively pleased to be able to recover (inaudible)

DAVID GOSSETT: Most definitely. Yeah, I -- starting today I bogeyed No. 9. Yesterday I birdied all three par 5s; then only had one left. I bogeyed it for the first round. Then that double on 2, that wasn't very fun. I kind -- I went underneath it, barely advanced it. Ball was a bad lie, and I was pleased with how I kept my composure. I just stayed patient. You see the weather like this and course like this you really need to be calm and somehow patient. Pars do well out here, so that's what I try to tell myself at least.

Q. (Inaudible)

DAVID GOSSETT: I played college golf with his son John at the University of Texas. I played in a junior tournament here at Windsor Park - not at this golf course but an AJGA event and you are right I did win, but I played the course once in July and I played here in December this year for a fund-raiser for FCA.

Q. (Inaudible)

DAVID GOSSETT: I played with John in July a couple of years ago and played once here. I stayed here for about two days and practiced and played the course. First PLAYERS Championship and first time to see it under this premier shape.

End of FastScripts....