U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 13, 2003

Stephen Leaney

RAND JERRIS: It's a pleasure to be joined by Stephen Leaney in the media center. Stephen, fine round yesterday of 67, followed up with a 68 today. Can you talk to us a little bit about the playing conditions out there this afternoon?

STEPHEN LEANEY: The course, I guess, to me it seemed to play maybe two to three shots harder today, because the breeze got up, and the greens firmed up. But I think what helped was the pin placements were fairly reasonable as well. There were quite a few pins that you could go at, which is why you're seeing some of the good scores.

RAND JERRIS: Talk about the birdie on 18, followed up by the birdie on 1, the club selection, yardages.

STEPHEN LEANEY: I hit 3-wood off the tee, and 6-iron to 3 four feet. And the first hole a draw 3-wood, about 15 yards short, and chipped up to about five feet. That was really it. I had a couple of good chances, but I guess the case I find, is I managed to keep the bogeys off the card. I got up-and-down on 10, which was my first at 90 yards, at par, and you keep your round going. And on the fourth hole I hit it in a spot where you shouldn't get an up-and-down, ask I hit it long left, and just had a nice shot, but managed to make three. And I guess those sort of things in Opens are a little more important than making birdies.

RAND JERRIS: You're playing in your second U.S. Open. The first time you missed the cut. Did you have any expectations or goals for yourself coming into this week?

STEPHEN LEANEY: I did. I've been playing well the last sort of -- I guess the last six months to a year. I've had a very good year in Europe last year. I've been playing consistently, and I've been driving the ball. I came here expecting to play well, and that's what's happened. I didn't think the scores would be quite this low, but the course set up is very fair, and it tends to -- guys who hit it long, and guys who aren't quite so long. I'm not surprised I'm there, but I hope I can keep the same sort of mental side of my game going for the weekend.

Q. I have a question about the golf course. Could you give us your impression about the challenge that it presents? Jim Furyk was in here earlier and he said I like the golf course, but I told you guys on Tuesday that I liked the golf course. What is your assessment of it?

STEPHEN LEANEY: I like it because it gives you options off the tee, which you don't tend to have options, you hit drivers. This week I can try to hit driver and take on the bunkers or hit shorter. I've done that four or five times where I laid up with irons off the tee, because it's still an avenue in the front part of the green, that if you're far enough back, you can still bounce it up on the green. And that's the sort of options you have. Having the Opens in the past, you haven't had those options. And that's why it's good this week. And you have guys like Tom Watson, and guys maybe you don't expect to be there, because the course tends to suit my sort of play. There are guys who are short hitters and guys who are long hitters up there, and I think it's a golf course which has just given a whole range of players a chance to win this week, rather than the guys who just fly it 300 yards plus.

Q. We keep having players around the course saying it can get dry. Can this dry out to be a fast, firm challenge by the next two days?

STEPHEN LEANEY: It can be, but I think what's a benefit to us is that the fairways are pretty flat. You're not hitting to a lot of sidehill fairways. And even if it does dry out, then it shouldn't be that hard to keep it in the fairway, because you're not hitting across a lot of doglegs. Although there are a few dogleg holes, you're hitting it straight down the holes. The fairways don't slope as much, so even if it gets bouncy, you should be okay. The greens are still very playable. They're not getting to the stage where you can't keep it on the green. I hit it in the first cut maybe four times today and still managed to keep the ball on the green, which shows that they're still fair. But by driving it in the rough, you don't get a chance to put it -- I guess the right part of the green, and that's what should happen in an Open.

RAND JERRIS: Stephen, thanks very much for your time. We wish you continued luck this week.

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