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AT&T NATIONAL

July 2, 2011

Nick Watney

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PENNSYLVANIA

COLIN MURRAY: We welcome Nick Watney to the interview room here at the AT&T National. A new course record equaled the tournament record today, 62, even par on the front and then really got things going on the back nine.
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, it was really nice to finally get something going. I felt like I played well all week and just was 1-under par to start the day. So very pleased with the back nine and looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Eight birdies, an eagle, two bogeys. Could you just talk us through what looks like a lot of birdies there?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, I started off very nice. I hit it probably three feet on the first hole and six feet on the second hole, and then a string of pars.
Bogeyed 8, hit a very poor iron.
9, I hit two shots about ten yards short of the green and made a huge mess of that so just a pretty disappointing way to end the front nine.
And then for some reason the ball just -- the hole looked really big on the back. The ball was going where I was looking, and by the time I looked up, I was 8-under par.

Q. How do you explain all these guys, 62s and 63s and 64s? I know they shortened the course a little bit, but what's the cause?
NICK WATNEY: I don't know. I think the greens are a bit softer than they could have been. I heard they put some water on them. They gave us a drivable par-4. Other than that, I mean, I guess the greens are so good that you can really start making putts. But I'm not sure why there's so many low scores today whereas the first six rounds here it was very difficult.

Q. What did you think about the tee box being moved up on 13, and how did you play that hole?
NICK WATNEY: I thought it was fun. You know, I hit a driver just right of the green and was able to get it up-and-down. I thought the pin position was pretty easy considering they moved the tee so far up. Yesterday the pin was in a really difficult spot, and usually when they do that, they put the pin a little more difficult. Today was -- I don't want to say easy, but it was fairly accessible, even for it being drivable.

Q. And on 17, what did you hit, about a 9-iron there, wedge?
NICK WATNEY: It was a wedge.

Q. Is that still a nerve-wracking shot at all given the hole location?
NICK WATNEY: Definitely. It was definitely a difficult hole location. The green there is maybe five or six steps deep, so even with a wedge in your hand it's a tough shot.

Q. You were a birdie away from 26. What's the lowest you've ever gone on a big-boy golf course for nine holes, or 18 for that matter?
NICK WATNEY: Well, 8-under par is the most I've ever gone. I did that this year at Torrey Pines, as well. In the back of my mind I knew that putt was for 9-under, which would have been pretty cool. But no complaints.

Q. How long was that last putt?
NICK WATNEY: It was probably 30 feet.

Q. When you got here at the start of the week did you think 62, 63 was possible on this golf course?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I guess anything is possible, but I don't think you ever expect to shoot that low. You don't go on to the golf course very often anticipating a 62. You know, I'm very pleased with today.

Q. So you make the turn at 9 and you're disappointed. Is that just a reflection of your personality, you can just put that away and regain momentum as opposed to having that snowball into something worse?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I think for me that shows progress. I mean, in the past I've definitely -- even last week I kind of let a bad shot grow into something more. So I'm pleased that I was able to kind of get past that. I was just really trying to stay somewhat in the tournament, and luckily things went well.
COLIN MURRAY: Thanks for your time. Great playing, and best of luck tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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