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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 16, 2011

Jack Wagner

STATELINE, NEVADA

THE MODERATOR: Jack, yesterday you said it's only round one. Today it's only round two. You're in the same spot. Talk about being in the lead for round two.
JACK WAGNER: Yeah, I've never been in this position. I don't think I've ever led -- maybe I've led after two rounds but never by any more than a point or two.
So really tough day for me out there today. I did not play exceptionally well. I hit the ball in the hazard on a drivable par 4, No. 11, and lo and behold I made a 15-foot, 6-foot breaking putt for par.
So sometimes things happen for a reason. And I kind of made a couple of birdies on the back nine coming in. Didn't get the par 5s, but to get 1-under on a day when I was probably going a little sideways, I'm kind of happy with that. So I got it in the house, and I'm still in the lead and I know I've got to grind it out because a lot of guys who make a lot of birdies.

Q. What do you remember about how you played the year you won on Sunday?
JACK WAGNER: You know, it was similar to this year in that the scoring wasn't that low. I think I won with around 70 or 68 points. And Billy Joe last year went to 85 or something.
And usually in the 70s is where, somewhere in the 70s. But some years, if the greens are a little bumpy and players haven't gone low the first round, you know, then all the players start getting a little tentative. Like Tony said he made some putts today.
You've got to be able to release your putter on this course. If you can't do that, you kind of guide it around and you really can't get a lot of birdies.

Q. But do you remember feeling like you deserved it when you won here, that you remember feeling like I played well enough to win on Sunday; I won this because I earned it, or what do you recall about that round and how you felt afterward?
JACK WAGNER: That's a good question. I'm glad you asked it. Because I was just six months sober when this tournament came around that year in '06, and I remember for me just leaning on what I needed to lean on with a new direction in my life.
And I was really nervous, but I just kept my head down, played through it, and I made a birdie putt for about 12, 15 feet on the last hole to win.
And I don't know how to explain it other than that. And I just really like what's been happening in my life since '06, and this is just a part of it, today.
I'm not really much better of a golfer than I was then. I think I work harder at it now than I used to because I'm getting older.
But I just rely on being the best man I can be every day and going out and having a good time with the groups I play with and trying to let go of the mistakes I make. You know, I don't have a PGA TOUR card. I'm an actor that plays some golf and I gotta approach it that way and just kind of not beat myself up. I think that's the real mistake I've made in the past, is kind of beating myself up out there.
So I've been able to kind of let the bad shots go so far.

Q. Typically, if you're in the last group there, you're playing with other old men, right? Is there a difference being out there with Tony tomorrow, do you think?
JACK WAGNER: I've never played with Tony. I've seen him on the range, and I've seen him hit balls, but, you know, he's a big, strong guy. He hits it a long way. And all these guys do. I played with Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chandler today.
I'm used to just having to play my game and my key is not to be tentative. I'll probably be nervous. But I gotta -- I gotta figure Tony's going to shoot 68 tomorrow that's just what he's probably going to shoot.
And I'm sure Smoltz and Rhoden are going to shoot 66 to 68, I think somebody will shoot that. So that means I have to shoot under par. I've got to go into the 60s tomorrow, I think, to win.

Q. Haven't you been club champ at Belair before?
JACK WAGNER: Six times. Runner up 12 times.

Q. How much golf are you playing these days?
JACK WAGNER: You know, I'm playing a lot, because I'm on the "Bold and the Beautiful." We won an Emmy for the third year in a row for best daytime drama, and I have not had a big story line this year. So when actors don't have call times, that's when we get in trouble. So I spend a lot of time hitting balls and scraping a few games together out at Belair Country Club. That's what I do with my free time.

Q. Golf course is a good place to stay out of trouble.
JACK WAGNER: It sure is. Thank you.

Q. Did you find yourself looking at Tony on the leaderboard today? He was making a move and obviously he had to be somebody you were looking at before the tournament started to watch and --
JACK WAGNER: I wasn't looking at Tony because I felt like I was playing with my competition, you know, with the guys that were closest to me. Actually it's a good question. I said don't look at the leaderboard on 14. I said: You know what, just play your game, don't look at the leaderboard so, of course, I immediately looked at the leaderboard, and I saw Romo was playing well. And I knocked in this -- I had a sand wedge into that green. I pulled it. I hit it thin. I'm over this mound. I went up over a mound and my caddie David Berganio gave me a great read. I just dripped it in from about 25, 30 feet. When one of those goes in, it gives you some real confidence.
Then I hit it about three feet on 15 and made that. And kind of just kind of cruised in with a few pars. And so I had a nice putt there that really gave me some motivation on that hole.

Q. You've been in this position before going into the final round. What are you thinking? How confident are you?
JACK WAGNER: I feel good. You know, I know that I'm going to be nervous tomorrow. I just seem to have gotten nervous in the last, since I've gotten older. And I'm kind of glad I'm playing with Tony, because he's going to bring it. And he's obviously playing the best out of all the best players.
I think there's five top guys, and then there's a couple of guys like me that are, the five to ten, unless I play well. And I played really well yesterday.
But you know Rick's not playing that well. Billy Joe, you know, Danny Quinn, those three guys have won the most here. And Tony's hungry. And so it's good to be playing with him. I'm glad, because I want to play with a guy who is right next to me nipping on my heels and I want to be able to bury him. That's my goal tomorrow is to just take it.
David Berganio keeps saying: Take it, man let's go. Put the pedal to the metal, dude, let's go. I'm like: I'm an actor, I don't know pedal to the metal.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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