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THE GREENBRIER CLASSIC

July 26, 2011

Stuart Appleby

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA

JOHN BUSH: We welcome defending champion Stuart Appleby here at the Greenbrier Classic. First, let's look back at your win last year, an amazing win. Just comment on your recollections of shooting 59 in the final round.
STUART APPLEBY: Well, I mean it was an amazing win but I'm talking more from a personal point of view, because I played my 11th week straight. I was pretty tired and a bit worn out and form was there but not quite there; and I was playing my 11th week, so was that the right thing to do. You wonder whether -- you feel like you're chasing your tail. And to wrap things up, but obviously to have a great Sunday and to win was huge.
The 59 was probably the icing on the cake. I don't know whether, you look at 59 being the special bit and the win was the great sort of second prize, to be the winner and to walk away from the tournament a winner is huge any week but to feel you've done something historical didn't really sink in for many weeks and months, but to think to have a 59 Sunday late to win is sort of a rare opportunity and a rare occurrence in itself. Just very pleased to get on the saddle again and have a win under my belt.
JOHN BUSH: A bit of a struggle here of late for you. What does it mean coming back to a place where you have such good memories?
STUART APPLEBY: Well, I think of places like what was it, the old Mercedes, the SBS, or Hyundai it is now; I won that three years in a row. Got the first win, had my first child the week after on the second win, so was feeling pretty relaxed and into it, and all of a sudden man I'm like I like this place. So I'm looking to get that sort of relationship going here. Obviously a lot bigger field than what we have at Kapalua.
There's no doubt places do have vibes. Players talk about, certainly Tom can talk about places he just felt comfortable at. British Opens are a great example of that for him. I'd love for this place to be the same way for me.

Q. First off, we see the pairings and you're going off with Mickelson and Tom Watson.
STUART APPLEBY: I had that feeling already days ago.

Q. How often have you played with those two, and what's it like to play with them?
STUART APPLEBY: Phil I've not played with for a while. Tom, yeah, I mean, it's going to be very new experience, certainly going to be very new. One, a legend of the game and one still becoming a legend of the game, absolutely, and me sort of stuck the sandwich in the middle. It's going to be great crowds and we had good crowds out there this morning, even before lunch on a Tuesday.
Last week was the most impressive tournament crowd I've seen outside of a major. It was fantastic what they did up there in Vancouver but this week was fantastic this morning. I'll pull a couple of interested spectators, but I think those two guys will pull 99 percent of what's out there for the first two days. They are two legends of the game.

Q. Playing the course, what individuals holes stand out to you as different?
STUART APPLEBY: Well, today obviously I played all 18, and 2 was a lot longer. 2 played a 3-iron for me, second shot and that was only a mid to short iron at the most. 7-irons and less into there. And with that big hump in the fairway, that really is a much more difficult hole considering, just look at the yardage they have added.
The course is very long today. It was playing tough. I mean, it was very different to what it was Sunday. A bit of low-ball shooting over the weekend. The course is nothing like that. It's got to be, I think, between I think three and four shots harder than what it was for us Saturday and Sunday last year compared to today. You know, anyone shooting in the mid teens I think would be a very good score.

Q. Is it almost a brand new course, does that take away from your momentum from last year at all?
STUART APPLEBY: You know, it's a different golf course. I guess if you look at Kapalua it was the same every year. Wind varied but it's really the same golf course. This is definitely different. 2 is a good example of that. We have some new greens so temperatures could play a bit of a role. Certainly 2, you look at that big sunken dip on the left, well, you try to come with a 3-iron on the left, that is nothing like hitting a 7-iron. 7-iron you can start picking where you hit it on the green. I'm just happy to hit the 3-iron on the green.
There's a lot of golf course out there now. There's some well-placed rough and bunkers and the fairways are a lot wider now considering that we have got all of the softness, but if things start bouncing, balls start moving off to that rough, the rough is not thick as in long but just enough to really concern you.
The course is certainly -- I don't see 59 there. Anyone shooting lower than a 65 has had a very good round of golf.

Q. Winning a championship is winning a championship, but how special was it to win the inaugural Greenbrier Classic? Folks are always going to remember you for winning that first one?
STUART APPLEBY: On all accounts, from me personally to make that putt on the last for a 59, for me to find out, not at the time, but great to know if that was the putt to win the tournament out right, but 20 minutes later to know that was to win the tournament.
And then the first event, inaugural event here at America's Resort and I spent a bit of time here since then in the most beautiful part of the world, unique part of the world, has been a great 12 months. It's been quick, a little bit too quick but that's probably just my age and I have four kids. Weeks just fly by.
But I had a ball here, but I've got to tell you, I think they are having more fun than me. It's been a great 12 months. But to win the first of anything is nice. I guess you certainly -- people befriend you quickly when you're the rookie winner. We'll see if I can get another win this week, I'm sure I'll knock up a couple more people to come and say hi. But the people here in West Virginia are really, really friendly.

Q. I don't know if you answered this --
STUART APPLEBY: Cameron, have you had a shower this morning? Is there a problem; why you're standing over there?

Q. About to dash off and grab Watson as he runs out the door. What's going on with your game? What are you working on?
STUART APPLEBY: What's going on with my game; just haven't really been happy -- I don't want to bore you with details, but I just haven't really had a lot of confidence in where the ball has been going. Last week I played well Friday but the problem is I've been leaving too much work one of the two days to try and make the cut. I feel I'm a better player than that and just struggling to do that this year. It's been frustrating.
You know, at this time last year, I was also very frustrated. So just got to understand that the game works in weird ways and if you can be really patient, it will pat you on the back. It just doesn't come up and put its hand around you. I think this week is that.
Hard work is one of the factors, and as long as you have a real desire to get back up on the horse. Have not had any real injuries. Had a couple of things at Augusta that slowed me down for a fair bit; lower back was an issue, but struggling to really feel comfortable with where my swing is. If you're not comfortable, you don't really know where that ball is going. Or you can't hit it on the middle of the clubface consistently, it's ugly.

Q. What did you gauge a month ago when you were out on the course and spent so much time just walking around, seeing everything on Media Day and seeing all the changes?
STUART APPLEBY: I was looking forward to getting back and actually stomping on the fairways and hitting just shots, seeing what was reality. Funny, I can get on a golf cart and look at it and it just means nothing to me. It's a bit like looking at pictures on the Internet, you look at a house, you want to walk around and really feel it. I wanted to play it, and obviously probably wouldn't even let me go out and have a whack when we were here last.
But I wanted to see it and today was a great example of seeing what changes can be done to toughen the course up. I like I said you get into 20-unders, you have a pretty easy golf course, and I don't think we'll be anywhere near that now.

Q. Do you have an advantage being the defending champ or is that thrown out the window with the renovations?
STUART APPLEBY: I think confidence is an advantage to have. I think if I can get my swing a bit more on track and a bit more confident with hitting a couple of shots the way I feel like the ball should go and mix that with the vibe I have here, but looking at today, if I was a Dustin Johnson or a guy like a long hitter, that carries the ball 300 yards doesn't matter where, this course is absolutely built for them right now.
It's not too long where the Joey Durants who I played with today don't hit it as long, hit it straight, there's a lot of stuff out there. The 285-plus carry, but those guys, hope they don't play 17 from the back tees. 17 is just not much of a hole on the back tees now. The normal tee we played last year, now you are starting to think about 3, a chance of banging it up there. That back tee is just a lazy driver, a lazy iron, knock it on. But it's a long hitter's course and more than what it was last year.
JOHN BUSH: Stuart, appreciate your time. Good luck going for No. 2.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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