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CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS CLASSIC

October 18, 2011

Robert Garrigus

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA

DOUG MILNE: We'd like to welcome Robert Garrigus to the interview room. Robert, the defending champion this week in the Children's Miracle Network Hospital Classic. Robert warmed up by fishing today other than trying to get in a round before the rain.
Just a couple thoughts about coming back to Disney for this event.
ROBERT GARRIGUS: It's special. I've never seen my face on anything before. It's kind of ugly, but it's kind of neat to have your face on the room keys and a couple billboards and everything. It's kind of neat. It's just some of the perks that go along with being the past champion.
You know, it's a lot of fun here. You get to fish. I get to not play golf before the tournament. I get to ride around in a cart, so you're not going to get wore out for the week. Everything about this tournament is great.
DOUG MILNE: For a couple weeks after the event, what did you reflect back as your best memory of the win here?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Probably 17. No. 17 on Sunday I hit a perfect drive and pitching wedge to about 20 feet and made the putt. Didn't know that that was to get three shots up, but I knew it meant something and I made it.
It was pretty special. And getting to hang out with Mickey afterwards was pretty cool. Everybody has a little kid inside of 'em, so that was fun. I mean, it's just everything that goes along with it. They wanted me to hold that trophy up and it weighs about 60 pounds and I was about to fall over. That was a good feeling, being able to hold the trophy up.
And having my mom and sister here, that was really special. She's been with me my whole golf career. She's watched hundreds and hundreds of golf tournaments. So it was really special to have them here last year. It was a lot of fun. They're coming again. Hopefully we can rekindle some of the fire.
DOUG MILNE: Questions.

Q. Was there much of a sense of desperation? I'm sure I must have asked you are this last year because I think you came in at 122 the year before year and got ticked because you missed the cut, right?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Uh-huh.

Q. And then last year you came in the exact same number. Can you relate to what Gates is feeling and the stress and strain of the last rodeo here?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Absolutely. This year is completely different. Obviously I've made my money. I've almost made -- I've made like $1.5 million. I've almost won a couple times.
You know, I can feel what he's feeling, because I've felt it. Pretty much every single year I've come here I've needed to finish in the top 5 to get my card.
This year there is no pressure to do that, but there is also a pressure that I'm the defending champion. There is reason why a lot of guys don't win the following year after they won before, because it's a completely different feeling.
You feel like you should play well, so when you don't you probably get a little more upset. But I'll tell you what, these two golf courses set up for me. There is a reason why I play well on 'em. You know, Bobby Gates hits it a long way, too. That's should be an big advantage for him.
All he's going to need to do this week, like I said, just no mental mistakes. That's kind of what I tried to do last year, just not make a mental mistake and, you know, get on with it.
Q-School isn't that bad a thing. Everybody makes it out to be the worst thing in the world. I've been through ten of 'em. I just figured it was an eight-day vacation wherever the hell it was and just got out of there. It's usually in a nice place, but it's a lot fun being back here. Knowing that I don't have to go to Q-School for quite a while is going to be a nice feeling.

Q. Robert, what was the feeling that you had when you came in here, whether it was last year or the year before, when you're sitting at 120-whatever and knowing you need to do something? Can you put that into words?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Yeah. It's kind of like knowing you might be the CEO of a company, and if you don't play well you're going to be the janitor. (Laughing.) So that's kind of what it feels like.
And if you know you don't get through Q-School you're not going to make your money. A lot us have pretty big expenses every month, so it means a lot money-wise and retirement-wise. There are a lot of things on the PGA Tour, a lot of benefits that you get if you stay out here. You know, getting fully vested and all that stuff. That means a lot to us.
But being 122 or 123 on the Money List coming in here, it's a stressful week. There is a lot of things that go into what we do out here, and being able to handle that pressure is why we're out here. That's why we're called PGA Tour players. Being able to handle the pressure is what we do.
I handled it well last year. I've handled it well in years past. It's just sometimes, you know, on the golf course you get going and you can't slow down and can't get out of the spin that you're in.
You know, it happened to me in Memphis on 18 there last year, and it served me well here. That's a big learning experience to go through that as a professional. It's also a lot of fun because you get to do it in front of millions people and people get to harp on you and then you get to prove 'em wrong, which is awesome.

Q. What kind of springboard was this at the end of last year to help you do well, especially early on this year?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: You know, it was really one of the biggest springboards in my career besides Memphis. Even though I blew the lead and did all that stuff, I learned so much in Memphis. To be able to come here and win was obviously the best week of my life.
Then I went to Maui and should have won that golf tournament, too. Missed a putt on the last hole. You know, just lipped it out there and lost focus in the playoff.
Then I went to the U.S. Open playing well and ended up finishing third there and get into the Masters.
This tournament was pivotal in my career. It's awesome that there is a Fall Series and there is tournaments after the playoffs. This is key for the PGA Tour to have these tournaments for guys like me and everybody else top 125 and below. It's just huge.
Children's Miracle Network has come through, Shriners has come through, Frys, McGladrey. We can't thank those guys enough for what they do for the PGA Tour and for the players.
I mean, it's kind of do or die for some guys this week. They trying to get into the top 150 so they don't have to go to second stage. Some guys, like me, are trying get into the top 30. Some guys are trying to get into the top 125.
There is a lot pressure with all of that. Also some guys trying get into the Top 70. There are a lot of things going on this week, even though it's a lax week for me. I get to fish and I don't have to do much and just enjoy the park with my family, I think that's what makes it easy to come here, is you can be relaxed and maybe take some of the pressure off yourself.
So it's kind of nice to be here.

Q. This be your first Augusta trip coming up?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Yes, and I'm very excited.

Q. Ever been there, seen it?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Nope. Never wanted to step foot on the probably until I was playing in it. My caddie and I discussed it on 18 at the U.S. Open. He didn't tell me what was going on, but he told me, Hey, you make par, I'll tell you where why I make you layup.
We were thinking about going for it in that right rough. I could've pulled it in the water and made double and not got to the Masters. So I laid it up and hit it to about 100 -- you know, my number. Hit it to about 20 feet and made that putt.
I got pretty excited about it, and he told me, he was like, That was to get into the Masters. That was pretty special. (Laughter.) I got pretty pumped up for that one. I don't even remember walking up the hill to the scoring tent. It's about 600 yards and I don't remember any of it. That was pretty neat.

Q. What are your thoughts on the premier pairing this week? You got Webb and Luke in a Player of the Year race, and you're going to be getting ballot in the mail here in the next few days. How crucial is what happens this week to who you would vote for for Player of the Year? Have you already made your mind up on that?
ROBERT GARRIGUS: No, I've made my mind up. I would vote for Webb. I mean, he's had such an unbelievable year. I mean, if you look at how many Top 10s he's made, almost more than some guys have played in tournaments. I mean, it's unbelievable.
What has he made, $6 dollars? That's Tiger money, and that's pretty special. He's a pretty good guy. And not taking anything away from anything Luke's done, but it's pretty neat to see an American do that -- finally. (Laughter.)
I wish it was me, but, you know, he's had a phenomenal year. Him and Paul Tesori are good people. They don't rub anybody the wrong way. It's nice to see a nice guy do well.

Q. (No microphone.)
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Oh, my boy is a year old. Yeah, he's like 13 and a half months. He's crazy right now. He loves it, though.
DOUG MILNE: Robert, good luck this week.
ROBERT GARRIGUS: Thank you very much.

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