THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 26, 1998

Jerry Kelly

JERRY KELLY: I believe I just -- I got it started pretty quick. The front side was kind of a blur of birdies and didn't really think about it until I got to the 9th hole and knew I had a chance to shoot 30 if I birdied it, and I kind of got in between clubs and dropped it in the front bunker. Then dropped a shot. Then I kind of decided to play fairways and greens after that. That will jolt you into reality. It wasn't as eventful, but it was still a fun backside.

JERRY KELLY: No. 2, I hit driver, 1-iron just left of the green and chipped it up about eight feet. Made a left-to-right. 3, I knocked a 7-iron on the front of the green, made roughly a 20-footer, right-to-left. 4, I knocked a driver, pitching wedge about six feet to the right of the hole; made that one. Birdied 6, 1-iron, pitching wedge about eight feet short of the hole.

JERRY KELLY: 7, I hit driver, 5-iron, about five feet behind the hole.

JERRY KELLY: I think it was almost ten feet and it burned the edge pretty good. A good putt.

JERRY KELLY: That was a 3-putt.

JERRY KELLY: I was on the back right. I hit about as good as I could. I left it right on the top ridge. It started moving down the hill. It just stopped in the middle of the hill. I thought I hit it as good as I could.

JERRY KELLY: I left it about five feet short.

JERRY KELLY: Started?

JERRY KELLY: 35.

JERRY KELLY: 16 was a driver, 3-iron just to the left of the green; hit a lob shot down the hill to about a foot.

JERRY KELLY: No. Not really. But there is a situation where you can be a little more aggressive. When I say fairways and greens, I don't aim for anything but my particular spot which is going to bring me to the middle of the green. And then go for the middle of the green unless I have less than a 7-iron and instead of going for the pin. And on the front side, I use that, but I use it very loosely. I will turn a ball from the middle into a pin instead of maybe starting on the right edge and going to the middle where the pin might be on the left. Just giving yourself an awful lot of chances. When you make an easy bogey on an easy hole, I had a wedge in - it kind of shocks you into saying: Listen, you are not infallible today, you are going to have to work and just be patient. You can't go after a 4-iron pin tucked left as much as I'd like to. You have got to go for the middle. As long as you give yourself enough chances, percentage-wise you are going to start making putts.

JERRY KELLY: I was right in the middle of the fairway, 113 to the pin. And it is only 6 over the left bunker and it was a right-to-left wind. If it was downwind it would have been absolutely perfect for a sand wedge to carry about 105, 106. But, it was pretty hard-crossed. I couldn't trust my sand wedge. I had to go ahead and ease a pitching wedge and then, like I said, I thought I was a little infallible. I thought I could just squeeze it in there, but that is a pretty tough shot to hit. I dropped it in the front bunker and hit a good bunker shot and missed the putt.

JERRY KELLY: Happens all the time.

JERRY KELLY: Yes.

JERRY KELLY: I was always a better golfer than a hockey player. But hockey was my first love and I was never heavy enough and the NHL, from about the time when I was growing up was the changeover from 5' 8"; 5' 10", 180, 200 pounds guys to 6 foot, 6' 4", you know, 200, 240 pound guys and I was breaking bones and I was still enjoying myself. I love the game as much as this game. But I was always a better golfer and I knew that is where I was going to end up. But I went to a school that was going to let me play Division I golf and Division I hockey and unfortunately, they dropped the program on me the year I got there. I think they used that a little bit to get me. But, probably the best thing that happened to me. I am all in one piece and playing golf.

JERRY KELLY: Yes, right when I got there.

JERRY KELLY: I think the sides -- what are they lats or delts? The way the right arm comes into a hockey with a slap-shot, I think helps a lot for distance in golf. The aggression that you get from hockey tends to be a problem with golf, but that is part of growing up and you have to learn that you don't get aggressive to get the next birdie. You back off and be patient, take his number and get him the next time. So....

JERRY KELLY: It is good for Glen. It is good to see a guy make a 2 when he is in that type of position. All you can do is give him a hand. It is a great shot. I was looking forward to having a putt to tie for the lead on the last hole. And, you know, I don't think it took anything away from my putt, what I was up over. I wanted to get to 5 just as I wanted to get to 5 in the lead. It was a great finish to a great round for Glen, and come back tomorrow and all bets are off.

JERRY KELLY: Well, it is hard not to expect Couples to be there on this golf course. This has got to be one of his favorites. I think he knows when he can take advantage of this golf course and he has got the length and his driver is working in the fairway, I think he could really take advantage of the course like probably nobody else can. I don't even think Tiger knows this course nearly as well as Fred to take advantage of it at the right times. But, I am not short and I am confident in my game and you just play. If it turns out that I am on top or he is on top, that is the way it goes.