BUICK CLASSIC

June 9, 2000

Skip Kendall

SKIP KENDALL: I seem to be getting off to kind of slow starts. Both days, I shot 1-over on the front side, and I seem to be getting -- if I can only take what I did today on the front and what I did yesterday on the back and put them together. But it turned out to be nice rounds, anyway. I guess I need a little time to warm up or something, I don't know.

SKIP KENDALL: I started on 10. I hit it in the left rough and made bogey. Hit it in the green-side bunker and didn't get it up-and-down. Bogeyed 17. Had a real easy sand wedge in. I think I only had 86 yards to the hole and the pin was right on the front of the green. I tried to get it close and hit the front edge of the green and spun back about 10 yards back into the fairway and didn't get it up-and-down. Hit driver, driver on 18 into the green-side bunker. Probably made about a 10-footer there for birdie. No. 3, I hit 7-iron probably 25 feet left of the hole and made a nice putt there, a left-to-right breaker. No. 5, par 5, hit sand wedge in probably about four feet made the putt. No. 7, hit sand wedge probably about three feet; made it. And then, No. 9, hit driver 3-wood just short of the green and chipped up to about a foot.

SKIP KENDALL: You know, I've always felt like it suits my game, but I have never played that well here. Maybe one good tournament -- decent tournament, maybe three years ago. You know, finished about 20th or something. But last year I came here and I played terrible. Missed the cut by a ton. But I feel like it's a course that does suit my game. You've got to get the ball in the fairway here. The rough is deep. I think I only missed the first fairway today and that was it. And, you know, just be patient. You know you've got to hit a lot of greens and you know you have to putt well. I feel like I'm doing some of those things right, anyway, right now.

SKIP KENDALL: I love it. Yeah, the golf course is great. I wish I would have gotten into Pebble. I think it's great preparation for the Open next week. I think it's very similar, as far as texture of the greens and putting a premium on hitting the fairway. Unfortunately, I didn't get in next week, but try to make the most of it this week.

SKIP KENDALL: Well, I'll probably be watching my peers on TV. Have some fun; play with my son. Big old cocktail in front of the TV.

SKIP KENDALL: Two, in Atlanta.

SKIP KENDALL: I think so. I think always when you have the course dry out, especially the greens, it always plays harder. That's just the way it is. Balls tend to roll out in the fairway instead of plugging, and shots into greens are a little more difficult because they are firmer, and then the green surfaces get a little faster. So if it does that, which it looks like it's going to, it probably will play a little tougher, which suits me fine. I hope it gets -- I hope, for me, I hope it dries out a lot. I feel like that's a better part of my game than having a course play real wet and soggy.

SKIP KENDALL: Oh, sure. But I've been out here long enough to realize it's only halfway done. A lot can happen on the weekend. A lot can happen on the last day. I just want to continue to play well, and hopefully I will be there down the stretch. You always want to be, and hopefully I will be. But it's too early -- I've learned that unless I'm coming down the stretch the last nine holes on Sunday, it's not even worth talking about, because half the tournament is only over. It's like half-time, you know. It's a long way to go.

SKIP KENDALL: Oh, sure. I think everybody has. I've been in this position and played well and I've played poorly. So just take one day at a time and one shot at a time. Go from there. I feel like I'm playing pretty good. So, hopefully I will be there this week.

SKIP KENDALL: That's a good question. I don't know. I think, you know, knowing that you're in next week, it might be in the back of your mind. But I don't think it's going to take away from playing this tournament. I mean, everybody here wants to win; otherwise, they wouldn't show up. It is good preparation, yeah, and maybe guys want to peak next week, but, you know, I don't think David Duval or Mickelson or any of those guys are coming here not to win.

SKIP KENDALL: I don't think so, really, personally. Those guys want to win just as much as I do. I don't think so. I hope they are all thinking about next week, though.

SKIP KENDALL: Sure. Absolutely. There's four of us on TOUR that all grew up playing junior golf together in Wisconsin, and J.P. was the winner here a few years ago. Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly -- although, Steve is not here this week. We're all within two years of each other and we all grew up playing together. Yeah, the relationship still exists, yeah.

SKIP KENDALL: He shot the lowest score. That's what he told me. That's exactly what he told me. Although, he had to beat one guy in a playoff, but that's what he told me. I don't think there's any tricks about it. Just got to go out there and do it.

SKIP KENDALL: Yeah. I think maybe not stroke-play so much. But I remember playing against him in Wisconsin match-play one time a long time ago, and I think he got me like 2-1. He'll probably tell you 5-4, but I think he got me by 2-1. Although, I think I've got more state titles than he does. Ha! (Laughs). I could be wrong, though, too. I think Steve has got us all.