GREATER GREENSBORO CHRYSLER CLASSIC

April 25, 1998

Skip Kendall

SKIP KENDALL: Well, don't really know where it came from. Actually, I did a little work on the range yesterday after I got done and -- even on the putting green, and some of the things I worked on just it really carried over in today. It gave me a good feel when I left here last night and it carried over to when I wrapped up this morning and, you know, I felt good. Didn't get off to a booming start. I think I parred the first three holes, but I felt good. And, things just went really well for me out there today.

SKIP KENDALL: First of all, this is a tough golf course. I didn't really play that poorly yesterday. I hit it in the rough a few too many times and, obviously, when I hit it in the rough, I can't get it to the green usually. So, basically, a wedge out. Today, I think the only missed fairway really -- well, I probably missed a couple of fairways but, generally, in the first cut so, I was able to at least get it great lie or actually some of them were on par 5s, too, so it really didn't matter because I was laying up anyway, generally.

SKIP KENDALL: Well, in the golf swing, it felt like I was a little upright. I was, you know, a little under the plane to begin with; getting it way too high at the top. I didn't feel I could hit the ball hard -- it is kind of hard to explain -- so I went the opposite way. I tried to get it up a little higher in the beginning, say, a little earlier and then get hit it a little flatter up toward the top and it just really felt good last night. I felt like I could swing at it again, though, and hit shots hard rather than just kind of hanging on. It was just kind of a feel-thing really. It is not probably explained real good. Putting-wise, I felt like I was getting the top of the ball so I tried to work on, you know, almost catching it a little bit on the upswing; gave the ball a little better chance to roll. The greens were -- at least, the first two days -- today they were pretty good. First two days, though, they were pretty bumpy, obviously, because the were soft. And, I didn't feel like I was getting a very good roll because of what I was doing. Almost kind of hitting down on it. The ball was jumping all over the place and today it just really rolled nicely, and so --

SKIP KENDALL: This was pretty good, definitely, up there. You know, it is funny, I didn't -- when you are out there and -- I remember I shot 64 at Valencia this year at Los Angeles, and it is one of those -- it is those times when you get it going and it almost is easy. You don't really feel like you get it going. Everything just felt really comfortable out there and, all of a sudden, I was four, five, six under and just trying to make more. It was just one of those days. It definitely ranks up there with one of the best rounds I have played though, especially on this golf course.

SKIP KENDALL: Probably not, really. I mean, it is -- 63 out here is pretty good. I think I shot 63 in San Diego this year, but that was on the North Course and then 64 at Valencia was a pretty good round, too. I think it is still a course record, actually. Which is nice, knowing that I have that. But, actually, that was a par 71, though, so that was 7-under. It is definitely up there.

SKIP KENDALL: Yeah, absolutely.

SKIP KENDALL: No, I am, like, 150. You know, Justin Leonard's size, I guess, and, obviously, he is known for his course management and takes advantage of the. When they come about -- that is all I try and do; I try to get the ball in the fairway especially on a course like this. I was very successful today and then, you know, hit some really good iron shots and then followed up with some good putting, so.... Am I underestimated? I don't know. You will have to ask other guys that, I guess.

SKIP KENDALL: That is a good question. I kind of want to know what happened to the west coast, too. I guess slushing around in the mud has helped me with El Nino on the west coast and it has been dry pretty much since then until this week. So, I don't know, other than, you know, kind of wet weather and wet conditions; I am not quite sure. But, I have been playing okay. I mean, some of the tournaments I have played -- like MCI last week and THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP -- I have never played before. The golf courses were great. They were fantastic. I think, you know, one of the things, I think, for me, especially playing out here, I am starting to get comfortable because this is my fourth year. But I was, like, a rookie in those tournaments; I didn't know what was going on. I never played the golf course. You get two or three practice rounds at the most and all of a sudden you are in it. It was difficult for me to maybe play in those tournaments. And I made the cuts and stuff. I think those are tournaments that I can play well in. I like the golf courses a lot. But, I played okay. But, you know, just basically making the cut.

SKIP KENDALL: I don't think so, really. Well, I guess I can lie and say it doesn't. It is a nice feeling -- don't get me wrong -- but as far as playing and trying to win a tournament, I am not sure if it is any easier; at least, I haven't found it to be. I am just going to try and go out there and have the same feeling I had today tomorrow. And, hopefully, have some similar results. I can't really tell for sure what is going to happen. I have got a good feeling today going and -- just like Valencia at L.A. -- though I had a good feeling after Saturday, too, and shot 73, I think, on Sunday, so I am going to try and follow it up with a good morning one though.

SKIP KENDALL: Yeah, I mean, you can. I mean, there is some fairways out there, though, that are still extremely wet and even though you have the ball in hand, it is still pretty wet underneath and you've still got to make a good swing to make sure you catch the ball first. Otherwise, you know, it is kind of fat city. But I am not sure what is going to happen tomorrow. Tomorrow, we might play it down anyway. There are still some fairways that are pretty bad, but it should dry out okay, I guess, and we might play it down tomorrow that; will make a difference.

SKIP KENDALL: It is possible. If I can -- if I can do it, there's other guys out there that can definitely do it. So, you can do it out there.

SKIP KENDALL: No, I doubt it. I mean, I fired at every pin today. I didn't back off any pins today, really. At least, I tried to; it may not have looked like it. But, I just -- I went after them. I think -- That is kind of my style. I am pretty aggressive. Off the tee, I try to get it in the fairway, but I feel like my iron game is good enough to where I try and fire at pins. I mean, not stupid stuff, but, you know, if I have the opportunity to go at it, I will.

SKIP KENDALL: It was kind of funny, I looked over at the score, I said: Hey, man, you didn't give me a birdie on 13, and he just looked at me. He said: I got it. I have been telling them every hole, but they wouldn't change it, so I don't know what happened. But I made 4 on 13, so, they had me as making par.

SKIP KENDALL: 4, I hit 5-iron probably three feet. That was par 3. Hit a real good shot in there. No. 5, par 4. I think I hit 6-iron, probably about 20 feet above the hole. Made that. 6, 9-iron about ten feet, just under the hole. 9, I hit a 9-iron for my third shot in, probably five feet. 10, 8-iron into the hole, probably another 10-footer. 11, hit wedge probably two feet. 13, par 3, I hit 6-iron -- actually, par 5; some other. Thought I made birdie on 12 (laughs). 13, just hit it just short of the green in 2 and hit it up there probably three feet. 16, cut a little 6-iron in there - probably one of my best shots of the day, actually - probably about maybe four, five feet just short of the hole. 18, hit 6-iron probably 20 feet. And hit a real good putt there and it just stayed on line the whole way. It was kind of nice.

SKIP KENDALL: I was -- Masters Week, I was putting together a crib. We are expecting our first child in about six, seven weeks and that is what I was doing. I was putting together -- I put together a bassinet, a car seat, put together a crib, changing table; the whole works. That is what I did -- and watched The Masters.

SKIP KENDALL: With the crib, actually, I had to have a little help because I couldn't do it myself because I couldn't hold the sides and up all that stuff, so -- But it was a blast. I had a great time. I am really looking forward to being a parent, actually.

SKIP KENDALL: Nothing different than I did yesterday, I don't think, probably. I am just going to hit a few balls, have some lunch first, hit a few shots, a few putts and go home have some dinner, actually go to the hotel have some dinner, you know, have a beer. Nothing different.

SKIP KENDALL: Well, you know, again, it was just one of those days where, you know, it was just a real comfortable feeling. I don't know if there was any one point. I felt in control of my golf game today, though. And, you know, generally when you feel that way, you know, hopefully some good things are going to happen and you know, and they did for me today. The putts started going in. That was -- that was pretty big. I don't know exactly what point, though. I mean, you know, making the turn and, you know, birdieing 9 to get to 4-under for the day, you know, was a nice feeling and all I was telling myself going to the backside was, you know: Hey, you are 7-under now, leaders are starting at 12, let's see if we can get it to double digits, you know, maybe have a chance at it; let's play a good backside. And, I birdied the first two holes on the backside, so, really at that point I was just trying to catch up. I saw what they were at starting today and they hadn't even started yet. So I was just trying to get in the house as low as I could.