BOB HOPE CHRYSLER CLASSIC

January 20, 2000

Greg Kraft

GREG KRAFT: Well, I just, you know, I'm just hoping. I like the underdog role, and I just hope the Bucks get in there early. The only way I think they are going to win it is to get that quarterback and hurt him.

GREG KRAFT: Yeah, yesterday at La Quinta, I played pretty solid. I got probably the most out of my round. Struggling, wasn't hitting as good, and I think 7-under was about the best I could do. I made all the little putts I had to make to shoot that today. Tee-to-green, I played a lot better, and I feel like I left some shots out there. The golf course is a little bit easier and you have a few more scoring chances. But the swing feels good. I'm having a little trouble with in-between shots, feel shots. You know, my timing is a little off with that. I'm going to address that the next couple days and try to tune it up for the weekend.

GREG KRAFT: It did. I think it's always been easiest because you have so many shots close to the hole. I think if you're hitting the driver well, which I am, Indian Wells is going to play the easiest because you have so many chances at birdie. The par 5s are so reachable. It's a little tighter than all the other courses, but if you're driving it well, it's the course you can really shoot well on, plus the greens are perfect over here.

GREG KRAFT: What's funny is both of those events, I wouldn't really say that I was playing my best golf. I was playing well and holing putts, but it was nice to know that, you know, I don't have to play perfect to have a chance to win a golf tournament. You know, you've just got to do the little things right, play smart and kind of just play around with what you have. The Colonial, I barely made the cut and I was struggling on the range before I teed off on Saturday, and said, "I'm just going to go out there and try to play golf," and all of a sudden, it fell into place and I shot 16. I just know if I'm patient and hang in there, which has really helped me -- yesterday at La Quinta, I parred the first few holes I just said, "Be patient, hang in there." And 7 out of the last 10 holes, kind of a run, but it helped, that patient attitude.

GREG KRAFT: Well, I don't know. It's a five-day tournament, and I know 14-under is not going to win; so, I know I have to keep making birdies, and it's a long -- it's a long week. I've just got to keep doing things that I can do, and, you know, I'm doing well so far. I know it's not even close to being over, but, you know, I've just got to keep working on the things that I'm concentrating, play to my strengths, drive the ball straight and practice my weaknesses on the range, and see how far I can go. Wait until the last nine holes on Sunday and see if I'm still around and what might happen.

GREG KRAFT: Well, I would hope to think that everybody that's out here is pushing themselves to do that. This off-season I only took maybe five days off. The rest of the time I worked out, practiced, trying to make a jump. I feel like I'm close, but to be one of the guys out here, you need to win and you need to be on the leaderboard a lot. You know, obviously, I'm not there yet, but I'm giving myself every opportunity. I'll never, ever be able to look back and say I wish I would have done this a couple years ago or this. I'm doing everything that believe in my heart is correct, and I'm working as hard as I can. I'll have no regrets. And obviously, I mean, those are my goals, just like probably everybody else out here. And if they are not, they are not going to be out here for long because there's too many good guys out here. I'm just working hard at trying to get better.

GREG KRAFT: I don't think you can ignore anything. You'll get the ball coming from nowhere. Last year, shooting a 59, with the weather the way it is, the wind, the greens being the way they are, smooth, flat, I think you've just got to come out here with the mind set every day that you're going to try to shoot as low as you can, because there might be a day or two where you're not going to be playing as well as normal and you need the low rounds to carry you over. You know, to think that someone is going to shoot 65, 65, 65, 65, 65, I don't think that will happen. You might have a guy shoot three 65s, a 69 and a 62. But I think, you know, you're going to have one day where everything is not going to go just right for you and you're going to be frustrated and you're not going to make as many putts. That's why you need those -- that one really low round to help carry you through.

GREG KRAFT: 5, I hit driver, 3-wood pin-high right of the green. Chipped up about six feet and made it. 6, par 3, I hit a 9-iron to about four feet. 7, I hit 2-iron, pitching wedge, eight feet right of hole and made it. No. 8, driver 3-wood on the front of the green, 2-putted, birdie. No. 11, I hit driver, pitching wedge, 15 feet behind the hole, made a birdie. Par 3, 15, I believe I birdied 7-iron to five feet. 17, I birdied. Driver, pitching wedge to five feet.

GREG KRAFT: It's still spurring me on, to be on with you. I'll never forget it and I don't have want to forget it. I mean, that was like a little knock-down punch, and it's whether or not I'm going to get up or I'm just going to lay there. It really didn't bother me too much. On the inside, it motivated me. Probably most people thought it bothered me worse than it did. But I feel like I fell one short, and I didn't hit the shot that I wanted in the last hole. That's what you work for, and obviously, I need to work harder. You know, I look back at it, I don't regret anything and I don't hold anything -- any grudges. I don't have any hard feelings. I've just got a pretty good taste of it and I just don't want to let go of that taste. Those mornings at 5:00 when I was in the gym working out and I didn't want to be there, that's what kept me going.

GREG KRAFT: Thanks.