DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP

August 29, 2003

Cliff Kresge

MODERATOR: Welcome, Chris Kresqe after a 6-under, 65 just one bogey today. Cliff, you got to a great start with four birdies in the first seven holes.

CLIFF KRESGE: Yeah, I did. Actually I actually hit one of the worse shots I hit today, tee ball on No. 1, hooked it over in the left rough ended up making a nice save for par and then after that point I hit it on the green in two on the par 5 and that was a bit of a risky play early in the tournament - ball I was in a sand divot and I decided to hit a 5-wood across that creek and it just barely made it. I was able to 2-putt for bird there.

Next hole, 6-iron real close about three feet, made that.

Then I had a couple easy pars in a row.

Then I got to 6 - funny thing out there is I hit four 6-irons in a row for approach shots. It was like after a while figured I'd figure it out. Then I hit another 6-iron in there. It ended up being in there four, five feet, birdie.

Sand wedge in on the par 5 made about a 15-footer there.

Then my bogey on 10, I pushed my 3-wood out to the right and had a pretty tough lie in the rough and I couldn't quite get it up to the green. I ended up being a little short and I short-sided myself, and pretty tough chip. Bogey there.

Nice par on 11.

And then 12, did I birdie? Yeah, 12 I hit a driver and a 6-iron again, that 6-iron was the club of choice today. Anyway hit a 6-iron in there about twelve feet, made that for birdie.

Q. (Inaudible)?

CLIFF KRESGE: I did make some putts. I putted nicely. I hit a couple of close; made a couple. Putter was very good for me today. Very good.

14, that was an accidental birdie. I hit a driver and a 3-iron, I was just trying get it on the green. That was a long hole, driver, 3-iron and I will be darn if it didn't roll up all the way down the ridge down to the hole to about two feet, tap-in pin birdie practically.

18 great, driver, 5-iron on the green, 2-putted for birdie.

Q. (Inaudible)?

CLIFF KRESGE: I was afraid the wind was going to let down, I'd knock it in the creek. I hit a 5-iron perfect. I was actually kind of surprised it stayed short, up on the top ridge, being downwind but it landed real soft and had kind of a long breaking putt, but I was able to 2-putt.

Q. How much practice did you get on this course being a new one and what -- thoughts on the course.

CLIFF KRESGE: I played two 18-hole practice rounds because it was easy to do because the tournament was pushed back an extra day. And so I got a good 36 holes of practice in, and felt like I was pretty comfortable with the course.

To me, the course is very appealing to my eye and it sets up good for me and I feel like, I don't know, if you can hit some -- I think the course -- if you hit good shots and you make putts you can be rewarded, but if you hit some iffy shots on certain holes and you know, hit a couple of loose shots you can definitely be penalized. So it is a good test of golf.

Q. Talk about your season. Obviously three real good tournaments. How many people would have said that you would finished tied for 10th in the U.S. Open?

CLIFF KRESGE: That's a good question. I don't know. My family and friends, I guess. I finished -- I have had three Top-10s and a 13th and a 16th, so I have had some decent tournaments and I guess, you know, I guess in a perfect world I'd look to be more consistent and not miss the cuts that I missed. It happens sometimes. I am still trying to get better, but I am happy with the fact that I am going to be securing my card next year. That helps me able to go out and play golf a little more freely and not be so worried about whether or not I am going to have a job next year, and so can maybe I will loosen up and even play better the last part of the year.

Q. Nice save on 17 after a gust of wind came up?

CLIFF KRESGE: Yeah, I struggled with the ball that I played with, keeping it down into the wind. When I try and hit it hard, that's exactly what I did, tried to keep an 8-iron down, it just shot right up in the wind. The wind just stood it right up. I had a very difficult shot. I just I felt the spot where I wanted my ball to come to a stop at. It just looked and react, bam, I hit it perfect, trickled right down to the hole about a foot. I hit a 54-degree sand wedge.

Q. You got into the British Open on basically the Western Open, did you --

CLIFF KRESGE: I think I got in on a cumulative money list thing because I played good at the Kemper, the U.S. Open was one of them and then Westchester I think was another one also. I played half decent there too.

Q. Ben Curtis' victory, I mean, at the British Open, someone like you, gives you more confidence?

CLIFF KRESGE: As a matter of fact I played the practice round with Ben Curtis out there, so and we laughed and talked about how much it was going to take to (laughs)-- to keep your card and he said that he was playing a little better and bla bla bla and he's still got time. I will be darn he wins the tournament. I would say the same thing at the PGA Shaun Micheel, he's been out here for many years, been a good solid player, but never really a marquis type player. When guys do that, that gives people like myself more incentive and more confidence that it could be done.

Q. Have you led a tournament after one round?

CLIFF KRESGE: Talking about that at the Western because I had it 7-under with the last hole to play and ended up making double. I was saying that would be kind of cool leading the tournament after the first round. No, I haven't. I guess it's great to be in the lead but obviously Sunday is what is most important. I will take any lead I can get (laughs).

Q. (Inaudible)?

CLIFF KRESGE: I won two times on the Nationwide Tour last year.

End of FastScripts.