Q. How would you view that experience? What would make it a good experience for you?
CLIFF KRESGE: Any time you get to play with the No. 1 player in the world you might learn something. I want to see where I stand in relation to him. Hopefully if I can just not worry about what he's doing and not worry about what else is going on and just play my own game, I'll get a good idea where I stand in relation to the No. 1 player.
Q. Is that an intimidating vibe, though, to have to play with him?
CLIFF KRESGE: I guess it depends how you deal with him. Hopefully it won't be because I like to play my own game and not worry about him, but it might be a little easier said than done. That's what I'm going to try to do.
Q. Didn't you say a minute ago you were telling someone it was a matter of time before this happened?
CLIFF KRESGE: I've been playing pretty good for a little while and we almost got him in San Diego. I almost got him in the Open. I said Mike, we're playing pretty good. That's my caddie. It's only a matter of time before we're going to get him. You're going to play with everybody before long, and I know a lot of guys that have played with him and had to deal with the experience and the crowd and all that, and I'm looking forward to it.
Q. What have those guys told you about it, good or bad?
CLIFF KRESGE: I've heard from -- Chris DiMarco I know pretty well. We played junior golf together in Orlando growing up, so I was talking to him about the Masters when he played with him in the third round, and he said there's not many guys out here that can hit it too much further than me, but Tiger can hit it 30 or 40 yards further and it's, like, wow, where did that come from. He has that extra gear that most people don't have. He's just got the all-around game, chipping, putting, everything. I guess we'll see.
Q. What about as far as that external distraction?
CLIFF KRESGE: As a matter of fact he made a comment that said if this is what it's like every day, you can have it. I remember him saying that. I guess if you want to be a superstar in any sport or anything you do, you have to deal with attention and be able to deal with it. There's going to be people around you and you have to block that out and get in your own little bubble and do your thing.
Q. Do you think your game is strong enough and your mind is strong enough to hold up to that?
CLIFF KRESGE: I guess we'll find out. Some days I have better days than others with my mind and I hear every little thing and some days I don't see anything but the ball in the hole. I guess we'll see tomorrow really.
Q. How has it been the last two days?
CLIFF KRESGE: Been pretty good. Actually most of the year I've been hearing everything, and that's why I've been trying to work with Mike about trying to look and pay attention to what's going on, if there's people going to be coming in behind me or if somebody is going to get in front of my through line and all that stuff, and that's going to happen all day long tomorrow, so I'd better be prepared for it.
Q. Yesterday you ended with double bogey. Today you finished strong. Was it in the back of your mind, hey, this might happen again?
CLIFF KRESGE: Not really because I was finishing on a different hole, but I'll tell you what, today on 18 I hit another really good drive and I was trying to basically do the same thing I did yesterday and kind of hit a little bit of a holder shot and kind of cut it against the wind and I hit the exact same shot except today the pin was further right and it went on the green. Yesterday the pin was left and it went in the water, so I need to improve on that shot.
Q. We were talking about momentum keepers. Obviously the way you finished today is different than yesterday. Is that your momentum keeper for tomorrow?
CLIFF KRESGE: I guess it is. Tomorrow can be a totally different day so I can't really answer that question right now. Hopefully I'll keep making birdies when I tee off on the first hole tomorrow.
Q. Have you been in the last group before?
CLIFF KRESGE: I played in the second-to-the-last group at Doral this year with Scott Hoch, and that was a good experience. We both had a good tournament. He ended up winning it and I finished eighth or something like that. I've played in some last groups on the Nationwide Tour, the Buy.Com Tour, but not on this Tour.
JOAN v.T. ALEXANDER: Thank you, Cliff, for joining us.
End of FastScripts....