BELLSOUTH CLASSIC

April 5, 2003

Hank Kuehne

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Hank Kuehne, after a 5-under, 67. After three rounds, 9-under par. Overall, a good round for you today. Why don't you talk about it.

HANK KUEHNE: Yeah, I came out and I played, you know, I played pretty well. I mean, I got off to not such a good start. I was just dead on the first hole, then I plugged it in the bunker, which is not good either. Then kind of whacked it up there, made bogey on the first hole.

Come out on the second hole, got a perfect number for my 52-degree wedge just to hit a little past the hole and left of it. I hit it right where I wanted to hit it and it came up the hill and went in. I didn't expect it to go in. But, hey, I'll guess I'll take it.

THE MODERATOR: What was the distance on that, 131?

HANK KUEHNE: I don't even know.

It was basically like we hit -- in the practice round I hit a shot, hit a wedge, 52-degree wedge, and it landed perfect in that slope. My caddie suggested when the pin's here, he said he thinks I'd be able to use (inaudible). It just so happened it worked out.

I played pretty solid. I mean, I drove it, hit my driver fantastic today. You know, par 5, gave me a lot of opportunities. I had 5-iron, 5-iron, 6-iron and 4-iron on the par fives all from the middle of the fairway.

I made a mistake on 10. I just hit an awful second shot. But all the other ones, you just knock them on the green, you got a lot of easy birdies.

So it was good. I mean, I'm really pleased with the way I played. I hit a lot of loose shots but was able to, you know, get it back in play and save a couple pars that were pretty important and really helped me to continue to play. So, I mean, I had a good day.

THE MODERATOR: You're conditionally on the Nation-Wide Tour this year. This week, playing as well as you are, is a big week for you. Houston is three weeks from now. Does that go into your mind, coming in tomorrow, (inaudible) get your special temporary membership?

HANK KUEHNE: Obviously. If I said I wasn't thinking about that, I'd be lying to you.

Come out and play a good round tomorrow and, you know, still right in the middle of the golf tournament. Play a good round, I can win.

Top 10 would be fantastic. I mean, that's my goal starting the week, is finish Top 10, just to try to get another start and get my big toe in the door, keep it from closing.

So, I mean, I'm really looking forward to -- finally, I'm in a good opportunity. I have a great opportunity tomorrow not only to go out and play well and try to have a Top 10, but I'm in a position where if I play well, I can still win a golf tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. We'll take some questions.

Q. Talk about 10. You hit a bad second shot, but you were able to save par. How important was that to keep the round going? You made birdie, I guess, at 11.

HANK KUEHNE: Basically, 9, that hole and I just don't get along. I made a really good putt for par there.

I get up on 10, I hit it down the -- I just killed it right down the middle of the fairway. 6-iron into the green. End up hitting -- the only place you can't hit it is left, and I hit it left. I end up making par.

Then I made a good putt for par, made it about 6 or 7 feet. Then I hit a great shot on 11. I was able to make that from about 15 feet.

Then 12, I hit it about 2 feet. So I mean, I hit two great shots there.

13, I knocked it on the green and was able to 2-putt for birdie.

I mean things really -- making two par putts in a row really helped keep me in the game. If I don't make those two par putts in a row, you never know how you're going to feel. You might get a little upset and not be able to do some of the things that you'd do anyway.

I mean, it definitely is the key, I mean, saving shots or making 5- or 6-footers for par definitely are big kick starts in rounds to help keep things going.

Q. Is this your new favorite golf course on Tour?

HANK KUEHNE: I mean, I only got one practice round and when I played it, I was very, very pleased. I mean, the golf course, it's a very good golf course for me. A lot of the holes, they don't -- I like to hit it left-to-right but, you know, there's like nine dogleg lefts.

Where I miss the golf ball, when I miss it off the tee, is not really in bad spots out here. I really like the golf course. I really liked it when it was hard and fast, when the greens were really firm. I still really like it. I think it's a good golf course. It's a good test of golf. I definitely enjoy it.

Q. If you're a long hitter, it plays right in your hands, doesn't it?

HANK KUEHNE: Yeah, I mean, long hitters, short hitters. I mean, the golf course is set up better for long hitters, but you still have to putt, you know. You still got to get the ball in the hole.

I think that, you know, regardless of, you know, who hits it further than anybody else, there are holes that are easier for me out here, I mean, there are other guys leading the golf tournament who don't hit it all that far.

So I think it's a good test of golf. I think the person that plays the best is going to win.

Q. How different did the course play today with the rain? Was it a lot easier as far as getting balls close to the holes?

HANK KUEHNE: Oh, definitely. I mean, not even -- no comparison. I mean, they've got pins tucked on greens and you're able to actually spin it back to the spin or, you know, hit 7-, 8-irons and actually hold it on the green there.

18's a good example. Basically, if the greens and the golf course is playing the way it did yesterday, I'm hitting 5-irons and trying to land it on the front edge.

But the greens are so much softer. I just hit a 4-iron, I know if it lands on the green it's not going over the green. It makes a huge difference.

I think that goes to show you why the scoring was so much better today as well.

Q. You hit a driver out here, what holes?

HANK KUEHNE: I hit a driver on 4, 6, 8. I hit a driver on 9 today, 10, 17, 18 -- no, I didn't. Sorry. 17. I hit 3-wood on 18.

I hit more on the front nine than I do on the back.

Q. How do you avoid getting ahead of yourself for the last round, you know, "If I shoot 68 tomorrow, I'll do this..." How do you avoid falling into that trap?

HANK KUEHNE: Well, I mean, I definitely -- I think you can only avoid that by experience, you know, whether it be on this Tour or any other tour, you know.

I mean, I said it before, your first shot on Thursday is just as important as your tee shot on 18 is tomorrow. They all mean the same thing.

I've played a lot of golf. I've played on several -- Canadian Tour last year, Nation-Wide this year. I've played tournaments around the world, and I think it all comes down to just sticking to your game plan, continuing to play the golf course the way that you set up to play it on Thursday.

If things go well, things go well and you play good, great. If things don't go well and you don't play well, you know what, that's just golf, part of it. I'll approach tomorrow just the same way as I've approached the golf course every other day.

Q. Do you recall the last time you went into the last round of a tournament and had a chance to win? How did you handle it that way?

HANK KUEHNE: Well, I mean, last year I won the Order of Merit on the Canadian Tour. I won twice, had six Top 5s. The last time I had a chance to win a golf tournament, I won.

So I haven't had a chance to win a golf tournament on the PGA TOUR. I haven't played well enough the first three rounds to be in a position where I could do that. So this is new waters.

But, you know, it's a little bit -- it's a different stage. But, you know, it's all the same thing. Regardless of where you play, you do the same thing. You still hit the same golf ball, chase it, try to hit it as few times as possible.

Q. You had a great chance to learn how to win last year. That was a great experience?

HANK KUEHNE: The Canadian Tour was probably the best experience for me that I've ever had as a professional. It's a great Tour. I mean, it's run just like this Tour. I mean, we don't play for very much money, but, I mean, it's definitely a great place to play.

I think if you look at the players that have played the Canadian Tour that have gone on and played the PGA TOUR, they've played fantastic golf out here.

So, I mean, I think that it was a great experience and I learned more last year than I learned pretty much at any other point in my career.

Q. The sponsor's exemption, how does that work? Does someone come to you and ask you, or do you say, "Can I play?" Kind of walk us through that.

HANK KUEHNE: Well, you write letters to tournaments, and they have two unrestricted spots a week. There are a couple tournaments that might have more; I don't know.

But, generally, you know, you'll probably get a couple hundred letters from people trying to -- basically asking for a spot in the golf tournament. If you get the call back, great. I mean, it's the best -- it's fantastic and it's a great way to play.

I was actually -- this week, it's kind of funny. I was at the Monday qualifier, just checking out of the hotel, getting ready to go tee off, there was an hour delay. I got a call at 11:45, saying, "We have a spot. Do you want to play?"

I said, "I'll be there in 45 minutes."

There's so many good players and so many people who, you know -- all the different venues that tournaments are that, you know, it's very difficult to get sponsor exemptions (ph).

Q. (Inaudible) to get that phone call, and why you as opposed to someone else?

HANK KUEHNE: Honestly, I don't know. Maybe because of some of the things that I've done as far as with the U.S. Amateur and playing well on the Canadian Tour. Maybe because I hit it far. I mean, I'm always ...

Q. (Inaudible.)

HANK KUEHNE: I'm always -- I think people always enjoy watching me play golf. They definitely don't get bored, some of the places I hit it.

So, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I try to -- I've thought about that myself, and I really can't answer that question.

But whatever it is, I'm glad that I have whatever that is (laughing).

THE MODERATOR: Let's just walk through the rest of your birdies and bogeys here.

The one on No. 4.

HANK KUEHNE: 4, I hit driver 5-iron, 2-putt for birdie.

THE MODERATOR: Bogey on 5.

HANK KUEHNE: Bogey on 5, I don't get along with that hole either. I hit it in the right bunker off the tee, laid it up, hit it about 15 feet by, and missed there for bogey.

I hit driver, 5-iron on 7 just actually in the green-side bunker, hit it out to about 3 feet. Made that.

THE MODERATOR: 6 or 7?

HANK KUEHNE: That was 7 -- that was 6, the par five. Sorry.

Then 8, 8, I think I might have had the longest putt ever. I hit a 5-iron and hit about - I don't even - know, maybe about 100 feet and left it about 15, 18 feet short and missed that one. So that was a bogey.

Then hit it like -- 8-iron on 11 to about 15 feet right of the hole and made that.

I hit 3-iron, 9-iron on 12 to about 2 feet, made that.

Hit 3-wood to about 35 feet on 13, two putts for birdie.

Then hit 3-wood, 4-iron on 18 about 30 feet, two putts for birdie.

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