U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 11, 1997

Brad Faxon

LES UNGER: Brad, we have looked at your record for the year, and you've got a win, three seconds, good start. I shifted over to the U.S. Open side, and I find that has not been your favorite success story. Maybe you can address the comparisons between your good start this year. Are you going to change that pattern for this week?

BRAD FAXON: Well, we will see. You are right, my record for the U.S. Open has been less than stellar. I don't think I have played this well coming into an Open, so hopefully it will change.

LES UNGER: Have you had an opportunity to play here, practice here?

BRAD FAXON: Yeah, I played here in '84, '85, Kemper Open, and the course is a lot different. Obviously, the setup is totally different, but the greens have changed. It is almost a new golf course for us. And, you know, every year, we come in - it is a U.S. Open - saying: This is the deepest rough, this is the hardest course, this is the toughest one, and this may be. I haven't seen a number of holes in a row that are this tough. You don't get any breathers. You don't get a chance to make it an errant shot. It is set up too tough. When you get to the greens, it is not over, because there is a lot of slope. There will be some speed on them.

LES UNGER: What will you have to do especially well this week to succeed?

BRAD FAXON: Well, I think it is the same for every U.S. Open. You have to deal with all the adversity that comes your way. Obviously, hitting good shots is important. But, I think the guy that wins the U.S. Open, that does well in the U.S. Open is somebody that, you know, can handle the outside pressure, handle the bad bounces, the bad breaks. That is going to happen this week. You are going to have a lot of shots that you hit pretty good that are going to end up bad. You are going to have a lot of tough pitch shots out of the rough. I mean, the rough around the greens here, everybody likes to talk around the fairways, but the rough around the greens, it is gnarly, thick and twisty as I have seen any grass. I read a quote of Ernie Els saying that the short game is not as important this week. It is going to be the guy that hits on the fairway and on the green. I don't agree with that. Yes agree with that. I rented a house. This morning someone wanted to ride over to the course because parking is so bad. He goes, "What, are you, hanging low this week?" I said, "What do you mean by that?" He said, "You haven't been to the press at all." I said, "Well, I kept my mouth shut, basically." He said, "I can make a few calls for you if you want to get the press." Usually good play will do that. It is just funny, some people's perspective on what is going on. People get very nervous around the U.S. Open. I don't think they know what to say to the people playing.

Q. During the interviews yesterday, two schools of thought seemed to emerge regarding, one, that you have to do well off the tee, a number of players saying you have to hit driver because you have to give yourself a short -- possible short to the green. Others are saying you can't risk being in the rough off the drive. What are your feelings on that? What is your feeling about driver?

BRAD FAXON: I think you have to be in the fairway to hit it on the green. I don't think you are going to see many guys that are in the rough, in the thick rough, knocking it on the green. So, to me, it is playing a club that you are confident with that you know you can hit the fairway before you do it. Obviously, it is a much bigger advantage hitting a shorter iron into these greens that are going to be real rock-hard. Because this is the longest course. It is the longest U.S. Open course we have played. It doesn't seem like the fairways are as tight or as limited as they have been at past Opens. I know there has been a lot of courses where, myself, I have only hit three or four drivers. And I am not the longest guy in the world. But, I am going to hit a lot more drivers this week than I have ever hit in a U.S. Open.

Q. Yesterday, a lot of the golfers were talking about No. 6. This morning I heard John Lyberger here at Congressional talk about 13. Describe 13, if you would, from what your perspective of playing it is.

BRAD FAXON: I have only played the back 9 once before. Obviously, I am going to play it today. 13, you've got to hit a great shot and then your second shot is so uphill. I know you are -- it is going to be a longer iron. It is going to be a 3- to 5-iron. It is going to depend on the wind direction. Yesterday, when I played on the 6th hole, I hit a good drive and 6-iron because we had a little help with it. So, if you remember hitting 2 or 3-iron iron into the 6th hole, that is a different story. There is a lot more trouble around that green than around the 13th. But, I think 13 is a classical hole. There is not a fairway bunker, simple two-tier green. I think it has got a beautiful shape to it. But, in my mind, it doesn't -- you don't have the fear in your mind that you do when you step up on the 6th.

Q. Given how you have played so far this season, Brad, how does your mindset differ coming into this Open and other Opens?

BRAD FAXON: Well, I had last week off, and I thought a lot about, you know, winning the Open, playing great in the Open, doing the stuff that I need to do to be there. Obviously, you can't predict how you are going to play, but I really want to work on the stuff I need to do everyday. And, to me, not letting anything bother me is an important part of doing well in the Open. Obviously, hitting great shots helps, but, I mean, when you step up on that first tee tomorrow, you have got to be psyched about going out to play. You can't be worried about winning the tournament Sunday afternoon. You've got to get into all the old cliches about playing that one shot at a time. It is really more important here than anyplace you play all year.

LES UNGER: Who are your partners tomorrow; do you know?

BRAD FAXON: Tommy Tolles and Frank Nobilo.

LES UNGER: Is that important to a player? I mean, maybe there are some guys that you are friendly with or are compatible with or is that not a factor at all?

BRAD FAXON: I think the longer you have been out here, the less important it is. But, I like playing with both of those guys. They are both good friends of mine. In the U.S. Open, I think you want to play with guys that are looser than tighter. I think both of those guys are, you know, Nobilo is one of the funniest guys I have met. And, Tommy, he is right on the 10th for the Ryder Cup. Playing with good players seems to always be nice, especially, you know, in major championships.

LES UNGER: Nobilo will crack jokes out on the course?

BRAD FAXON: I don't know if he is going to have an audience when he does it, but he is pretty funny.

Q. What has made it such a good year? What has been the difference between this year and, say, past seasons? I know last year, you won a million dollars in a tournament.....

BRAD FAXON: Obviously, winning New Orleans is really maybe -- I don't know if it started the year or not, but, you know, I think it is a carry-over from last year. Obviously, I didn't win a tournament, but I played well, and I have continued to do that. And, I know winning tournaments is what it is all about out here. And, I mean, that seems to -- that was a big, you know, breaker, you know, for me to do that. And, it has been nice to carry on the good play since then, too. I have been in contention a lot of the tournaments I have played in with the chance to win. And, I probably could have won more tournaments than I have. So, it has been rewarding. And, at the same time, you know, I lost to Nobilo in the playoffs at Greensboro, probably should have won that tournament but....

Q. There is nothing like mechanical or anything like that?

BRAD FAXON: Combination of things that I have done. I started off the year with a third wedge. I tried a 60-degree wedge. I put that away. That really confused me. And I was messing with different drivers because the club that I used last year went out -- the company went out of business, and maybe because I was their spokesman they went out of business - I don't know. (Audience laughter.) It took a while to get a driver I was comfortable with. I was doing a lot of testing with stuff, and I had been using a different version of the putter that I use now. And, I just put the old one in the bag right at the Players Championship; right then everything kind of clicked.

Q. Can you talk about your mindset coming in here, what makes it different for you coming into this Open considering the year that you have had?

BRAD FAXON: Well, it is funny. I think a lot of people kind of expect you to do well or, you know, a lot of people, my friends say, "This is your year." This is -- you know, I haven't had to deal with that before. But, you know, I am excited about playing. I mean, I have never really gone into an Open thinking about, geez, you have got a chance to win this year. And, if I play the way I have been playing, I definitely do. And, that doesn't mean I can go out there and stand on the first tee thinking I have got it in the bag. I still got to execute and do all the things you need to do. And, I am looking forward to it. I am looking forward to enjoying this. I know it is going to be a tough week. It is going to be one of the hardest courses we have played or since I have been on the Tour.

Q. Do you feel good, though, coming in this way?

BRAD FAXON: I feel pretty good. I had a nice week off. I needed it. Good stretch where I played pretty well at both tournaments in Texas. Then we had miserable weather in Ohio again, and I had a nice break home, did some practice on the weekend and I am ready to roll.

Q. At Colonial you had talks about Tiger and the A-game and C-Game, all that. Did you ever have a chance to talk to him about it or has he sought you out? Have you sought him out?

BRAD FAXON: I think I told you, we talked Friday after -- actually before it came out into the press on Saturday. I went and talked to him and told him what it was about. He was fine. We were fine. And, you know, I think I'd like to make it a dead issue. I don't want to, you know, push this along for ever. But, you know, Tiger is a pretty smart guy. He knows what is going on. And, I think between us, everything is fine. I don't know if he said otherwise or not, but I have talked to him since then and, you know, I hope he appreciates what I said in the way I said it. I wasn't trying to pick on him, just watch it, you know.

Q. Brad, approximately the same age, Nick Price had his career escalate, take another step forward, same way that you were. Do you feel that you look at someone like Nick Price and say, okay, that could be me as well, I have seen it done before?

BRAD FAXON: There is a lot of guys that have done that too. It is not just Nick Price. I have to look at it that way because I can't change my age or my record. But, a lot of guys seem to do well in their mid- to late 30s. I am at a point now where I feel pretty good and winning, to me, is more important now than it has ever been. So I have got to keep doing that and keep trying to win. It may not be this week, may not be next week. But, I feel like I have kept my head pretty good about that.

Q. Do you feel that there are more wins there now than there ever were before?

BRAD FAXON: I think so. I think winning -- again, this year really made me want to do it some more.

Q. Brad, with the kind of year you had last year, it is hard not to get into a comfort zone with the kind of money you made and how do you break -- how do you get out of the comfort zone and say, this is great, but winning is what I want to do?

BRAD FAXON: Well, you know, I hear a lot that, you know, like the all-exempt tour breeds complacency. I don't know if I buy that. I don't know one guy out here that would rather finish second or third than win. Honestly, I don't. I don't know if you asked anybody, I would be surprised if anybody said, yeah, I'd rather make second, make a comfortable living. I just get a big kick out of that for some reason. Obviously, you do better now days than you used to do. You can finish 50th on the money list and make a great living. And, there are a few guys that say, what else would I do, if I wasn't playing golf? Where can I make two or three to $400,000 a year? And, I think that gives some of the players a bad rap. But, I mean, anybody that want to be a top player, the money is more second nature. I mean, nowadays, I see a lot of parents getting their kids into golf because they can make a lot of money. Well, that is ridiculous because none of us grew up playing this game so we can make a lot of money. All of us played it for the competition and love of the sport. And, I mean, I still think when we are out here that is what it is all about. I don't think any of us are thinking about when you have a chance to win, whether you are going to make $270,000 or 180,000. I just don't see that. And, I argue that point all the time with everybody. Maybe you don't agree with it. But, that is where I stand. And I am not satisfied just finishing second, no way.

Q. There has been a lot of talk this year about somebody winning the Grand Slam, Tiger winning the Grand Slam. What do you think and what do you think some of the players think about all that speculation?

BRAD FAXON: It hasn't been done in a long time. And, nobody has won all four professional Majors. So, you know, obviously, he is the only guy that can do it this year. I don't know how anybody can handle it if they won the first three. I would love to see how he can go to sleep - (Audience laughter.) - with you guys around. But, I mean, it could happen.

LES UNGER: You would like to be in that spot?

BRAD FAXON: I would love to have the chance.

Q. How important is lag-putting going to be this week with the size of the greens and does that help you out since you are one of the better putters out here?

BRAD FAXON: You know, I have noticed a lot of the -- you get a lot of putts that break five or six feet in the last five or six feet of the putt. Some of these putts are incredible how much break they have. Positioning and the greens is really important. And, I don't know that these greens will have the speed, say that Augusta had. But, I think your putting here is going to be crucial. It seems to be in the Majors, putting is always important. But, you know, like I said before, this course isn't just from the fairway to the green. It is just as tough once you get on these greens which I enjoy, I like that.

Q. Brad, you don't normally routinely see par 5s become par 4s specifically at 6. Does that psychologically get players to take risks that they wouldn't ordinarily?

BRAD FAXON: Probably, I think if you played it as a par 5 you might have more guys make 4. If it were a par 5 -- sometimes there is a pressure to make sure you go for that green on your second shot maybe when you shouldn't. I mean, I know if that pin is on the right side of the green, you got a 2- or 3-iron into that green, there is going to be guys that are going to lay-up and play that. The greens will probably get hard enough that most guys won't be able to hold that green with a long iron.

Q. Why, in your estimation, do you feel you are a great putter? Is it a gift, talent, practice, combination?

BRAD FAXON: It is probably a combination of those things, plus attitude. Anybody that has been a great putter has been confident. Teachers always want to tell you that there is absolute fundamentals in putting. Then I look at strokes like Bobby Locke, Isao Aoki, traditional guys like Nicklaus and Crenshaw and Mickelson. I see they have great attitudes and confidence. They know they are going to make them when they hit them. When they don't, they act like they did go in. So, to me, it is more attitude than anything else. And, you know, I don't spend a lot of time practicing my mechanics on the putting green, think a lot about making putts, and I think all great putters must would say that. I mean, it is hard to turn putting into a science. I think it is the great part about the game, because a lot of people want to say oh, you know, ball-striking is what it is all about, you know, when half your shots are short game.

Q. What brand of putter are you using you?

BRAD FAXON: Ping MyDay. It is an older style. It is like a zinc with offset.

Q. It is one you have used before?

BRAD FAXON: It is the same putter I have used for about seven or eight years, yeah.

Q. How many times will you use the driver and how confident are you with that new driver you are using?

BRAD FAXON: I have been driving a lot better than I have driven it in the past seven or eight years. My length is back, and I haven't really figured -- I haven't mapped out my entire strategy for what holes I am driving it and what holes I am 3-wooding it. But, I know that I will probably hit it four or five times on the front 9 out of 7. It depends a little bit on the wind. If there is no wind, you -- everybody out here, if they are hitting 3-wood can hit a 3-wood that lands 240, 250 on the flag, it is going to roll another 10, 15 yards. That 270 number seems to be a nice number off the tee. There is a lot of holes that are 450, or if you hit a 270, you are going to be hitting a 6-iron in.

Q. What kind of score is going to take to win this thing, do you think, if the weather stays --

BRAD FAXON: If it stays like it is, I think it is going to be a few under par. I don't think it is going to be way under par. I don't typically think that wind is a huge factor here at this time of year. Although, Kemper last week, I know it was pretty windy, but it seems like it is warming up. And, you know, it depends if we get rain or not. Obviously, the softer it is, the easier the course will play. It is just seems like every U.S. Open we play in, no matter what happens, they have got that magic dust they can put on Friday or Saturday night to make it tougher.

Q. How do you feel about former champions like Larry Nelson having to go through qualifying for the Open? Do you think more should be done for former champions?

BRAD FAXON: I haven't thought about that. I know there are a few guys here, SENIOR TOUR guys that have -- I don't know if Stockton and Irwin, they must have exemptions to play. Obviously, Irwin can still win here. Yeah, it doesn't seem right that a guy that has won Majors has to go through qualifying. I think there is the philosophy that here is a guy that, you know, won a lot of tournaments, done a lot for the game, why should he have to go through qualifying? But, I know Palmer had to do it. You know, Nicklaus has had to get a few special exemptions to get in. And, at the same time, you want to keep the field, you know, as competitive as possible. I think if you want to fight about that, I mean, a guy like Scott McCarron had to qualify this year, 18th on the money list, that is not right either, so.....

LES UNGER: Thank you very much.

BRAD FAXON: Thank you.

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