MCI CLASSIC

WES SEELEY: Brad Faxon, 66, 69, 135, 7-under par.

BRAD FAXON: It was obviously better pairing early/late than it was late/early. I think Nick Price should be ahead by 10 the way he has played. But, you know, it was still tricky out there. It was still hard to pick a club. And I think I did a pretty good job out there being patient. I eagled number 2, got off to a good start, 4-iron from about 210 yards, made about 30-footer there. Made a bad bogey. I hit a bad tee shot on 5, and actually made about 8 foot for bogey there. But, then I played very consistently, had hit a lot of fairways and greens, and just when I didn't hit a green, I hit it up there close. So, wasn't really scrambling. It was kind of a nice round to play. And made a birdie on 15. Finally hit a sand wedge third shot to about a foot. And then made a great birdie on 16 left-hand -- what do they call those things that aren't fairway --

BRAD FAXON: Waste area. Made about 20-footer there. Really bad luck on 17. Hit a great iron onto the back of the green. It was a tough putt. Missed about a 4-footer second putt, but made about 6-footer for par on 18; which was nice to make, because those two holes were really playing tough.

BRAD FAXON: 9-iron.

BRAD FAXON: Somebody told me he bogeyed the last two. When I saw 10-under, I said, "Geez, he is really playing well." And I knew after he made bogey on 17, 18, that it must really be windy. He obviously sounds confident from everything he said, and to shoot those numbers opposite times -- is there another person on the leaderboard that played later on? I don't know that.

BRAD FAXON: Yeah.

BRAD FAXON: It is hard to say. I guess the forecast is for calmer conditions and I think this golf course, the way it is set up now, you know, there will be some low scores if there is no wind here, because the front 9, the par fives are reachable. The fairways are so good that you are spinning your irons in there and it is easier -- it is not easy, but you can hold the greens and the greens are in good shape. I mean, if you are hitting it decent, like he does, he is going to have a birdie putt on a lot of holes.

BRAD FAXON: Wow, geez. I mean, there is 3 guys at 7?

BRAD FAXON: If there is three guys at 7 only one other guy on the leaderboard, 4, 5 shot difference. I am guessing. I haven't really paid too much attention to the scores. But, it certainly sounds like we had a good break.

BRAD FAXON: Funny, third round, it was split up. It was kind of 8 holes Saturday night and then 10 holes super early Sunday morning. So, you know, I don't know if there is any relevance to that being an entirely Saturday. The forecast is good. Obviously it is a day that is very important to get yourself in a position so you can win. And, you know, it is an important day because you can separate yourself and get further ahead of the rest of the pack. And, any time you can do that, that is what you want to do. A lot of it is going to depend on what the weather is like tomorrow too.

BRAD FAXON: He sounds like he is getting some confidence back. I talked to him a little bit last week -- actually, this week about his putter. He has got a new putter, and he seems to be making some putts. But, I mean, obviously he had the hottest streak of anybody for three years in the game, and he is a good friend of mine. I have known him for a long time. He is a good guy.

BRAD FAXON: I am not a putting guru here. No, he hasn't. (Laughs) Geez. It is funny, you know, I don't know anything more about putting than I did ten years ago, but now all of a sudden, I am older, "Oh, he must be okay to talk to." You know should all go talk to Tiger Woods.

BRAD FAXON: That is right.

BRAD FAXON: I don't think so.

BRAD FAXON: Oh, yeah, I have been playing well. I told everybody yesterday I was kind of shock that I didn't play well at The Masters because I was hitting it pretty well and you know, putting is usually my strong suit and it wasn't last seek, so...

BRAD FAXON: I am going to see my kids, three weeks. Okay, gang. Thanks.