VERIZON BYRON NELSON CLASSIC

May 7, 2002

Justin Leonard

TODD BUDNICK: Welcome Justin Leonard, 7-time PGA TOUR Champion to the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic. Justin, picked up your 7th victory three weeks ago at the 2002 Worldcom Classic. What kind of expectations do you have this week?

JUSTIN LEONARD: They are fairly high, just because I haven't played for two weeks. Had a nice break and I had worked really hard last week to get back into shape to where I was in Hilton Head, I feel pretty good about things. I am rested and I am coming up on the time of year when I really enjoy, I seem to play fairly well, a lot of things going for me right now.

TODD BUDNICK: I heard you on the radio this morning talking about the wind, something you enjoy playing in, so you are ready for these kind of conditions?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, I think it's probably going to cool down a little bit later in the week, but I'd like to see it stay dry and windy.

Q. You went to Colorado?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah.

Q. What did you do up there?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Nothing. A little bit of work for a couple of days and just not really mountain climbing just looking and relaxing, it was great.

Q. Has your game changed because of that's your focus, solely golf, or do you try to balance it out?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I have got to get away from it. Especially I played a lot since we got married in February, I played a lot since then so I felt like I needed a good break and just 10 straight days away from the game and felt a little foreign early in the week last week, but and I am playing four weeks in a row, so it's nice to come in this stretch pretty rested and excited about playing. I will stay pretty busy from here 'til September.

TODD BUDNICK: You haven't missed a cut since you were married.

Q. Way to go, Todd.

JUSTIN LEONARD: That's true.

It has been good. The whole wedding process and get everything ready was, you know, kind of hard to put that out -- it was hard to put that out of my mind trying to play. Since then everything has been great.

Q. Does she now coordinate your schedule from here on out?

JUSTIN LEONARD: (Laughs) I don't know if I am going to give her that much power. Again, we talk about schedule, things like that and you know, I have to give her some credit on Hilton Head, that's for sure.

Q. Because of your relationship with Byron Nelson and just being from this area, can you talk about what this tournament means to you and what it would mean to walk out of here with a victory?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, it would be very special just being here in my hometown and have Mr. Nelson so involved in the tournament, he's out here about 20 hours a day this week, so it pretty special. I received a note from him last week congratulating me and saying: Wouldn't it be nice to get another one here pretty soon. Again, he's put it on me as usual. I think my game is in a little better shape to maybe make that come true this year.

Q. How many notes has he sent you in your career?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Somewhere around 10, I'd say. They don't always come after a victory.

Q. What was the first one and what would you say is the most meaningful one?

JUSTIN LEONARD: First one was probably I think he sent me a note after the NCAA Championship in 1994 and probably the most meaningful was maybe three years after that I was struggling through the first part of the year, it was about probably mid-April, he sent me a note, obviously I have been watching you, give me a call. I called and spoke to him. He actually came out one afternoon and watched me practice. That was probably the most meaningful to me was not only his being aware, but showing the care and concern to take time out to come try to help me out.

Q. Does he make any recommendations or tell what you he sees?

JUSTIN LEONARD: He did. We talked about -- it was more kind of pre-shot routine and, you know, what I was trying to do with the shot; not so much swing oriented, but more playing oriented.

Q. Did it amaze you at all how sharp he is?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, it is. I am amazed. I had dinner at his house one time about two years ago and I mean, he talks about tournaments when he was an amateur so this is 70 some odd years ago, talking about a match that he was playing, he not only remembers the shots that he played, he remembers the shots that his opponents played. Whereas, half the time I can't remember who I played with yesterday. So we have selective memories. His memory is -- it's not selective at all. He remembers everything.

Q. Are the notes you get handwritten or typed and signed?

JUSTIN LEONARD: No, they are handwritten.

Q. It's interesting that in this day and age -- you think he knows how to use e-mail?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't think he needs to. (Laughs).

Q. Is there a particular hole out here on either course that -- any memories that you have or any nightmares on any of the holes?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I have got some nightmares here. No particular holes, I mean, 11 can be disastrous at times. 14, really those last five holes coming in on TPC with this southwind playing into the wind, you know, you can make up a lot of ground in there and you can also lose a lot. It's really a great stretch. The holes are a little different, there's short par 4 at 14 and a par 5 at 16, but you know, if you are not hitting solid shots you are going to be over par in that stretch.

Q. You guys are playing the U.S. Open next month at a course that no one knows about really. There's no video, history of the tournament. How do you prepare for that? Is there an equalizer because no one's really played it? Does it favor a player who has a good relationship with his caddie? What are your thoughts?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think it favors somebody who knows how to get prepared for a golf course. And that doesn't come naturally just because we play on Tour. I think you really have to study quite a bit and obviously it helps if your game is in good shape. Because you can focus more on the golf course. But you know, still at 29 I am seeing the majors, I am still seeing the new golf courses, and so it's kind of something that I am somewhat used to. I think some of the more veteran players who have seen most of the golf courses that we go to it will be a little bit new, but I mean, you know, nobody is going to have a whole course advantage, that's for sure. And like any U.S. Open, you have got to drive it straight, hit it well and you have got to chip and putt so it is going to test every part.

Q. What do you think about playing that, what is essentially a muni course, the course where the Open Championship and a course-for-every-man-type thing, do you like that idea?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think it's great. I know that -- I don't know much about it, but muni course, private course, resort course, I don't think it matters. I think the USGA will put the time and effort into getting it into championship shape. Obviously it's a championship caliber golf course, and I don't think it matters who can play it and when they can play it really.

Q. It has been about a year since you sort of worked on your swing and changed it a little bit. What sort of -- what have you seen come from that? How has it improved?

JUSTIN LEONARD: It's just a comfort level. I don't have a thousand thoughts running through my head. It's very simple and therefore, I am able to go longer stretches of not practicing, coming back and it feels good, and I feel like I can sustain a high level of play for a long period of time. Again, it's just -- the greatest thing is it's just simpler.

Q. Best place you have been in throughout your career as far as mentally?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Probably so. Let me tell you that in a couple of weeks or answer that in a couple of weeks, but I am -- I am in a good place right now, and I have never won this early in the year before, so that's nice and again, I have got a stretch of tournaments coming up that I really enjoy, and I have had some levels of success in, so you know, being married is great, we're having a wonderful time, so things are pretty good.

Q. Without revealing any trade secrets, how are you going to prepare for the U.S. Open? Will you play Kemper and Buick? Will you take trips up to Bethpage?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I probably won't take a trip up there, just because I kind of have an idea what to expect. I am going to play Memorial. I am going to play these four, through I guess Kemper is the last week, and then I will be at home the week before, and just usual enough stuff, hit long irons a little more than I normally do, and find some high grass.

Q. How much has Butch Harmon contributed --

JUSTIN LEONARD: Quite a bit. He really -- he helped me understand things a little better and I think it has been good for me to not spend so much time with Butch because I can get a better idea of what I need to do. At the same time, Randy Smith really taught me how to play the game, so I can't give a percentage of who deserves what credit, but in his friendship means more to me now than it did before. So Butch has been great and it was exactly what I needed but again it just -- it's a combination of a lot of different things.

Q. How much do you work with Butch now?

JUSTIN LEONARD: The last I saw him was at the Masters and I guess he will be out in a couple of weeks so I will probably see him there and if I feel good about things, he will watch me hit balls for 15 or 20 minutes and then you know, he will say call me if you need anything.

Q. What do you carry in your bag in terms of fairway metals?

JUSTIN LEONARD: This week I will probably just have two woods - most of the year I have been carrying 3- and 4-wood. This week I think sets up for me a little better for a 1-iron.

Q. As a relatively low-ball hitter have you ever had a 7-wood in the bag?

JUSTIN LEONARD: No.

Q. Would you ever consider it?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I have got one at home, but I haven't put it in the bag.

Q. Is there a stigma? The reason I ask that --

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't think there's anymore. I think there's -- I know Vijay carries his sometimes, not all the time, but some of the time. I just -- I prefer like a strong 3-wood and then just a middle of the road 4-wood. I feel like I can do enough with that that I don't need to go to 7-wood.

Q. You said not anymore. I'd ask you to speak more broadly toward the Tour, was there at one point a stigma about ---

JUSTIN LEONARD: Sure there was. It would be interesting to see the number of guys that carry 4-woods excuse me -- that carry 3-woods like a number four or five, whatever, guys that carry 3-woods now versus eight years ago, I'd say that number has probably gone from the 10s to the 80s or 90s or 100s.

Q. You think it was a macho thing? What was it, Meg Mallon called it the LPGA bouquet.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't know if it's so much a macho thing. I think that -- I think the golf courses have really dictated it. With the rough you can get a 5-wood or 7-wood out of the rough. The greens being harder, those kind of things, and you know, little ego might have played in that as well.

Q. How often do you carry the 1-iron?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Not as much as I used to. This year I carried it at the Mercedes and then I can't remember if I played it in Doral. Might have played the one round in Doral. I will probably use it this week and next week, and then British Open for sure. Bethpage I will have to wait and see how the golf course sets up.

Q. What makes that determination for you?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Two things really the par 5s, and then lay-up holes off the tees. I'd prefer to hit 1-iron off the tee rather than a 4-wood, but par 5s, where maybe hitting off downhill lies or have some kind of forced carry, then I will be more likely to use 4-wood.

Q. Last year your 61 here was the first really big eye popping good feedback after your swing change. In retrospect how big this was round in terms of answering questions for you if you had any still in the back of your head at that time?

JUSTIN LEONARD: It played a huge part into feeling more confident about what I was doing and getting comfortable. In learning not think about it on the golf course.

With making some changes it's good to just leave it on the range and go play and I think I was able to do it really well that day last year and it kind of helped carry me through the rest of the summer and in realizing that the changes were kind of starting to take effect, and that when I was on the golf course I could just go play.

Q. I guess you have about a month now of being a 20-something golfer. But in golf a lot of times the age of 30 is kind of pointed to as when a guy starts to come into his own. I wondered, is it really -- with 7 Tour wins and a British Open and THE PLAYERS Championship do you think that your best years could be ahead of you?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I definitely like to think so. That's the way I feel. Whether that happens we'll find out, but I still I feel like I have got my best golf ahead of me, and it's something that I am looking forward to. It something that drives me really.

Q. Being a local guy here do you put any extra added pressure on yourself this week because of it being your hometown, do you feel any extra jitters in this tournament compared to any others or do you block it out completely?

JUSTIN LEONARD: No, the difference of playing at home is days like today and tomorrow. Staying a bit busier than usual and that's great. But once I get out there on the golf course, you know, it's another week, and the best thing about it is that when I get done hitting balls I get in my car and drive home. So I feel fortunate to be able to be at home for two weeks and play two events. I don't expect anymore success here or next week than I do any other week because I guess I am wise not to put that kind of pressure on myself.

Q. Do you also ever get calls from Mike Modano or Troy Aikman who say let's go out and hit a few balls, any pros that you go out and play with on a regular basis?

JUSTIN LEONARD: No.

Q. Maybe they are embarrassed to get out there with you.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't know. I am afraid that I would have to go skate and/or go through a-football, so, I don't want any part of that. If they want to play golf, then let's go play, but no, those guys stay pretty busy I am sure.

Q. You work with a sports psychologist?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah.

Q. Can you talk about your work in general or as specific as would you like, what has that done for you?

JUSTIN LEONARD: The electrolysis? (Laughs) I work with Fran Pirozzolo, and you know, we talk every week every couple of weeks, something like that, and he just checks on me to see -- it's not so much about the game it's what is going outside and how that might affect things. If there's something that maybe it's been bothering me with my game, he will maybe point me in a direction instead of focusing on this, maybe go around it this way, those kind of things. It's nothing too technical. But it's just -- he's a good guy and he's there when I need him.

Q. Are you of the belief that things can come unhinged mentally just as easily as things can be unhinged physically out here on Tour?

JUSTIN LEONARD: Absolutely. In fact probably more so.

Q. In what sense?

JUSTIN LEONARD: At times we're all pretty fragile, and a little funny bounce, a lip-out putt those things can turn a decent round or good round in a bad one, and sometimes that can snowball and I call Fran when I start to see that happen and he stays down there at the bottom of the hill; makes sure he catches that snowball before it gets too big.

That was good. That's my high point. Can I end at this point?

Q. That's profound.

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