MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

January 11, 2001

Justin Leonard

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, just played real solid, drove the ball pretty good. You know, the holes that I am supposed to score low on, I feel like I did, with little wedges and things like that. Played pretty well through the elements. Good way to start the year and start this week.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Birdied 1. Hit an 8-iron about 15 feet. Bogeyed 2. Hit short of the green, 3-putted. Birdied 4, hit an 8-iron about 12 feet. Birdied 6.

JUSTIN LEONARD: How far did I hit it?

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think about 125, 120, somewhere in there. 6, made birdie. Drove it down there kind of by the green, chipped it about six feet. Bogeyed 7. 3-putted from about 40 feet.

Birdied 9. Hit a pitching wedge about six feet from, you know, 74 yards or something. Birdied 10. Hit a 7-iron about eight feet. Birdied 13. Hit a 4-iron about eight feet. Birdied 14. Hit a sand wedge three feet. Birdied 15. Hit a sand wedge about six feet. Then I 3-putted 18 for par from about 50 feet.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I've hit 18 before, I have. You know, it's hard to tell. I know that the ball that I'm using, I'm hitting it farther. You know, I made some changes with my golf swing. I've changed shafts, my driver. You know, it's hard to tell if it's the things I've done with my swing physically or if it's the equipment because I've changed some things. If I was doing one or the other the same, I might be able to tell you. I'm sure the equipment has something to do with it, yeah. But I think the things I've done have something to do with it, as well.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Different setup position. It's alleviated some timing issues and things that I've had problems with in the past. You know, trying to shorten my golf swing up. It's been a lot easier from the position where I am now.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, they're hard to read. You know, I've seen them faster than this. I think they're at a pretty decent pace now just because of all the elements you deal with. But, you know, yeah, it is difficult because you've got grain going one way. Even though it may look like it's doing something else, you throw wind into that, you know, they're very large so you're going to have some long putts. A lot of times you feel lucky if you get it within six or eight feet of the hole.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, it's not that hard to figure out, but it gets tricky on longer putts. You know, you may be going downhill, but it's maybe not as fast as they've been in years past. You get going into the grain, into the wind, you're thinking, "Have I ever had to hit a putt this hard?" You know, I would say, judging the speed on the longer putts, things like that, it's probably the hardest thing.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I think so. I felt like I was playing pretty well going down there. You know, to go through the preparations, you know, kind of get in that tournament mode where you go through the routine and things like that, I think that's got to help for this week. You know, the first tournament of the year -- last week, I kind of went out there, you know, judging where I would be. You know, after playing three rounds, you know, obviously a little disappointed, but knowing that I played pretty well, you know, gives me a lot better idea of what I need to work on coming into this week. I think I'm able to get a little more specific with what I need to do to get ready.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, it's kind of hard to tell this week (laughter). You know, I hit some good drives today. You know, I kept it up with Chris DiMarco for the most part. He hit a couple by me, but I hit a couple by him. A week like this, that's where you have to judge, is the distance you hit it comparative to other players. I don't know what changes he's made. Hard to say, but I would guess -- I would think that I've picked up maybe ten yards in the last month or two from the changes that I made.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't know. Steve Motta from Titleist sent it to me, sent me three different shafts. I think Fujikura -- I don't know if that's the name of the shaft or the company. He sent me three or four different shafts. This is the one I picked.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yes.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't know. You know, I've always tried to play as well as I can, prepare myself the best way I knew how to. Obviously that changes from time to time, you know, as I learn more about myself and the game. But, you know, I don't know. I don't think I've ever let another player really affect what I did to prepare. Unless I've been, you know, lazy in my preparations or practicing or what have you, you know, until I see that, I don't think I'll let another player affect what I do to try to get my game ready because it's probably different from what everybody else tries to do. The key for all of us is to find -- you know, Tiger has obviously found a way to get himself ready to play every week, week in, week out. You know, that's what the rest of us need to find. There have been some players that have done that over a stretch of time - maybe not as long as Tiger has done it. You look at the way that Ernie has played. You know, he can get on a real roll. David is obviously a great example. That's what's rest of us are searching for: how to get our games ready every day, every tournament we play. You know, obviously it can be done. We just need to find out, you know, each of us in our individual way, how to get that done.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I can only answer for myself. I'm going to say the same thing I just said: another player will not affect the way I play the game, the way I prepare to play. That's as simple as I can make it. Now, maybe if it gets to a point, I should. As of right now, I'm going to be stubborn and say, "You know what? I need to figure out what it takes for me to play well." It's a constant search, you know. I'll continue to search.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't. This is a difficult golf course to walk. It was not -- I don't think it was designed with the intent of galleries and people walking. They don't have a lot of caddy ProAms around this area. You know, I never thought of it until you said it just now. I probably won't think of it tomorrow. This is a very difficult golf course to walk. It can take a long time.

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, if I had my druthers, we'd all have to run from the 5th green to the 6th tee.

JUSTIN LEONARD: And hit it within 30 seconds (laughter).

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah. You know, but I don't mind getting a lift every now and then, because it is a long week. Sure, I mean, I'd love to see us walk everywhere we go.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I'd prefer not to get in the middle of that one.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Nice try (laughter).

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, it drives better, further than the Prestige, but it still spins with the short-irons. It seems to take off at a certain level and almost flatten out. I really noticed it more with the new shaft that I'm playing with. You know, it's got a better flight on it. I think it's probably a little better ball in the wind for me. You know, it feels good around the greens. I think it's a ball that a lot of us that play the Titleist products have really been waiting for. I mean, you know, I hate to sound like an advertisement here, but we're all real excited about it.

JUSTIN LEONARD: With the short-irons, yes. I think it spins. Around the greens, I feel it's very comparable.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Probably so. I mean, you know, I've got a lot of similar goals with the other guys as far as result-oriented, you know, competing, trying to win a major, you know, being ready to play each week, obviously making The Ryder Cup team, those kind of things. I've got some other personal goals, you know, that I always set for myself each year that I don't let anybody know about. But, yeah, I think probably with the things I've done in the off-season, I'll probably be a little more ambitious with, you know, a couple of my more result-oriented goals.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Something like that. Stats, you can have them. I'd like to do this and that. I see these changes I've made. I say, "Well, you know, definitely have to reevaluate a little bit."

JUSTIN LEONARD: Absolutely. This is a goal right here, is to play in this tournament every year. You know, there's only one guy that is in it right now, and that's Steve Stricker. That's a list you want to get on early. You know, it's fun to be here because you come in a few days early, the weather is always great. We went fishing earlier in the week, things like that. It's a pretty relaxing atmosphere. Nice way to start the year.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, yeah, it's certainly a big load off of my mind. You know, I know had I not won, sitting -- well, I wouldn't be hitting here (laughter). You know, it's nice not to be asked, "Gee, you hadn't won." I'm sure you guys have it all broken down to the hour, you know, 6,473 hours, how does that make you feel? I'm glad I don't have to answer those kind of questions because I was starting to get them before Texas Open. You know, hopefully I'll take care of this a little more frequently and won't -- we won't have to approach that subject again.

JUSTIN LEONARD: We ask that of ourselves, so sure. I mean, sometimes when you catch me, I'll give you a long, you know, answer, we'll have a conversation about it. There's other times you catch me when I'll say -- you know, I won't even say a word.

JUSTIN LEONARD: From me (laughter)? It's one of those things we don't like to talk about in the public. But, sure, it's something we all think about. You step up there, you're hitting balls Wednesday afternoon at the ProAm, you think, "This feels pretty good. It would be sure be nice to get one in there somehow." You know, same things that you think about have been through our minds already.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Uh-huh.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah. I've always been a pretty smart player and managed my game well. Now that I'm hitting the ball further, you know, I'm able to compete on a larger variety of golf courses. You know, when I turned pro in '94, I mean, Kingsmill was the third tournament I played. If you'd seen me play amateur golf, you picked one golf course that I might play well on tour, that was going to be it. You know, that was a stroke of luck there. But now I feel like I've gotten to the point where I can compete on any kind of golf course, and I'm still a smart player. You know, other guys do it in reverse. They bomb it, then they get smart. I don't bomb it, but I'm getting closer, and at the same time, you know, I'm still able to think my way around the golf course.

JUSTIN LEONARD: You know, I think things settled down a little bit this last year, later in the year. You know, I'd like to see it get better.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't think there was really any strain going into '99, and I think there's still some now. You know, I hope that, you know, both teams put that aside and have a great match, make it very close, just show the world just how much sportsmanship is still involved in golf, an event like The Ryder Cup, then we won't have to hear about it anymore.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Yeah, I do. We can only do so much, and the same thing with the gallery. It's going to take a combined effort. Obviously we can only control so much. But, you know, it will take both for things to really get back to where they were -- where we all want them to be.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Sure. There will be carryover, absolutely.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Sure. I still felt '97 going into Boston. So, yeah, I would imagine so.

JUSTIN LEONARD: That's not a subject I would prefer to bring up.

JUSTIN LEONARD: No. You know what, we've played together several times, twice at Valderrama the last two years. You know what, I mean, if I needed something from Ollie, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up the phone and call him. I feel like our relationship is great. But I really feel no need to bring any of that up. I would never mention it to him. It may strain the relationship. I don't want that to happen.

JUSTIN LEONARD: (Shaking head negatively.)

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't necessarily see that as being a priority. I mean, I don't think sitting down in a room or eating lunch together, I don't think that will change some things. I mean, this is a competitive sport that we're in. You know, memories last a long time. There were some things happen this last Ryder Cup, and there's been things before. Don't think '99 is the first one where any kind of incident happened. You know, I think we're all grown-ups - well, at least some of us are. I'm not saying I'm grown up. I'm not putting myself in either category (laughter). But we're all gentlemen. You know, I don't think anything needs to be rehashed. I don't think we need to be sat down. I just think we need to get to the event, good sportsmanship, hope everybody plays great, and the week goes by smoothly. I expect that to happen.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't -- I don't know what that would have to do with it.

JUSTIN LEONARD: I don't know. That's enough Ryder Cup stuff.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Well, I think there's a time and place for things. You know, I think the galleries on tour have gotten more raucous on tour, since I began from '94 to now. I think people want to hear their comment. They want what they say to a player or whoever to be heard. Sometimes it's flattering; other times it's not. That's something we have to deal with. I think that some people may not realize how much we do deal with that. You know, The TOUR has done everything they can at Phoenix. You go out there to 16 this year compared to what it was three or four years ago, you wouldn't recognize the hole. You know, The TOUR, the staff, is very aware of what's going on. They listen to our comments on things. You know, they take action when they need to. I think, you know, two years ago -- I think now the galleries are much better than they were two years ago because, you know, we've realized, "Hey, this is a problem." At the same time, the galleries are becoming more educated. You go from having 10,000 at a tournament, all of a sudden you have 40. Those 30,000 people maybe never have been to a golf tournament. Now they've been to several tournaments. The gallery is becoming more knowledgeable. The TOUR is taking action. It's kind of becoming fun again. There for a while, there's some places, some holes, where you actually would get worried walking on the tee. Now you can have fun with it, enjoy it.

JUSTIN LEONARD: Thanks.