CANON GREATER HARTFORD OPEN

June 29, 2000

Dan Forsman

DAN FORSMAN: Well, I -- this is my best start since the MCI Heritage Classic this year, where I led the field the first day and ended up finishing third in the event. Obviously any, time you get off to a good start, and 6-under a day is a great start for me, you feel good about what -- the kind of work you put in. And I had some difficulties last week in Memphis. I missed the cut, stayed down there, hung out and worked on my game. Had some time to soul search and realize sometimes when you're on the inside of the fence watching everyone gather the apples. You've got to realize you've got to do things to get better. I thought about it and tried to set some goals and try to work hard on my game, not that I haven't worked hard, but really get with it. And I think that's -- you know, again this is awful early to sort of say, it's really happening, but certainly today was -- and of course 18 was a real highlight, in a sense, because I've been having difficulties on one or two holes in the round. It looked like I was going to get through all 18 holes today, until I got an awkward lie in the bunker on 18 and hit in the left bunker. I had a long bunker shot and tried to get cute because I had a hard lie and I thought if I go after this thing it will get in the hole, maybe I'll have a chance to stay under par, be 6-under, tied for the lead. And, of course, I came out hot, air mailed the green and was in the deep rough up there. And at that point, I'm starting to say, you know, why can't I just get it in, what's the matter here, why is it one hole, one shot, series of shots seem to be holding me back. But I got up there, I said, you know what, the ball had spun out of the deep hay. It was half in, half out; it still was a very difficult lie on a downhill pin, and the green was crested away, and it was a very, very almost impossible shot, on the face of it. But then at the same time, you know after what Tiger Woods has been able to do, there's nothing impossible anymore. So part of me said, hey, you know what, let's just try to hit the best shot we can right here. Get it down there close and make a 5. And I was thrilled at the way it came out. It came out right on the fringe, trickled on and started to feed to the hole, and went right in the center of -- hit the pin dead center. You watch it left and it comes back right and it's starting to come back left again; you wonder if it's going to duck quick or hold, and it held its line and went in the center. God was -- I don't know what I felt, it was so amazing to have it be over in a sense and have a 4 and 64, 6-under tied for the lead. It was a thrill. Other than that hole, I played solidly all day. I drove the ball in the fairway, which you need to do out there. I hit the greens. Had reasonable putts for birdies. In fact, I started out with a birdie on the par-3 5. I birdied the 5th hole and that started four a roll for me. Birdied 6, 7 and 8. Birdied 5 from about 15 feet. Birdied 6 from about three feet. And birdied 7 from about 12 feet. And I birdied 8 from about eight feet. I had birdie putts on 10 -- no, 10 I chipped up to the right fringe and had a birdie putt on 11 --13, you're right. 13, the par 5. Then on 15, I went for it. I hit 3-wood, just trying to get over the bunker, chase it over the bunker, made a little birdie from about two feet. And then I just kind of hung on coming in. 2-putted about 30 feet on 17. Pulled my 2-iron there. Ironic because there's a corporate tent right there and there was some people chattering, I know they have probably been serving a few brewskies most of the day and people were pretty vocal. And I got over the shot and thought I should back off and tell these folks: "Would you mind?" But there's always a sense sometimes that you interact like that that some people are going to say: "Go ahead and it the ball already." So I kind of thought -- I pulled my 2-iron left over the bunker. Put me in a precarious position, and I had to come across that water, 175 yards out of the hole, out of the right rough sitting down and potential flyer. And then it was one of those situations, again, where I was telling you about at one hole, one thing, one thing that happens; and part of me said, you know, I wished I had stopped and said, you know what, show me some respect here; that is how I would be in your business if you were doing something that was important. And I wished I had. So I learned a lesson there as well. I was able to get a par out of the hole and knocked it on the green, in fact, and made a good 2-putt from about 35 feet. These are the things that I as a player need to be more in control of, for Dan Forsman. And you know, I just am thrilled to be in this position today. I know you guys have had a lot of stories told. It was a great day, and I look forward to tomorrow, playing in the morning as well, and should be a nice day. My hat is off to the superintendent for what he's done. The golf course is marvelous shape. It is great, fun to play. Has some exciting holes as we all know, and I would just like to be a big part of that come the weekend. We'll just take it here, take it one shot at a time, and hope I can see you all again.

DAN FORSMAN: Probably 40 feet, 35, 40 feet. Probably 40 feet, 20 and 20 I would say. Used a 56-degree sand wedge. I had two wedges. I thought about an L-wedge, but I thought going at it and it's sitting there I go right underneath that thing and it would not get out. I thought the only way to get at the ball was chop down in the grass and stick it in there and hope I get enough on the ball to pop it out of the thick stuff and let it chase down the hole. And it came off just beautifully. I could have collected some of the debris there and had a nice salad. Add some salad dressing, it would have been a nice salad.

DAN FORSMAN: You're very kind to say that. I'm quick to add or tell you that I missed the cut here last year.

DAN FORSMAN: Well, yeah, but as we all know in golf, that sobers you up in a quick time. And for me, it made me realize that I want to play well -- all of us do. And I look at the scores today: 6, 5, 6, 5, 5, 5, (-under), there's guys -- there's a great field here, Duval, Mickelson; Tiger isn't here. You've got to great players here. And the answer to that question is probably I had good feelings in the past. I certainly was excited the one year I played with Azinger and he won it. I had a chance to there. I think three -- couple other times pretty close. I always enjoy coming no New England. I like this area. I've always liked the golf course. I feel like it's in a great spot, and they treat us so well, and the Jaycees do a great job and I feel good here. I guess in a sense I feel at home. At peace. Until 18, that is. I was not at peace there.

DAN FORSMAN: Well, it's raining, and then you had no wind, and greens that were receptive, and kind of guys -- I don't know what it is about it, but it seems like guys get off at 6-under and everybody says: 6-under you've got to get to 5, get to 6. It's like the first lap of the -- whatever they call it, the 1500-meter. You've got to stay with the pack, you know, and I don't know what that's about. But I think that if the wind kicks up, the greens dry out, 6-under, 8-under, 10-under, 12-under is going to be a great score, for four days. So the fact that you have 6-under here today, under ideal circumstances, and nobody really went low. I mean, today was the day you could shoot probably 62, because there's no wind, the greens were holding, etc. But as we all know, that wind starts kicking up, the greens dry out, it gets to be a real challenge. Even today, the greens were pretty firm and pretty slick around the cup, and that was with overcast most of the day and a lot of moisture in the air. And all it would take is some wind and dry greens, and I tell you, this course will show itself in a big time -- 7-, 8-under, 12-under might win the tournament, or less. Now it stays like this and the rain sprinkles at night it might get to 15 -, 18-under, who knows. But it's always lived up to the challenge, this course. I think this year will be no exception to that.

DAN FORSMAN: They really were. Very receptive. Some good pins but they weren't -- they weren't tweaking it by any means. The pin on 17 down left front; that's a bowl. 16, middle of the green. There's a lot of pins out there where they can really dress it up.

DAN FORSMAN: Yeah, I've been finding you -- I don't know what it's been, I watched Tiger Woods, you always tune in to the guy that's hot, what he's doing. He's so centered over the ball, it looks like he's right on top of it, and he does these things that really allow him to get through it, clear the left hip. I'm sort of trying to pay attention to him. I've had some discussions with some other guys about how to clear the left, put the club down the line and so on. And then I made the realization after missing the last two cuts, Kemper and Memphis, I have to play my game. I can't -- it's easy to get caught up in what other people are doing. I got to where I was on top of the ball and I was reverse pivoting to try to get my momentum behind it so I could get through it. All of the sudden these last few days, I started saying -- over the weekend, I said, I've got to get back here where it feels like I'm way on my right leg allows me to get behind and get the good shoulder turn. You can see if you're sitting here, I don't know where to go. If I go from here back, I'm swaying, and just a little subtlety that seemed to really help. I think it's -- but it's fundamentals, you know, and I know it's confidence. If you've got confidence -- my fundamentals are pretty solid, alignment and grip. But one or two other things, head position, centered -- I've heard this said and I've sort of thought about of it late last weekend and into this week: I'd say the majority of the problems for players is in the setup, I really believe that. And I think if we refine the setup, get the guy in good position, or gal, and good position, whatever, they can play the game. But if you're out of position from the get-go, we've all seen the amateurs. They are in there, the guys are falling back, big banana, but if you got them set, I can tell you right now, you put an amateur guy in, any young junior player in that right setup, that is ideal for them, good positions, from there, it's pretty much a one-two, buckle-my-shoe, let-it-rip. Setup is the key guys, and gals.

DAN FORSMAN: My kids really don't care. (Laughter.) No, I mean they do care. They want to see me do well. I guess the answer to that question is I want to play well for them, but I want to play well for me, and if I play well for me, that will be good, because they will look in my eyes and they will see your countenance is positive and you look happy; and I'll look at them and say I am. I'm at peace. And when you're out of sync and you're a little bit stressed and you're a little bit irritable, it's like, what's the matter, we've all been there all of us have; and it's real. Those are tough times, but the key is to kind of keep that, what do you call it, just a good attitude, and be polite and be able to congratulate others on success and be thrilled for them, because hopefully, one day, we'll all have that shot and that's my hope.