NEC WORLD SERIES OF GOLF

August 29, 1998

Mark O'Meara

MARK O'MEARA: I played good today. I shot 5-under. I was very pleased with the way I played. I kept the ball in play. I made a couple of birdies out there on the par 3s. I made a couple of dumb bogies just off the edge of the green. On No. 3, I was on the front fringe, I made bogie. Kept hitting the driver with a 9-IRON iron, juiceing it off the green and I bogeyed No. 6 where I drove it in the rough, hit it just short of the green and didn't get up-and-down. Other than that, I played pretty well.

MARK O'MEARA: I feel very good. I like my chances. I know I'm probably going have to go out there -- if the greens stay the way they are, I'm going to have to go out and probably shoot another good score because these guys are turning it up. The little moisture that came in this morning made a huge difference. You give softer greens to these guys out here and they fire at the pin and the greens are receptive to the shots. You know, you're going to see a lot of birdies and that's what you saw today. Needless to say, John's round must have been pretty incredible. David's playing it pretty well out there.

MARK O'MEARA: Oh, yeah. He was birdieing every hole, John was. We were such -- we are such good friends, I was happy for him. That's a great round around this golf course, even if the greens are -- still not an easy course. Anytime you shoot under par at Firestone, no matter what the conditions are you've got to be happy with it.

MARK O'MEARA: I think it would mean a lot. He's had a couple of chances to win here and, you know, he grew up in this area and played this golf course quite a bit. I know that he will play hard tomorrow and try to give it his best. I think the key tomorrow is just remain patient and hang in there. Don't get frustrated. Can't get frustrated on this course. You've got to be patient and hang in there.