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TARGET WORLD CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY WILLIAMS


December 11, 2004


Jay Haas


THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Jay, thank you are for joining us, great start this morning, 32 this morning, and pretty nice position going into Sunday.

JAY HAAS: I've been fortunate the last couple of days to get off to real good starts, kind of took a little bit of the heat off, I guess. But played very well all three days, hit a lot of good shots. Made a couple of mistakes today that on 14 cost me; I missed the green on the short side there and didn't get up-and-down out of the bunker. But overall well I've driven the ball well and put it in position. With the lift, clean and place, you know, driving it in the fairway makes it a little bit easier. But it's obviously a pretty impressive leaderboard up there, so I don't think anybody is too intimidated seeing my name up there.

Q. Have you stopped trying to figure out what's going right with this remarkable year, and just saying, okay?

JAY HAAS: Well, I guess I don't feel like it's been luck. I think that -- you know, I don't know how to answer that other than I've worked hard, I've continued to work hard at it and I guess I don't think -- people have made a big deal out of 50 and 51 and all that stuff, and I don't feel that it should really be a factor. I can walk 18 holes and I can swing the club. You know, somebody told me one time, "The ball doesn't know your name, it goes right where you hit it, it doesn't matter who you are." If you hit it close, it goes close. It doesn't go closer because you're Tiger or Jack or whoever.

And so, you know, I've enjoyed doing this. Obviously it's been an unbelievable couple of years here and everything, but I guess I'm not shocked by it, or I haven't really thought in terms of, I don't know however you said it there, just let it ride or whatever.

Q. Does play like this reconfirm your idea to really stick with the regular tour next year?

JAY HAAS: Well, you know, I did this at THE TOUR Championship. I had the lead going into the last day there and I felt like, you know, I could still do this. And then after Sunday's round, I feel like, you know, I don't deserve to be out here anymore; I suck. (Laughter.)

You know, I guess I still feel like I can hit the shots, still feel like I can compete with these guys, obviously. I'm a little surprised this week just because this course is playing so long and it seems to -- most golf courses cater to the longer hitter, and if you hit it long and straight, and I hit it medium and straight, you're going to beat me.

But, you know, scoring, I read Colin's comments that he can't drive it as good or his irons as good or putt as good or chip as good as Tiger and everything, but he just has to outscore him, and I guess that's kind of the mentality that someone like myself has to have.

Q. Do you have a fairly relaxed attitude while you're out there?

JAY HAAS: Yeah, I guess so. I feel like I have nothing to lose, nothing to prove. Obviously I want to play well and shoot a low score, but I play my best when I'm kind of free-wheeling it. I think a couple of years ago I started to play a little bit better, and I made a commitment to be committed to every shot, don't play a shot that you're not -- even if it's the wrong club, the wrong idea, whatever, let it go. You know, don't try to steer it, don't try to guide it.

Just a little example was 18 today, hit a beautiful drive and a couple of days in the Pro-Am in the first round, I hit full hooks up on the hillside there. So that to me was -- that was gratifying to hit a good drive there, pretty tough driving hole. That's when I play my best.

Q. Did you say you're starting at the Hope?

JAY HAAS: Maybe San Diego.

Q. Maybe San Diego?

JAY HAAS: Yeah, the week before. Now San Diego on the South, if you shoot a 70 or 71, you can make a little move. It used to be 70 or 71 was backing up. I don't mind a little extra length; I'm long. (Laughter.)

Q. So you'll play L.A.?

JAY HAAS: Yes.

Q. How much of a difference was it with lift, clean and place?

JAY HAAS: There are some fairways that are fine, but the 18th hole, had my ball been two feet to the right, I could have been in footprints, and I don't know if I could have gotten it over the water if we had been playing it down.

Obviously it's not going to rain and you don't have to worry about casual water and everything, but the fairways are very spongy and mushy. There's mud on your ball almost every time now. They say that's not the reason they play lift, clean and place, but there would be some pretty crazy shots out there. I mean, there are chunks of mud on the ball, not just a little bit, but who knows when they are going to do. It's the same for everybody, but I think the guys would like to just play like we've been playing.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Jay.

End of FastScripts.
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