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NORTHERN TRUST OPENFebruary 11, 2014Harold Varner IIIPACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA LAURA NEAL: Thank you so much for your time, and congratulations on receiving the exemption. If you can just open you by telling us when you heard you were getting in and what your thoughts are coming to play at historic Riviera for the Northern Trust. HAROLD VARNER III: I was very fortunate. I was playing TPC Sawgrass, literally and I got on the phone with the CEO of Northern Trust and he asked me, would I want to play, and I was like, yes, why would I with not. So, it's pretty cool. I'm excited. I have to thank Northern Trust for giving me the opportunity. I have to thank Charlie Sifford and the guys who came before they because this would not be possible without them. They went through a lot and I just have to make the most of it. LAURA NEAL: And you played yesterday in the Pro‑Am, maybe just give us your thoughts on the course itself. HAROLD VARNER III: Oh, the course is good. I played here in 2012 for the National Championship and the rough was a little bit longer because we played in May, and I will‑‑ I'm excited. It's good. It's in really good shape. Q. Can you talk a little about the last couple of days and being out here with guys that, you know, you watched play all this time and what it's been like since you've been here? HAROLD VARNER III: It's really cool. I played in the Open last year and that kind of took me away a little bit. I was kind of starstruck, so this time, I'm ready to compete. I mean, they are good, but I want to be here. This gives me the best chance to compete against the best, so I want to be ready. So I have to focus on the things that I need to do play my best. So, it's cool, I'm excited. Q. What would make this week a success for you? HAROLD VARNER III: If I won. No, I know, it's just‑‑ yeah, that's got to be the goal. It sounds cliché because that's what everyone says but I think I'm capable. I know I'm capable, so I need to do it. Q. Have you gotten any advice from some of the guys on TOUR? HAROLD VARNER III: None out here. I play a lot of golf with Lee Janzen so he's been very, very good at just mentoring me, giving me just some tips, just knowing that you just need to play your game, your game, it's good enough. So I just need to be patient and take advantage. Q. How's your short game? HAROLD VARNER III: It's good. That's what it boils down to, if you can get it up‑and‑down. The rest is history so I'm going to try to hit it as far as I can and try to get up‑and‑down every time I miss a green. That's my game plan. The rough's not that thick, so just go do it. Q. Have you had any problems with the kikuyu? HAROLD VARNER III: I have not but when I played in the National Championship I did. It was a lot longer. Now, I don't know, I guess it's cooler so they can't really grow it very long but it's different to say the least. Seems like it took over out here. Q. Is there a player on the PGA TOUR who you want to model your game after or you think you're similar to in terms of how you play the game? HAROLD VARNER III: I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. I'm not a big‑‑ I don't really watch a lot of golf. I just like to play. Watching golf's not very‑‑ I think it's not very entertaining. I'd much rather watch LeBron, like, play (laughter). Q. Is that your favorite sport, basketball? HAROLD VARNER III: I would say so. It's very entertaining. Just freak athletes running up‑and‑down the court's pretty cool, rather than watching golf balls fly in the air. (Smiling). Q. So if basketball is your favorite sport, how did you get into golf? HAROLD VARNER III: My dad. My dad got me started when I was like two. You know, that little Fisher Price clubs when they use to be in the little blue tubes and had the little yellow plastic clubs. Got me started with those. And then when I was like four or five, he got me a 5‑iron that was cut down. And then when I was like in the eighth grade, I never got tall enough to play basketball or play football, so golf was kind of‑‑ I enjoyed it. I had a of opportunity, in Gastonia, they had a muni and I loved it. LAURA NEAL: Maybe talk to us about your decision to move to Jax Beach; some us who work for the TOUR obviously know it's a great place to live, but what brought you down there. HAROLD VARNER III: The obvious one would be to save money. But playing out of TPC is nothing better with. Don't have a practice facility like that back home. It's snowing in Gastonia it's not snowing in Jacksonville. Those would be my main two. There's a good group of guys. They like to practice a lot. I don't like to practice. I like to play golf. It's just a good setup, it's a good airport to fly out of. I don't have to get there two hours early‑‑ and I still miss flights. It's okay. LAURA NEAL: You made this one here, so that was good. Q. Is there a part of your game that you think you need to work onto compete out here? HAROLD VARNER III: You can't putt it good enough, I don't think. I think you have to putt it good every time. Can't be streaky. So putting; if I can play good, I can play good, I can hit it any, where I can hit it out‑of‑bounds. I can still play good if I play good. It's a lot of common sense I think. We make the game difficult. LAURA NEAL: Thank you so much, good luck. We hope to see you back in here this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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