FUNAI GOLF CLASSIC AT WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

October 21, 2003

Shigeki Maruyama

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I am pleased for the victory last week. I am really happy now. I am really pleased.

Q. (Inaudible) a bunch of other great players haven't done what you have done. That's a pretty amazing feat. Wondering what you think about that.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: It's really hard to live in a foreign country without understanding the language and this is a fourth season and really happy to be -- my name is on that list, one of the four players, and the big names. Everybody understands, everybody knows it's really hard things to live in foreign country without understanding the language and I am really surprised of that result. Wasn't expecting to be able to win every -- once in a year last few years, so I am really proud of that result and try to play my golf from next year also.

Q. They said on television a couple of times last week that the Japanese players are some of the best bunker players in golf. Do you agree with that and if so, why do you think that is?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Japanese is good at doing like small little things too, like, for example, like cooking and stuff, they make very good food, so probably a bunker shot is a part of that one.

Q. I don't understand.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I know (laughs).

Maybe Japanese players are struggling hitting the ball from the grasses because different types of grasses from Japan. Bunker is the same sand and also I hit the ball -- I don't hit the ball straight all the time, so I practiced from the bunkers a lot, that probably came out this result. (Laughter) Same as Aoki, bunker shot very good.

Q. How is the win received back home?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: It was on the front page of the newspaper and the TVs and my phone didn't stop ringing after the round until like in the morning. I think it was big in Japan. I think everybody is happy. Everybody is proud of me in Japan now.

Q. So even though you have won three years in a row they haven't gotten tired of it, getting used to you being now; it is still a big thing?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: The first time is the biggest time, of course.

Q. Matsui or Shiegeki?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA:Matsui, of course. Everybody like baseball in Japan. Lots of fans, Ichi also.

Q. How exactly did you hurt your neck?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: When I start hitting the ball in the driving range, not going to stop until dawn and I practiced everyday all the time and when I woke up in the morning the muscle was (inaudible) -- I went to see the doctor, had X-rays, and my bone on the neck is straight - it's straight and all the shock damage came to the bottom and came to the shoulder and the holes which nerves coming out of the neck is really tight and I hit the bone somehow --

Q. When did it first happen?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: 1994. And every year is having that pain virtually like once a year, but next year it is two times and the year, three times, and this year I had it more, like injection, cortisone on my neck.

Q. Didn't you contemplate surgery at one point?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Of course I thought about operation, but bad place is in the front of the neck and he have to cut that front over here and I won't be able to play golf next two years. Still thinking about that one, but try to not to get the surgery and going to be a good friend with the injury, with the pain.

Q. Were you not in pretty bad shape last year at THE TOUR Championship and had a bunch of cortisone shots right before that? I remember that week you looked like a mess.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: At that time, yes, neck and shoulder, both. Shots in both.

Q. Has the injury caused you to lose any distance off the tee?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Of course I lost the distance when it happened, but at the moment, neck and shoulder, my body is in good condition, but still very hard to get wake up in the morning and going to sleep actually in the evening because it always happen in the evening when I woke up, so try to wake up like slowly in the morning and try to have like have a shower, hot shower about a half hour, 40 minutes with my neck and shoulder, and still I put ice on my neck and shoulder after practice, or after the round, all the time, three, four times in the evening.

Q. You do that everyday you play now?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Everyday.

Q. What was it like having the best putting week while playing with a guy known as the best putter on Tour, Faxon?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Everybody knows Brad is the best putting player and I knew -- was expecting when he hit the ball on the green that the ball goes into the hole. So I probably-- used to maybe just looking at his putting and his great putt that last week I was really having good golf and pretty confident in my putting also. So I tried to get the balls before Brad's gets in the hole, because I couldn't expect that he's missing the putt, so I am just thinking about putting the ball in the hole. That's all.

Q. Seem like the happiest guy out here and of all places, Disney. Don't you think it is a place you should win at some point in your career?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Of course I looked happy but everybody -- and this is the place probably, or one of the place to win also and but I am not really like the crowded place, like getting nervous when the people -- a lot of people surrounding me, but I am try to get to be happy this week also as well as last week.

Q. Do you have a message to Japanese fans about the great golf after your victory.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I will do my best each tournament definitely mostly focus to the major tournaments but now probably everybody knows they have a tournament every week, I will just try to win each tournament on the PGA TOUR and then go to get ready for the majors for the next year.

Q. If Tiger makes the cut this week it will be 113 in a row which ties the record. Your thoughts on do you think that will ever be reached by anyone else?

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Of course he's going to make the cut this week and I don't think anybody is going to ever break that record. Probably Tiger is going to keep going and make another record. Good luck to Tiger.

End of FastScripts.