WGC ANDERSEN CONSULTING MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

February 25, 1999

Shigeki Maruyama

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I really love Match Play.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: There is two points. The first point is he can focus, just one person, instead of worrying about whole big tournament. It is just concentrating, fighting with one person, and I like that concentration. And the other fact that I like is in each hole, the result comes up like right away; so, when I make some mistake or something, I can just switch into -- gearing up for the next hole and I can change my mood and just keep going playing.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Tee shot and putting. I played good fairway, and also when my opponent played really well, I played well too. I just kept up with each hole and I just had a good time playing today.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I used to play Match Play a lot when I was in the university, and also when I became a pro -- I won the Japan Match Play and I have lots of confidence, and I really love Match Play.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: It was 1997, two years ago. I played with Peter Teravainen.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I am really good at the golf conversation. I am really specializing in that one, but otherwise I just smile a lot.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I carry a brand named Paradiso. It means "Paradise." It is Paradiso in Italian. The designer folks, kind of Japanese taste, in liking a lot of different colors, very colorful colors and Paradiso Resort was kind of their focus. And they use a lot of colors, kind of happy mood, kind of thing. They have a theme every year. This year the theme is of Bora Bora Island. Each year, the designer takes a theme of a different island resort, and they come up with different design and different focus of colors. All the Americans tease me because it is colorful in styles, my bags and t-shirt; so I decided to go black and white this year. Every single one of them tease me.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I like Michael Jordan for many different reasons. First of all, when I became a pro, I was 23. And so that is about the same time Michael Jordan became a pro and I really feel close when I hear about him and his interviews; so I really feel close to him because of the different reasons.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Yes.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: No, I have never met him, but I am desperate to meet him.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Handicap? Half 5 -- total 10.

Two years ago I went to Michael Jordan store in Chicago. That is one of the most happiest time I have ever had. I bought my shoes and clothing, and I ate cheeseburger there, and it was delicious.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: In Japan, there is like a really less interest in knowing about what is going on in The Presidents Cup in general. So it really didn't do much for me. But I realized that there is a lot more people paying attention to Presidents Cup nowadays; so it is kind of medium. They don't do too much, but it wasn't nothing.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I am much more self-confident because of the fact that I won, and also I am more confident because a lot of people recognize me as a winner. So my confidence is becoming more like deep-rooted in myself, and I feel better about that.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I was ten. When I was little, my father really loved golf and I loved my father; so I decided to have the same interest as my father. That is how I got involved with golfing. But once I got involved, I was hooked and I really, really liked playing golf as much as I loved my father.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: It means a lot to me, because the reason why I wanted to become a pro is when I saw Tom Watson winning the same game in 1981 and it just has that much closer meaning to me because of that memory, and the memory of deciding how -- how I decided to become a pro. The second part of the question, the meaning of winning in the United States, because a lot more Japanese people are interested in baseball than in golf; so unless I win really big-time, it is not going to mean that much. And win like domestic Japan for myself, it means a lot more to me. I don't really care how I am going to be recognized in Japan. At this point, it really means a lot to me and my self-esteem.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: No problem. I want everyone to think I am a really funny guy. (laughs).

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Before I played golf, I used to play baseball. I quit right after.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: Tom Watson.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: The 1st hole, tee shot, driver. The second shot pitching sand wedge, 56 degrees. Second shot, pitching sand wedge. It is about 3 meters (ten feet). . No. 6, tee shot, driver. Second shot, sand wedge, a meter and a half (five feet). 8th hole, tee shot, driver. Second shot, a pitching sand, the same one I used in the first hole. Second shot, about six meters (20 feet). 12th hole, tee shot, driver. Second shot, 2-iron, semi-rough, front edge; chip, maybe three feet. No. 14, 5-iron about five feet. 5th, 3-wood. Second shot, 9-iron second shot about six meters (20 feet).

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: No bogeys.

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: 169 centimeters (appxly 5' 7"). 83 kilograms (appxly 182 lbs).

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I am not going to be surprised but I am going to buy a house before I leave the states. (laughs).

SHIGEKI MARUYAMA: I will think about it.