WORLDCOM CLASSIC--THE HERITAGE OF GOLF

April 16, 2001

Billy Mayfair

BILLY MAYFAIR: Well, I think the hardest thing obviously - obviously the wind was the biggest factor out there. That wind was howling out there, at least 20, 25 miles an hour. We were hitting 8-irons into the green last night, 3-wood, 8-iron. We were hitting driver, 4 -, 5-irons into the green this morning. I think the wind played a big factor. Jose actually gave me a gift there on the first playoff hole by missing that little putt, and you know, I hit a great shot into 17. I put all the pressure on him that I could. He hit it in the bunker, didn't get it out on the green, made a great putt, and saved it for par. Give him credit for that. That up-and-down, I didn't see his lie all that much on 18, but I know he was standing in the hazard at least in the water there a little bit -- get that up-and-down for 4 is just incredible. So my congratulations to him. He played great. He played great on Saturday, and yesterday and, you know, congratulations to him.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I'd say probably 3, 4 feet. By him missing that, by me going back to 17 and hitting a good shot on 17, I put the pressure right back on him. He hit it in the bunker. I thought really I had a good chance on 17. Like I said, again the wind was really affecting all the putts. I think we were having a hard time, both of us, reading them. The putt yesterday on 17 broke left and today it just stayed dead straight because the wind was blowing. But I am happy with the week. I am happy with the way the year has gone for me so far. Hopefully I will get another chance this year sometime.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I hit my chip shot pretty good, kind of checked, and I thought that was because I was chipping into the wind and as fast as the putt was on 17 downwind, I thought that yeah, I had to hit it pretty firm on 18 with that wind, and, you know, obviously just hit it too firm; probably hit it 6 feet by, now putting back downwind, all that, just didn't hit a very good second putt there.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Oh, made one on 18 and one on 17, yeah, two great saves. Obviously if you are going to lose a playoff you'd like to lose to a birdie, but to have a 4 out there on 18 this morning isn't really all that bad, that is for sure. It is just you just never know -- I mean, he is sitting in the hazard on 2. I am off the edge of the green probably give me the advantage on 18 and I walk away losing. It is disappointing, very disappointing to me, but it was a good week, and all I can do is look forward to get ready for Houston next week.

BILLY MAYFAIR: No, not really. I was preparing for him to make it. You have to prepare. I was prepared for him to hole that bunker shot and have to make my putt. You always prepare for the person to make it, all that. When he did, I was ready to make my putt on 17 and he just hit a great putt. But no, I don't think it slowed any of my momentum down because I hit a good drive on 18 and actually good second shot on 18.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Obviously I walked over there to see where he was and I didn't even know if the ball was even playable. But I saw -- David told me he was going to have to stand in the hazard, ball was up, I said: Well, let us plan on him making 4, you have got to putt now, let's hit the best putt we can here. Maybe I was trying to make it, I don't know, reason why I hit it as firm as I did, I just thought we were putting into the wind and I know today hit it a little bit firmer. Obviously I hit it a little bit too firm.

BILLY MAYFAIR: He stood in the hazard. I don't know if his ball was in the hazard or not. I looked over there real quick saw where the ball was up. I went about my business.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I don't know, I mean, when you play -- obviously this was all Match Play out there. You kind of play with what -- score doesn't really matter, it is winning or losing the hole. Obviously I would have loved to have made that putt on 17 for birdie but I wasn't going to knock it five feet by either. Maybe I was a little bit more tentative than I would have been if it was in the middle of the tournament or stroke-play. But I was still prepared for him to make his par-putt there which he did.

BILLY MAYFAIR: No, not really. I was really going to see if he could even play the shot. I didn't know if he was down there. I know that is new down there this year if the ball was in the hazard, in the water, like that, I thought maybe he couldn't get it out. Once he got his stance and got it out I was looking at my putt over there. I just said even before he hit the cheap shot, I said: Let's hit the best putt we can and just worry about ourselves.

BILLY MAYFAIR: I don't know about aggressive. I just knew that the wind was blowing into us. I knew the green was firm, my chip came up short; his first putt there in the morning came up short so I knew it was a lot slower than maybe it had been. I just -- I guess I just caught it too solid, I guess and I knocked it 6 feet by and missed it coming back.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Obviously first PGA TOUR victory gets him a two year exemption out here on the PGA TOUR and he has obviously won now in the biggest Tour there is. It is great for him. He has got to be very proud. His country has got to be proud of him. Like I said, I would have loved to have won. I give him just all the condolences and congratulations in the world. He is the winner and you know he is going to be out here for a long time now.

BILLY MAYFAIR: Thank you, Lee.