Q&A with TIGER WOODS

August 15, 2003

TIGER WOODS: Made my way around the golf course pretty good until the end. I made bogey at 16 and bogey at 18, both with wedges in my hand, which is very disappointing.

Q: You seemed to drive the ball a lot better today.

TIGER WOODS: My whole game felt better, but a couple bad ones here and there. But felt a lot better about my game today.

Q: The announcers on TV were talking that it seemed like when you had a wedge in your hand, you were not getting it as close as you needed to or wanted to; problems with wedges today?

TIGER WOODS: I didn't control my distances well today, and consequently, I was always in a bad spot. When I was in an aggressive situation, I didn't hit it close and I put myself under a lot of pressure.

Q: What hole was it that you made a phenomenal par?

TIGER WOODS: I hit a pull-hook off the tee, and hit a 5-iron that buried in the bunker and then just blasted out to about 25 feet and made it somehow.

Q: That was phenomenal.

TIGER WOODS: One of those things that you have to make putts. I was able to make that one, but I really putted well the first two days. I just never put myself in position to make birdie putts unfortunately.

Q: Those 4- and 5-footers, you started making those.

TIGER WOODS: I've been putting well all summer long. I felt real comfortable over that putt, but again, I had a pitching wedge in my hand, I thought it was going to fly, second shot and it didn't fly. Consequently, it came up short. Again, it was another wedge that I should have put on the green, but instead, I'm trying to get up-and-down for par and really working to try and save a shot.

Q: Were the greens getting lightning fast?

TIGER WOODS: They were quick but not that quick. They are getting bouncy now, bumping you all over the place. You can hit a putt and it will kick off-line with all of the footprints out there.

The poa is growing, so you'll see a lot of putts wiggle. David Toms hit some great putts today, but they just catch some of the poa patches that kick it off line.

Q: 72 is not bad considering everybody is dropping around you.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I bogeyed the last with wedge in my hand, not real happy about it.

Q: You were frustrated today, more so today?

TIGER WOODS: More so today, just because -- when you have wedges in your hand, you feel you should make a swing that's going to get you in birdie range, and I thought I did that today. I made good swings to put myself in birdie range. Like on the last hole, I made a good swing, but it flies over the green. I thought I hit a good shot into 16 and it just spun off the green and it was a really tough situation to get up-and-down.

I thought I hit good shots, but didn't hit it close and that's disappointing.

Q: Any other places you had wedge in your hand and it didn't happen for you?

TIGER WOODS: There were a few here and there. Overall, I just didn't hit the ball in birdie range. Heading into tomorrow, I just need to give myself some looks at the putts.

Q: Talk about 4.

TIGER WOODS: 4, I hit a good drive and I hit a great 3-iron up there. It flew actually 248, had a really tough shot right up against the collar, right up against the deep stuff. It rolled down there to about two feet and made that. I hit two of the best shots I've hit all week, a really tough up-and-down, kind of indicative of how today went.

Q: Do you think the course is going to stay as tough tomorrow?

TIGER WOODS: No, it will be tougher, which is fine. You just know that you have to be very patient and that if you can somehow get back to near par, you'll have a chance of winning the tournament.

Q: So even par come Sunday afternoon --

TIGER WOODS: That will win easily. If it stays like this and they don't cut the rough anymore. It's going to be hard to get the ball close.

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