NCAA West Regional Media Day Quotes
May 9, 2008
2008 NCAA MEN'S GOLF WEST REGIONAL
Gold Mountain Golf Club; Bremerton, Wash.
Media Day Quotes
UW Head Coach Matt Thurmond
Opening Statement:
"I'm really excited about the field that we have coming to Gold Mountain. The names that you see out there when you go down the list of the 27 teams - huge names, huge programs, extremely competitive teams. They (NCAA) changed how they select the fields this year. They used to do it by region where each region had a certain number of allocated spots and so some teams that maybe weren't quite as good because their region had a certain number of spots, were able to get in. This year they went to an all at-large field like they do with the NCAA basketball tournament where you have your automatic qualifiers and the rest are at-large. That's why as we went throughout the year we were always on the bubble. We didn't play as well this year as we have in the past and we didn't really know how things were going to shake out. In the past we would have known where we stood, so this year we were unsure throughout the year. What you find is that the quality of the fields are much deeper and I think that Washington at a No. 21 seed is probably the greatest 21 seed in the history of the NCAA Regionals and you see that in the other fields as well. So if you look at the names that we have coming in, all the best teams in the Pac-10 and it was a very strong year for the Pac-10 this year. You add Florida State, the ACC Champion from a great golf conference, you add teams like Texas who has an amazing history, Oklahoma is a big name as a No. 22 seed and has a very successful program, Texas Tech, Arizona State is the No. 10 seed and they're the Pac-10 Conference Champion, Clemson is another great program. It's going to be really neat to bring all these teams from around the country with so much history into our neck of the woods and show them how we do things around here.
"I'm thrilled for our team. In year's past, getting to the regional has kind of been a given, but for this group of guys and the challenges we had and the youth that we have, it was a real big accomplishment for us. We knew what we had to do and all year we said if we can just get to regionals, were going to advance (to the NCAA Championships). I think they really feel that. A big burden has been lifted. You can't imagine the pressure they have felt and I have felt as far as seeing hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours being put in to hosting this great event by our staff at the university and by the staff at Gold Mountain. Now we can relax and go play.
"Zach Bixler is our only player that's ever played a regional before, he's played in three straight - two of them we advanced and finished in the top ten at the NCAA's. Last year was the first time we've missed but now he brings a team of four other guys that have never been to the regionals and have just heard about it. I think the familiararity of Gold Mountain should help them feel comfortable and be successful. They will be wide-eyed, and really anxious, nervous and excited, but all those things are good things that will bring out the best in them. Tze Huang Choo, our freshman from Singapore, has really come on as of late. He played great at the Pac-10 Championships and was in the hunt to win that. He has played well in the past as he was here for the Amateur Publinks. He came over that summer and qualified at this site. We were out here during spring break playing in the snow, we were here in the fall for our Husky Invitational. We've come here most falls so we're feeling familiar with the course and comfortable with it.
"The course I think you'll find will play challenging. I think from what they say, the East Region will be a pretty easy course and you'll see some low numbers being shot out there - at Council Fire in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Ohio State's Scarlet Course is the Central Regional and it will be very difficult. Scores are always high there for the Nationwide Tour event. It has long, tough, high rough. At Gold Mountain, I expect the scores to be pretty high as a whole too. You'll see some individual scores probably under par and maybe some really good rounds because the fairways are wide enough and the par 5's are scoreable enough that you can get it going out here. But as a whole, with the greens, the pace they're going to be, the rough up, it's going to be a great test to golf and it will definitely separate the best teams from the others. With that I guess I will just open it up to questions."
Q: Will be there an advantage for the Northwest teams over even other West Coast teams on this course? You guys are used to these conditions, could you feel that someone up here who's played regularly or grew up here will have an advantage?
Thurmond: "I think so, I don't know how much. In years past maybe more, but nowadays with what the way these rosters are, most of these kids have played throughout the country and throughout the world. You'll be shocked at how many international players are here and how many kids from all over the world, all over Europe, South America, South Africa, some from Asia that have played in a lot of different circumstances. You look at a team like Florida State, and you think that's a tough deal for them. Well their best player is Jonas Blixt is from Sweden who has played all over the world, they are probably not going to be totally new conditions. That being, many of the teams, unless they've been up here, have not seen trees this height, and I know from the past Husky Invitationals, when people come here they are kind of blown away. It is a different look, it's a different feel. Maybe the travel distance has more of an impact on anything and the time change, but there will still be teams from the Southeast that don't play on greens this fast that often. They don't play in high grass rough that often, so I think there is an advantage, maybe not as big as it would have been five or ten years ago."
Q: Matt how often do you want to bring NCAA events out here and are you going to bid for an NCAA Championship someday?
Thurmond: "Yes, we are preparing a bid right now, for either the 2012 or 2013 NCAA Championship, here at Gold Mountain. We feel like this tournament right here and even each of you have a big role in whether or not we get that. The better job we can do with this event, the more media coverage, the more positive energy we can have around the event and for everyone involved, the greater likelihood of us being able to get that championship in 2012 or 2013. Additionally, and this is kind of interesting also, there has been a change in how regionals will be done. This is the last year that there will only be three regionals. Starting next year there will be six, so instead of three regionals with ten from each region, it will be six regionals with five from each region advancing. That's just another change they have voted on and as you're out here, you'll realize this is a massive event with a lot of players. Logistically its quite challenging so spreading the regions out, letting people travel less, making it easier to operate a regional was kind of the philosophy behind that. So next year that will be a change. We will always bid for Regionals. They probably won't give it to us every year, so we just hope every 4-5 years we can have it."
Q: How will the course look different from when Gold Mountain hosted the Publinks?
Gold Mountain's Scott Alexander: "The main difference is the third hole, we've added 48 yards to, it's now 481. Were trying to have the rough a little more severe than it was in the Publinks as well.
Q: Do you want to make this more challenging than the Publinks?
Alexander: "Yes, if the USGA had any concern, it was the rough wasn't quite what they wanted so I would say that going into those two events, we'd want the roughs at four inches."
Washington Senior Zach Bixler
Q: Thoughts on the Huskies getting a regional berth?
Bixler: "It was kind of relaxing to hear our name, and what (volunteer assistant coach) Scott (Alexander) said 10 minutes ago, we're tied with everyone else in the country right now. We have nothing to lose and it's our home course. Our season starts right now. We can forget about the past and just go for it."
Q: What are your thoughts on being able to play at one of your home courses?
Bixler: "Its going to be more fun than ever because there will be a bunch of spectators coming out top watch. Our families will be here so that should be fun. We should get have an advantage because we've played this course many times."
Q: With this being your last regional, what are you goals?
Bixler: "It's been a weird year because we've lost a couple guys early so we didn't really know how it was going to be. Not playing great has been a downer but if are able to make it through here and get to Nationals, this whole season would be a success. Personal goals? For me to play well enough to help our team get in and then the goals will take care of themselves hopefully."
Q: What are your thoughts on the field that's coming to Gold Mountain?
Bixler: "Great golfers are coming here, so were going to need to play well. But at any given time we can play well. We haven't shown it yet but hopefully it comes out next week."
Q: What are your thoughts on how the Pac-10 Championships went, thinking you needed to finish seventh or higher for a possible regional?
Bixler: "It was weird because in my four years it's the worst finish we've had in Pac-10s and it felt other than the time we won, that it was the biggest success because we were down. We had to make some shots coming in. We just came together as a team, even if it was for seventh, we pulled it out and that was nice to see."
Clemson Sophomore and Gig Harbor, Wash. Native Kyle Stanley
Q: Thoughts on coming back home?
Stanley: "I will have a lot of friends and family here so it is going to be a neat experience for me."
Q: How often have you played course?
Stanley: "Not that often, probably played it in the US Open qualifier probably four or five years ago and then played it two or three times since then, so about five times."
Q: Describe how your season has gone this year?
Stanley: "Its been going okay. I haven't played great but I've had five top-tens, so I've been in the hunt quite a few times. Overall I've played pretty consistently. The team has four second place finishes. We haven't won a tournament yet so hopefully we can find some form at Gold Mountain."
Q: Talk about the swing changes that you've gone through this year?
Stanley: "I started working on a few changes in mid September, trying to tighten it up a little bit, trying to get my back swing to a normal upright. Before it was pretty flat, so its just a matter of tightening up the swing a little bit and get my swing on the way back, getting it a little more upright."
Q: Are you still sleeping with your putter?
Stanley: "Every once in awhile."
Q: You're bringing your Clemson guys out here to the Northwest with the big trees and maybe wetter conditions than they are used to. Are your teammates asking you what it will be like? Will it be a shock at all for your team to play at a different course?
Stanley: "In terms of weather, its more humid where they are. In terms of the golf course, the lay out is a little bit different, the landscape, the trees, different grass. Down here you play a lot of Bermuda. But everyone is looking forward to it. I know Coach (Larry Penley) has been out to the area, but no one else on the team has, so I think they're all looking forward to it as well.
Q: Tell us a little bit about finishing second at NCAA's last year?
Stanley: "It was a good week, I mean finishing second I played great. My whole goal was just to see if I could get myself in position with three or four holes left to play and just battle and see what happens. Unfortunately last year didn't work out, Jamie played great, but the overall goal was just to get myself into position to win. Hopefully we will be able to do that again this year, but you've got to take it one step at a time just like last year. I have to go through Regionals, so my whole goal is to just play well next week and take it from there."
UCLA Head Coach Derek Freeman
Q: Did the No. 2 seed surprise you, please you, or what's your thought on the #2 seed?
Freeman: "I think that overall you know with USC beating us the last couple of times like they have, a two seed is fine. We just wanted to make sure that if we could stay in that one, two or three seed, we'd like to do that because those pairings are always pretty good. We actually thought we could be shipped off to one of the other regions. We thought that was a possibility so we are just very happy to be going up to Gold Mountain. We love the golf course so were happy about that."
Q: What do you think about the new selection process for Regionals?
Freeman: "I assume your talking about the 500 rule, and I think it's great. I'm in favor of it completely. I think as a coach my job is to No. one have these guys play the best competitive round against the best competitive field. and it's not going to change the way we structure our tournament. Because of that if we have a down year and are struggling to beat half the teams we play, then we probably don't deserve to play post season. So I'm in favor it. I think it's great. I think it weeds out probably some teams that needed to be weeded out. I really like it and because of that I think sometimes teams have to be very careful and hopefully we always stay on the positive side of that."
Q: How familiar are you guys with Gold Mountain?
Freeman: "I've been up there once. Most of my guys have played it. We were up there last year and had a team retreat before our first event and Scott (Alexander) took really good care of us, so the guys are really excited about coming up there just because it's a golf course they know is top notch. Its going to be in unbelievable condition and it's something that we are familiar with so anytime you can have something like that in a pressurized tournament like the regionals are, then were excited to be apart of it."
Q: Phillip Francis was probably the most highly touted freshman coming in, has he lived up to the hype this year?
Freeman: "I think if we took his name away from being Phillip Frances and he was a freshman, everyone would be very excited about what he's done and I'm excited. I think so many times some of these guys put expectations that are just a little bit above and beyond what needed to happen, although we've had two years in a row now that freshmen have come in and been player of the year so its not unheard of. But I think overall these players are coming to a brand new level and they're trying to make their games better, more solid. And college life is different than being at home and time management becomes an issue and these guys are trying to understand how to develop their games in the proper way that they can not only move from Junior golf and in Phillip's case one of the best records ever into a successful amateur and college life that will then in turn lead into the professional life. So I think he's had, I wouldn't say an outstanding year in any way, but I think he's had a good, solid year. He's had some very nice finishes and he's been a solid player and for him to come in here and be one of our best players it would have just been unbelievable. So i'm happy with what he's done and he's just going to continue to get better every single time he tee's it up."
Q: How about Kevin Chappell, can you talk about him?
Freeman: "Kevin is what every golf coach would love to have and his work ethic is so extremely good, he works harder than anyone else. He understands the game well enough that even when he's not playing well and something in his game is not 100 percent, he still can manage to play well. Just like at the Pac-10 Championship, he didn't play well by his standards but he still had an opportunity to win and that's something I try to stress to these guys and try to get them to understand that when your not playing your best, you still need to have an opportunity to win. When you can reach that level then that makes you a pretty special player. I told Kevin this, he understands his weaknesses, he understands his strengths and he's just an unbelievable player especially with what he's gone through this year. Right when we began the year he lost his brother, his only brother. He suddenly passed away and then when we were at Augusta State about a month ago, he lost his best friend from high school in a sudden death. So he's overcome a lot of things this year and I think its kind of put golf in perspective, so he understands golf on the golf course, but there are a lot of important things outside of golf and I think its really helped him.
