THE MODERATOR: Ladies and
gentlemen, we're pleased to have Tom Lehman with us in the Media Center. Tom shot 2 under today, ending up 8 under for
the championship, another top ten.
Tom, you had a clean card
today. You made a charge at the end,
just a great week overall.
TOM LEHMAN: Yeah, it was a good week. I think I should start by congratulating
Roger. What a brilliant performance, to
shoot 66 on what was a very difficult day.
It was no bargain out there with the wind and the way the greens were
really firming up and baked up.
The course was set up
beautifully. I think the USGA did a
tremendous job of letting the greens be at just the right speed. Any faster, and it would have been
silly. But they were just right. Just right.
My hat goes off to the course setup.
As far as my game goes, I played
well. I played liberally. I played hard. I didn't maybe hit it as close as I need to. I missed some greens. Hit some shots that ended up going a bit long
coming in.
That's kind of what you get in a
tournament like this. It doesn't always
turn out the way you want it to. You've
got to be satisfied with just your best effort.
Q.
Tom, can you put in perspective what Roger has done these past, what,
six, seven weeks?
TOM LEHMAN: He's won twice in majors. Well, it's been done. I remember a couple years ago Bernhard won
back to back the Senior British Open and the Senior U.S. Open. It's not like it hasn't been done before, but
it's incredibly difficult to do it.
And so to win the PGA and then to
win this week, it takes a huge effort.
It takes a lot of good stuff. For
him, he's going to play a whole bunch of majors next year. The U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, and the
five out here. Who knows, maybe he'll
win the Senior British Open, and he'll play eight majors next year. That could be the greatest schedule of all
time.
Q.
The putt on 18 ‑‑ I'm sure you knew this. Did you know the situation behind you, that
Roger was way up the fairway? So you got
to be thinking that you make that and you've got a chance in the playoff?
TOM LEHMAN: Really a tough putt, though. It broke about ten feet up and over the hill
and breaking left. It's all about just
getting the speed perfect. I hit a good
putt, just a hair shy on the speed.
I was happy with the putt. It was a really tough putt. I was disappointed with the fact that a
second shot went past the hole. I didn't
think there was any way to hit that club that I hit past the hole. I was a bit surprised at that. I thought I was going to have about a 12, 15‑footer
straight up the hill from the right side.
Ended up being 25 feet up and over a hump, 10 feet of break.
Q.
Tom, when a guy like Bernhard comes out here and wins senior majors, or
yourself or Corey, guys who have won a lot of tournaments and majors, from your
perspective, somebody like Roger who really hasn't won a lot ‑‑ once on
the European Tour over the years, and he comes out here. I guess that's what I was getting at is. How different is that?
TOM LEHMAN: I don't know his record that well, so I guess
I apologize for maybe not understanding.
I've competed with him at times over
in Europe, and I've always been impressed with his game. So I guess my perspective is I'm not
surprised. I'm not surprised that he's
winning because. He looks and he plays
like he's capable of winning all the time.
To me, I'm continually impressed by
the scores that are shot out here on this Tour with the pressure on and tough
conditions. Like it was definite U.S.
Open conditions. Granted, the course
wasn't as long as maybe the other U.S. Open might be, lacking about the 300
yards but it was still firm fairways and greens, and the wind, and guys going
up and shooting 66 and 68 with the pressure on them.
I think it's just a real testimony
to their determination and their fortitude, course management, experience and
guts. I really, really hand it to them,
a lot of guts.
THE MODERATOR: Tom, you head over to the open now. What do you take from this championship in
preparation for the British?
TOM LEHMAN: I need to start hitting it a little more
solidly, more consistently. I was still
enough off this week to be just trying to get the ball on the green a lot, just
trying to get the fairway a lot versus really dialling in and trying to knock
the pin.
I need to get this last little bit
of fine tuning for next week.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on a great championship.
TOM LEHMAN: Thank you.
I would echo Fred's words about the course and the city and the
hospitality. It's been A‑plus. Thank you.