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Jesper Parnevik, 4-under-par 66

ON FIRST TRIP TO MILWAUKEE SINCE T3 in 1996

It's been awhile since I've been here, and I think I've been here only once, right? I was tied for the lead going into the last night of the tournament. I laid up to perfect sand wedge yardage. I hit a perfect sand wedge, the pin was about three paces from the front of the green, just over the bunker. It hit a sprinkler and went over the green and I ended up making bogey and missing the playoff. Maybe that's why I haven't been back for 11 years.

STATE OF YOUR GAME?

The game is getting a lot better. I've played better the last month, especially my iron game. Driving is still suspect at times.

DO YOU REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THE COURSE?

I remember it being much easier then. It played much shorter, the conditions were much harder. I don't remember the date we played then, but the rough was not very tall and the ball was running. I remember it being a birdie-feast. Now the rough is up, and if you don't hit the fairways, you're going to struggle to make par.

THE INJURIES -- WHY YOU ARE HERE?

That's one of the reasons I am here, I usually play in Europe for a month during the summer.

HOW DID THE INJURIES OCCUR?

The second tournament of the year, my daughter was having a nightmare, I ran into her bedroom, we had connecting rooms. I tripped over a suitcase and broke my right middle finger.

About two months ago, I was out with the boat, and I broke my little pinky toe on a case of beer. Two pretty silly injuries, but they made me play pretty bad golf.

GETTING HEALTHY?

I would say so. The toe is fine, the finger is still crooked but it doesn't hurt when I'm playing. It was tough to play with the injuries, I had to cut the toe of my shoe open to play. I knew I wouldn't play as well with the injuries, you lose some confidence when you go out there. Confidence is back to where I can shape the ball the way I would like. As long as I can shape the ball like I want to, I play pretty well.

Because of the injuries, I didn't play well early on. So I had to get some tournaments in this summer over here.

DID MISSING THE OPEN MOTIVATE YOU TO PLAY WELL HERE?

Probably subconsciously. That qualifier was tough. The toughest qualifier I've played in. I played really well to shoot 3-over-par. The USGA was there testing pins, I guess. I thought I made it but I missed it by two. Usually, if you play fairly well -- it's usually like making the cut on TOUR -- you would get in.

COMMENTS ABOUT GARY PLAYER'S STEROID COMMENTS?

I heard that. I thought it was a very silly comment. I don't know why he would say that. I pretty much know there is no steroid use on TOUR. I can't think of one person. It wouldn't benefit you at all. You look like a wrestler or a boxer, and you're not going to play better. You're going to play worse. Your touch is going to disappear, flexibility is going to disappear. Even if it was legal I don't think anyone would use them.

Robert Gamez, 5-under-par 65

ON THE ROUND

I played solid today. I hit the ball extremely well. Drove it well, missed just two fairways today. Missed two fairways today, missed the fairway on No. 1, which was my 10th hole, and missed the 17th fairway, hit the bunker off the tee. But I played a great round of golf. I missed a couple of short putts on Nos. 1 and 2 and really didn't make any long putts. I've been playing well, last week I struggled a little bit. But the last two months I've been playing well, I just haven't been making any putts.

HITTING THE FAIRWAYS KEY TODAY?

Definitely. We got lucky, the wind started to pick up when we made the turn. When we hit No. 3 (back nine), it was a gale pretty much the rest of the way in. But if you hit it in the fairway, you can attack some of these pins. But if you hit it in the rough, it's tough with some of these hole locations, they are on some crowns.

ON THE GOLF COURSE

It's definitely in the top five we play all year. They always have it in great shape, and the rough is always up. That's nice to see. We don't have enough rough on TOUR any more. Most of the time the courses are soft, set up for the long-ball hitters. This golf course is firm, and as long as the rain stays away, will get better as the week goes on. The greens were a little soft this morning, which was good to see. Hopefully they will firm up the rest of the week.

YOU'VE PLAYED WELL HERE.

I've had some good rounds here, but I need to put four of them together. Milwaukee has been a good town for me. I first came here in 1991, finished second, shot a 61 at Tuckaway (Country Club). I've had some good rounds at this tournament and this golf course. Like I said, this is a top five golf course, for me at least. This one, Colonial and Bay Hill. Bay Hill.

Bay Hill is a lot longer, but the other two, you have to hit it both ways, control your golf ball. You don't always need to hit driver, that's this golf course. That's the type of golf course I grew up playing, and we just don't play enough of it. Hit it 320 and go find it, if it is in the rough, you can still make birdie because the greens are a lot softer than when I first got out here.

ROUTINE ORIENTED HERE?

No, not really. I usually stay downtown at the Hyatt, but this year I'm staying right by Kopps. It's eating burgers at Solly's every day, just because I think it's great. I just love this golf course, that's the main reason I come here. Dan and Heidi are just wonderful, and the fans of Milwaukee love golf and they love us being here.

I have had some success here, and it would be nice to win on such a good golf course. It's always fun to win golf tournaments. I've won three events, one in Japan. To be able to play and win on a good golf course. I won at Bay Hill -- that's a course you can't just bomb it around. You have to hit good shots to win -- that really is fun.

GARY PLAYER'S COMMENTS ON STEROIDS.

I don't think it's that big a deal. There are a lot of guys working out and working hard. Golf equipment has gotten better. That's what happening. Being stronger won't help you make more putts. The more you work out, the more putts you're going to make.

Jeff Maggert, 7-under-par 63

OPENING COMMENTS

Obviously the way I've been playing, it is nice to get off to a good start. It was a very good day for me, considering how I've been playing. I've got a new set of irons in the bag this week, and changed my putter set-up a little bit, using a putter I've had for 15 or 20 years. I have memories there and started making some putts.

4-UNDER-PAR OVER LAST FOUR HOLES

I don't even want to know. The cut I might have made might have been the Colonial in Fort Worth. The equipment change, sometimes something like that takes your focus away from the negatives, puts some positive thoughts in your head. The putter was bigger than the irons. I lengthened my putter about ½ inch, and switched to an older putter I used to use quite a bit (PING Anser). I changed my stroke a little bit, got to thinking about making putts, instead of missing putts. Confidence more than anything.

MORE ON THE PUTTER

The putter I was using I won a tournament with last year, so sometimes it's more of a mental thing. I think lengthening the putter kind of helped my stroke. I was getting a little two wristy and I think the longer putter helped my wrists stay firm through impact. More confidence.

Nine times out of 10, you get on a roll, start making some putts. And you start thinking about making putts instead of missing putts. That's the biggest difference today than the last few months, not focusing on the negative things. Trying to get over the hump and trying to be more positive.

NEW IRONS

In the Pro-Am, yesterday was the first time I had a chance to use them. I made six or seven birdies and that was a good boost of confidence heading into today. they will probably be able to start ordering them in a couple of weeks, the public can. There are a few things they need to iron out before they start selling them.

It can be. I saw the prototype iron a few months ago, and I knew I kind of liked it. It was a good opportunity to change because I had been playing really poorly. If you are playing really well, you don't want to make a lot of changes. It was a good time to make the change with the irons and make a switch with the putter.

HOW DID THE POOR PLAY BEGIN?

For me, it usually starts with putting. If you are putting poorly, it puts a lot of pressure on the rest of your game. You feel like you really have to hit the ball close to the hole. If you are putting well, you're not too concerned if you are three feet or six feet on your chips, because you are going to make them. The same for the irons, just playing a little more aggressive, you think if you miss the green you are going to get up and down. For me, it all starts with putting. The confidence carries over to the rest of the game.

WOULD YOU CALL THIS A SLUMP?

It's probably me being 43 years old with five kids. My priorities are so much different now than what they used to be. My oldest son is off to college and I have twins that are 3-years-old. I have them spread out all over. I enjoy my time at home when I am not playing and I don't work on my game very much when I have time off. When I come out here and miss cuts, it takes a lot of preparation away from my game because I need to get out here and play tournaments and make cuts and play four rounds and get on a roll. When you get into a stretch where you miss cuts, it sets my game back.

It doesn't bother me, it's just a part of my life where it's harder to spend the time to work on my game. There are 200 young kids out here, trying to get out here and they work hard, they are young and strong. Sometimes it's hard to kind of keep up with those guys.

Brendon de Jonge, 7-under-par 63

OPENING COMMENTS

Felt good to finally play a good solid round. The wind really picked up on the back nine. The golf course is in great condition. The fairways are perfect, the greens are perfect, and there is some rough out there.

DESCRIBE YOUR GAME

Not very accurate off the tee. Kind of streaky with my putting, but obviously I played very well today.

SIMILAR TO ANY GOLF COURSES YOU GREW UP PLAYING?

One of the golf courses I grew up playing, was similar to this. Very tree lined, High rough. Very similar to that.

ON MILWAUKEE?

We went to the ballgame on Tuesday night. We had a great time. What an awesome place to watch a game. A couple of different places, Kopps. I've had a wonderful time so far.

ON FRIDAY

Hopefully keep on doing what I'm doing. It worked today. I can't get ahead of myself. Play well tomorrow and get myself in good position for the weekend. It's only Thursday, there is a long way to go.

PLAY AS OF LATE

I played solid last week the first two days, and hit the ball well on the weekend, but putted poorly. My game is starting to come around.

IS THIS A GOOD PLACE FOR YOUNG PLAYER?

Sure. Definitely. They have been talking about that this would be a good place for a young guy to get a win. It's a great chance for one of us to make a move.