Q. You’re to play your way in. How much was that on your mind the final few holes?
HEATH SLOCUM: The funny thing is, what I’ve been struggling with all year, being consistent with the putter. Just kind of get things going my way. Three really good days — four, really. Going very well yesterday.
Come the break and kind of missed the putt and missed another putt and before I know it, I don’t know how close I am, I know I’m getting — then you see all the people behind the green and you know they’re there for a reason.
I really thought I probably need a par at the last and then when I missed that, I mean I was like, I mean — obviously they’re all important. I’m trying to make them not only to improve my standings to maybe get in The Playoffs but every little point helps, every little dollar helps. As soon as I saw you guys start inching around, I knew it was getting close.
Q. You did play well. You were able to play your way in. Moving forward, what does that do for your confidence that you had to get it done and you were able to do it?
HEATH SLOCUM: I think I’ve been playing a little better lately. I’m going to take that away as encouraging. Kind of just take the finish and just put it aside. I have life next week. I’ve been there before. It’s a course I’ve played before.
And, like I said, my game really does feel like it’s kind of rounding out, getting a little more consistent. The putter is starting to feel better. I didn’t make anything today. Kind of dreadful. Again, I’m just happy to move on at this point.
Q. With that little bit of confidence, the injection you got for the last three, four days you’ve been in this situation before and you’ve been able to capitalize. Do you draw on your experiences from 2009?
HEATH SLOCUM: Absolutely. I’m going to try and I said it before, I think that what I did last time kind of frees you up. You really have nothing to lose. That was the best thing I did in ’09. I remember I went into that week just completely free, no expectations. I just went and played golf. I got in my own way.
Kind of the same situation I’ve gotten myself into this year to get to this point. It’s a lesson to be learned from. If I can execute, obviously a W would be fantastic but at this point, I’m just trying to kind of get things better on track and kind of get to playing the golf that I’ve been playing in my career and that I expect from myself.
Q. How were the greens this morning?
HEATH SLOCUM: I think they were — I don’t say they were different. They were actually — if I had to guess, I think they were faster than they were when we left yesterday afternoon for sure. That was kind of noticeable on my second shot — actually my first.
I putted in off the green on 14. But I kind of just had a three footer. I was kind of a little bit aggressive with it. I’m a pretty aggressive putter.
Hit the high lip and went six feet and I didn’t hit it that hard. These things are rolling out pretty good. Then I left a couple short and I get to 16 and, again, I thought I had a pretty good lie and could be a little aggressive with that and I paid for it there.
So, hit a good putt on 17, just not enough speed. 18, just any kind of pressure, you got that kind of breaker just trying to get it going and I just didn’t get it quite high enough.
Q. I won’t say easier but in 2009 you missed the cut. Your wife was checking the scores while you were playing with the baby.
HEATH SLOCUM: That was way worse. At least you have some kind of control here. Say that as I’m spiraling but it’s funny how golf, sometimes the momentum, you miss one putt, couple errant shots.
I hit a good drive off 18 and thought I hit a pretty good second shot, hit it solid, kind of the shot I wanted to play and it’s ten yards short.
Then trying to get this chip — you know, I’ll be honest, trying to kind of make it but very worse you’re trying to give yourself a nice little chip-in or putt, downhill, 5-footer, foot of break is not fun.
Q. How much were you watching the scoreboard?
HEATH SLOCUM: Wasn’t a lot, really wasn’t. I kind of knew — you know, especially going into yesterday, I felt I was playing well. I just kind of had just, I won’t say cruising along, I kind of had pretty good control of everything. I was just playing golf.
Then this morning like I said couldn’t get anything going and before you know it — like I said, when you see people showing up and you’re even par, you’re 30th in the field, you know something is going on.
I remember a couple years a ago at Disney I was trying to finish 30th on the money list. I get to the last and bunch of media out there. I’m like finishing 52nd in the event. This is going to be close.
They wouldn’t be — they’re here for a reason. They want to talk to you after. I ended up making a 7-footer to like edge out by $1,400 over J.B. Holmes. Seeing everybody there I was like already, it’s going to be close.
Q. Were people reminding you of your standing all week?
HEATH SLOCUM: I’m on Twitter and have people come on, playoff and everything. I knew it was going to be close from the very beginning. I think 128th starting the week and what I remember from ’09 is that every shot matters. Everybody is saying I’m in now but it’s funny how I guess there’s still golf out there.
I don’t know how things play out. Maybe the numbers say-so but I just remember ’09 I was in, I was out, I was in, I was out, I was out. Like I got to get out of this, I’m starting to go crazy.
Q. You get in contention, to feel that again.
Is this week almost kind of like that, where it’s a little more pressure where the field — does it help you kind of going forward?
HEATH SLOCUM: I’ll be honest, I think we play golf for that kind of feeling. I’d miss it. I’ve had, you know, a few years now since ’10 really, gotten myself in contention so I miss it.
That’s what you miss most is playing good golf and kind of having a knot in your stomach. I know it means something to really get the juices flowing, absolutely.
It felt good to play well four days. I had five kind of, you know, not to great holes coming in today but it felt good to play four solid days.
Q. We thought you were in control, your body motions said otherwise, maybe. Were you feeling anymore pressure because of where you were in the FedEx?
HEATH SLOCUM: Yesterday for sure. Today obviously I was probably just from kind of the snowball effect of where I’ve been and whatever, absolutely.
Yeah, you come to this game with emotions and passion. I love it. Whatever I do, yes. Yesterday I felt great, though, I really did. I felt like I was going to go out and play a good round yesterday and I’ll be honest, I felt like that way this morning. I felt good. My warm-up was good, everything.
That’s just kind of where it’s been this year and last year, just trying to get some momentum and keep it going.
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