Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Interview With David Barrett
Aired June 14, 2003 - 12:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Golf's big names and low scorers are taking to the course, rather, at this hour, for the U.S. Open, round three. We get the latest now on the leader board from CNN's Josie Karp at Olympia Fields country club in Illinois. Hi, Josie.
JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fredricka. The leaders will tee off a little later this afternoon. I am joined now by David Barrett, a senior editor with "Golf" magazine. And the name -- the co-leader on the top of that leader board is Vijay Singh. He's a name that's been in the news a lot lately because of the controversial comments that he made about Annika Sorenstam. David, are you surprised that he's been able to play some of the best golf of his career amid this controversy?
DAVID BARRETT, "GOLF" MAGAZINE: Frankly, I am not too surprised, knowing Vijay. He's always had the ability to focus. It's all about golf for Vijay. That's the most important thing, and his relations with the immediate have always been kind of frosty. This is just kind of taking it to another level.
KARP: Lurking right behind Vijay Singh and Jim Ferk (ph), the other co-leader, Tiger Woods, always in it. He's three back right now. Tell me what you think of the strategy that he took out here, the first day, how it might be changing and what you think his chances are to repeat?
BARRETT: Tiger was a little bit more conservative than some of the other players in the first round, with the greens being soft. Others have been firing at the pins more, but the first day he apparently felt his game wasn't quite as sharp. They shot even par 70 yesterday. It was a little more aggressive, shot 66. If the greens stay firm, I look for him to be maybe even a little bit more aggressive today.
KARP: Sounds like Tiger is still in it, definitely has a chance. How about Tom Watson, the feel good story of day one, the 53-year-old with the caddy who is fighting for his life? He's four shots off the lead. Is there any realistic hope that he could win this tournament?
BARRETT: I don't know, it would be a great story, one of the best stories ever. But it's awfully tough when you get above 50 to keep it going for four rounds at the U.S. Open, a demanding course, even though the scores are a little lower than usual, it's still tough to put four good rounds together. KARP: David, thank you very much for your time. We are going to be back a little later, around the time that the leaders tee off and talk a little bit more about what to look for today and tomorrow, including maybe about Jim Ferk (ph), a guy maybe a lot of people don't know a whole lot about -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, and you'll be filling us in, and we'll check with you a little bit later when there is a leader board on which to check in on. All right, thanks a lot, Josie.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 14, 2003 - 12:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Golf's big names and low scorers are taking to the course, rather, at this hour, for the U.S. Open, round three. We get the latest now on the leader board from CNN's Josie Karp at Olympia Fields country club in Illinois. Hi, Josie.
JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fredricka. The leaders will tee off a little later this afternoon. I am joined now by David Barrett, a senior editor with "Golf" magazine. And the name -- the co-leader on the top of that leader board is Vijay Singh. He's a name that's been in the news a lot lately because of the controversial comments that he made about Annika Sorenstam. David, are you surprised that he's been able to play some of the best golf of his career amid this controversy?
DAVID BARRETT, "GOLF" MAGAZINE: Frankly, I am not too surprised, knowing Vijay. He's always had the ability to focus. It's all about golf for Vijay. That's the most important thing, and his relations with the immediate have always been kind of frosty. This is just kind of taking it to another level.
KARP: Lurking right behind Vijay Singh and Jim Ferk (ph), the other co-leader, Tiger Woods, always in it. He's three back right now. Tell me what you think of the strategy that he took out here, the first day, how it might be changing and what you think his chances are to repeat?
BARRETT: Tiger was a little bit more conservative than some of the other players in the first round, with the greens being soft. Others have been firing at the pins more, but the first day he apparently felt his game wasn't quite as sharp. They shot even par 70 yesterday. It was a little more aggressive, shot 66. If the greens stay firm, I look for him to be maybe even a little bit more aggressive today.
KARP: Sounds like Tiger is still in it, definitely has a chance. How about Tom Watson, the feel good story of day one, the 53-year-old with the caddy who is fighting for his life? He's four shots off the lead. Is there any realistic hope that he could win this tournament?
BARRETT: I don't know, it would be a great story, one of the best stories ever. But it's awfully tough when you get above 50 to keep it going for four rounds at the U.S. Open, a demanding course, even though the scores are a little lower than usual, it's still tough to put four good rounds together. KARP: David, thank you very much for your time. We are going to be back a little later, around the time that the leaders tee off and talk a little bit more about what to look for today and tomorrow, including maybe about Jim Ferk (ph), a guy maybe a lot of people don't know a whole lot about -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, and you'll be filling us in, and we'll check with you a little bit later when there is a leader board on which to check in on. All right, thanks a lot, Josie.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
