AN INTERVIEW WITH: SLUGGER WHITE

Q. We heard that the play was suspended at La Quinta before it was suspended over here, is that correct?

SLUGGER WHITE: Probably, about, it was a difference of about 10 minutes, I think.

Q. The suspension basically because you had to suspend play at all three courses?

SLUGGER WHITE: Right. Exactly.

Q. Since none of us have been over there, how bad was it?

SLUGGER WHITE: It’s really bad. They got a lot of trees down. In fact, we’re sending some guys with some a crew with some chainsaws to cut the trees that are down and take them away. So it’s a mess. It’s a real mess.

Q. Do you know how high the gusts were?

SLUGGER WHITE: It was staying probably about 35 around here, I think down there as well. But they had micro bursts and just an estimation of like 40 , 50 mile an hour bursts.

Q. How much warning did you have? Did you know it was coming?

SLUGGER WHITE: We knew it was supposed to get bad, but we thought it was going to be something we could play with. Probably 10 to 20 mile an hour winds, maybe gusts up to 25. And then this, just the bottom just fell out on us about 12:30 or whatever time it was.

Q. The decision to suspend for the rest of the day was based not so much on the wind, but on the damage?

SLUGGER WHITE: It’s a dangerous situation down there. We couldn’t get started down there again.

Q. At what point did you realize you had a problem on your hands?

SLUGGER WHITE: When I got the call from La Quinta to tell me that the trees were blowing down and the Port A Lets were all over the place and balls wouldn’t stay on the greens.

Q. Nobody finished to play today, correct?

SLUGGER WHITE: No. The last group on the Palmer Course is in I think on 18 tee or 18 fairway, so…

Q. 7:30 start tomorrow. No amateurs, just pros. Are you confident that you can get the third round finished, start the fourth round and get that finished?

SLUGGER WHITE: Next question.
(Laughter.)

Q. Are you aware of any injuries?

SLUGGER WHITE: No, no injuries. I think in a perfect world, yes, it’s going to take a lot of effort. We’re starting at 7:30. I’ll announce 7:20.

Q. So it will be tight one way or another?

SLUGGER WHITE: It will be very, very tight.

Q. Are you confident that all the damage will be repaired to the point where you can go play tomorrow?

SLUGGER WHITE: From talking to the super, he feels confident that that will happen, yes.

Q. Are there trees down or anything at any of the other two courses?

SLUGGER WHITE: No, I think we’re okay. In coming here went in and out about three or four times and I didn’t see any of that. All I saw was a lot of trash all over the place and all that.

Q. We do have a scoreboard down on 18.

SLUGGER WHITE: Right.

Q. Where was President Clinton?

SLUGGER WHITE: He was on 10 fairway, is my understanding.

Q. Did he leave?

SLUGGER WHITE: I think he just left.

Q. So you have –

SLUGGER WHITE: We have 11 holes to play down at La Quinta on one side and about 10 and a half on the other side. We probably got I think we made the turn the Nicklaus Course and we probably got maybe one group to make the turn here going from 18 to 1. I’m sorry, yeah, from 18 to 1.

Q. Was there ever any serious thought about just finishing the third round tomorrow and doing Monday?

SLUGGER WHITE: Well, it’s like our regulations, you know, the mandate is to finish on time on Sunday, and that’s what we’re trying to do. 72 holes. So that’s kind of our regulation and that’s kind of what we’re trying to go with. We may be here Monday, hopefully not, but there could be a chance we are. So that’s always in the mix.

Q. What’s the weather forecast for tomorrow?

SLUGGER WHITE: The weather forecast is good.