What they said: Steven Bowditch

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JOHN BUSH: We would like to welcome Steven Bowditch into the interview room after a 6 under par 64. Steven, that was great playing out there. Just your comments on your round.

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, personally I don't think I really felt like I played as good as I did yesterday tee to green. But I just made some putts. That's basically what it comes down to. Made some good par saving putts and made a couple of 35, 40 footers. I didn't play that well, but it was nice to make some putts.

JOHN BUSH: Your thoughts on Colonial, obviously good thoughts right now?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, I actually live here in Dallas, in the area. I live in Addison which is about an hour away. So I'm commuting each day. It's a great golf course. It's my first time I've played here. You know, you got so many options around this place, it reminds me a lot like Hilton Head. You can really go out there and attack it, or you can just sort of play nice and gentle and just take what it gives you.

JOHN BUSH: Questions?

Q. Steven, a lot of talk this week about how this is a shot maker's course and you don't have to be a bomber to play well here. Obviously, you are one of the longer hitters on TOUR.

Do you think it actually fits your game that well? Or how do you feel about the course versus your style of play?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: I mean if you hit it straight, it doesn't matter how far you hit it. I mean that's basically what it comes down to. I am taking a lot of drivers. My Cleveland has been really good to me the last few months. It's perfect. I'm confident with it. There is not much more I can do. Aim and hit.

Q. Any particular holes where you are putting the driver away and going to something else where your driver might have been in play other places?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: No, I don't think so. I'm lucky enough, with the breeze right now, most of the bunkers, I'm right on the borderline. If I catch a good one I can just get it over them. If I miss it, it's going to go in. So they are definitely in play.

If this breeze stays where it is, it is sort of silly for me not to. If I take the 3 wood, it's really bringing them in play. So it's just one of those things that's just setting up that way.

Q. How much a factor are you guys, looking at the sky knowing that you get your round in, possibility of bad weather this afternoon, other guys won't, you will be posted, is there some of that kind of looking to see if you can get it in before it turns bad this afternoon?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Today was very lucky, not expecting. We were told the whisper was, when we teed off at 9 o'clock, that we were only going to get nine holes in. That was basically what we were sort of looking at and getting your mind, to a certain degree, ready for that. It's not much you can do. It's the weather. You go out and hit shot by shot and that's all you can do.

Q. I don't know if this story is pocket full or not, but I was just reading up on you. When you were playing the Troppo Tour in Northern Australia, you were pitching a tent with friends, you couldn't afford hotels, can you give us the real version of what those days were like? Were you that broke?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, I was that broke. We have a Pro Am circuit, the Troppo Tour. It's basically, we play one day events anywhere from why 5,000 to $100,000, total prize purse. That runs about five or six months of the year. All throughout Queensland and through Australia as well. Yes, I was young and broke. I was just trying to start out. It's just the way it goes. I was brought up. I got a great family. My mom and dad. They treated me great. You just got to start somewhere and that's where I started.

Q. How good was the tent, a big tent?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: It was about a 6 person tent on that Tour. It was big enough, luxury, plenty of room. You can even stand up.

Q. How is your tent this week?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: It's perfect. It's at home. It's nice to have three weeks at home. I didn't get in into TPC last week. I got Byron next week. I am actually getting married at TPC Las Colinas. Hopefully that plug might get me some.

(Laughter.)

Q. How long have you been living here?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: I moved, when I first come over in '05. I'm going to say, I think I come over, five or six years.

Q. In the Dallas area?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, straightaway.

JOHN BUSH: Your fiancee's name?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Amanda. Amanda actually works with you guys. She is a producer for Fox Sports.

Q. Steven, can you talk about the battle you've had getting here and then your work with Beyond Blue?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, that's basically something that's in the past. That's where it is. Living in the future.

Q. You said this is your first time here, have you played here a few rounds at all?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: I haven't. I changed coaches to Scott Hamilton out of Cartersville, Georgia 2 years ago. He coaches Jason Bohn, is coaching all over the world. He has a few guys and he was in for this tournament, two years ago, just when I was starting out with him. I walked around here. That's the closest I've been until Monday. I walked around with him. It's actually a pretty neat experience and coming out 2 years later, playing how badly I was, and he has helped me turn the page.

Q. Can you just talk a little bit about actually getting in this event this week and next week, and to play the doubleheader locally and just kind of some of the progress you are making as a golfer after some challenging times to get to this point?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, I'm always constantly believing in what I'm doing and I haven't changed that from the start. I turned professional when I was 18. So, you know, it's just a process. You learn, you make mistakes. I'm not even 28 yet. So it's not that big a deal. The career hasn't really started.

Q. I think you were going to maybe do the card, discuss those two big bottom putts you made today that you mentioned earlier. How crazy were they?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Probably the one I should bring up is the 8th hole, the par 3, I fanned a 6 iron, it was 10 yards right of the green, I guess. It catches a branch, kicks 30 yards left of 15 feet, and I make it for birdie. It's just one of those things, you got to take them when you get them. I made about 35 feet on 6.

JOHN BUSH: How about the two out of the gate, 1 and 2?

STEVEN BOWDITCH: 1 and 2, I hit a great shot on my second shot on one. I hit it left, and I was sort of half in the bunker and half not. I hit a hooking 2 iron that ran up on the front and nearly made eagle. It was a good start.

An eight to 10 footer on the second, and just drove it on the front of the green, just sort of the front of the green 20 yards out. Yes, it was a nice start.

JOHN BUSH: Only bogey on 17.

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Yes, I hit a bad tee shot. That's what you get for hitting 2 irons. Yes, I hit the 2 iron just left of the bunker, and I had a shot. I tried to hook a 9 iron. It wasn't a tough shot by any means. I left it in the left trap and didn't get it up and in. There you have it.

JOHN BUSH: Steven, we appreciate your time. It should be a fun weekend, play well.

STEVEN BOWDITCH: Thank you.