Furyk discusses his playoff victory at Wachovia Championship

(May 8, 2006) - Jim Furyk sank a 6-foot putt for par on the first playoff hole to top Trevor Immelman and win the Wachovia Championship.

The victory was the 11th of Furyk's career on the PGA Tour. With the victory, Furyk passed Ernie Els and is the No. 5 golfer in golf's official world rankings.

Adam Scott finished third in the event, while third-round leader Retief Goosen struggled on the final day, closing with a nine on the final hole to finish with a final round 77, seven shots off the lead.

Here's what Furyk and Immelman had to say following the tournament.

Jim Furyk

Question: Congratulations, but just make a couple comments on how you're feeling and we'll go into questions.

JIM FURYK: Well, it obviously feels good. I had a close call here last year. I remember the playoff, I remember playing hard, shooting 66 and coming up just short after four holes of a playoff. I've seen enough of 18 for another year, I promise you that. I had to see it three times on Sunday last year and twice this time. So I've had enough.

I also had a close call a few weeks ago in Hilton Head, and Aaron beat me down the stretch. So to come up short like what we talked about is disappointing. It happens, but it's nice to come out and get it done this time and end up with a W.

Q. Was there any déjà vu on the regulation 18 putt there?

JIM FURYK: It was an easier putt this year, at least it was uphill. Last year I had a downhill right to lefter. Both of them, though, were kind of do or die. There was no consequence, just knock it in, and it didn't matter if I just had a free run at it basically; everyone else was finished up. Sometimes that's the best time to try to make a putt, when your only focus it doesn't matter if you three putt, four putt, you just try to knock it in, and that's your only thought process.

Q. You asked Fluff to look at that putt. You said you weren't quite sure how it was going to react?

JIM FURYK: Actually he read it wrong and I I'm just kidding (laughter). He did a good job. I told him while Trevor was looking at his that I was pretty much stumped by the putt at that point. I looked at it from both sides already and had enough time to walk around the hole, and I just wasn't quite sure. I thought there was an argument that it could go right or left. It was a relatively straight putt, but I saw an argument for going both ways. I was feeling left to right up the first half of the putt.

From behind the hole I saw the hole was a little bit of a tilt and it might go right to left at the end and didn't quite know what to do, and he put a very good read on it. He said there was a touch of left to right maybe early, but right to left will take over, and I asked him if it was pretty straight, and he said it's fairly straight but I think it's more right center. I felt like I did a good job hitting that putt right where he said, and he made a great read.

Q. How difficult was it to concentrate with the weather conditions today and keep your concentration throughout?

JIM FURYK: Well, the conditions were difficult, but it wasn't like it popped out of nowhere. We knew last night when I was sitting here in the media room that it was going to be a tough day. It was nice to find out on the golf course yesterday and they had it posted on the leaderboards that we were going out from 7:00 to 9:00, so it wasn't like I got in here and it was a surprise, you have to get up in eight hours and go play again. I was already prepared for it.

Q. Was it one of those days where you felt like if you kept hanging in there the opportunity to win would present itself?

JIM FURYK: Yeah, it's one of those courses because no matter you don't want to get too far behind, but if you can stay within a shot or two, even three, a lot can happen on 17 and 18, especially when there's only basically our group by that time, by the time we got to 15 and 16 had separated themselves from the field pretty good. It was just Trevor and myself and Retief that really had a chance to win the tournament.

Trevor Immelman

Q. Can you take us through the playoff hole?

TREVOR IMMELMAN: Well, I got down there and I drew No. 1, so I was pleased with that because I was going to try and rip one down the fairway. I felt a little uncomfortable with my game today. I wasn't quite hitting the quality of shots that I've been hitting. And just kind of left one out to the right there, so I knew it was going to be a tough hole from there.

I just kind of smashed an 8 iron from the rough. I didn't have a very good lie for my third shot. There was not very good grass covering up there, so the ball was sitting tight, and it was obviously a little damp from all the rain, and I caught it just a little heavy and it spun down the hill.

Q. You don't seem too distraught about this. Are you usually pretty good about handling these sort of things when things don't quite go your way?

TREVOR IMMELMAN:: Well, I mean, it's very simple. There's a lot more less fortunate people in this world than myself, and I would find it pretty stupid of me to maybe handle it any other way. I think, like I said, I'm 26 years old, and I think I made a big step in my career today and yesterday playing with the caliber of guys that I played with and stepping up to the plate and hanging in there most of the way.

Transcripts provided by ASAP Sports.

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.