May 27, 2000

What happened to Duke?
"In thinking about it, I think what happened to us is we didn't have things this spring that toughened us up for this kind of experience. Number one we had to many tournaments this spring where we sorta blew out the field and we had pretty reasonable weather conditions this spring. I think the main one is that we were playing in fields where we were dominating the field and I think that tended to not toughen us up the way we needed. What you want is a really tough field where your players are pushed and maybe even some weather that is bad so they are learning to get the job done with a lot of adversity around them. I think our spring lacked some of that adversity. I think that threw us off. We showed up here and we have Arizona playing fantastic golf and really tough conditions weather wise. I just think that our spring season didn't prepare us. I think some of those mistakes were made by myself also. We needed to have some intensity in our short game practices, something that would really hold them to task, and I think I've failed in some of those areas."

What do you tell your team after this?
"Well, I think what I will do is to reflect a little bit on what they think was keeping us from taking care of business. I want to get some feedback from them and I want to throw out some ideas that I have about intensifying the spring, trying to figure out a way to make it more realistic. So that when we get to nationals and were on a course with a team that is just hot as anything we can stay patient and have our day."

How will this prepare your team for next year?
"I think it will fire them up. They are winners as that was another thing that threw us off here. You win eight times in a season and all of a sudden you are in the middle of the pack and that can throw you off. I am sure they didn't like it a bit. I am sure they will try to get back on top of the pack."

Duke returns all five players and two top incoming recruits for 2000-2001.

What do you expect?
"I am very excited. It is going to be hard leaving people at home because in golf you only travel with the players who are playing and you leave the others at home. I think with the level of character we have coming in on this team we are going to have people that enjoy the intense competition on the team. With that experience within and on the team, each week will be like playing a tournament every week with qualifiers and good tournaments. I look forward to it."