TV time for Klauk and more player quotes from The Players

Fred Klauk’s successor, Tom Vlach, CGCS, and GCSAA member Jim Abate, superintendent of the Stadium Course, just addressed the staff of 50-60 and gave them their marching orders for the evening work session. The last tee time of this final day of practice rounds was 3:00 and they are rolling out with a police escort about two holes behind the last group. Vlach accompanied Klauk to the TV production meeting earlier this afternoon and he relayed some compliments from Dan Hicks, Johnny Miller and NBC producer Tom Roy about the course conditions to the eager staff. Abate reminded everyone the importance of their jobs, the perfection that is expected and the millions of people who will be watching from all over the world on TV.

Meanwhile, Brandt Snedeker and Sean O’Hair were holding news conferences in the media center.

“The course is looking phenomenal,” said O’Hair. “The greens are the best I’ve ever seen, period, health-wise and speed-wise and firmness. I mean, they’re absolutely perfect. I’m really looking forward to a good week.”

“It’s fantastic,” said Snedeker. “It’s everything that everybody in this field wants to see a course playing extremely firm and fast. The greens are almost too firm for a Wednesday right now, so I’m kind of hoping they soften up for us tomorrow. It’s in great shape. They’ve done a  fantastic job the past couple years of redefining the golf course a little bit and putting a little more emphasis on short game around the greens. It’s just a great test. I think everybody is excited about teeing it up tomorrow, and I’m just like everyone else, I want to go out there and shoot a good one and try to win this thing.”

“They are very fast this week,” continued Snedeker about the greens. “I don’t know what they’re rolling here, probably 11 to 12, they’re in perfect shape, but they’re not out of control. You’ve got nobody to complain to this week if you play bad. It’s you and only you. That’s what we look for.”

“It’s exciting for me and for players because you very rarely have a short par-3 that plays that difficult,” said Snedeker about the famous island green on No. 17. “You very rarely have a shot where you can’t miss it. Most times we play a golf course, there’s a place you can miss it. There, you can’t. There’s just no getting around it. And it’s fun.”

Klauk did another radio interview with XM Satellite Radio’s PGA Tour Channel this morning, which will air during its live coverage of The Players and posted online by the end of the week. He also met with Bob Verdi from GolfWorld for a lengthy interview.

A camera crew from the Golf Channel is scheduled to accompany Klauk out tomorrow morning at 5:30 to film a piece with a guy suffering from an eye disease that has left him nearly blind. I know that sounds vague, but I really don't have all the details on that. The PGA Tour has arranged for Klauk to give him a behind the scenes tour of the Players Stadium Course and the Golf Channel is planning to air the segment on Sunday. Adam Barr, who hosted the Golf Industry Show general session, as well as several of the What’s in the Bag shows about GCSAA and its members, is doing a piece recognizing Klauk’s years of service which will air tonight and again tomorrow during the Sprint Pre Game show … preceding a live interview with Klauk from the Golf Channel’s set overlooking No. 18 at 10:30 a.m. (Central).