Oct. 11, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. - Freshmen David Boote and Dominick Francks discuss their performance at the Pac-12 Preview this week. Boote finished third, carding rounds of 69-69-70 (208, -8) and Francks tied for 33rd, making an eagle on the second day of competition.

David Boote

How was your second event different than your debut at Olympia Fields?

"It was nice to get off to a solid start in Chicago. It showed me where I was at and allowed me to relax a bit more going into the second tournament. It was a really nice course and I played well, the final round was solid and I was able to make some clutch putts towards the end. I was pretty pleased with how solid the week was."

Was there a hole that stood out to you?

"There were a couple of long putts I holed. I made quite a long one on the 11th hole in the second round, about a 55-foot putt for birdie. It had a big break on it, and I was pleased with it as I was scrapping a bit on the hole and was able to get out of the trees and make birdie."

Is there more pressure on you when you're in contention at an event?

"I tend to look only at my own scores, and if you play well enough you have a chance to win, you can't really control what other people do. That's what I tried to do in the final round, just forget about what everyone else was doing and shoot the lowest score I could and see where I ended up at the end."

After two top-10 finishes to start the season, where do you go from here?

"I just need to keep playing solid, really. Stay relaxed and not put too much pressure on myself. There are going to be some good tournaments coming up and I just want to carry on playing nicely."

Dominick Francks

"On that hole, the best lie is actually left of the fairway and I pushed it and hit the fairway and had a great angle for my approach shot. I hit a solid three-iron and ran it up on the right edge and was able to sink the putt. I got a pretty good roar out of the crowd, which was cool, and my dad and high school teammate and coach were all there. It was cool to play my first college event in front of my family and the guys who helped me get to where I am now."

What do you need to do to continue to improve?

"I was four-under for my middle 36 holes, and I played my first nine holes four-over and my last nine holes four-over. It's a little bit frustrating because I played so solidly for a long stretch but it's just eliminating those stretches where I make a bunch of bogeys in a row. If I make a bogey or hit a bad shot, I just need to be able to move on and worry about the next shot. My short game needs some work, but I putted a lot better last weekend. I went back to my old trusty putter and that was part of it. I had a couple of missed shots off the tee, but the main area I need to improve on now is the mental stuff, just staying in the moment and getting the most out of my rounds."

What effect did Coach Ray and Coach Rowe have on your play?

"Having them on the tees on the par-3's was great because they let me know what shots other guys hit. It's kind of like having a caddie for two holes. It's really good influence to have out there, and there was a hole on the last round that Coach Ray talked me into hitting an eight-iron on and I ended up birdying the hole."