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THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 18, 2014

Sergio Garcia

HOYLAKE, ENGLAND

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, whew, it was hard work. The wind was blowing hard and different direction today. So it definitely made it quite challenging. The course, even though it rained a little bit this morning, it dried out very quickly. And a lot of the shots you had to think your way around it a little bit. For example like 17, I had 112 yards and I was just off the fairway and I was chipping a lob wedge trying to hit it 70 yards, and still hit it 8 or 10 feet by. So it was definitely more of the way you expect a British Open to play.

Q. How does it feel to be back here?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, it's great. Obviously a lot of good things, a lot of good memories from this championship and here, Hoylake. Obviously today another one at the same hole. It's great to be there. And we need to shoot a good round tomorrow, make sure that we keep ourselves in contention and then see what we can do on Sunday.

Q. (Inaudible.) Did you find that inspiring?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, obviously, I mean, I don't know if it inspired me to play today the way I did or not. But it obviously is very inspiring to watch it and to see everything that -- how he was brought up and how he came into the game. My father knew him when he was quite young. He was also a caddie. But it was nice to watch it on film and I recommend for everybody to watch it because it's really, really nice.

Q. Five, two, five, a way to start a round?
SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, he was that kind of player, I guess. But I would rather have started with four, three, four. But to have a memory like another hole out on 2, it was great.

Q. (Inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: It was upside down, it was a 6-iron this time.

Q. (Inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: It was playing totally different. In 2006 it was playing a little downwind. I think it was like a 3-iron, 9-iron. It was probably similar distance. I think it was probably somewhere around 180, something like that, 175. Today was 162 straight into a hard wind. It was nice.

Q. What did the birdie at the end frame your round? -
SERGIO GARCIA: It is nice, obviously. It's always great to finish with a birdie. I think I still would have felt good about my round, even though I missed a couple good opportunities on 16 and 17. But to be able to keep it under par today, it wasn't that easy to do. And I was very happy to see that I was able to do it, and a couple under with that birdie on 18.

Q. (Inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: That was hot. That was hot. I was hoping it was going to help me with the bush. Hopefully I learned my lesson. I won't hit it there again. It was quite warm, but still stung a little bit on the leg. But it was okay.

Q. (Inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: No, it was good. It was nice for me to obviously play with both Luke and Rickie, which we get along very well. Obviously Luke being one of my best friends on Tour. And Rickie which we've played a lot of golf together the last couple of years and we've gotten quite close. I think to be able to see both of them, make the cut and play quite well, you know, we'll see. Maybe tomorrow again with Rickie. But it's been a couple of good days and hopefully another two to come.

Q. After coming so close here last time, do you (inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: I think, you know, I think that fortunately for me at this championship they want me to do well every time I play. And I feel it. It's great to be able to feel that. So, you know, I'm going to do my best. It would be nice to not only win it for myself, but for them. They obviously deserve it. They're very happy with some of the things I've been able to do for Europe on the Ryder Cup. But it would be nice if I could have a chance of winning at an Open Championship.

Q. You have seven top 10s in The Open Championship, why do you think this major suits your game?
SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know, I've always enjoyed these kind of courses. I've always enjoyed this kind of playing where you have to think outside the box when it plays like this. So I guess, you know, that being our own major in Europe. So growing up, watching it with Seve and other people around it. It's always a little bit extra special.

Q. (Inaudible.)
SERGIO GARCIA: Well, we'll see. We'll see how it finishes. But obviously he's playing well. He's a wonderful player, we all know that and he's going to be difficult to beat. But we'll see. When it plays tough like this, anything can happen out there. So we'll see what happens on the weekend.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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