THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 12, 1996

Frank Nobilo

Nick Price

Vijay Singh

Peter Thomson

PETER THOMSON: Gentlemen and ladies, if any, I apologize for the speed of this, but you probably realize we've got an afternoon of something every 15 minutes and we're being whipped into shape and we have to be ready by 2 o'clock, fully dressed, full marching orders and medals and everything. That's why we're asking you to be quick with it.

NICK PRICE: I think for the whole team it's been a huge morale booster. Everyone that is qualified is going to play. And that's certainly a big bonus for us. I think we were very excited with the fact that Jumbo agreed to play. We had a meeting, PGA, and he told us that he would think about it. And he was pretty much sure he was going to play. This is a long ball hitter, long driver's golf course. And not having Jumbo, Ernie in the field, I think, last time hurt us a little bit. But we've got a really strong team and I think we've got evenly matched sort of length hitters, good long hitters on both sides and it's a key on this golf course.

FRANK NOBILO: I'd like it as long as it's not me.

NICK PRICE: I think it's a good system; sometimes to play for four or five days and have a tie is not great. But it's going to be tough to be the one if your name comes out of the hat. But we're certainly going to get a lot of support, whoever that is is going to get a lot of support from their team members. And anything can happen in one hole, so it's difficult but we want a decision.

VIJAY SINGH: I know it won't be me. And whoever it will be it's going to be a lot of pressure on them, especially it's going to decide who wins or not. And I just hope we don't have to go through that.

FRANK NOBILO: I appreciate the opportunity to play the best players in the world at any stage. If you look at both teams I think you see you probably have one of the best collections of players in any tournament in the world. And it's a great compliment to all our team and including myself to be given that opportunity. So whoever we play, whoever I play, the question is directed to me, I'm going to look into it as I would a major championship, an opportunity to succeed and do well and further my career.

NICK PRICE: A hell of a lot better than last week. I'm still not a hundred percent. I've been on antibiotics now for 6 days. I spent Friday and Saturday in bed last week and I really didn't want to miss this week. As each day has gone on and the more I'm getting into the antibiotics the stronger I'm feeling. But I'm still not a hundred percent. But certainly the weather is helping a lot. If it was hot and humid it would be a lot more difficult for me. But I'm pretty sure I'll be able to go 36 a day.

VIJAY SINGH: I'm really happy to be his partner. I think he's playing really good. He played two days and he's hitting the ball really good. And he's coming off a great few tournaments in Japan. He's looking forward to playing with me, as well. And I think we are a good match. I've known him from before, so I'm just -- I think it's a good draw for me.

FRANK NOBILO: I don't think it's a question of strength. As I said before you've got some of the world's finest players here, as we know from other tournaments we played in, it's all good about golf on the day. I don't think there's any such thing as a weak pairing or stronger pairing. As far as being Steve's partner, I think personally Steve is one of the best players in the world today, tremendous striker of the ball. On this golf course, I think he's a natural around virtually all the holes. I think each one of us is very, very happy with the pairings and especially myself.

NICK PRICE: Thank you.

NICK PRICE: It's a little harder. My wife, you know, I've got to thank her for letting me come up here. She knows how important this week is for me. And if it had been any other week outside of a major championship I probably wouldn't have played. But it's a great thing for us. Your third child just feels like the first one. It's not going to be difficult. I phone my wife twice a day to find out how she's doing. And I know she's in good hands at home, we've got a couple of friends staying with her and taking care of her. But I was there for the birth, which is the most important thing for me.

VIJAY SINGH: We've got a good team this we're year. There's three guys that didn't play last time. And I think we've got a stronger team. We're all geared up. The morale in the camp is really high. And I think the pairing is really good. We all -- we are looking forward to -- I think we gear up our partners together. Me playing with Jumbo and I think Frank playing with Elkington. We played yesterday and we're all pumped up. I think the whole team is like that. And I think we're going to have a really, really good match.

NICK PRICE: He's the premiere player in the world. Greg has played -- has been No. 1 for longer than anyone else and to have him in your side, he's a great team member, too, I think more than anything else. Not only is he a great player, but he's a great team member. And he's always involved in getting everyone's confidence going. It's just great fun to be a part of a team. We've all traveled so much over the years, the whole team collectively, and we've known most of each other for probably 10 or 15 years, and it's great that we're all playing on a team. It's a very, very special week for us. And I think we're going to be able to look back on this week many years to come, win or lose, it doesn't matter. The fact that we were all playing together is something that just doesn't happen to all of us too often. And I think that's what -- that's the nature of this event, I think, is the fact that we're all going to be richer people for it at the end of it.

PETER THOMSON: This is Allenby and Norman together. Norman is Allenby's idol. And it's a natural pairing, those two. They certainly don't compete; one duals the other. And I think the elder man thinks Allenby is the next coming superstar. I think they're invincible, frankly.