THE RYDER CUP MATCHES

September 28, 2002

Sam Torrance

GORDON SIMPSON: Sam, here we are at 8-all. It's all come down to the singles. And you've had time to have a quick look at the pairings there. What's your immediate thoughts.

SAM TORRANCE: Well, there's some great matches. He's done his list, and I've done my list, and let's see what happens tomorrow.

GORDON SIMPSON: How did you feel about the way things went today.

SAM TORRANCE: Tremendous. It was a great note to finish on, to win that last hole, to get 8 each. If we were behind -- last time we were behind was in '95 and we beat them in the singles. So let's see if we can do it tomorrow.

Q. Colin Montgomerie said after his match this afternoon the goal of the European team at the start of the week was to go into the final day singles to hold the lead. You haven't quite managed to achieve that; how will it affect the morale of the players tonight?

SAM TORRANCE: We're not behind, so I think it will be quite high. It was a great performance, and the Americans are tough. We're tied for the lead going into the last day, and that's always good.

Q. Sam, there was criticism of Mark after '99 for his order. You seem to have top-loaded the order; what was your thinking?

SAM TORRANCE: Well, I've noticed a lot in team events on the last day, that I really think momentum is a great thing. From about match 6, or even from match 4 these guys are going to be on the range watching the leaderboard, watching the play, and I think it's really important to get ahead early and just surge to the finish. That was always one of my master plans. That was my reason.

Q. So many good performances out of many of your players, but what do you think of Garcia?

SAM TORRANCE: He's tremendous. They've got one Tiger, I've got 12 lions.

Q. The Americans seem to have trouble with the slow greens. Do you think you're going to look at that as one of your great strategic moves when this is over?

SAM TORRANCE: I'll tell you tomorrow. Obviously the greens, they're certainly not slow by any manner or means, but they're a fraction slower than they would be in a major. Certainly slower than any American greens. Obviously I would use that to our advantage, and that's why -- they're 10-and-a-half on the stimp meter, 10.3, today I think they were.

Q. You were disappointed with Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia; what did you say to them?

SAM TORRANCE: They got me three points out of four. Obviously they had a great chance of getting four out of four. But you can never underestimate the Americans. The Americans are a tremendous team, they always come back strong. Well done getting three out of four. Four out of five would be better.

Q. How much, if any, did your order change based on the score today?

SAM TORRANCE: It didn't.

Q. A few people, yourself probably would have assumed Lee was going to get three points today. Just how good has he been, and give us a resume of his performance so far?

SAM TORRANCE: He's been what I always expected he would be. Anytime over the past six months you've asked me about Lee Westwood. I've said I have no problems about him, I don't care how he's playing until he gets here. He will be lifted by this. And again, as he said earlier, that's how you face pressure, it's how you respond to pressure, and he's responded beautifully.

Q. Curtis put his top two players last. Did you anticipate that and what's your reaction?

SAM TORRANCE: I didn't think about what he was going to do. I had no clue. We tried not to think about that. We tried to put our team out that will get us six-and-a-half points.

Q. Three years ago on a Saturday night the Americans used a videotape featuring a speech by George Bush to motivate them. Will you be --?

SAM TORRANCE: Well, they've got the real deal this time, don't they? They don't need a video (laughter.)

Q. Will you be using similar motivational tapes?

SAM TORRANCE: We've got Billy Connoly blasting away in the room. No, not at all. My boys don't need lifting. They're as ready as they'll ever be for tomorrow. They've performed magnificently this week, and they'll probably continue tomorrow.

Q. How about the crowd tomorrow, Sam; will that be a factor?

SAM TORRANCE: I hope so. They're on our side, home crowd. I must say to all of you, the crowd have been exemplary this week, just tremendous, great support, very fair, clapped for good shots on the Americans, clapped a wee bit louder on shots for us.

Q. Do you want them to get behind your side?

SAM TORRANCE: Of course they'll be behind my side, I don't have to ask them, they'll be behind our side. There were more Europeans than Americans, and they'll be for us. It's a tremendous advantage, the home advantage.

Q. Do you see Monty and Garcia going out early to obviously get the point, but do you see it as a dual purpose to go out and support the other guys when they're done with their matches?

SAM TORRANCE: No, I just see them winning their points, that's why they're there. And obviously if they do win they'll come out and support the later matches. But it certainly wasn't in my plan.

Q. In the midst of the emotion on the 18th green, at the end of the Westwood, Garcia match, everybody was obviously exhilarated, the other team was disappointed. Were you aware that Sergio had a peak of temper? Were you aware, amidst the emotion on the 18th green that in the midst of the exhilaration of one team, and the disappointment of your team, that Sergio did lose it for a little while right at the end there. Were you aware that --?

SAM TORRANCE: Is that why the crowd were booing?

Q. No, I don't think. That's because there were Americans on the green after the sort of celebration. No, Sergio had an understandably, perhaps a human response, but he did lose his temper rather significantly. He was kicking his golf bag.

SAM TORRANCE: It's his bag, he can do bloody well what he likes with it. He didn't hurt anyone did he? No, I'm sure he didn't upset anyone. And you've got to understand the guy is a superstar. And he's just lost a match he felt he probably could have won. Kicked the bag. Good thing I wasn't there, he probably would have kicked me.

Q. Were you aware of him being ill or something like on the 17th tee, the American TV showed him running toward the TV and clutching his stomach?

SAM TORRANCE: You know what it's like when you have to pass wind.

Q. Do you know what that was about?

SAM TORRANCE: No.

Q. Sam, could you discuss the happenings on No. 10 today and what your view of all that was, Sergio going for the green again and Duval --?

SAM TORRANCE: There's been a lot of criticism about the 10th hole, but they just ripped it on the middle of the green and won the hole. So it is drivable, as we found out.

Q. What would you recommend tomorrow to your players?

SAM TORRANCE: Just win it, whatever way you want to win it. It's up to them. It obviously depends on what the state of the match is.

Q. Sam, we've talked about the Ryder Cup pressure and the difference between that and other events, I was wondering if you could speak to how that manifested itself coming down 18 with the last few groups? Obviously the Sergio/Tiger match, and also when you got a half point winning that last match with McGinley?

SAM TORRANCE: I don't understand the question.

Q. To speak to how the pressure may have affected those outcomes on 18. It looked like everyone was feeling the pressure.

SAM TORRANCE: That's why the Ryder Cup is so great. It's tremendous. Both matches were won by the last. It is a tough hole.

Q. Colin Montgomerie's top point scorer for you at the moment. You might have known all along he was -- can you speak about how impressive his performance has been?

SAM TORRANCE: Number one. He was number one for seven years, and he's doing it again this week. He's been tremendous. He's been quite incredible, considering what he's been through the last few months with his back and injuries. He's as good as it gets. That's why he's number one tomorrow.

Q. People talk about your historically bad record in the singles with only two wins in the singles section in the last 11 Ryder Cups. Does history matter at all and is there anything you will say to the players to try to motivate them to change that record?

SAM TORRANCE: Obviously I'm going to try to say something tonight to motivate them. It's a big day tomorrow. They all know that. They all have a job to do. But words of wisdom I don't know. It will probably come from somebody else. But they're ready for it. They don't need to know anything, just who they're playing against, go to bed tonight and think about it.

Q. Do you think Curtis is doing you a favor by putting out Mickelson and Woods last? You talk about momentum; surely it's better for them to come in last when the match --?

SAM TORRANCE: Curtis has his own way of putting out his 12 guys, and I have my way. If it comes down to the last two matches, he might be looking favorite. If it doesn't -- (laughter.)

Q. Has the leader among the players emerged in the club room?

SAM TORRANCE: No, all 12 are magnificent. They've worked so hard together. The four guys that haven't played each session have been tremendous, they've hit balls, been on the course all the time supporting, pushing the guys on. Whatever match is in trouble, they just head over there, so it's wonderful.

Q. Ben Crenshaw, three years ago at this very time he had a real feeling about what was going to happen tomorrow, do you have a real feeling?

SAM TORRANCE: He had to say that, he was four points behind. Do I have a feeling about tomorrow's result? Yeah. I'm not going to tell you. I can assure you we will be trying our absolute utmost best. And they will give me 150 percent, every player as they've done every day in practice and matches, they're tremendous. They've been a great team to manage, very easy to manage, just have to point them in the right direction and they go and do the job.

GORDON SIMPSON: Tomorrow we'll all find out. Thank you very much.

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