WGC NEC INVITATIONAL

August 27, 2000

Phillip Price

PHILLIP PRICE: I played lovely for 12 holes, 13 holes -- 14 holes maybe. And just I played lovely -- I think you guys know, I'm ranked 75th in the world, so it is a big arena for me. A little bit new. So I was a little anxious out there. I think overall, I'm pleased. It's a big deal for me to come over; it's a little new. The experience I gained today was invaluable; so hopefully, next time in that situation I'll deal with it a little better.

PHILLIP PRICE: One of officials says: "It is your call," going up 17. 17 was okay. And then probably just the last two shots on 18 was a bit of a struggle, but I wanted to get it done. I think everybody tried to get it -- I think even the last group had a go at it. A little bit the same for everybody at the end there.

PHILLIP PRICE: Hopefully, it has elevated me a lot. You know, I think the best I've ever finished in a major tournament was about 55th. I've only played in a few. So when you're here with 38 of the best players in the world, you're playing, and you don't think you're one of the top end; and to finish second, I think has elevated me an awful lot.

PHILLIP PRICE: Yes, I was.

PHILLIP PRICE: Yes, I was watching the whole time.

PHILLIP PRICE: I didn't think about it in the end. I was up 17. As long as Phil wanted to carry on, we were going to get it done. I knew we had a choice, because the last two shots on 18 were a problem. But I wanted to get it done, and luckily we have.

PHILLIP PRICE: No, I wanted the money. (Laughter.) I mean, I'm disappointed that I did not finish off. I'll probably stew on that one a little bit. It would have been nice to finish it off nice and clean; but, I didn't. But I think there were so many good things that came out of it, I'm going to try to dismiss the tied-second.

PHILLIP PRICE: With --.

PHILLIP PRICE: Yes, down in South Africa, but really -- I was starting to not even think about how dark it was. I just wanted to get it done. I could see it. I could see the hole. I could see the slopes pretty well. I don't think it had any affect on the two of us.

PHILLIP PRICE: Luckily, I didn't have any shots that I really needed to. Maybe a 50-yard shot, it would have been a problem. But all my shots were either long or short, so it didn't really affect me.

PHILLIP PRICE: Eventually, yeah. I think my goal this week was to finish in the Top 15, I would have been very happy, because I had been struggling coming into this week. I think I'd like to win one -- I've only won one tournament in Portugal -- a lot of second place finishes. In this class, that is a win for me. I would class my performance this week much higher than that. Hopefully, down the road, Tiger didn't play well, maybe in the British Open, I might be sneaking up behind him.

PHILLIP PRICE: No, I didn't.

PHILLIP PRICE: He was way ahead, though. I didn't see it.

PHILLIP PRICE: You could get a rough idea where the flag was, because you could see the shape of everything; but still, a fantastic shot.

PHILLIP PRICE: Lots, yeah. I was anxious when I started. You know, I can't stress enough that it was so different for me. I felt like I was put into a very deep level, and I struggled at the end. You know, maybe I just need more time -- just got to get used to it.

PHILLIP PRICE: I just started shaking -- no, I just quit on a couple of shots, 15 and 16, which were my two bogeys. Really, 18, I didn't read it too much roll. I didn't hit too bad a drive. Just a couple of shots I quit on -- poor shots, and I made bogey. 16, I didn't really have much of a pitch from where I was. I just -- great experience; and hopefully next time, I can just stay a little calmer and finish off.

PHILLIP PRICE: Definitely. From the last few years, I've improved, you know, quite a lot, I would say. You know, I just wanted to be here this week and last week, just for the experience of it. So to have a good result, as well is just such a bonus. And to have that -- I think is a very, very good result. It will help me achieve a lot of the other goals that I've set, as well.

PHILLIP PRICE: I didn't know that. That would interest me.

PHILLIP PRICE: Definitely. I've been debating with my wife whether we should come over to qualify anyway. You need to be in the Top-10 on the Order of Merit in order to be exempt, and my plan was just to win a tournament so I could just come over. I haven't won a tournament, so I can't just have come over and go back to Europe. But if I did have a card, I would probably -- I'd have to make a decision, because I would like to try and make the Ryder Cup. I would consider playing.

PHILLIP PRICE: It would have been an awful lot easier for us to finish off. We could still -- different conditions from all week, from the bright sunshine.

PHILLIP PRICE: Maybe 12 feet.

PHILLIP PRICE: Definitely. I mean, Europe is my hope, unless I win by the end of the year, I want to keep my card in Europe, because that would be my priority, but as soon as I would secure that -- unless I win, I'll just come straight over. If I win, I'll just come straight here.

PHILLIP PRICE: How about for next year? Oh, you mean -- well, this is new to me. So I guess I'll have to find out the ins and outs.

PHILLIP PRICE: I still need to develop, really. I see a sports psychiatrist who works in America, Alan Fine. He says he encourages me to grow and to develop, and I think it would be a great arena for me to develop myself so that I can basically just think a little bitter, so bigger, so that is one of the reasons.

PHILLIP PRICE: Probably Justin Leonard, because I've just given him second place. I'm very happy. I'm not going to be disappointed; I'll stew on the finish for a little while, but I think overall, the position I finished today is just so much better in a class than I've ever done, so I'll try my best not to be disappointed.

PHILLIP PRICE: No, I would say not. I would say -- if I did -- I felt like we were rushing early in the round, because we lost time straightaway, so I felt like I was making every effort to be as quick as we could today. But I didn't feel that it was quicker than I wanted to go.

PHILLIP PRICE: Small-time. Low expectations. I think you get what you expect in the long run so, that's what I was getting.

PHILLIP PRICE: No. I was going to finish. The experience was enough for me. I was a bit anxious all day, so I don't want to stew on it all night. I just want to be finished.

PHILLIP PRICE: Good lie. I had a chance to either flip it up in the air, but I thought the way the ground sloped, I thought even if I hit a good one, I still could not have been close. So I just tried to half-chop it out, and I just hit it too hard.

PHILLIP PRICE: I was lucky, because every shot that I had at the end other than 18, when it started to close in, I could still see the flag with my second shot out of the bunker. It wasn't quite so easy when I was in the bunker -- in the green-side bunker and the putt. But on the long shots, I didn't have any distance shots to gauge distances, or yardage or short shots, so it didn't really interfere.

PHILLIP PRICE: I only realized when somebody just mentioned it, so I'll just have to go home and make a decision. You know, Europe is still very important. I want to finish as high up as I can on the Order of Merit. All of my contracts are based in Europe; they are very bonus-related. I'll need to go home and make a decision. My wife, I'm sure she'll make it for me. (Laughter.)

PHILLIP PRICE: I really don't know. I know one of my contracts is fantastic for where I finish in the Order of Merit, and I'm very delighted the way that's going to turn out for me.