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SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 10, 2006

Justin Rose

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Q. First for you playing with Michelle today?

JUSTIN ROSE: I played with Michelle last year on Tuesday with Ernie. It wasn't the first time. I saw her working out and practicing hard out at ChampionsGate (in Florida) so I knew Michelle a little bit.

Q. Your thoughts?

JUSTIN ROSE: Last time I saw her was a few months ago. She is always impressive to watch. Her swing is getting very efficient looking. She loads it up really well. Really tight and compact and solid. It's kind of extreme conditions out there today. You can really notice her ballstriking, she tries to hit the right shot, when she needs to hit a punch shot she'll hit a punch shot. When she needs to hit a little draw, she'll attempt to hit a little draw. Either way, the way she tries to play the game, is spot on really. These conditions in a sense suit her, because she can hit the low knockdown shot very well and she has a great short game. I don't think anybody is going to hit every green so I think her short game is in good shape too.

Q. What did you talk about while you were walking?

JUSTIN ROSE: She is a very sweet girl. Good fun. I asked her, 'what type of car are you going to buy for yourself when you pass your driving test' so yes, good fun. It's good freedom when you pass your driving test. Every young 16-year-old wants to get her own set of wheels and earn some independence, I'm sure she is very excited about this week. This is home for her, so it's a big week. It's probably her major for the year in a sense too, I'm sure she's up for it.

Q. More about her short game?

JUSTIN ROSE: It's tough to know in a practice round. We're all just throwing balls around and chipping. Obviously, you're not focused as far as seeing results. But her action looks very good, very natural, looks very natural in her hands. It all looks good for me.

Q. Does she look comfortable now that this will be her seventh event playing against professional men?

JUSTIN ROSE: She was, like Tiger (Woods), groomed for all the hype. She seems to deal with that side very well. Lucky sevens, maybe.

Q. You played well at the Sony Open last year?

JUSTIN ROSE: The first two rounds, actually. Opened up well, got myself into the tournament. Didn't do well on the weekend, but it's a testing golf course. When the wind blows, it tests your game. If you have the cobwebs from the winter hanging over your head, the wind can blow you away, or make it worse. Different wind direction than last year so I'm learning the course all over again.

Q. What do you need to do to take it to another level in 2006?

JUSTIN ROSE: Don't have to do a whole lot different, really. My game is good shape. It's the little scoring things you can do better. Get up-and-down once or twice more a tournament, make a few more 15-footers a tournament. That's the sort of stuff that really adds up. In terms of actual ball-striking and technique, it's all there or therabouts. Putting the whole package together, being mentally sharp for four rounds, that's the key.

Q. Any changes to the schedule this year?

JUSTIN ROSE: If I have a great start to the season, get myself around the top 50 in the world, I'll play more in Europe. Until that happens, I'll have to focus on this side of things and keep doing what I've been doing. Schedule-wise, I may play three in a row as a maximum. Last year, when I played a fourth and fifth event in a row, I was hoping to play well rather than know I was going to play well.

Q. Does that mean the Ryder Cup is secondary?

JUSTIN ROSE: As we stand here, January 10, it has to be secondary. In the back of my mind, I'd love to play, I desperately want to play. I can't plan for it right now. I have to play a lot of good golf to even be a factor in the Ryder Cup. I'd rather take care of the playing the good golf first.

Q. What did you do in the off-season?

JUSTIN ROSE: 50-50 between England and South Africa. Still have some family down in S.A., my grandparents were there and my mum was there. Played the South African Open in the middle of the off-season which was unusual. At the end of last year, I wanted the season to keep rolling on, so I'm keen to go back at it.

End of FastScripts.

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