THE PRESIDENTS CUP

October 20, 2000

Jim Furyk

Greg Norman

Nick Price

Mike Weir

JIM FURYK: I think we both played poorly. I particularly didn't play very well. And putting is part of playing. If you -- you can't play well and not make putts. I think they made some key putts early on. They got a quick lead birdie on 3 and 4 and then we had chances to win 5, 6 and 7. We missed the birdie putts, they made some good par putts. And the momentum changed a little bit. I lipped it out on 7 and 8. They birdied No. 8 and we both hit poor shots on 9, and all of a sudden we're four or five down on the turn, and from there on out we just didn't make the putts.

JIM FURYK: I think the best way to play -- there's a way I'm going to come out and play the golf course and get in the least amount of strokes. Whether I'm 4-up or four down, I'm going to attack the golf course some the same way.

NICK PRICE: We played together in Greg's tournament and the Shark Shootout a couple of times, and we played okay. But Elkington and Greg played so well together in the last few years in the last few Presidents Cups it was kind of hard to break them up. They struggled a little bit yesterday together and I guess Peter felt it was a good mix for us to play together. We played well all day today and Greg played about as well as I've seen him play in a long time.

GREG NORMAN: Absolutely. On 6 and 7 were probably the most important ones the whole day. It could have easily gone all square and we hung in and stayed 2-up. But that's the nature of this game. Sometimes you're better off being just a little bit outside, knocking it in and being in there, because the two or three footers become a little bit longer and now you've got to make up the half. I felt very good on the putting green this morning. And the speed of the green I got a better feel from yesterday. And obviously I drained the right ones at the right time.

GREG NORMAN: We said before, I think what Ernie said on the bus to us is, he just gives us a nice Ernie Els speech. But the thing about this team really is when everybody thinks we should be down and out, we're in good spirits. And we know our capabilities, we enjoy playing golf with each other so much, and spending time together in the bus. The spirit is always there. We just had to put the effort together on the golf course, and we're showing that today. I hope it will continue. We didn't get down about it, and it was really good. Yesterday is dead and buried. We came out today and both Nick and I knew once we were paired that we were right for each other. We play well together. We're best of friends, and and that kind of helped us relax all day today. And when you're relaxed you putt well, you make your putts. It goes hand in glove. And he gets up, hits a great iron shot the next hole. And we've always had that going between us.

NICK PRICE: I think we played little practice rounds together. I know certainly I've played a lot with Greg when we came up against Vijay or Ernie. But I think we probably play a lot more of fourballs together, best ball type format. And I think it's key for us to get the right mix with the alternate shot. I think everybody struggled yesterday a little bit. I think we have a little change in the pairings this afternoon, and I think it might be a little different this afternoon.

MIKE WEIR: It was a good day for both of us. We played really solid.

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, that's the name of the game. We keep putting it in the fairway. I think with both of us hitting good shots, it puts a lot of pressure on, when you're hitting it close to the hole and in the fairway all the time. It was nice. I finally got a few in (putter.)

STEVE ELKINGTON: As I said to the other fellows, Ernie doesn't say much, so for him to get up and say a few things, it was good. We go home in the bus and relax a little bit and have a few beers, and Ernie wanted to speak his mind and he did. We all traveled a long distance to get where we are in this game, and he wanted us to play hard and play as a team and take these boys head-on.

STEVE ELKINGTON: Well, I can't say enough about Michael Campbell's play this year. He's a super player. And Retief Goosen I don't know as well, but he's got one of the best swings I've ever seen. And it doesn't surprise me at all, to be honest with you.

STEVE ELKINGTON: I think so. I think you're seeing that right now with Ernie and Vijay back there, they're seeing all four matches are winning. It's a team game. And I think particularly for us, because we're so friendly and pull so hard for each other. I'm not saying the other guys don't, but we seem to ride better as a team. We did it in Melbourne really well, kept the flow going. Mike and I played a really tough match today. These guys are tough players, and we kept ahead of them all day, and that was the key for us.

MIKE WEIR: I'm a young buck. I feel fine. I don't feel tired at all. No problem. We got a win.

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, Michael and Retief got off to a great start and it just builds. Like Steve said, we kind of watch the board, and we see pretty much all the teams were ahead, our side was ahead. And it gives us a lot of momentum and you push a little bit more and you work a little bit harder.

MIKE WEIR: No question. We said yesterday after the start we got off to, it's a good thing we only played 18 yesterday, because they had the momentum. We got off to a good start and we hope to keep going. This has brought us closer together.

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