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VOLVO MASTERS

October 30, 2005

Colin Montgomerie

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I said after every year that I had to improve my play, because the competition was improving, so I didn't feel I was standing still. I felt I was getting better throughout the whole seven years. And I had a sort of six year gap if you like; '99 was the last one. You come back and do it again, that must mean that my game has possibly improved along with that. It has to do have done because the competition has improved. The likes of Sergio Garcia were not around when I was playing; Luke Donald, these world players, the McGinleys, the Harringtons, they have all got a lot, lot better and it means a bunch to me to come back and do this.

With all respect to the Volvo Masters this year, to come back and do this, with all respect to the Volvo Masters this year, I won mine, I won my tournament.

Q. The eight you've won, was this perhaps the strongest competition you've had to beat?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: This is the toughest. This has been the toughest. I was fortunate in many ways that for many years that Faldo and Langer, and Woosnam and Lyle and Seve were at the top of their games from '93 to '99, but I had to compete with guys now that are on the top of their games, and it's been more difficult this year, very much more difficult.

And I didn't need this, as I said to you, I didn't need it. But when you get in a position that you're second or you're leading, I told you that I knew what to do when I got ahead, and I didn't need it really. But I wanted it. I really did want it. When you get ahead like that, and after San Francisco, I really wanted that.

I came down here early and we practiced, Hugh Mantle and I, we practiced very much on all sorts of skills. Especially playing with Michael, it was so important that I kept the body language correct playing with Michael on Thursday. Whatever happened to me, I was going to walk tall and committed to everything that I was doing out here, and I did that. Happened to found myself six shots ahead at one stage through thought, really. It wasn't anything to do, just a sort of state. And then of course, I lost those six shots last night, and then the tournament, I was just hanging on, really.

Today I was just trying to find out what Michael was doing and trying to concentrate on what I was doing myself, and I'm so glad to have finished third again. It's decent form and it's helped my Ryder Cup position and helped my World Ranking position and other things.

Q. Was that the advice, walk tall?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, not really. I just wasn't prepared to give any sign of any weakness, whether I just doubled a hole or not. I was going to walk the next hole as if I birdied it, and it helped me. It helped me against Michael. It's most important that I managed to beat Michael with five shots, and that gave me a cushion all week to keep going. I know how good Michael is playing and I know what it meant to him to win this.

Q. What does a win like this mean for Paul McGinley?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think it's terrific, terrific for Paul McGinley, terrific for Irish golf, Ireland and I think he's all but sealed his Ryder Cup place with this win, and we need as many Irish on that team as possible. You know what type of event it's going to be, and terrific for him. He's had a great year himself to almost win that World Match Play and then come back and win here, terrific performance. And of course, Sergio there, he's a world player; and Donald and Olazabal, there's almost half the Ryder Cup Team in the Top 3 here. That's five out of 12 that were in the Top 3 here, and that's super. They are very strong. It will be a very, very strong Ryder Cup Team again.

End of FastScripts.

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