HSBC WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

October 17, 2003

Vijay Singh

SCOTT CROCKETT: Vijay, thank you very much once again for coming in to see us. Ultimately a tiring day, but a successful one. You must be glad to be through to the semifinals.

VIJAY SINGH: I'm really happy with the result. Any time you win a match, a long battle like that, you feel for the other guy. It was a long day and he was getting tired, especially after he didn't have a good night. I mean, he had some problems at home, somebody broke into his house and all that.

We didn't play very well probably the second nine this morning. I was disappointed with the way I played and I guess he was, as well. He had a chance to go well ahead. I think we halved 15, 16, 17 with bogeys.

But, it was a tough day. It was very windy, swirling winds and it was getting firm, as well, the greens. But I'm glad to be through and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. (Inaudible.)

VIJAY SINGH: Yeah, I was a little -- I was really disappointed that I got to 18. I had missed a very short putt on 15 and 3-putted 16. I had a chance on 17 as well, and we tried -- didn't convert. Missing 3-putts in a row like that, and having good chances from the fairway to actually capitalize and I didn't do that.

So 18, I figured, what the hell, probably make that and I would still be 3-down. I played well in the afternoon. I started off my driver and hit a lot of quality shots through the greens and played well. I told myself, just play the way you know and hit a lot of greens, and if he's going to win, he's got to beat me and that's what happened.

Q. When did Shaun tell you about the robbery?

VIJAY SINGH: I was talking to him on the putting green this morning and I overheard it and then he told me, I think it was the fourth hole.

Q. Any thoughts on tomorrow?

VIJAY SINGH: A good one. I'm looking forward to it. In the back of my mind, I said it's going to be Ernie and me probably in the semifinals if you look at the draws, but I still have to play the first two days.

I'm sure he's playing well, and he had a tough match, as well, today. I'm looking forward to it. I enjoy Ernie's company. We've had a lot of battles together over here and other places. Yeah, we'll see.

Q. You seem fated to meet in this competition?

VIJAY SINGH: You know, that's the way the seed was, he was 1 and I was 5, so we were in line to meet in the semifinals.

I've got to forget about that and think about tomorrow now. Just go out there, we both know the golf course very well. So whoever plays the best is going to do it tomorrow.

Q. Ernie said he benefited from a tough match, do you feel the same?

VIJAY SINGH: Well, yes and no, it's a tough match but you get tired mentally that way. I've had tough matches before. You know, it's a different ballgame tomorrow. I'm playing against Ernie and I really don't know how we are going to finish. I had a tough match because I was down all day. I was down from the very get-go. I got up on the back nine this afternoon, but just I think two or three holes and I'll go down again. I was always catching up, so that way, I guess it makes you a little bit more tired.

Like I said, I'm playing well, I feel good about my game. In the morning I wasn't that comfortable, but I got my swing back, I think and just go out there and feel what I can do, what I've been doing for past few months and do it tomorrow again.

Q. Why did you go to the practice ground in between the rounds?

VIJAY SINGH: I think when it gets cold like that, you lose your timing. A lot of golfers when they start playing badly, they think they are doing something wrong with your golf swing. I start to feel my timing back. The only way to do it is go out and hit a few balls and feel it back in a good rhythm and that's all I did.

Q. Turning point?

VIJAY SINGH: I think 17 we both made a mess of that hole. He hit is OB and I hit it right it; was all over. It was good to win that over hole. I wanted to go down 18 playing even, and it was a good -- it was a good 18th hole, as well. He made a nice putt and I had a good chip, as well. At the end of the day, it was sad to see somebody lose. He's a good friend and it's unfortunate somebody had to lose.

SCOTT CROCKETT: Vijay, good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts.