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DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP


October 8, 2004


Colin Montgomerie


ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

SCOTT CROCKETT: Colin, thanks for coming in as always. Another good day and in good position in the tournament. Just talk us through today.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yeah, halfway, but we have to remember that Luke's playing well. We played the two easiest-scoring courses so far of Kingsbarns and St. Andrews. We have a difficult course tomorrow, at Carnoustie, so I need another 4-under around Carnoustie, at least, tomorrow to give myself a chance to win and be back in here on Sunday.

That's my goal tomorrow. I've shot 64 around there and a course record around there, and I need something of that tomorrow to keep it going. But 68-67, there's nothing wrong with that, and I'm in contention where I wanted to be, if you like. And will be a few behind tonight, but at the same time I'm quite happy with the position that I'm in.

Q. Was Carnoustie the place to play today?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes. Yes, Carnoustie was the place to play today. Whether it's going to be the same tomorrow I'm not sure, the weather forecast seems quite set. So let's hope it's the same tomorrow as well.

It's been quite fair the first two days. But we'll see what happens tomorrow. I think in around ideal world, Carnoustie was the place to play today, but the world is not ideal is it, really.

Q. It�s true to say it was not love at first sight for you on the Old Course?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No there was no love lost and there on the wall are pictures of Paraguay � very nice! Before the Paraguay incident, my record in the Dunhill Cup was quite good. I had a fair record. I think I was seven wins out of nine or something, or eight out of nine, which wasn't bad. But then it all went wrong at Paraguay, India and China, wasn't that something?

Then had a great round here. I was 9-under after 12, a bit like Graeme McDowell yesterday. Three years ago here when I finished third, and then you get -- the more you play this course, the more you appreciate it. And it's different every time you play the course, as it was this morning. It was very cold on the 9th, up on the 10th tee this morning at nine o'clock; we were first off. But it was good. It's different every time you play the course. But 67, that's okay, I would take that before the day started, so that's all I can hope for.

Q. Playing in Scotland, is that something that you do find as an advantage with the support you are get?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Terrific support today. Difficult course to support on, actually, a difficult course to walk watch on and get around, 18 holes. I had great support today and I felt like coming off the 9th, there was some big applause as we walked towards the scorer's hut at the 9th. It was very nice to have, and actually I've had a lot of support over the last month. It's been fantastic to come back to Scotland after the Ryder Cup situation. It's very good timing. I'm very lucky with the weather, as well. It's been very kind to us so, it all looks good for a good weekend ahead.

Q. Did your partner help you today?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: She helped me on four -- three holes, of which one was an eagle. Amazing, I don't know how many birdies have been made at the 17th, and she was one of them today; net, eagle. And then she was playing with her four courtesy shots which she should have off 18, of course that's stroke No. 1, that was a three-net-one, she made at 17, which was quite remarkable. She was short right in two and had about 80 yards and hit it a bit hard, but the pin helped and it went, amazing. So that helped our score by a couple of shots, so I had to make 4 and she holed a good putt at the ninth, our last hole.

Q. Did she pitch in?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yeah, she pitched in from 80 yards. 80 yards. She helped me three shots yesterday and four shots today. So, good luck to her. She's done very well.

Q. How did she celebrate the eagle, was there a lot of kissing and hugging?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Lots of hugging and kissing and a lot of supporters hollering, going, "What are you doing." But a lot of kissing and hugging of caddies and myself. But of course, that's her nature, she's very kissy, huggy. No, she's great, she's a good girl. She's done very well. Completely, completely out of her comfort zone in what she does for a living and for what she's doing here. You know, I've got great admiration for all of the Amateur players here. They are all out of their comfort zones and I have great admiration for all of them, whatever they -- whatever they score or wherever they hit it, it doesn't matter. I just admire them all for coming out here and being completely away from, to be able to do their jobs, as well as we do ours.

Q. How do you keep yourself going when the pace is so slow?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes, I know what I mean. This today was, we were obviously the quickest. We teed off at 9:00 and it's now 3:00 and we were the quickest. I think the last groups today will be taking 6 1/2 hours around St. Andrews today.

Remember, we were taking nearly six hours in the Open and we were three balls. Just a very slow golf course because you have to give way -- there's a right of way, almost, isn't there. It's very difficult. You just have to keep walking with the caddie and keep drinking and just keep chatting away because you're in the same boat as everyone else. Everyone has to play this course at least once, and it is the slowest course, probably in the world. And there's no rough. Amazing, you look around the golf course here -- no rough, it's the slowest course in the world, and that's the way it is. It's unique. It has a number of unique features and that's one of them.

Q. So what do you do?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: We have to accept it. There's nothing to do about it. There's nothing, there's nothing to do.

Q. Were you pointing out a rules issue to her on the third tee?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, she wasn't aware that of the fact that, yes, the card -- the card at St. Andrews is -- I'll show you the scorecard, because she was unaware she had four courtesy shots here at St. Andrews that she doesn't have at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. The par for the ladies at St. Andrews is very different than for the men. A number of par 5s for the ladies are par 4s under normal -- women are given four extra shots at St. Andrews that they aren't at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

Q. Are they given more shots here at St Andrews to make up for the fact that they are not allowed in the clubhouse?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I'm not going there.

SCOTT CROCKETT: Colin thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.
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