WGC NEC INVITATIONAL

August 21, 2003

Padraig Harrington

Q. Hot and tough out there?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Well it was playing quite easy I would have said but it is the sort of course that you have to get it into position off the tee to make a birdie. You get out of position, you have a good chance of making bogey. If you play well, the chances are there, it is quite a good test in that way. Once you get in trouble, even if you get to the green, you can be struggling with the slopes and stuff.

Q. Main problem today was?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I changed a little thing and as much as I'm very happy with the change, it knocked out my focus a little bit, it hasn't settled in. I hit the ball great but I just hit it in the trees too often off the tee. When I hit it in there it was more because I felt uncomfortable more than anything else, it is just something I have to get used to.

Q. Is it hard maintaining focus at the moment?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: When you are going badly, I spent most of the day thinking is it time to go home. It is in that sense, but if you were playing well it might be easier but when you are going badly the thought it, gee whiz, I think I'd rather be at home.

Q. Might you go then?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I had a think about it out there but I think that would be wrong, to pitch up and play one round and then go home. It is the best possible reason, but I think it would be wrong to use the tournament in that way. It is a big tournament in its own right and NEC deserve the respect and just because I didn't have a good day, I'm not going to go home.

Q. Were your expectations really high after the first two holes?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I would have said I hit half the shots out there as well as I could and half the shots as bad as I could so I had very high expectations. I was a little uncomfortable on a number of shots and hit bad shots because of it. It is just getting used to that in competitive situations. When I think I putted well and nothing dropped and every time I was in the trees I chipped it out, I tell you what, I wish that was the worst I could score. I haven't lost hope, let's say. I'm in good spirits. I was very confident going out but I was just a little bit uncomfortable with something new in competition.

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