VOLVO MASTERS ANDALUCIA

November 9, 2002

Padraig Harrington

Q. Feeling better today?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, I played a little bit better. Could have done better. I suppose you are going to make errors on days like today. It's not easy out there.

I would have liked to have been better. I think I needed a bit better, but I can't do much about that now.

Q. How much harder was it today?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Oh, it's a tough course today. It really is. You need to get on top of the golf course. If you're going well, I think you can handle the wind. If you didn't have a bad start, either, but certainly you need a good start to keep yourself going.

It can be done out there. Definitely, it's very playable.

Q. Is there a final round 63 in your bag, like your round last week in Italy?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Certainly not in those conditions.

It's certainly possible. I would not say I'm putting or playing well enough to do it, but that's today. Doesn't mean tomorrow it won't be.

It's a tough day. As I say, it was certainly an opportunity to make a token level par or something like that. But then I hit a fed ropy old shots as well in the bad weather. It's a good test out there, I can tell you. Unfortunately, I have to practice out there, otherwise I would enjoy watching the golf on TV.

Q. Will you practice now?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Oh, I'll practice putting.

Q. How long was your third shot to 17?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I had 116 yards to the front and another 15 yards, so 131 yards.

Q. Wind got you there?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Well, there was an acorn beside my ball, and whatever happened, the shot I hit normally -- it's coming backwards at the end. You know, I tell you what, it's a tough shot in there. You've got to do what the two boys did behind. If you hit a tee shot down the fairway, you have to be aggressive with your second shot and hit it close enough to the water that you're hitting in -- it's more of a chip shot in. A full shot in there is very difficult.

Q. Who were you upset with on the 10th?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Myself. I just hit a bad shot. Sometimes you do those things.

Q. What club did you use for your third shot on 17?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: 8-iron. Went about 110 yards. Finished 109.

Q. So what's your thoughts about the Order of Merit situation?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I don't know what Retief is doing. I think more -- I don't know how he's doing or whatever. Obviously, we are both down into minor figures.

So I would obviously need to improve substantially tomorrow. As I say, you never know. It might be a different day tomorrow. Hopefully it will be.

Q. Is the Volvo Order of Merit now insurmountable?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: It's possible. It's more possible now than it was the week before the Dunhill Cup. Neither of us have played well this week. That's why I played the last two weeks, I was hoping to get to a situation where it would be straightforward, head-to-head, which as long as we both played well straightforward head-to-head. But that's the way it is.

Q. Has concentration been a problem for you this week?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Everything. I haven't putted well. I think that comes back into your game a bit when you hole a few putts, everything is good. I obviously didn't hole the putts. I certainly -- it's tough concentrating out on that golf course. That's what's the real test about it is. Every time you hit a shot, it's testing whether you think that is even the right shot to be playing at that time. It's a tough course that way.

Q. What happened on your second shot at 17?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I had a bad lie. As I say, I was pushing to get down a bit further so I could hit a higher club and hit it lower in there. Realistically I should have hit 7-iron and I tried to hit 5-iron. As I say, I was taking more of a chance with the second shot, hoping not to put myself too far back with a long club back in there to 17. It wouldn't be much fun.

Q. What was the club you hit?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I hit 8-iron.

Q. So what do you work on today?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Just my putting.

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