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DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

March 3, 2004

Tiger Woods

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Q. You must be in a good mood after last week's nice victory?

TIGER WOODS: It was -- especially to play Davis in the final like that. I just made a few more putts and that was about it.

Q. What about coming back here again? The last time you and Thomas went head to head and it just got away from you at the end?

TIGER WOODS: Yes it did, at the last hole, but I'll tell you what's that was a lot of fun. To be playing head to head like that, and with a good friend of mine to play against. We had a good time for the whole four days, we played together on all four days so it was good fun.

Q. How tired are you?

TIGER WOODS: I feel good -- why would I be tired!

Q. Wake up early this morning?

TIGER WOODS: I get up early every morning!

Q. Going back to the ? Tiger, obviously you and Davis were both concerned by what happened in the gallery, with Brookline still fresh in the mind, how concerned should we be for the Ryder Cup?

TIGER WOODS: I don't think it's just the Ryder Cup, it's everything. It's unfortunate that things like that happen in our sport because there is no need for that and I think it's great when you have tournaments like Augusta when the galleries police themselves. That's the ultimate atmosphere when they take care of those who are not acting properly and it's unfortunate that things like that happen but it is happening more and more because we are bringing more fans to the game of golf. Our fanbase is growing, so we're getting more people to come out and watch tournaments that have never been out to a tournament in Florida. It's usually soccer fans, American football fans or basketball fans who are used to a more raucous atmosphere and our game's a little bit different to that.

Q. What can we do -- the media and the players and the Ryder Cup Board?

TIGER WOODS: Well I think the Captains at the last one, at the Belfry, did a fantastic job of providing an environment -- and stressing that this is a gentlemanly game. When we go out there to compete we're going to give it everything we've got, but it's going to be played the way it's supposed to be played. And they did that, the fans did a fantastic job at the Belfry and hopefully it will be the same way at Oakland Hills.

Q. So presumably Tiger, this has to some thing of a priority for Hal Sutton and Bernhard Langer in the build up to the match?

TIGER WOODS: I think it's a top priority for any organiser. Let's just forget about the Ryder Cup, but every tournament. I think that it's something that we should obviously react to and put things in proper place. For instance having cameras out there or cell phones going off -- these things need to be dealt with and taken care of.

Q. You've had that more than anyone -- are you still able to shut that out or is it becoming increasingly difficult for you?

TIGER WOODS: It's one of those things where I've had to deal with it -- there-s nothing I can do about it, I'm out there competing and trying to focus on hitting the bal close to the hole and trying to make putts. People say --outside the ropes. I don't have control over that. The Marshalls are doing the best job that they can to provide an environment for us that we can compete in and play at our best.

Q. Do you think alcohol has anything to do with that?

TIGER WOODS: It always has been -- you know how it is.

Q. Anything that can be done about that?

TIGER WOODS: Yes, but then again that's a lot money out the door as well -- I don't think that will happen. We did that in Baseball actually, we don't sell any alcohol, I think past the seventh inning and that has certainly improved that game, but in golf it's just too hard. I don't see the ever doing that. When do you stop? What hole? What time of day? It depends on how fast the play is. How hot is it out there? If it's hot then they don't take that many.

Q. I think in the Ryder Cup you were not allowed to take it on the course, whereas at some tournaments in America you can physically take it anywhere.

TIGER WOODS: That's right -- they did it at Phoenix, where they don't sell alcohol on the 16th hole anymore, but they still bring it in -- they still bring it in somehow.

Q. Does it add to the appeal of this event that people aren't going to shout as soon as you get the ball airborne?

TIGER WOODS: I think they still do -- if you look at the tape from a few years ago they did that.

Q. Inaudible?

TIGER WOODS: Hopefully that's something that doesn't happen. You can understand why they have them out there, but you don't want to have an unfortunate incident that's going to cost someone a tournament. For instance, when John Cook was trying to win in Hawaii he was tied for the lead and made bogey on 17 because a cell phone went of in his down swing and ended up losing the tournament by one. That ended up costing him a place at Augusta, so that's an incident where it cost him a place in a Major.

Q. At Mount Juliet as well when you were going for 72 holes without a bogey?

TIGER WOODS: That's another one. They're trying to be professionals those guys, but sometimes their finger might be a little heavy and they snap off at the wrong time. They're not trying to do that.

Q. How do you deal with it professionally?

TIGER WOODS: You just try and go out there and play. You try and forget it and try to focus on your shot and you have to re-gather yourself and focus on the shot again.

Q, How difficult is that in the heat of the battle?

TIGER WOODS: It's not that hard -- you just move on because the most important thing is that shot right now, you've got to block that out, hit that ball close and make that putt.

Q. You've always chose to ignore those incidents -- was Davis right to bring attention to it.

TIGER WOODS: The thing is he kept doing it and he was doing it throughout the match and you get somebody saying that throughout the match. He did it prior to that a few times -- and pretty loud too.

Q. Let's get back to your play on Sunday -- putting looked back to as good as a couple of years ago. Have you worked particularly hard on putting during the close season?

TIGER WOODS: Not really -- all it is is getting the right speed. It's amazing how many putts you can make if the speed is right.

TIGER WOODS: Just trying to get my consistency right day in and day out, trying to get the club in the right position day in and day out so that a bad round is not over par. So that when you struggle and haven't played your best but you shoot 69, and then when you do play well you shoot that low score. It's not about how good the good days are -- everyone out here can shoot low numbers - it's how bad your bad days.

Q. Decision on HSBC World Matchplay at Wentworth?

TIGER WOODS: I'm not going to play -- I have my foundation clinic that week.

End of FastScripts.

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