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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 10, 2005

David Howell

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

Q. An interesting experience I would have thought.

DAVID HOWELL: It was indeed, yeah.

Q. You haven't played that one with him before, have you?

DAVID HOWELL: Yeah, I trashed him in Dubai last year, yeah. I was a bit nervous to start with. Made a bit of a nervy start. Got off to the worst possible start; it was a yard from an easy 4, chance of a 3 and that didn't pan out.

Q. You called the official over; you addressed that?

DAVID HOWELL: I had a practice swing about a yard away, and then when I got near the ball, the ball moved, so he checked that. That was fine. All of that is what you don't need.

Q. Came back pretty well?

DAVID HOWELL: Then I played really nicely. 3, I hit it close and 3-putt from four feet, and again, that's just what you don't need. I just couldn't release the putts whatsoever on those greens. They are fast and firm and they are difficult to putt at the best of times.

Q. Was it nervous, the fact that you're playing with him or the position you're in?

DAVID HOWELL: Not with Tiger really, I don't think. The general situation, I guess. It's easy the first few days and gets to you at some stage, it's just natural. It was the putting that was the problem, and just the greens are so quick, you can be nervous on it, and then, you know, I fought back really well and was all in all 1-over from that front nine and it wasn't a bad effort.

Then today I swung the club nicely today for all intents and purposes, and I made one horrendous error on 13 laying up into the hazard, which is just ridiculous.

Q. He laid up, as well, didn't he?

DAVID HOWELL: He was going for the green, so you don't mind so much if you're going for it. But the way my morning went, I tried to lay up and it goes in, and he tries to go for it and misses, frustrating. And then coming in, I thought would I drive 14 and end up in the left rough and struggle in from there. Had a good break on 16. Again, this course, walking up the 17th fairway, two birdie chances here, looks like a reasonable pin on 17, hit a nice shot and came up short, misjudged the distance a bit, and then 2-putt, putting across the fringe. That's the sort of stuff I'm learning all the time. There's never an easy shot at Augusta.

Q. Was it difficult to concentrate and not get caught up on what Tiger was doing on 10, 11, 12, 13?

DAVID HOWELL: No, I don't know that what Tiger was doing really affected me. It's better when someone is playing well and someone else is possibly struggling even more. No, I don't think it was anything to do with that. I was fine with it. There was no nerves literally.

I just made one bad decision and I still missed putts on 11. I hit it six-foot and missed it then I hit it to 12-foot on 12, and I had a perfect line from the previous person and missed that one, as well, and you just can't afford to do that really.

Q. Do you find yourself watching Tiger when he is doing so well?

DAVID HOWELL: Well, I was watching, obviously. I said to Mick, you know, we haven't had a great day, but what an event to partner Tiger with. He's put himself right in the pole position, hasn't he.

Q. Did you get a feeling he was onto something special, that 62 was possible out there?

DAVID HOWELL: It was. It's just for him it was unfortunate on 14, and then possibly a wrong decision after his drive on 15. But he does go for it.

Q. What was it like to play with him?

DAVID HOWELL: Tiger is lovely to play with.

Q. Is he encouraging?

DAVID HOWELL: No, not a lot. I wasn't encouraging him either.

Q. Could you imagine what it must be like on Sunday tied for the lead him doing things like and that the crowd and everything?

DAVID HOWELL: Fairly exciting I should imagine.

Q. Is it intimidating?

DAVID HOWELL: Depends how he plays isn't it? Tiger, he plays fantastic golf and he still hit some poor shots and he managed to hit miraculous ones after it and so he'll be, you know, he's obviously playing great.

Q. Yesterday coming up the 9th tee, you said something about getting whiplash, was that from watching his drives and what was that comment?

DAVID HOWELL: No, that was just my job.

End of FastScripts.

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