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BUICK CHAMPIONSHIP

August 24, 2005

Darren Clarke

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: We thank Darren Clarke for joining us for the 2005 Buick Championship. Darren, your first go around here in Connecticut. You were talking a little about the course, your thoughts on it today.

DARREN CLARKE: The course is in great shape. It appears that should go out there and shoot really low. Having played it for the second time today, it's certainly a lot more difficult than I actually thought it was, than it appeared yesterday.

You know, it's good. There's going to be a lot of birdie opportunities. The greens are I'm finding them pretty tough to read anyway. These venues, when you keep going back to them year after year, you get to know the greens, you get to know how much they move and stuff. This being my first time here, it's been a struggle these last couple of days. Hopefully I'll figure them out in time for tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Did you have one thing in mind when you came here and has it been changed?

DARREN CLARKE: No. I watched the tournament on television quite a lot of times. The last four holes here, a lot things can happen, it makes for great viewing. I've been back at home most of the time in the UK sitting and watching it. It's nice to come along and play it this week.

THE MODERATOR: You've been having a good year here in the States, five top tens in 11 events. Talk a little about how you feel about your game.

DARREN CLARKE: PGA, I played poorly. Last week at NEC, I played poorly. I'm just not quite hitting the ball the way I want to at the moment, nor scoring the way that I want to. You know, the past couple days haven't been too bad. Hopefully I can get back to where I was earlier in the year, playing a little bit better.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.

Q. How do you feel about loaning your caddie to Tiger?

DARREN CLARKE: I think it's great. I think it's fantastic. Tiger came and asked me at the NEC . He said, "Are you playing the week of the Presidents Cup?" I said, "I'm not sure. I'll find out." He said, "If you're not working, I'd really love Billy to come work for me for The Presidents Cup." I found out I wasn't playing, so I'm delighted that Billy has the opportunity to come over and work for Tiger.

Q. Honorable thing to do, to ask.

DARREN CLARKE: Tiger does the right thing all the time. We're good friends. It's a great honor for Billy to be able to go and caddie for him, so I'm delighted.

Q. Obviously, some tough times the last couple months. How have you managed to focus?

DARREN CLARKE: A, she's doing great, and B, I haven't focused, that's why I'm playing poorly.

Q. What is that?

DARREN CLARKE: A, she's doing well. B, I haven't been focusing at all. That's why I've been playing poorly. That's not just why I've been playing poorly, but I haven't been particularly bothered about it at all. Some good, some bad.

Q. (No microphone.)

DARREN CLARKE: Whatever. I go out and play, see how I get on. I'm not bothered about it at all.

Q. When you're on site at a tournament, you're not focused, or even when you're away?

DARREN CLARKE: A bit of everything. Doesn't really make any difference to me if I go out and shoot 64 or 74. Obviously, I'd like to shoot 64 more frequently than 74. You know, there's really no point in me getting annoyed about it. There's other things more important, things going on. Obviously, I still want to compete and I still want to try and win tournaments. But if it doesn't happen, so be it. I'll carry on to next week.

Q. Where is she now?

DARREN CLARKE: London.

Q. Getting treatment?

DARREN CLARKE: Not at the moment. No, she's doing okay at the moment. Doing fine now.

Q. Just coping?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, she's fine.

Q. She won't need any more treatments?

DARREN CLARKE: Probably at some stage, yeah, but she's doing okay.

Q. Talking to Lee, could you talk about the two of you obviously hanging out a lot together, playing the Ryder Cup together.

DARREN CLARKE: Gamble together, we drink together, we party together. He didn't come to watch me tee off this morning. We play practice rounds everywhere together. We get along great. We travel the world together, have done so for a long time. We're good friends. He takes a look at my game when I'm struggling, and vice versa, I take a look at his. We're just good friends out on TOUR having time to enjoy ourselves.

Q. Do you socialize much back in Europe?

DARREN CLARKE: Not in Europe, because we live in different parts of the UK.

Q. Any common interests outside of golf?

DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, we have quite a few. We have quite a few.

Q. Other than Guinness.

DARREN CLARKE: We own horses together. We're both into different things, cars, just all sorts of different things.

Q. He likes the Ferraris?

DARREN CLARKE: He likes the toys as much as I do.

Q. As far as Ryder Cup, is it your temperaments or games?

DARREN CLARKE: Because we travel around the world, as I just said, with each other for quite some time. We know each other's games inside and out. It's a normal, natural sort of pairing because we spend most of our time with each other. Makes it very easy.

Q. Kind of hit the ball the same distances?

DARREN CLARKE: Very similar. Very similar. He's the (indiscernible) when I am the half (indiscernible).

Q. Being a new course, any specific expectations this week? Are you working on anything in particular?

DARREN CLARKE: No. I just go and tee it up and see how I get on. Hopefully it will be good.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

DARREN CLARKE: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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