WGC AMERICAN EXPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

November 7, 2000

Tiger Woods

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, this is, I believe, my fourth week out of eight; and so far things have been all right. My game's all right. It's not the greatest in the world right now. I'm just kind of getting by. But I got a few things I need to work on these next two days, and I should be ready.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I played so well the entire day. Even the shot I hit on 17 in the water was a good shot. It was a wonderful day. I played well, and I was able to squeak out a victory at the end of the playoff.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I did.

TIGER WOODS: I haven't heard what kind of changes. I don't know if it's more severe, less severe.

TIGER WOODS: Well, that's good I guess. (Laughter.)

TIGER WOODS: I felt like the year's over with, and this didn't feel like (inaudible). Traditionally, our season ends with our TOUR Championship. Just like people over here, it ends with the Volvo Masters. That's how it's going to be next year, but these two years, a lot of guys didn't come over, and they're trying to get ready for the holiday season, take a little time off, and I think that's probably the best way to look at it.

TIGER WOODS: I got here this morning. Left yesterday, got here this morning nonstop. It was a good flight.

TIGER WOODS: No, I flew right here. Orlando to here.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I think the overwhelming sense of pride and joy and the fact that I was able to work on a lot of things I haven't been able to work on in the past few years all came together in the biggest events. That's what you want to have happen. You want to have your game peak four times a year, and I was able to do that for about three and a half events. First two rounds of Augusta, I didn't really play that great, but I got it going on the weekend. I feel that this year, even though I've won a few times throughout the year, the fact that I was able to play as well as I did in the big events, in the major championships, our PLAYERS Championship, TOUR Championship, the World Golf Championships, so far I've been able to play really well. That's ultimately what you want to have happen.

TIGER WOODS: I wouldn't say necessarily an obligation. I just enjoy it. I enjoy playing around the world. I've always figured in order to be the world's best, you have to play around the world. You have to win in various countries and various conditions. There's different grasses all across the world that you need to play in and learn how to play in. It's just, that, to me, is just part of the educational process of playing the game of golf. There are a lot of different things you need to learn, and they will help you down the road by playing all around the world.

TIGER WOODS: First part of the question, just be myself. I just go out there, I just play as hard as I possibly can. I try on every shot. And I know that sounds pretty simple, but that's all it is. What people want to expect of my play, it really has no bearing on how I play, because ultimately, not that you guys here or anybody in the galleries have ever hit a shot for me, I'm the one that ultimately has to hit the shot. I focus on what I can do. I know what I can and can't accomplish holing the ball, and I try to do my best. As far as playing this golf course, I know that the times I've played here, the two times and the tournaments I've played here, you have to drive the ball well. You need to -- in the past, I've hit a lot of irons off the tees because the golf course has been fast, it's been short. I don't know how it is this year. But the last year, I remember hitting just a 10-iron, 4-iron off the tee, just because the fairways were so fast, the ball was running. From there, you hit a tap on the small greens. You get the ball on the green, you're going to have a legitimate birdie chance.

TIGER WOODS: Not really. I never looked at it that way. (Laughter.) I think that Phil played well last week. He won, and just decided to stay home, as he said, enjoy the holiday season. It's the first time he's gotten to be away from the game for a while, taking six weeks off, just getting away from it. He's played a lot throughout the year, and he just wants to take a little time off.

TIGER WOODS: No, it wasn't one of my goals at PGA, no. One of my goals at the beginning of the year.

TIGER WOODS: No, it was one of my goals at the beginning of the year, a very good goal.

TIGER WOODS: I have a few. I tell you at every tournament, whether I accomplish them or not.

TIGER WOODS: I don't know. I think the best way to look at it is the fact that I've had a wonderful year; I've played well. Ultimately, what you have to do is put yourself in a position to win. This year I was able to do that. Most of the tournaments I've played in this year I've had a chance to win. There are a few tournaments where I didn't. I either made a mistake down the stretch, or my opponents just outplayed me. That's the way it goes. The key is to keep putting yourself there time in and time out. Your wins will come. I think that's something that I'm very proud of this year, is I was able to put myself in contention on the back nine on Sunday in most of the events I teed up in.

TIGER WOODS: Second part?

TIGER WOODS: Was I tempted not playing here? No. I was going to play here anyway. I support this event. I think I'm -- I'm really excited about it. From what I've been told, a lot of people are going to be there. I just hope the weather holds out, and it actually will be a fun little clinic where I can get a few shots and put a little smile on their face, maybe educate them on how I play some of the shots I play, why I play them. I've done this in most of the World Golf Championships that I've played on, done a clinic a Monday after an event. It's been a lot of fun.

TIGER WOODS: I've always said it is possible. You just need to win four events. Phil Mickelson won four events this year. You just need to get lucky and win the right four. (Laughing.) But a lot of it, one, you need to have your game come together four times throughout the year. That is attainable, but you need to get some lucky breaks. You can't play well each and every day you play in a major championship. It's just not going to work out that way. You're going to have to hit a tree and come back on a fairway, hit a ball in the rough, have a great lie, make a birdie. Things like that, that you kind of just get away with shots here and there. This year, I've got a few lucky breaks. I had a couple bad drives at St. Andrews this year, should have been hops and somehow skirted them, and I'm making pars and birdies.

TIGER WOODS: If I'm holding all four, I think that's it. That's just me.

TIGER WOODS: If I hold all four at one time. Whether that's in one year or not, all four is all four.

TIGER WOODS: I never said that.

TIGER WOODS: No. You guys said that. (Laughing.)

TIGER WOODS: I think I'll just wake up when I wake up, and I'll see it on the highlights. I'm sure it will be all across the news. I put in my vote; and I'm nervous, just like everybody else.

TIGER WOODS: I've been a president before.

TIGER WOODS: President of my class. (Laughter.) That's about it. No, I think there's a little too much to do, that kind of stuff. I'd rather go out there and play golf. And when you're President, it's kind of hard to get away and play a nice, quiet round of golf.

TIGER WOODS: Making sure that we had our lunches longer, try to get our lunches longer, less homework. You know, the important things. (Laughter.)

TIGER WOODS: Not very. Teachers overruled.

TIGER WOODS: I haven't done any. That's one of the things I do want to get into eventually. But to be honest with you, I really think I need to play more around the world to try to get a better understanding of course design and, more importantly, what kind of style I like. I understand a lot about courses and how they set up, why they set up certain ways. I want to get a better understanding of grasses and textures and why some of the indigenous grasses they use here, why not use it there, things like that. That, you can only gain from experience, and playing around the world is the best way to gain that experience. And don't forget, I am I guess somewhat young, and there's plenty of time for that. Right now, my plate is kind of full, and I'm enjoying what I'm doing now. There will come a point in time, yeah, where I will do that.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, lots of them.

TIGER WOODS: Yes.

TIGER WOODS: Last year, when I played on Sunday, it was probably -- you're right -- one of the best rounds I've played as a pro considering the conditions. I was 7-under or something like that through 16 holes, or 6-under. I really played well. I had a nice little stretch there in the middle of the round, hit a few birdies and an eagle. I really got things going. I played really solid. I put a lot of good, solid shots. The wind was howling out there. I was able to really execute the golf shots I wanted to. Second part of your question, yeah, I truly believe that I enjoy playing harder golf courses in harder conditions. I think that's the ultimate right there, just because of the fact that you have to use every facet of your game. You have to think well, you have to execute your shots, place the golf ball in the correct spots. You can't just wale away and put it on the green and move on. You have to place your shots, and I enjoy that.

TIGER WOODS: Where did I vote? I voted in Orlando.

TIGER WOODS: It was an absentee ballot.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I think that's one of the reasons why I don't play that many events. It's one of the reasons why I take big breaks. I've taken a month here, five weeks here, and that's just in order to get myself ready to play these big events. I don't play 30-some-odd events like some of these guys do; I play a limited schedule. That's the best way to maximize my focus.

TIGER WOODS: No, there isn't, because I took -- right before the Presidents Cup, I didn't play after Canada. I took five weeks off and got away from the game for a while. I went fishing, enjoyed myself. Then I came back. I've played the last three weeks, but I'd taken five off prior to that so I was pretty anxious to get back to playing.

TIGER WOODS: Not really.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah.

TIGER WOODS: Let's see, first part. Was I asked? No. Second part, have I completed my studies? No. I left after two years. The third part is yeah, I would like to go back. Right now we're looking at a way where I could do a lot of it on-line and talk to my professors that way and do a lot of reading and writing while I'm still playing, competing throughout the world.

TIGER WOODS: "NC." No comment. (Laughter.)

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, but it's also, then again, the end of the year. It's a long season. A lot of the guys just have played a lot this year. Either they have -- some of the guys have nagging injuries they want to rest, they don't feel like they want to throw the season and put their body through that anymore. Some of the guys just want to enjoy the holiday season with their families.

TIGER WOODS: I guess that's one way to solve it, but then again, I think -- I don't know how that would be received amongst the fans, because it is -- you have to qualify to get in, and you don't play, you fill a spot. I don't know how the fans would receive that. The players would be fine with it, but I don't know how the fans would receive it.

TIGER WOODS: Ironic, isn't it? I said that same thing at Disney, yeah.

TIGER WOODS: Thank you. I appreciate it.

End of FastScripts….