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VOLVO MASTERS ANDALUCIA

November 2, 2003

Fredrik Jacobson

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, a wonderful day, a long day but you're now the Volvo Masters Andalucia champion for this year, your third title of the season. Maybe just give us your immediate thoughts on the whole week.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I mean, on the whole week, I think it's always nice to just -- the last four years I've played the Volvo Masters, I've always enjoyed it a lot. And it's a nice final event with all of the best players here. I got a good start in the early part of the week which set it up in the tough conditions, and that was a really, really tough battle then, but a good battle with Carlos this week. It's been quite unbelievable the way this story has been going at times, up and down. He was leading for a while and I was leading, back and forth but quite tough to stay in the battle.

GORDON SIMPSON: What about the playoff itself, you had to get in the playoff, first of all; did you think the tournament had maybe gone at 17?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: It definitely would have felt easier if I would have made my putt for a 6; either that, or that he would have missed his birdie putt, just to be one behind would have felt like a better chance. I was hoping to make mine. Didn't happen.

But, at the same time, there is always this birdie/bogey thing, isn't it, where if you can put a bit of pressure, and that's what I was hoping for. Hit a good tee shot and then managed to hit a great second shot there to give myself a chance for the playoff, so that was great.

GORDON SIMPSON: What did you hit in?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I hit 9-iron the first time from 138 meters.

Q. How comfortable were you feeling in the playoff off the tee because it really looked that you were a little shaky in the playoff?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, my tee shots weren't great towards the end of the last round. I made up my mind that I wasn't going to hit my driver anymore this week because they are quite tough tee shots, both 18 and 10 requires a bit of accuracy. I haven't been hitting many 3-woods this week, but I don't think I've ever done it to be honest. Then I picked it up on the 72nd hole, I thought I had to do something because the driver wasn't good on 17. I hit a great shot there and then I made up my mind just to stick with the plan to just try to keep the ball in play and then a few good 3-woods and a couple that weren't that good. I got really fortunate on the 10th hole to stop short of the water there which was quite incredible. Someone looking out for me today at some times.

GORDON SIMPSON: The shot on the previous hole behind the tree seemed to be a pretty tough one, as well.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, that was the first playoff hole I think. I've had two playoffs before and I lost both. You hit a bad tee shot and hoping for a lie, it didn't look that great, but at least I had a little bit of a shot, not much of it. But at least there was a gap. So you've got to go for it. I think I hit a very good shot from there and just ran over the back of the green. It's nice to get out of there.

Q. It looked like up to the third shot on 17 like you could really win the tournament easily. So why did you leave the third shot so short that it could roll down to the water, what happened there?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Well, it wasn't really like I had a lot to go on. I think I was one shot up at the time which is not a lot and Carlos was in good position. I mean, he ended up birdieing the hole. So if I made a 5, it would have been still even for the last hole. But I just focused on hitting a shot four or five yards left of the pin and I mis-hit it. I hit the ball a little bit high on the club face with a little bit more spin on it and it didn't go as far as I planned. So it was a bit of a mis-hit. It wasn't wrong club or anything.

Q. You've elevated yourself quite dramatically in the World Rankings this year, where does the Ryder Cup fit into your plans or your hopes for next year? And could you talk about your ambitions in the majors now?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, I mean for the majors, I'm now in all four majors for next year, which is great. I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing this year. I won't change anything there approaching-wise. The way I approached them this year worked well and there's no point in changing anything that's working.

So going over to the Ryder Cup, that's one of my main goals next year is to play my first Ryder Cup. I think I'm getting close to it and I've been playing well for awhile, and hopefully I'll play a bit more in America next year and it will work out fine. That's a goal of mine.

GORDON SIMPSON: You have a five-year exemption now. You can probably afford to do that.

FREDRIK JACOBSON: Yeah, but as it comes to the Ryder Cup, it does count a bit from the European Money List. But, yeah, five-year exemption is not bad. (Laughter.)

Q. How would you describe the Valderrama course to your friends?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I mean, for me it's more than ten years since I played here the first time when I was on the Amateur team, and I liked it and I did find it very tough. I think you have to play it a few times to actually make up a good game plan to get around here. You've got to attack where you can attack and then try to get in position some places. I mean, that's something that comes after awhile I think and I feel more and more comfortable playing here.

The course, I was down practicing seven years ago or something and it was raining heavily down on the coast, and all of the courses were closed but this one was just in good shape. Certainly put in a lot of work on having it well and good drainage. I really like it. A lot can happen, as well, on that 17th, can't it. (Laughter.)

Q. Because of the lead always changing, you were leading most of the time, but then lost it, are you generally good at coming from behind to leading to the front?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I prefer being ahead, if I could. It would make it a little bit easier. (Laughter.)

I mean, you've just got to take what you do. I think a few of the times, I might have lost a couple of shots and that got Carlos back into it. But a few of the times I think he played very good and made quite a lot of birdies. So all of the credit to him because he was quite a long way at some point yesterday and he really played great. So he did a lot of the work, as well, is what I think.

Q. What's changed in the Fredrik Jacobson game this year or is it just a case of your first win started you off? There's no psychologist we should know about?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I've been better at setting goals and even more focused every time I play. So the difference when I won in Hong Kong was that I could feel a bit more relaxed in this situation. Again a little bit of the good old amateur feeling when I won a lot of tournaments before, but I think I had to win that first time to get that good feeling in situations like this. Because when time goes and it's been eight years or something since or nine years, then it starts getting a little tough in those situations.

Q. Having won thrice this year and you've mentioned setting goals, what goals will you set for yourself for next season?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I don't know. I'll sit down. I mean, Ryder Cup is the main goal that's been in my head from earlier. But when it comes to my own goals on the way I work and everything, I've got to sit down when I'm finished with this season and have a look through what I've done from what we've setup last year and take it from there.

Q. Are you conscious of improvements that can still be made?

FREDRIK JACOBSON: I think so, yeah.

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, nobody else has led from start to finish to win this tournament. It's been a great effort all week. Congratulations and have a good week at Seve Trophy.

End of FastScripts.

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