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BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

August 25, 2004

Sergio Garcia

MUNICH, GERMANY

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, Sergio Garcia. You have been here last time in 2001. I do not remember the result quite well, but I think you would like to play better this year; correct?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, definitely. I'd love to play nicely and give myself a chance of winning the tournament. That's what we came here for, and the course is looking in immaculate shape. It's looking really, really nice. The greens are probably the best I've ever seen them, and the rough is quite a lot thicker than it's been in the past years.

So, it should be a nice week.

Q. You just had a look here at the Ryder Cup points, there are five players, of which are six qualified, one of them is you; are you happy with that?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes, definitely. It's always nice to be on the Ryder Cup Team. It's something that you always work to try to achieve. I think that the team is shaping up nicely and depending what happens this week, we can see what goes on. But, you know, it's going to be a good Ryder Cup.

Q. If you're in the captain's situation, position and you have two picks to make, who would you pick based on what you've seen this year?

SERGIO GARCIA: I couldn't -- I don't know. I'm happy I'm not the captain because it's definitely not an easy job to do.

There's a lot of guys that have been playing well all year, and it's going to be a tough decision for Bernhard. No doubt, you have guys like Monty, who have done so well in Ryder Cups and have so much experience. Guys like Luke Donald, Freddie Jacobson has been playing great, Brian Davis. There's a lot of guys.

And some of the guys are in, they are not qualified yet, depending on what happens this week. So it's going to be very interesting to see what happens and it's going to be quite a nerve-wracking week for some of the guys. At the end of the week, we'll see how everything shapes up. It's going to be interesting to see what happens around it.

Q. Between now and then, will the Ryder Cup be in your thoughts or is the Ryder Cup out of your thoughts until it begins?

SERGIO GARCIA: Not really, I wouldn't say so. I think once you've qualified like I have done, you just pretty much focus on trying to play the tournament you're playing at the moment. Like this week, I'm not going to be thinking about the Ryder Cup. I'm going to be thinking about the BMW and trying to do my best here.

So probably after next week when we finish the European Masters, probably then I'll start thinking about the Ryder Cup on that week off and the week of the Ryder Cup.

But now, focusing on this week.

Q. This year the BMW International Open is the strongest field they have ever have here. How hard is it to compete against Retief Goosen two-time U.S. Open Champion, and other big guys?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I think that says a lot for the tournament, having a really strong field like we do this year. It's always nice to come to those kind of tournaments where a lot of the good players are playing. It definitely makes it a bit tougher, but at the same time, it makes you -- it makes you show the best in you to get your best, the best golf you have to try to win. So I think that's also a bit of a target; that a good tournament like this one gives you.

Q. Well, the course is in good shape, the rough is changed from 2001, do you expect another low-scoring year where the winning score would be between 19-under and 27-under?

SERGIO GARCIA: I wouldn't say so. It all depends on the weather. If we manage to get some decent weather, with the way the course is set up, I probably expect something between 14- and 17- or 18-under par. I wouldn't say that the course is set up, is going to get lower than that unless somebody goes really low.

Q. The players we spoke to this morning, Lee Westwood, Alex Cejka, they thought Monty should be in definitely on the team. Do you think --

SERGIO GARCIA: Do I think this is what?

Q. Do you think that it's more open than that? They seem to think it's a given.

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, there's no doubt that Monty is a guy with a lot of experience. He's played on many Ryder Cups. He's done very well in them. So that's a huge advantage for him going into Bernhard's thoughts.

But, you know, you can't take anything from the other guys who have been trying to qualify, too. I'll say, I mean, my personal feeling is that, yeah, Monty is kind of like a step forward from some of the other guys, but I'm not the one choosing. So, we'll see what Bernhard is just going to do whatever he thinks is best for the team, and whatever he does, we'll all take it as the best thing.

Q. You're looking on the second Ryder Cup list with earnings in Euros, would you base your play on who would enter the Ryder Cup Team last year in Munich, will it change or stay like that in the moment, including Paul McGinley?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. I mean, Paul, he played very well at the PGA. So he's got some nice momentum. I think Freddie Jacobsen has been playing pretty nicely. RaphaÃƒÂ«l seems to be playing pretty well. There can be some changes out there, there's no doubt about it. It's also, as I said before, there's going to be a lot of nerves involved, between probably between seventh and eighth in the qualifying standings and the guy who is maybe 20th or 25th. Whoever has a chance, you know, is going to be a bit nervous and looking forward to see if he makes it or not.

We'll see what happens. Just time is going to tell us pretty soon.

THE MODERATOR: We just saw you over in the tent having a look at, let's say, a small car, fast car; did you order it already?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, no, I haven't ordered it. I was trying to make a deal. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Good luck in the tournament and afterwards and for the Ryder Cup. Thank you for coming.

End of FastScripts.

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