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HSBC WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

September 17, 2006

Paul Casey

VIRGINIA WATERS, ENGLAND

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, Paul, a guy in the red shirt with a Nike swoosh won the tournament Sunday as everyone expected, but it was you and a fantastic performance. You're the HSBC World Match Play Champion, give us your initial assessment. I could see you were quite emotional.

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I was, a bit shocked actually. I think the whole week it was very exciting just to be in the event, happy to have qualified. And then as the week went on, just trying to play, be very cool and relaxed and happy with every win I had. You know, none of the matches were easy, even though the scores may not have reflected that, and even going into today, I was very happy to just make the final. If I won, it's purely a bonus.

GORDON SIMPSON: And I believe that's the least amount of holes played, which is a nice note for next week coming up as well.

PAUL CASEY: Just the way it turned out, 3 up at lunchtime, I know the golf that I play against, let's say, Goose early in the week, if Shaun had pulled out some birdies early, which I thought he was capable of doing, it could be a very, very tough match. It could go the other way. I mean, who knows. The goal was to come out and make as many birdies as I could and at least give myself chances and nice that it's turned out that way.

Q. Inaudible

PAUL CASEY: No, I mean, he's Major Champion. As I said yesterday, he hit one of the best 7 irons I've ever seen in golf at the PGA a few years ago. You have to expect that the guy is going to make birdies. So my goal was to make birdies, as well, thinking, you know, even going down 8, I expected him to make that putt and I thought I had to make it for the halve and I thought on 9 he was probably going to make that putt and I was going to have another putt to halve. Fortunately he didn't but that's the way I was I thinking. I still felt if he made a couple, it could be different.

Q. What does this mean to your career?

PAUL CASEY: It's probably the biggest win of my career so far, you know, financially and in terms of sort of role of honour, significance. And so I think it's just a reflection of what I've been working on for the past couple of years.

Q. Good practice for the Ryder Cup?

PAUL CASEY: Whatever happens this week, I don't think you can predict what's going to happen next week. Next week, 18 hole matches, there's a lot of pressure next week. You know, 12 guys against 12 guys. I don't know what's going to happen next week.

Sure, this is certainly giving me a lot of match play practise, and giving me a taste of what playing of what long days are going to be like next week. But I don't think you can predict and I don't know if this win today, you know, means that I'm sort of, you know, any better at match play than I was, you know, before this event started. It's just what happens next week, happens.

Q. Was the 16th key?

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I think it was. It would have been very easy to go into lunch less than 3 up, and I certainly got away with one there. He was in the middle of the fairway and I'm just short of the front edge, and I did not expect him to put it over the green. I mean, it's a dangerous flag, so, yeah, very, very fortunate.

Q. How does it feel to be in the world's top 20 for the first time?

PAUL CASEY: Only for one week, for a short period. Don't know when! (Laughter).

Q. Going top of the Order of Merit - how important is that?

PAUL CASEY: I guess I'll see in a couple of weeks when I've figured it out. I think at the end of the day, it's just belief, believing you should be in this position and that you're capable of winning world class events, and that's something, like Luke and David, they have the belief that capable of winning and being the best in the world. Luke is very hungry for a major, I know that. Howell was won huge events. He went up against Tiger last year in China, and that's why I've got to take those guys and start believing that maybe I'm capable of winning big events like this.

Q. Inaudible?

PAUL CASEY: It doesn't change the way I look at it. It may change the way guys look at me. I'm just excited to go into next week, and as I said yesterday, I'm ready to play if as many matches as Woosie wants me to play in. I'm happy to play in all five if that's what he asks me.

Q. That belief, has it been a case of having it then losing it and getting it back?

PAUL CASEY: You mean in terms of how long I've been professional? I think that's a fair assessment.

Q. You seem to be good a closing opponents out. Why?

PAUL CASEY: Well, that's very kind of you to say that. Am I?

Q. You don't give much away?

PAUL CASEY: That's very kind of you to say that. Today, I haven't really thought about it too much. As I said before, I just expect whoever I'm playing to come back with more and to never give me any holes coming in. I feel like I have to earn it and go out there and keep the pressure on. I mean, mind set didn't change, even after I started racking up the holes and got 6 up, 7 up, 8 up. I felt that, you know, try and put the pressure on.

Q. How does it feel to be the new Number One on the Order of merit?

PAUL CASEY: I've got no idea. It's a real goal now, but it was a real goal before. It's certainly an attainable goal now and one that's, you know, really, it's in sight. I think it's just like looking at the trophy there standing on the 10th green looking at the names who have won this match play title. It's the same with the Order of Merit. It's the who's who. I would just dearly love to add my name to that list.

I think putting your name down by history rather than it's not about the Euros or the pounds or whatever. It's about knowing that my name will forever be there.

Q. Tell me about your three iron shots at the finish?

PAUL CASEY: Those iron shots all year, sometimes three in a row. Just good ball control, as well. That shot on 8, I turned it in and that shot on 9, I cut it in. I had good control of the golf ball today. Felt very comfortable moving the golf ball around.

Q. Inaudible?

PAUL CASEY: I don't know, maybe (laughter).

Q. How do you stand with Kostis?

PAUL CASEY: Going into this event, I was down, and now I'm significantly up. I have a small wine wager with Peter Kostis. I'm not saying what it is.

Q. What if Darren pats you on the back again like two years ago?

PAUL CASEY: Same as last time. They have to do a job. If they think that I'll go wherever Woosie wants me to go. If I get patted on the back by Darren again, I take it as a compliment from those guys if they think I'm capable of doing that. I guess I have to build up the I suppose, get myself ready if that's what they do, put me into battle.

Q. How tired are you?

PAUL CASEY: I felt very tired yesterday morning against Colin. The first four holes weren't too crispy and legs were a little bit dead, but I feel pretty good now. It's probably just the adrenaline.

Q. So you would play Tiger again?

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I've got no issue with that.

Q. Inaudible?

PAUL CASEY: I mean, for me it's being able to control the golf ball, move the golf ball both ways meant that I was physically, that I'm capable and if I'm mentally capable and mentally I was fine as well. If I get tired, the legs go quiet and the golf ball I start hooking the golf ball. If I can keep the legs active and drive them through the golf ball, I can still cut it, then I feel I'm fine.

And I work very, very hard in the physio truck with the guys in there. I have to thank them. After every match I've been in this week and had should treatment on the legs and back and shoulders to stay fresh. And all the work I did earlier in the year or even right now just on general fitness, getting that up to a certain level, it's certainly paid off.

Q. Is there anything you need to work on?

PAUL CASEY: I don't know. Peter will probably tell me. Kostis is coming over. Just I mean, I'm sure things probably legs are probably tired, hips are probably straightening, just getting everything back to neutral for next week.

Q. You weren't behind after Friday afternoon. Does that help?

PAUL CASEY: It's easier leading. It's a different situation for stroke play. Leading can be very, very demanding. Easy to chase in stroke play. Difficult to chase in match play I would say. Just keep putting the pressure. If you keep putting the perfect sure on the guy, sticking it in the fairway, sticking it in the green, it's very difficult to play against him I think.

Q. Was it a conscious decision to wear red today?

PAUL CASEY: No, I've looked through I was going to go around the shoes, but no, this was there it wasn't a conscious decision. I thought it would look nice with the HSBC logo.

Q. What would £1 million buy in Weybridge?

PAUL CASEY: Small probably two bedroom flat.

Q. If you had been playing Tiger would you have worn red?

PAUL CASEY: Good question, Derek. Probably not. Fair question. I watched the telecast when Luke played against Tiger in Chicago, and there was a lot of comments, you know. In fact, I had a red shirt in the suitcase which didn't come out. I went with the lime green in the end.

No, I mean, I think the colour I would ask permission to wear red on Sunday. (Laughter).

Q. Inaudible?

PAUL CASEY: No, I'm just very, very happy to be playing good golf and I'm very excited to be going into next week after playing good golf this week.

GORDON SIMPSON: Thank you very much, Paul.

End of FastScripts.

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