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THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 20, 2006

Marcus Fraser

HOYLAKE, ENGLAND

STEWART McDOUGALL: Ladies and gentlemen, Marcus Fraser, 4 under par, 68, leader in the clubhouse.

Marcus, that's a nice start. You've played The Open once before. It's a great place to be on a second occasion.

MARCUS FRASER: Sure, I'm over the moon. I'm happy with the way things are going, feel like I'm playing well, looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. After all the discussion the last few days in practice rounds about what the hot weather has done for the course, how did it play today in actual competition?

MARCUS FRASER: There was obviously a lot of rain last night which softened up the course quite considerably. We basically went out there with the mindset at the start of the week, in the practice rounds, that we were landing things short of the green, and today you could quite easily land it four or five meters on the green. It's still firm, but definitely not anywhere near what it was at the start of the week.

Q. Where did you hear that you'd be starting a little later?

MARCUS FRASER: Once we got on top of the range, they wouldn't give us any balls to hit. They said there's a half an hour delay, that was fine.

Q. Do you think it was an advantage to go out early, because it's drying out early?

MARCUS FRASER: Without a doubt, it's definitely playing maybe a shot, two shots easier when it's softer like that. I mean it evens itself out during the year, so you get a good draw occasionally.

Q. Did you have to resort to any unconventional shots whatsoever? Did you need any?

MARCUS FRASER: Not today, no. I felt like I played quite well. I hit a couple of loose drives. I didn't hit in any fairway bunkers, I hit in one greenside trap, and obviously that's the key around here, it's a shot penalty as soon as you hit in the pot bunkers out there. I tried to play around them and be patient.

Q. You obviously had a good finish in the French to get in here. How is your form this week, coming together over the last month or so?

MARCUS FRASER: Feels like everything is sort of coming today. First ten events of the year I made every cut, didn't really do a hell of a lot with it. I finished ninth in Singapore, which was my best result until the French Open. I felt like I've been playing pretty steadily. I had a few problems last year in my game.

Q. Coming into today, coming into the round, did you feel the confidence about the course and about your game?

MARCUS FRASER: Yeah, for sure. I felt like we definitely had a really good look at the golf course. I've had Peter O'Malley's caddie this week, borrowed him for the week. He's made a huge difference. I just went out with the mindset of being patient.

Q. Did you watch a lot of the Open as a kid when you grew up?

MARCUS FRASER: For sure. Actually this morning I got up at 4:20. I thought I was getting up at home to watch it, back home when I was a kid. A lot of early mornings getting up and watching it, obviously watching Greg Norman and those guys compete.

Q. Could be a decent year for Aussie golf?

MARCUS FRASER: Yeah, seven wins on the U.S. Tour, and obviously a major and a world event. I think there's 23 Aussies here this week. It's been moving forward for a long time, but it's definitely moving forward now.

Q. What did you learn from your experience at St. Andrews last year to this year's tournament?

MARCUS FRASER: I think I just got I had my mom and dad and friends there. Obviously we were enjoying the week, and almost forget about playing golf for the week, which was the reason we were there. It's quite easy being at St. Andrews, and the first time in an Open. Training for a golf tournament this week, doing things I normally do, trying to do all the right things, see what happens.

Q. Are you still over awed?

MARCUS FRASER: I think I still am, but it's under control. I'm going out trying to hit good golf shots and playing good golf shots, and just take it as it comes.

End of FastScripts.

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