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SMURFIT KAPPA EUROPEAN OPEN

July 9, 2006

Stephen Dodd

STRAFFAN, IRELAND

GORDON SIMPSON: Stephen, winner of the Irish Open last year, winner of the Smurfit Kappa European Open this year, any truth in the rumour you're going to take up Irish citizenship?

STEPHEN DODD: Thinking about it.

GORDON SIMPSON: It was an amazing day, though, wasn't it, for you?

STEPHEN DODD: Yeah, it's been a pretty poor start to the year to be honest. Not really what I expected. But coming here, I didn't really have a lot of form, but golf's golf and you never know what's around the corner.

GORDON SIMPSON: And you could maybe start looking for ahead to the rest of the season, The Open and another event over here in Ireland as well at The K Club.

STEPHEN DODD: Yeah, I really haven't given that much thought to be honest. I'm just going to concentrate on what's next week at Loch Lomond and I'll just wait and see what the results produce over the next month or two.

GORDON SIMPSON: What do you think was the key to your success today?

STEPHEN DODD: I think patience over the weekend was a big factor. It was always going to be tough to score out there. I kept it in play very well. Caught a lot of good shots to the greens and I was just very patient. That was the key, really. I kept it in play and I was patient.

Q. Thoughts of making the Ryder Cup now?

STEPHEN DODD: As I just said, it's a long way off. There's a lot of tournaments to play. And I suppose your form can go as quickly as it comes. So I'm not looking that far ahead.

Q. But you'd like to?

STEPHEN DODD: Oh, obviously I'd like to play in it. It's everybody's dream, really, to play in the Ryder Cup. I'll think about that if and when I get in.

Q. All of the attention - could you deal with it?

STEPHEN DODD: I have to. Not much I can do about it. As I said, it's a long way off. There's a lot of big events and a lot of things will change over the course of the next month or two.

Q. Inaudible?

STEPHEN DODD: At times. I think you learn it with experience, really. It's something you develop through your career. That's what I tried to do all weekend was just be patient. You can't go looking for birdies out there. It's too tough. You've just got to get it in position to give yourself a chance. And that's kind of what I did.

GORDON SIMPSON: Do you ever think why it took you so long to make your breakthrough, and suddenly you've knocked off three titles, a couple of very big ones, at that?

STEPHEN DODD: I don't really reflect on what's happened. I just look at what's in front of me. You can't change what's happened. Sometimes I think about why it takes so long. I suppose it's better it happened now than not at all.

Q. Are you looking forward to the next few months?

STEPHEN DODD: I'm just going to look forward to playing next week in Loch Lomond and that's all I've got to look forward to at the moment. I'll think about things week by week. I'll take it week by week.

Q. you're 40 on Saturday?

STEPHEN DODD: I know, don't remind me.

GORDON SIMPSON: Anything planned?

STEPHEN DODD: Hopefully playing golf.

Q. How far was the putt on 16?

STEPHEN DODD: 16 was probably five or six feet.

Q. And you hit in what?

STEPHEN DODD: 9 iron in there.

Q. 17?

STEPHEN DODD: 17, I don't even know how long it was. 50 feet maybe. I was just trying to 2 putt the 17th and just fortunately I got the right line and the right pace and it went in.

Q. Were you looking at the leaderboard?

STEPHEN DODD: I did on 17, yeah. I was looking around. Yeah, I was looking around sort of from the back nine onwards. I'd like to know where I am and what I need to do. So I'd rather know what

Q. Inaudible?

STEPHEN DODD: Well, yeah.

GORDON SIMPSON: Do you feel comfortable up in that position, because it's now happened a few times that you've been in contention and you've come through to win.

STEPHEN DODD: I think you just look back on the experience you've had in the past when I've won and you just try and draw on those. Just try to be as calm as you can and I was okay, actually. I don't know what "okay" means, but I felt okay, I felt in control of what I was doing, put it that way.

Q. Have there been some low times down the years?

STEPHEN DODD: There were some times when I thought I didn't want to do this. Golf's golf and you've got to accept that you're going to get rough times and just make the most of the good times when they come along.

I'll enjoy this next week or so and I'll enjoy this win. But as I say

Q. What were the worst times?

STEPHEN DODD: There's been a lot. I really don't know. I really don't know. It's going to the Tour School time after time and not getting what you want is probably the toughest thing. And having to wait another year to go and do it again.

Q. Ever thought about giving up?

STEPHEN DODD: I thought about it many times, yeah. Thought about it a few times this year as well!

Q. What would you do if you weren't playing golf?

STEPHEN DODD: Well, I haven't packed it in, so I don't know. (Laughter).

I have no idea. I have no idea.

Q. You've bought a new house?

STEPHEN DODD: Oh, that was over a year ago.

GORDON SIMPSON: That's when you won the Irish, wasn't it?

STEPHEN DODD: No, I bought that a year last February, something like that. It was before Carton House.

Q. What was the key

STEPHEN DODD: No, as I said patience was the key for me today. I kept it in play very well. I just took my chances when they came along.

GORDON SIMPSON: Stephen, congratulations again and well played and see how you get on next week.

End of FastScripts.

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