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WGC AMERICAN EXPRESS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 29, 2006

Tiger Woods

WATFORD, ENGLAND

Q. Well played today, great position to be in today?

TIGER WOODS: Thank you. I hit the ball really well again today, made some putts. On my back nine, I missed a few early in the round, but I made a nice one there on my ninth, which was 18, to make a little 3. So that basically got things started.

Q. Great defense of your title so far.

TIGER WOODS: Well, I'm off to a good start so far, but again, we're only at the halfway point, and on top of that, with the way the conditions are and the greens as soft as they are and smooth as they are, you're going to have to make some birdies. The score is not going to be 15, so you've got to continue making birdies.

Q. What's been the key to your game this week?

TIGER WOODS: I've hit it well, made some putts but given myself a bunch of chances. I've hit the ball in range to make a bunch of putts, which was nice.

Q. What is it about World Golf Championship events with you? You seem to win that them at will?

TIGER WOODS: It's basically very similar to major championships. You've got great fields. Granted, they're not full fields. That's one of the reasons why we played one of the reasons why they started the World Golf Championships, so the guys would play four majors and THE PLAYERS and also a few more together. It's always nice to play the best players in the world.

Q. Are you sad that we're not going to be seeing any, probably outside of the United States, from now on? The crowds are obviously very keen to see good players, but to get to a World Championship event from now on they need to get to the States?

TIGER WOODS: It is unfortunate. This is a global game and it's one of the reasons why we've played all over the world. I've only missed one, that's the one at The Match Play down in Australia. I've played in Japan, played in Argentina when it was the World Cup there. I've played all over the place. I always think it's fantastic playing these Championships, because again, it's the best players in the world.

Q. Do you look at the leaderboard at all when you're out there?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah.

Q. So you're aware how far ahead you were obviously in front of the field?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it wasn't until No. basically my 16th hole that I saw it. The last time I saw it I only had like a one or two shot lead over Jim. I think he made maybe one bogey coming in.

Q. Does it make a difference to you when you see Furyk is quite close? Do you make the effort to say, right, I want to open it up before the end of this round?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I thought Jim would at the time he was 7 under through 13, so I figured if I shot the same shore he did, he wouldn't gain any ground. I was hoping I could get to 7, and I was able to do that.

Q. Have you ever lost a five shot lead any time, anywhere, any age?

TIGER WOODS: I don't know. You do the research.

Q. You should know. You were there (laughter).

TIGER WOODS: I don't know.

Q. How did you play today compared with yesterday?

TIGER WOODS: I played better today, without a doubt, hit the ball more clean, more crisp, controlled my flight better.

Q. It didn't look like you had as many chances early as you did yesterday, and then it seemed like 18

TIGER WOODS: Well, I made a few on the back nine, but I missed two or three in range early in my round. I could have been 2 or 3 under par through five or six holes.

Q. What was the club on 18?

TIGER WOODS: I hit just a little 5 wood in there.

Q. Stewart Cink said yesterday that it gets demoralising for him if you're ten shots ahead with a round to go. So he's probably half demoralised at the moment along with the rest of the field. I'm sure you don't think this is in the bag

TIGER WOODS: God, no. At the time I finished, he was only on the 11th hole, so if he rolls off four or five birdies coming in, which can be done on these greens, that's a very small lead, if a lead at all.

Q. You matched your record for a WGC 15 under after two rounds. Would it be something to look at, these two records on the PGA and European Tour? Do you think you can do that here?

TIGER WOODS: Who cares, as long as I get the W. If I shoot 50 under or if I shoot 11 under par, that's good enough to win. Who really cares?

Q. That's all that matters, just winning?

TIGER WOODS: (Nodding head.)

Q. You've talked a lot about liking the tougher courses and not the Bob Hope shootouts. But there are a couple places that you do well at like that. Why is that?

TIGER WOODS: I have no idea.

Q. Firestone a couple years ago was soft.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I certainly don't prefer it. I always thought the winning score should be in single digits. If you get to double digits you should automatically win. I think that's a great championship. Most of the majors are that way, and maybe if I take a couple of the shorter, tighter golf courses, like Riviera tends to be that way, and I think Wachovia, as well.

Q. Do you find playing with a good friend like Darren helps your game, as well?

A. It's always fun playing with Darren. I've always enjoyed playing with him in practice rounds, tournament rounds, it doesn't matter. We always have a great time playing. Obviously he's feeling terrible right now, he's sick as a dog. He didn't really do a whole lot of talking out there because he's got a really scratchy throat and some stuff flying up out of it, so I'm trying to stay away (laughter).

Q. You were laughing quite a lot with Darren. Maybe he could laugh but not talk. That's more so than usual for you. Do you find you relax in his company more than in someone else's?

TIGER WOODS: Certainly. You always have a good time when you're playing with your closest friends. Darren is one of my best friends out here. It's always fun playing with him.

Q. And you're happy to sort of turn your concentration on and off, as focused as you are?

TIGER WOODS: I can play either way, talk all day, as long as I have plenty of time to prepare for my shot.

Q. You've done what, now, six out of seven?

TIGER WOODS: Seven out of nine.

Q. Plus a two day

TIGER WOODS: Two day trip to Ireland.

Q. How tired are you?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah (laughter). I just can't wait to go home, and I think the playoffs in baseball are starting Tuesday. I'm really looking forward to that.

Q. Are you a Dodgers fan?

TIGER WOODS: Yes.

Q. Boston was the end of a pretty good stretch, too, and you had a nice kind of finishing there. Do you find sometimes when you're wiped out, you just play and let without maybe having to grind as much, just kind of let everything come out?

TIGER WOODS: It's always nice when you have the light at the end of the tunnel and you can take a break. Granted, last time it was only for a week, but still, it was nice to look forward to that. I'm looking forward to taking a break and getting away from the game a little bit.

Q. Any idea how long that break will be?

TIGER WOODS: I've got a bunch of stuff to do over the next couple weeks. I've got to host a block party and fundraiser for my Foundation and do a bunch of things for some sponsors. I know I'm not going to touch a club for a couple weeks.

Q. What tournaments have you got left this year?

TIGER WOODS: I don't know yet. That's the thing. We'll let my break kind of take care of itself.

Q. When is the block party, the week of Disney?

TIGER WOODS: Two weeks.

Q. With the loss of Byron Nelson, do you think the 11 stretch is possible to be beat?

TIGER WOODS: In this day and age, it's really hard to do, if not impossible. The fields are so much deeper. I've talked to Byron about that. Byron said he only had four or five guys to beat. It's not like that anymore. There are a bunch of guys that can win a golf tournament.

It takes a lot of luck to win golf tournaments, as well as some skill, but you've got to have some good things go your way.

11 in a row and 18 for a year is just absolutely remarkable.

Q. The five wins have been achieved in very different ways, sometimes under pressure, sometimes in playoffs, sometimes well from the front. Do you change your mindset when you go into a situation that's different?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I've won enough times different ways, and you just play it by feel and by experience, and you start getting an understanding of what it takes what it's going to take to win at the end of the day. That's just from experience from all the different times and different positions that I've had to try and win golf tournaments.

JAMES CRAMER: Let's go over your card if we could.

TIGER WOODS: I started on 10, hit a 5 wood and a 60 degree sand wedge to about ten feet, made that.

No. 18, I hit a driver and a 5 wood to about 12 feet.

No. 2, I hit a driver and a 5 wood to about 30 feet and two putted.

No. 4, I hit a 4 iron to about 35 feet, made that.

No. 5, I hit a 3 wood off the tee, a sand wedge to about ten feet and made that.

6, I hit a 3 wood and an 8 iron to about 12 feet, made that.

That was it.

JAMES CRAMER: All right, Tiger, thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.

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