THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 31, 1996

Colin Montgomerie

WES SEELEY: Colin Montgomerie, 71, 69, 66, 68, 274, 14-under-par, and a third, second place finish on the shores.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Thank you for reminding me of the fact. Very kind.

WES SEELEY: There are many worse finishes we had.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It beats third.

WES SEELEY: There is one that beats it. Tell us about the day.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Front 9 went well. When I chipped in from the back edge of 2, that got me going, then I birdied, hit a good 3-iron to four foot at 5, and then good 4-iron, seven to ten foot. A good five, 6-footer at 9, so that was me, 5-under at the turn. I was off then, then the back 9 sort of stuck a wee bit. I didn't birdie 11 or 12. Had my chances 13, hit a good shot, stopped in the bank, didn't roll down to the pin. And 14 hit a good 4-iron and to 10 foot, holed that. That had me 6-under. It all hinged on 16. I heard Freddy's cheer; one hit in the green and then too the roar must have been his eagle. I knew he got to 17. I was at 16, so I had to go for the shot. You don't get many opportunities in these tournaments - these type of tournaments, Majors, if you like to win, and I took it on and I got wet, unfortunately. I just pushed it slightly - about two, three yards right than where it should have been, and it was wet. And that was "tournament over," I am afraid.

Q. What was the club?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: 3-wood. I hit it -- I was in between a 2-iron, 3-wood, the distance was 230. To get close I, tried to cut in a 3-wood and overdid it. I was going to win at that stage, I had to get to 7, 8-under for the day. I knew that's what it would take. As I say, you don't have many opportunities. I had to take it. It worked at Dubai. Here, it didn't. At least I started the day fifth and finished second, I suppose isn't too bad. But it was a lot closer than the four shots that Freddy won by, I suppose, at the end of the day to finish the way he did, I mean, you just got to bow to that and say "well played, very well played." I mean, to finish 3, 2, 4, terrific stuff. He doesn't get much of a gallery following him either. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) You know exactly what is happening ahead of him.

Q. The shot into the 16th looked like it was going into the woods. The rough and the sleeper bounced over the green?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Did it?

Q. Yes.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Thanks again. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) Anymore good news you have got for me. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. Had he not eagled 16, would you have hit a different club or would you have hit the same club anyway?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I would have hit the same club anyway I was in a position where I could get close and I tried to get as close as I possibly could. And of course, you bring 6 into the equation, unfortunately that is what happened.

Q. Shouldn't have done anything to dampen your sort of confidence at all?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: None at all. Second here, that is confidence boosting, totally. I had just got in a position to win and didn't take it, unfortunately, but I mean, you know, I got to bow to Freddy if someone goes out and shoots 64. I knew I had to shoot something of that order and I got it to 6-under through 14 and I said I would take two 66s at the weekend and I was going for that and still wouldn't have won, so you have got to say "well played" to Freddy, definitely.

Q. Where to from here, please, Colin?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I am going to drive up to Atlanta tomorrow morning and try again and then over to Augusta and then to Hilton Head and that is my four. Then I will come over for two more Majors over here and that is it. I will play six here this year.

Q. I guess it is almost better maybe not to win before Augusta, because it would be too much of a --

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.)

Q. But recent history indicates not many people win in Florida win at August?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Okay, well, yeah, I am playing well enough to win. I am playing well enough to win anywhere including Augusta, I know that. It is just a matter of being fortunate and being lucky at the right time and a little bit of fortune going your way and Freddy had that today and good luck to him.

Q. I guess a first and a second out of the blocks are two good starts?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I am not complaining, yeah. I am not complaining, sure. Sure.

Q. Does it give validation to everything that you have done in the off-season?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It does indeed. Yeah, I have almost wanted to play this game a little bit fitter than I was before and it is proving its worth already, yeah.

Q. We asked a lot of the U.S. players early in the week about, you know, winning this kind of money and what it does to the money list, and when you start your career if someone said you were going to finish second and still take home almost $300,000, is that all good or --

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It is not all bad, is it? (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER.) Aye?? I don't know. That takes care of itself. I know if I play well enough, that should take care of itself. I don't think about that so much nowadays. I enter tournaments to try and win them and with that, obviously comes the financial reward, but I am not playing golf for a financial reward. I am playing golf for the competition and the competitiveness of it, and to try and win. But, yes, I mean, it is very nice, thank you.

Q. You just seem so much more relaxed and comfortable. Is that a part of your physical fitness has changed?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Possibly. Possibly. Yes. I am not probably as intense as I was. I am more relaxed with myself and it seems to show in my golf, as well. I am more relaxed about the way I look when I approach greens and you know, this sort of business and I am happy with myself. It hasn't hurt my golf either. I am playing as well as I have, so that is key as well.

Q. Aside from the shot at 16, is there any other one that you look back on that you'd like to have over?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Just that one.

Q. That is it?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No other. I played the front 9 as well as I could. Not really. No. 16 was first time being in the water this week and first bogey I had made since the 6th hole on Friday, so disappointed in that way, but that is the way it goes. Just that shot.

Q. Did you know when you had hit it or how soon after you had hit it did you suspect it might be not what you intended?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: About -- well as soon as you make contact you know. You know the feel off the club head. You know the flight of the ball; you know exactly where it is going. There wasn't enough wind out there, unfortunately, to do anything about it. So as soon as you make contact, you realize there is something awry here.

Q. Were you aware of where, I guess, when Freddy -- when there was a three-way tie for the lead before Freddy made eagle, did you know where you stood?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Exactly. Oh, exactly. You can't miss them. I am always looking at scoreboards to find out exactly what I need and what I don't need. I think it is always foolish, I feel, not to look at them. Because around this type of course there is a bail out and if you are two ahead, you bail out. You know? But tied for the lead, and sort of the type of quality and exemptions and everything that goes with this tournament, you try to win it when you get in a position when you are leading, but anyway, it has been a satisfactory week and I'm looking forward to the next one.

WES SEELEY: Can you fill in just going through the round, what you hit in on 2 and how long was the chip.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I hit 2 drivers just through the back and chipped in with my 16th green wedge. I went through the other holes --

WES SEELEY: On 9 what did you hit in?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: 9 was 2 drivers and my L-wedge my lobber wedge and 14 was a driver 4-iron to 10 foot.

WES SEELEY: Thank you. Anything else.

Q. Where were you when Fred made eagle?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I was just finished. I had just holed my par-putt on 15 walking to the 16th tee. You didn't have to tell me who hold it or what it was for. It was loud enough. Honestly I thought someone made one on 17, the racket that was going on there, I thought someone had holed it. It was just his putt for 2, so.....

WES SEELEY: Anything else? Okay.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Thank you.

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