WGC ANDERSEN CONSULTING MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

February 26, 1999

Tiger Woods

TIGER WOODS: Probably about 12. He hit a 3-wood over the green, and I had a 5-iron in the green and yanked it left. Then hit a poor bunker shot, but I hit a really good putt just didn't go in. And he went I believe 1-up in the match right there, and it's just something I needed to make birdie, put a little pressure on him, put the ball on the green. I didn't do that, and consequently I got behind.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I am pretty fatigued. Physically, I am great. I can keep playing, but mentally, I am pretty tired. I put everything I had into both matches today and just wasn't enough I guess in the afternoon.

TIGER WOODS: Only one par 5, because we both birdied the other two. Just that I didn't birdie 12 and he did.

TIGER WOODS: As I have been saying all week, it doesn't really mean much once you get here and you are in the Top-64. Anybody can beat anybody. That is what has been happening all week.

TIGER WOODS: I did. I enjoyed my time here. I have always enjoyed playing Match Play, and it is nice to be able to play in a format that I am accustomed to, because I am not too far removed from the U.S. Amateur. I have had some pretty good memories back there, and it is nice to get back into a similar format.

TIGER WOODS: Depends where you are in the tournament. If you have gone all four rounds and you have come up short, then I think that is a little more disconcerting. But then again, if you get all the way to the final in a Match Play event, which is usually six matches, then I think you are going to be a little more distraught at yourself.

TIGER WOODS: Yes.

TIGER WOODS: Why? I didn't win. Plain and simple.

TIGER WOODS: I don't think it will come closer to the Players Championship for quite a while. I think that is probably what most players will consider -- I guess what we have all said the fifth major. Granted, this is the Top-64 players. It is Match Play. But, you know, it is in its infancy stage and it is like comparing The Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup. You really can't.

TIGER WOODS: Well, Jeff has always been a very solid player, and he drove the ball exceptionally well today. I think he missed either one or two fairways, and they were in the first cut. He hit the ball great. He made a couple of key putts, and that is what you need to do. He was able to apply the pressure all day, and I countered him on a couple of occasions, but I just wasn't able to counter him enough times.

TIGER WOODS: I don't think you can get 312 guys playing here (laughs) because that is what the U.S. Amateur does, and I don't think the top 312 players will want to do that.

TIGER WOODS: They won't do it, no.

TIGER WOODS: Not necessarily. I think that you are more proud of yourself for getting deeper into the tournament. If you do lose, you take the fact that you did win a few matches to get to where you are at. I think if I would have lost the opening round, then I think I would have been pretty upset at myself.

TIGER WOODS: No. No. The same amount of pressure is out there. You have got to play the same way. It is just that you have gone a little deeper in the field, and that is about it.

TIGER WOODS: No, it doesn't.

TIGER WOODS: When you get the Top-64 players in the world and you give them just one round of golf, then, yeah, anything can happen. I think if you would make eight, 36-hole matches, then I think you are going to see the better player come out on top. But then again, playing I guess six, 36-hole matches would we are you out a little bit.

TIGER WOODS: Not at all.

TIGER WOODS: Brian did a great job again today. It is just that unfortunately I wasn't able to hit enough good shots.

TIGER WOODS: You are reaching a lot. (laughter) You are reaching.

TIGER WOODS: No, I didn't think he would give me an opening unless I applied enough pressure. If I was to make two or three birdies in a row and really put a lot of heat on him, then I could see him possibly hitting one errant shot. But I wasn't able to do that. I didn't hit enough good shots close to the hole where I was going to make birdies, and I made three birdies and 14 pars today, and it wasn't good enough.

TIGER WOODS: I don't think so. Playing for prize money that we are playing for this week, I don't think it can hurt. I think by not having the top players -- if I guess the Top-10 or so playing in the semifinals and as well as the final, I think that may hurt the ratings a little bit. But that is the problem of Match Play. That is what we have always said, but then again, that is the beauty of Match Play, too.