U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 15, 2001

Sergio Garcia

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes, I'm done.

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, I am, but there's still two more rounds to go. And in these kind of course and this kind of tournament, you can't think that it's all done. You've got to keep playing well, as I've been playing, and keep being patient. So I've just got to keep doing that, and, hopefully, I'll be able to be in contention on Sunday.

SERGIO GARCIA: I've putted pretty well. Today I didn't putt as well as yesterday. I hit the ball a lot better today. I hit my irons pretty crisply. I hit a lot of good iron shots. I'm pleased the way I played overall today. I hit the ball well and I putted pretty well. I hit some really good putts that didn't go in, but yesterday I struggled a little off the tees, and that's something that I corrected today.

SERGIO GARCIA: Of course it is, it's very important. And more than anything I handled myself pretty well. I hit pretty good shots from the rough. But for sure, to keep it in the fairways is the first thing, that's where everything starts.

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. I don't think -- it doesn't matter what you think coming in. You just have got to show it. And that's what I've been doing for the last couple of days, and of course for the last couple of months. But I feel comfortable with myself. I think that I've been playing pretty well. I had my first win, and that, of course, takes some pressure off of you. And I'm just really looking forward to keep playing the way I've been doing and be out there on Sunday and having a chance to win my first major.

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, Mark Brooks had a great round and Retief looks like he's playing very well. I think there's some guys there that maybe haven't been in that position. But tomorrow is an important day. Tomorrow it's very important that I play well, and I keep myself up there and just be in a good position for Sunday. So I know where I'm standing.

SERGIO GARCIA: That's probably the most important thing. You don't want to have to come to play maybe one hole tomorrow at 7 in the morning or something like that, and then have to wait until 2:30 or something like that to play the next round. So it's going to be nice, and I'm going to have a nice sleep so I don't have to cut it between rounds.

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know, it's totally different. Medinah was two years ago, and it's a different course. I think I'm a different player. I'm a lot -- I know the way I'm going to hit it now more than when I used to. More than anything I have more shots than what I used to. So I think I can handle myself a little better. But you still have to deal with a lot of stuff that goes around the golf course and all the pressure and pin positions, all that stuff. But, of course, being in contention there and finishing second is going to help me realize some things while I'm playing.

SERGIO GARCIA: I'm a little older, that's for sure.

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes. Well, it all depends on what he does tomorrow. For sure he needs a good round. He needs at least to shoot 4-under par, because you're not going -- the weather is going to be good, so you're not going to be expecting 63, 62 on the last round with firm greens and the way the course is playing.

SERGIO GARCIA: If he was in front of me, I think it would be a great chance, because I'm playing well. It doesn't matter where he's at.

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I think they've done a pretty good job on 18. The first couple of days the ball was rolling off the green, as you all know. Right now, if you hit a good shot and you fly it 10, 12 feet on the green, the ball is going to stay there. And that's where it should be. If you hit it a little too soft and it is on the front of the green and spins a little, it has to come down. But if you hit a shot that comes to probably three-quarters of the green, it can't be on the green, it's too difficult, too impossible, I don't know how to describe it.