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VOLVO MASTERS

October 27, 2006

Sergio Garcia

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN: Second Round

Q. How much more difficult is it a difficult course like this on a day like today?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I was actually talking to Craig, my caddie, walking down 16 because it was howling that way. And I'm thinking, can you imagine in playing this course with this wind, but firm. I was laughing, it was like we would have to hit a wedge and fly on the front of the green to get to the back of the green on this hole, for example.

So the good thing is that it's wet. If it was a little bit firm with this wind, we would probably have trouble even playing because the ball would probably be moving on the greens.

But it's difficult. It's difficult. But at the same time, it's fun. It's fun to test yourself on a difficult golf course in really tough conditions and see what you can do. There's going to be holes out there that are going to make you look silly. You're going to hit a good shot and you're going to make a bogey, and then there's the situation where you're going to hit a bad shot because you can't help it. It's so tough. You just try to minimise those errors as much as possible and you're in good shape.

Q. If you were rewarding yourself or marking yourself out of 10 for today's performance, what would you give yourself?

SERGIO GARCIA: Depending on the weather conditions?

Q. On the way you played today?

SERGIO GARCIA: With the weather conditions.

Q. With exactly these conditions. How would you mark yourself?

SERGIO GARCIA: I would probably rate myself today probably an 8 1/2, which is pretty good. I'm happy with that.

Q. Watching you on the first tee in the Ryder Cup, I would have bet a lot of money that you would win your match, you looked like a person standing there who believes you're the best in that situation, you look so comfortable. How do you take that feeling on to the first tee in the last round of a major?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, you try, but, I know, it's not easy. I guess the people when you're playing a Ryder Cup, you feel like you're more surrounded by your teammates, by the crowd. So it's kind of like a little bit different feeling.

You do try. I mean, to tell you the truth, I felt like I played my last two majors, I felt like I played pretty well on Sunday. I felt like I played very nicely at the PGA and I didn't play that badly at the British Open. Unfortunately things has to go my way and once things start going your way, then it becomes a lot easier. Because you don't feel like you have to charge. You feel like you just play your own game and things just slowly, slowly get better as your round goes on.

And unfortunately that hasn't happened to me during the majors. The only thing I can do is keep playing, keep playing as hard as I do and hopefully it will happen soon. But it's really difficult to go out there in a major on a Sunday and hit 14 fairways and 18 greens, because you're going to miss some shots because it's a lot of pressure out there. And you have to get lucky when you hit those right shots. And unfortunately for me, it hasn't happened. It feels like every time I hit a bad shot, I'm right up against a tree or I have no shot or I get a really bad lie.

So, you know, it's just a matter of keep trying.

Q. Have you got two caddies?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yes, I do.

Q. Why two?

SERGIO GARCIA: One wasn't enough. (Laughter) it's something that Glenn and I, my caddie that's been with me for a long time, we've talked a lot about it. Probably about maybe two, 2 1/2 years ago, mainly because for me, it helps me kind of renew that relationship with both my caddies because I don't see the same guy over and over. Glenn has been caddying for me for almost seven years. After a long time, even if you have a great relationship, it kind of gets a little bit yeah. So this way, the way it helps me is that I get to see two guys that I enjoy spending time on the golf course with that are great caddies, both of them, and I don't see the same kind of guy.

And at the same time for them, it gives them a little bit more time to do other things. For example, like Craig has one son and another one coming. And also Glenn, you know, he can spend a bit more time with his parents and maybe start building his own business for when he retires.

Q. How do you decide would works for you where?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, we look at it.

Q. Is it as simple as one in Europe and one in America?

SERGIO GARCIA: No. Doesn't work that way. Usually the way it works is by little runs. Like one caddie will do maybe three tournaments or four tournaments and then have two or three weeks off. So the other caddie has seven weeks off so he can go back to South Africa or wherever he wants to go. And then the other guy comes for three tournaments or four and three weeks off before tournaments and then the other two weeks, so that way they have some free time to spend wherever they want.

Q. And there's no preference as far as you're concerned as much as which one you had at a major championship?

SERGIO GARCIA: No. This year we did two and two. Glenn did the Masters and U.S. Open and Craig did British Open and PGA.

Q. Will you have two wives then?

SERGIO GARCIA: I think one is more than enough. (Laughter.)

Q. And you'll carry on that policy next year?

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah.

Q. I know what Glenn's surname is but what's Greg's surname?

SERGIO GARCIA: Craig Harmon.

Q. Is he of the Harmon family?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well he used to caddie for Retief. Retief won his first U.S. Open with him, Southern Hills. So they are two good caddies.

Q. The Swedes are becoming experts in winning in Spain. Do you think you can stop that this weekend?

SERGIO GARCIA: I hope so. That's what we're here for. We'll see. I guess time will tell us. But Niclas is playing well and Robert is playing nicely, and Henrik, too. So I think Swedish golf should be very proud with some of the players they have. You know, they are in good form and also Peter Hanson has had a good year. It's in good shape.

Q. Sorry to be a nuisance, but if the weather stays like this, do you think that a player like Padraig Harrington who plays well in bad and difficult conditions

SERGIO GARCIA: What is he doing today?

Q. He had a 69 today.

SERGIO GARCIA: He shot 69? So he's at even par. Well, I guess that tells you. Yeah, I would say so. It's difficult though. These kind of conditions, the ball has to be struck so well. If you miss hit it just a little bit, the ball goes off line so much because the wind is so hard.

So I guess it you get some momentum, some good shots, some good confidence on your side, you're going to make some bogeys, but hopefully you make a couple of birdies here and there and get it going a little bit. You can definitely do well.

But it's very difficult to guess who is going to do well or not in these kind of conditions.

Q. But is he the sort of player whose manner would suggest that he could cope with bad weather better than someone else?

SERGIO GARCIA: Maybe.

Q. Thank you very much.

SERGIO GARCIA: He's had good rounds and bad rounds in bad weather, so we all have. (Laughing).

Q. You are not used to very bad weather here in Spain or in the States?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, not in Spain, but fortunately for us, we play outside Spain, too, and we can get some crappy weather outside. (Laughter).

Q. It's okay for you?

SERGIO GARCIA: As I always say, I enjoy the wind. I'm not a big fan of the rain. I've always enjoyed playing in the wind.

Q. The greens in these weather conditions, are they slower?

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, they were a bit faster when we started and then when the rain came in, you get that little bit of dew on top of the grass so they become a little bit slower.

But some greens look like they are a bit slower and then you kind of misjudge it a little bit. Happened to me on 16 for example, I thought it was going to go slow and I hit it like five feet by. It's quite tricky out there.

End of FastScripts.

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