WGC EMC WORLD CUP

December 10, 2002

Pablo Del Olmo

Esteban Toledo

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: Esteban, Pablo, thank you for joining us. If we could get some thoughts from both of you about playing in your home country, and if you could tell us what you think of the course.

PABLO DEL OLMO: Well, I am very happy to be here. First of all it is such an honor for me to be invited to this tournament. It is an honor to be playing and representing Mexico.

I'm getting used to the terrain and I find some of the holes are more difficult than others. We are discovering a strategy for playing. The greens are very undulating but the course are in perfect condition.

Sometimes the grass is a little high, the rough, and it's more difficult to play, but we are getting used to it. The more we play, the more we practice, the more we'll get used to it.

Q. Can you talk about your short game and how it has improved?

PABLO DEL OLMO: I'm getting more and more of a feeling of the greens. There's very little grass on the greens, so I have to use my sand wedge more. The rough, which is the long rough, is difficult for me and I'm getting used to it. If I can get used to it, it will give me a better chance to make birdies.

Q. How are you feeling physically, knowing that you were coming here for a month?

PABLO DEL OLMO: Well, I have been talking melatonin, trying to catch up on my rest. I have a change in my schedule, so I have to get used to the new time schedule.

As players, we are used to it. For example, Padraig Harrington, he played in Taiwan and then he went to South Africa, the United States. It's part of our job as a professional to be up to date in our sleeping. So I was able to prepare.

Q. Can you talk about how different is it for you having a teammate?

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: The most important is to know each other well. I always want to help him. I am 40 years old, so, while I am not getting as good, my partner is younger so I am helping him to learn and get better. I want to push him to become better and better. He is my teammate, and he's young and he can get better and better. I am giving him my own image in order for him to improve his game. I want him to show a good image, also, to the children because the children are going to be later the best.

Q. What would it mean to you if you were to win the World Cup? And do you see yourself playing more in Mexico?

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: I want to win the Cup for me, my family, for Pablo's family and also for Mexico.

I will be very busy in the United States, so I will unfortunately not be able to play here very often.

Q. How do you spend your time here?

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: Usually I am spending time with my family. I go back home at 5:00 and I go running and I come and really focus on the tournament. I don't go to the beach. I have a beach at my home in Acapulco.

Q. This will not be your first World Cup, but how is it different is it playing in your home country?

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: It's very different, most of my life, I wanted to represent Mexico in Mexico and it is such an honor. We have a lot of pressure. We come prepared for these events, so it does not change their attitude.

PABLO DEL OLMO: When you do your homework and you learn for the exam, you do the exam. You know that you've worked for it. This is what I learned from Esteban, to be prepared, and so I follow his advice.

Q. This is your first World Cup, talk about the importance of playing here and your career?

PABLO DEL OLMO: It is the most representative, in the World Cup to represent your country. It's an honor and a dream with the quality of the players in this tournament. This is my first time and Esteban has played four times. So it is a good opportunity to learn and improve, and our communication is improving as we practice. Esteban is transmitting his dreams and he is teaching me how to cope with it. It's a very good combination.

So we are going to find a strategy tomorrow to be able to play alternate-shot and we will keep the same attitude and the same mindset. We are going to enjoy it.

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: All of the love of the people from Mexico helps us a lot, so we have a lot of confidence in winning. We feel that we have the support of the Mexicans, the people. The Mexican people have been so encouraging us to be in this tournament. I wish they had a flag to show that they are Mexican and so we know what we have that encouragement.

We are going to give 110 percent. We are going to attack and play aggressive until the end every hole. We are full of confidence that we are going to win because of all of the work we have put into practicing and getting ready for the tournament.

Q. Is it difficult for you to get used to the playing on a team and the different formats since you do not play it often?

PABLO DEL OLMO: It's different to play the better ball. It takes a lot of getting used to. The secret is to have confidence in one another. We have to find a strategy. It's not so difficult to adapt. We practiced yesterday and today and we'll practice again tomorrow.

ESTEBAN TOLEDO: I want to ask a question to the president of the PGA Mexico. I want to know what are the plans for the PGA Mexico for the next years.

RAFAEL QUIROZ: The entire country of Mexico is very happy with the participation of these two players. We are very happy to be able to participate. We have a lot of confidence in the two of you. We know the professionalism of Esteban and the talent of Pablo. Nobody has such enthusiasm as you to be able to play in this tournament. We are very proud of you. You are the best two players that should participate in such a tournament. The Mexican PGA are working more and more to get more tournaments in order to have the Mexicans participate more in such tournaments.

This is going to give more categories to the Mexican players, the fact that they are participating, and we have the support and confidence of the Mexican PGA and I want to congratulate you for being such good players and we are very proud of you. Thank you.

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