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BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN

June 22, 2007

Nick Dougherty

EICHENRIED, GERMANY

SCOTT CROCKETT: Nick, fantastic first couple of days for you, two 68s. I take it you're very pleased with that and your position in the tournament.
NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I am. I still was quite excited playing after last week, the success that I had there, although I am skill quite jet-lagged from the trip back. To come out and play two solid rounds like that is extremely pleasing.
You know, I've actually played really well these first two rounds. Could have been a few shots better here and there, missed a few putts, but I've actually putted well and in good position now. Arguably we've had the tough side of our draw, doesn't look too bad and it's been quite breezy the first two rounds on our side. If the guys don't get much past 12, should be in pretty good shape for the weekend.
SCOTT CROCKETT: Give us your details before we take questions.
NICK DOUGHERTY: Drive down the middle, I hit 7-iron to 12 feet right of the hole and made that.
14, pulled my drive left, had to chip out sideways because I was blocked out by the trees and hit 6-iron to about 15 foot and missed it.
18, drive in the fairway, 3-wood to about 25, 30 feet probably and two putts.
1, I hit just in the left semi off the tee and then I wedged to about 20 feet. It was a good birdie there.
6, good drive, 6-iron just off the right edge, had to chip it out because it was over a pitchmark to a foot and tapped it in.
8 was 4-iron right before the delay to about 25, 30 feet uphill and knocked it in when we came back out.
SCOTT CROCKETT: Longest wait for a birdie putt.

Q. You said after the U.S. Open performance you were hoping that was a springboard for your career; today's evidence perhaps that you're showing the benefits already?
NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I think so. You know, that felt quite easy to me the last couple of days. I didn't feel like I did anything fantastic. I think I just played really solid golf, and to see your name at the top of the leaderboard albeit halfway through, the second round, it's good.
I've seen a lot this season. My World Ranking doesn't reflect how well I've played this year. I've given my fair share of tournaments away. But I finished that off last week, as much as I shot 1-over on the last day I finished that off, and that's good because there has not been much evidence of that this year. It's been very disappointing to put yourself in winning position so many times and not finish it off. But I think I've learned from that, and I think obviously getting to play there last week was a huge benefit for me and my confidence.

Q. Jet-lag, how does it affect you? Is it just a sleep pattern thing or more than that?
NICK DOUGHERTY: Yeah, I don't suffer from jet-lag at all, but I had an awkward trip back. I didn't sleep very well on the flight back, and I have suffered this week unfortunately.
I think more so than that is last week is an irregular week; the whole U.S. Open week, and then that trip coming back this way across the world.

Q. The putt you had to go to after the delay, how many 30-footers did you actually try on the putting green?
NICK DOUGHERTY: I was thinking more about the speed to be honest because I find the speed of the greens really difficult this week because every time I look at them, I can't help feeling like Oakmont which is bad news because out here it's slower. At the same time, it's easy to throttle back but they are still pretty quick here. I hit about ten or 15 putts from that distance just up the speed, and thankfully it trickled it in.

Q. Were you at any point tempted not to play this week?
NICK DOUGHERTY: No. I always play this tournament. You know, BMW, in my opinion, run some of the best tournaments on the Tour. My favourite is the PGA Championship, now BMW PGA Championship. Marco does such a good job, as well, and fantastic events to come and play in and the field is fabulous, as well.
The thing I am toying with at the moment will depend on this week how I play is whether or not I'm going to play next week. I'd like to because I like the French Open golf course, but I obviously don't want to go there and not be 100 per cent because I don't think I'm good enough to be able to contend if I'm not 100 per cent.

Q. Talk about playing with Bernhard, you can't help but think how when you're playing with him, he competes so hard, doesn't he?
NICK DOUGHERTY: He does. He's a real gentleman to play with. He played a fabulous round of golf today, absolutely fabulous. You know, goodness gracious, he won a PGA Tour event a couple of weeks ago, he can still play.
Good luck to him on The Seniors Tour when he goes and plays out there. It was great to see him do that today. He was fun to play with. I think you can learn a lot from playing with someone like Bernhard who has been so successful in the game. It was fun and the German crowd really enjoyed watching him today.

Q. Going back to last week and following it up, do you think people have recognised you more because of what you did?
NICK DOUGHERTY: I think so. It was huge for my profile what happened out there especially on that side of the pond. I think that's important obviously because golf is a business, after all. That should help I would like to think if I need to play and get some invitations over there in the near future. And obviously I do see my career being based in the United States at some stage, as well. You know, maybe not 100%, but playing a lot of golf there. So, yeah, it was a big deal for me.

Q. Does it almost feel like you won?
NICK DOUGHERTY: You know, it's amazing actually the only time I've ever been congratulated like I have this week is when I won. It really does feel like I won a tournament the way people have been around me and that's obviously a testament to the achievement I had last week.
I'm desperate now to qualify for the British Open because I'm actually not in that yet so I'll have another crack at it.
SCOTT CROCKETT: Nick, thank you and good luck on the weekend.

End of FastScripts

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