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SEVE TROPHY

September 28, 2007

KILLENARD, IRELAND

GORDON SIMPSON: We're joined by the two captains, Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo. And Seve, Nick, beautifully poised going into the weekend, isn't it?
NICK FALDO: Yeah, sure. Well, we're obviously pleased with day two. I'm pleased I managed to, you know, as you can see from the pairings for tomorrow, you know, we're starting to get guys who are very comfortable together playing well, and, you know, I was pleased I made a little switch-up there with Marc and Dredge, and I thought they played well yesterday. And I thought that was a good little swap to play Hansen and Karlsson after they, whatever, I think paired for 60. So I did that little swap yesterday because I thought it would give them some new faces to play.
You know, all in all, again, quality of golf was great. And I don't know what to say. I'm enjoying myself, that's the bottom line. I'm really into this. It's exciting for me. And you can see what we've done for tomorrow. As I said, I've got Archer and Dredge playing really nice, good pairings; we go to greensomes tomorrow. I didn't really want to move guys around. They are all really happy, they are hitting well or putting well; I did have visions I might have a play with a lot of pairings but kind of sticking to that right now.
GORDON SIMPSON: Seve, it must be very encouraging to see players producing, like Markus Brier and Mikko Ilonen two points out of two.
SEVE BALLESTEROS: Yeah, they are both playing fantastic. Just thinking of the first time they have competed in the Seve Trophy and they display tremendous golf out there, and I'm really pleased with them and with the whole team. Everyone is playing well, and as Nick says, you know, the quality of the game has been tremendous, and as he said, also, I'm really having a good time out there and I really enjoy it very much.

Q. Is it a case of like 1997, trying to play the shots?
SEVE BALLESTEROS: What case?

Q. That you almost wanted to play one of the shots on the par 3s --
SEVE BALLESTEROS: Which par 3?

Q. Do you feel as though it's like when you captained the Ryder Cup?
SEVE BALLESTEROS: What happened in '97? That's a question from me to you. (Laughter).

Q. You were wanting to play shots for your team --
SEVE BALLESTEROS: No, I like to talk to the players, ready to give them any kind of advice or whatever.
I feel that the closer I am to them, the better they feel. You know, it's more energy out there, and it does help. Obviously I made the decision on the last hole, I told Mikko to play first, because I thought that Markus was hitting the irons a little bit better and I thought that Markus was maybe under pressure better.
So Mikko he hit the ball to the right and Markus produced a good shot. On the putting surface, Mikko he was closer than Markus, and I used the same tactics that I used in the past with Jose Maria Olazábal. The closer you are, you put first, it's let pressure. So it worked out very well.

Q. What was the reason for resting Monty?
NICK FALDO: Mainly I need Monty for the foursomes -- ooops, slip on that one, that's pretty obvious. And Marc is playing a bit at the moment -- looking at the other guys, I sat there for a while and looked at a few permutations. I had some ideas, and then, you know, the way the guys all fought, Nick D. And Stormey, the way they played and everything. So it's kind of tough to, you know, to start -- I had one idea and I thought, well, maybe I'm comfortable with the idea.

Q. Marc says he feels fine.
NICK FALDO: Oh, he's physically good. He's physically fine. He's struggling with his swing a little bit and obviously that's getting to him out here because he feels he want to support Monty, has to do his bit, playing the first time in this situation so he feels a little bit under pressure, but he's doing fine.

Q. Just related to that, the first time leaving out players, did you find that an easy process, or did you have any volunteers?
NICK FALDO: No, no, as I didn't have any volunteers, I only had two -- I had the idea in my head all along, and I thought, right, I was going to rest these two guys. And I didn't end up resting those two guys.
So I think you've got to go with, you know, the way things unfold.

Q. Another question, as well, the players you didn't know as well - like Archer and Dredge - do you know them better now?
NICK FALDO: I didn't know them at all to be fair. You know, the way they came out -- the good thing about the team is is they are very happy playing with everybody. That was No. 1 which was pretty cool about the team.
And I just thought the way it was working together, that's the most important thing; how you get on; how they talk; their demeanor, all those sort of things. As I said, I thought that group, that's why I put them No. 1 today, and it paid off. They beat the guys and as I said shot 60 yesterday.

Q. Was it real difficult to rest Monty, considering his record?
NICK FALDO: I felt that without giving away who I'm going to rest tomorrow, I've already made that decision in the afternoon. You know, when you've only got two, you can't leave them out for both sessions.
So that kind of made sense for me because I knew I needed him so that's why I said, right, I'm resting you in the morning and I know who I'm resting tomorrow in the afternoon.

Q. Your reasons for resting Jiménez?
SEVE BALLESTEROS: Well, Miguel Angel, he's 42, and you know, I don't think 36 holes tomorrow, that will help him for the singles. So I give him a little bit of rest and most likely he will play in the afternoon in the foursomes. I think Miguel Angel is a good player for the foursomes. Better player than for the greensomes.
I rest Gonzalo because the other groups, it seems to me that they play together very good. So that's the reason.

Q. How badly do you want to win these matches? Do you feel you want to win because you're coming into The Ryder Cup next year?
NICK FALDO: Most important thing is the experience, as I said, great learning curve for me this. Obviously I want to win because why are we here, we're competitors, we have 10 guys, team guys, and they are competitors and as their captain, sure. I know they are going to give a 100 per cent, and what will evolve in the result, who knows?
Both sides, you can see, equally matched right now, and it potentially could come down to the wire, which is, again, to be honest, is what I want. I would rather it was really tough and really competitive on Sunday because we're going to find out -- again, I'm here as I say, my big observation, and we'll find out who is really strong through the week, which is really important for me to see.

Q. What have you learned perhaps most of all?
NICK FALDO: To be really honest, I'm taking notes and I'm not going to tell you, because I said for a reason, I really think some of the reasons, the observations I've made are going to be very beneficial for me and my team and I don't want it getting out for you know who to look at over on the other side of the pond.
I'm big on the whole side of what I'm seeing swing preparation-wise, the focus, the look, all of those things. You're looking at the whole mental side, and I know I've got some very strong ideas, as I say, in what I really think I want the team to be focusing on. And I think it's that strong, that beneficial; I'm not going to put it out.

Q. Is there anything -- watching the way he goes about being captain --
SEVE BALLESTEROS: We're having a good time. One thing I do learn, I asked this morning, I say, "Where you get the coffee from?"
He says, "It's down there by that corner."
NICK FALDO: Gave him the wrong yardage.
SEVE BALLESTEROS: I had on 15, I had a ham sandwich. He said, "Oh, that's a nice sandwich."
So I give him half and I say, "You know, I share things with you, but I didn't like the way you shared the coffee with me this morning." (Laughing).
NICK FALDO: I'm still mean.
SEVE BALLESTEROS: Very mean and very tough.
NICK FALDO: Single-minded; that's me.

Q. But it does create a competitive environment --
NICK FALDO: That's what we want. We want to be here and be tested. As I said, I'm really enjoying this. I think if that comes out of me back to the team -- we are, we're having a good time.

Q. I was going to ask Seve, you're a winning Ryder Cup Captain, will you have any advice for Nick?
SEVE BALLESTEROS: Well, he's on been the team many, many times. Surely he already has his points and I'm sure he picked good things from the past captains --
NICK FALDO: I do. I do have a question I'm going to ask Seve and all our past questions and I've thought of a question I'm going to ask and I'm not going to tell you, again, because it's beneficial, I think it's beneficial.
But it suddenly dawned on me out there, I will be asking a question, and our past captains, because I think I need an answer about one thing I'm starting to think about. I'll be seeking some advice; why not? Just a little advice, you though, what did you think of this, and I will make a note.
SEVE BALLESTEROS: (Laughing).

Q. America is winning the Presidents Cup by a landside --
NICK FALDO: I haven't seen that. I'm so engrossed with this. What's happening?

Q. U.S. Team is up 5 1/2 to a 1/2.
NICK FALDO: Oohhh, okay.

Q. Does it make winning The Ryder Cup look even better?
NICK FALDO: Different animal.
SEVE BALLESTEROS: It would be interesting to create something similar to the Americans, the winner from the other side, you know, play against the winner of this side.

Q. Europe versus America?
SEVE BALLESTEROS: That would be great. Seriously it would be a good thing to make it happen.

Q. What did you say to Marc about what happened with the chandelier?
NICK FALDO: Yeah, I said to him, "What were you doing"?
He was obviously having such a smashing time here, and he's asked to play with Monty, was so enlightened, that he decided to try one of Monty's swings, and I think that's what happened. He was so impressed, and then -- in all seriousness, it went from the bizarre, to saying basically, you are lucky, mate; it could have been a lot worse.
So we had to do with that. I thought the guys were finding out what I came down at 7:00, we were all going to dinner. I said, Marc's made a swing at a chandelier, all right, what's the real story; no, okay.
Everything was fine, as you know and we were texting and what-have-you, and I just sent Ian down to my Manny and check him out and they sent him to the wrong hospital, so that was great. Everything was fine. He's fit and strong and he's waiting for me on the range. He wants a quick five minutes with me, for half an hour.

GORDON SIMPSON: Nick, Seve, well done today. Have a great day tomorrow.

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