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VOLVO PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 27, 2004

Ignacio Garrido

SURREY, ENGLAND

MARIA ACACIA: We'll start with 67, 5 under.

IGNACIO GARRIDO: Yeah, very good. I'm actually very happy to be here, because of my round, instead of how do you feel about the defending championship and being 1 over. So it's nice to be here for that reason, as well. I'm very happy. I think anything under par was a very good score for me today, and while I managed to do that and a few more. So very happy to be in contention.

Q. Why was anything under par for you a good score?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: Just the PGA, go to the first tee, feel what I was feeling today, bogey the first, and then you tell me. (Laughter.) You tell me.

MARIA ACACIA: How did you bogey, what happened?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: I hit if you want the truth, I hit the worst 3 wood of my life, probably the worst 5 iron and the worst bunker shot and a decent putt, to get it close and make a 5.

On the second tee, I thought, well, you've got two options, to forget about, well, all the pressure that you are putting on yourself just because you're thinking that you have to do well or just enjoy the game and play a course that you've played well in the past.

Luckily, I mean, that birdie on the second really settled me a lot, and I went on from there. Funny enough, you never know what this game is going to be, because, I thought at some point, I thought, well, I might shoot 64. Well, it just shows, doesn't it?

Q. Everyone in the group was playing well; was that helpful from your point of view?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: After the 12th hole when I looked at the board and I saw the worst score on the team, it was me, with 5 under, I thought, well, I don't think this is real. I mean, this is Wentworth, it's not a mini golf, you know.

Well, I think it's nice, because sometimes you drag each other along when you're playing that well. As I said last year, playing the last round with Ernie, it's very easy to play with him, because it's like his attitude and his rhythm is contagious, you know, and with Paul today it was the same thing. He was playing really well. At least the first putt of the round, he was the one playing the best golf, and yeah, well, I was lucky to get in the same wheel and score along with them. So, yeah, it's nice.

Q. You played the last round with Ernie last year?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: I did.

Q. Wouldn't mind the next three then?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: Who knows? As long as he keeps scoring as he is, yes. (Laughter.) So if he shoots 67 tomorrow, I'd rather play with someone else. Because don't forget, Ernie is human like everyone else.

But anyway, I think I'll be playing with him tomorrow. That sounds very likely.

Q. What's the game plan for tomorrow from your point of view?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: I haven't thought about it. I just finished the first round and now it's time to relax and probably just work a little bit on whatever I think I have to work at the practice round and that will be a thought later on. Especially around here, I think it's a course that you have to play with what you've got. It's not that you can say, well, this hole, you play like this all the time. It's a course that depending on how you're playing, you have a few options on certain holes.

So, depending on how I feel later and how I feel tomorrow, I'll decide.

Q. I for one would like to know how you could suddenly switch from feeling pressure to enjoying the golf course.

IGNACIO GARRIDO: It's just a choice, isn't it? The mind is a very powerful thing. I wish I could control it all the time. Whatever instructions you give to yourself, usually, if they are very determined, the brain is ready to listen. But sometimes, even though you want to give an instruction, you are giving the opposite one. That's what was happening on the first tee, and I thought, well, I've changed it in the past, so at least I know that it's possible to be done.

So, that's what I did.

Q. Seve is saying he may have played his last tournament because of injury, if that is the case, what is the main memory you have of either playing with him or spending time with him?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: Well, it's a pity to hear that. Well, I don't know, I think I haven't played a lot with Seve. We're not really from the same golfing age, if you want to call it like that.

I've seen him play much more than I've played with him, because probably I've caddied for my father playing with him more times than I've played with him.

And probably, the memories you've got is more the legend, you know, the tournaments he has won and the way he has won them, I've seen a few times, the British Opens he's won. It would be very difficult to pinpoint something from Seve's career. I think the whole career is the highlight, you know.

It's sad that he's finishing this way. It would be nice to finish with a few nice tournaments and just shooting a couple of good rounds. But, well, I guess a back injury is a bigger thing. I've been lucky not to have many injuries but when I've had them, I know how tough it is to play this game. I hope he gets well soon.

Q. What age were you when you first met him, caddying with him?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: Probably seven years old, because I've been with my father in tournaments since I was real, real young, so probably seven or eight years old.

MARIA ACACIA: What did you hit on the second?

IGNACIO GARRIDO: 8 iron to three meters, three, four meters.

4, it was 2 iron, 5 iron. I misjudged the wind completely and it was a good shot that ended up short of the green and a good chip to a meter.

6 was a 5 iron, pitching wedge, to a couple of meters.

8, 2 iron on the rough on the right and I hit 6 iron to, well, a couple of feet and a very good shot.

10, I hit it left with my tee shot, and don't go there, it's not the best place to be. It was a really, really tough up and down that I couldn't do.

11, I hit 3 wood, 8 iron, and I holed a good putt, five meters.

12, I hit driver, 5 iron and a holed about an 8 meter putt.

15, I hit 2 iron in the left bunker, 3 iron to the right, chipped it up. Didn't really have a shot and I chipped it quite far and 2 putted.

17 was driver, 3 wood, just to the edge of the green and up and down just a short putt, like a meter or so.

End of FastScripts.

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