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THE EUROPEAN OPEN

May 30, 2009

Jeev Milkha Singh

ASH, ENGLAND

RODDY WILLIAMS: Jeev, terrific round there, and particularly a terrific finish. I think everybody was going one way on the leaderboard apart from yourself. Take us through those last few holes in particular.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Honestly, I just stayed patient out there. I just got aggressive. I took the gamble on the 14th hole. It's 3-wood, they moved the tee up, very tempting -- I went for it and I birdied it.
After that, I made a good birdie putt on 15, and then I birdied 16, hit a great shot into 17, birdied that.
I think a finish like that doesn't happen too often, but I'll take it.
RODDY WILLIAMS: That really seemed to turn things around for you, didn't it.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yeah, it did especially that birdie on 14. I think I was missing a few, and I said, you know, just hang in there. It's already there. See what happens. Just get a little aggressive and I did, and it went my way.
But it was a tough start in the morning I think, but I just told myself, just stay patient and see what happens, and ended up all well.
RODDY WILLIAMS: Going to be an exciting day tomorrow now.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, it is going to be exciting. Christian is playing well. He played right in front of me. That's great to see that; a lot of good players. I think the tournament is not over until the last putt is holed out, so we'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. Would you prefer the weather conditions to be as tough tomorrow? They seem to suit you are temperament better than moment?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, I like windy conditions. If windy conditions are like that, I will like it. We are used to it; we have played in it for two days now.

Q. We had Rory in here saying the last five, six holes are among the most testing he's probably ever played.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes.

Q. And you've done the opposite to everyone else.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: I think I gave all of my shots away on the easy ones, so I had to make up for it, I guess.

Q. Were you worried after that start, because they are the birdie opportunities.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, you know, it kind of plays on your mind, but I just told myself, you've got to stay patient. It's a windy day, and there's another day tomorrow.
So I said, just hang in there and that helped me quite a bit. Holed a few putts coming in, and I think that's really helped.

Q. What would winning the tournament at this stage of your career mean to you?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Fantastic. I've won three times in Europe; to have another win, I think it's always good. Winning anywhere on any tour, I think it's a treat. If I could do that again, that would be great.

Q. Do you think a lot of birdies are important early on, because you can't expect to play the back nine as well as you did today.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Basically, you basically just want to go out there and stay patient, because if it's a windy day again tomorrow, it's tough to judge the right clubs and, you know, hold putts. I think the key is stay patient and when you have a birdie chance, try to convert it.

Q. Conditions out there, they seem almost as tough as you've found in any major championship, isn't it?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: I think for sure. I think the rough is really tough I think.

Q. It's almost U.S. Open setup.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, it is. If you asked me on the fourth hole, I moved it six inches, and I was hitting a lob-wedge. I just moved it six inches. Luckily I found the ball; not me, but one of the kids found it, and I moved it six inches and made a great five. I hit a hard lob-wedge to about 60 yards and then chipped it about ten feet. I holed that. That was a good five for me.

Q. Does this give you more confidence in your ability to win a major like the U.S. Open?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, it does help you, for sure. But I think the conditions are quite different. It won't be this windy and this soft; whereas the greens in majors are really firm and hard. And the pins are tougher and there's more slopes on the greens.

Q. But apart from that.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: (Laughter) Yes.

Q. Can we get the details of the last four birdies?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, I think on the 4th hole, I think they moved the tee up yesterday, I remember it now. I went for it. I bogeyed two holes before that and parred the 12th. So I said, I might as well take my gamble and that went my way. I hit a 3-wood just over the green, 2-putted from there for birdie.
Then hit a good drive on 15. Holed a good putt, like a 20-footer.
Going back, 13, I went for it. I hit 3-wood just over the green and 2-putted.
14, I hit a good drive and made a good putt. Hit it from the rough to about 20 feet, holed a 20-footer there.
Then on 15, I hit a good drive, 3-wood just front edge of the green, because that hole was playing tough. It was straight into the face from the right side. I chipped it about three feet, holed that. So that was what I had, when you make three birdies in a row, gave me a lot of confidence.
17, that was one of the best shots of the day. I hit a 3-iron and cut it against the breeze. Hit it to about 12 to 15 feet and holed that putt.
I was happy with my drive on 18. I think that's one of the toughest holes on the golf course today.

Q. Quite a few of the guys are saying that the drive on 18 is one of the toughest they have seen in golf, actually.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Yes, it is. It will be. When the wind is coming left-to-right, you know, you hit into the rough, you've got to chip out.

Q. When you hit it really well, you do hit in the rough because it runs through it.
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: So you have to start it over the water and hope that you get it a good bounce, too. First, you've got to have the guts to start it over the water.

Q. Again, Rory was saying about maybe even hitting on to the 10th. Is that something you would think about?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: No, I think you could. There's a tree that comes on the left, but I'm afraid that's going to be tough for me.

Q. The guys that are chasing, Christian has not won for a few years; Rory and Chris are young; Alvaro is also young; are you scared of these guys and their no-fear attitude?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: I think it's very good to have competition, and I respect that. You know, may the best player win tomorrow, it's all how you handle yourself, and that's the way I will take it.

Q. Three shots, you'd be comfortable on any course; is it comfortable on that course?
JEEV MILKHA SINGH: Not really. It's a windy course. Anything can happen out there, so, you know, just going to go out there and stay patient and see what happens.
RODDY WILLIAMS: Good luck tomorrow. Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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