	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE CELTIC MANOR WALES OPEN

June 4, 2009

Colin Montgomerie

NEWPORT, WALES

Q. Your thoughts on an opening 69?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Good. The course played well today. The weather was fantastic obviously, and a reasonable score. I've been hitting the ball actually quite well over the last month really. I just haven't put four rounds together.
I managed three in Ireland and three at the PGA, and you know, a couple really last week, but nothing to finally secure a four-round Top-10, Top-5. Let's hope that 69 is the start of four decent rounds this week.

Q. You have bragging rights over The Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin. Did you check the score?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, no, I didn't. I didn't check the scores. I'm here to do well in the Wales Open really, you know, whatever Corey and I score doesn't really matter. We are not going to hit a shot next year at all, so it doesn't really matter.

Q. Signs of encouragement in your own game?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think so. I'm beginning to hit the fairways again, which is vital for me. I'm not as powerful as I was obviously, and I can't afford to miss the fairways the way I've been doing. So I've got to hit the fairways, and I hit most today, which is encouraging.

Q. You have the chance to set this golf course up for The Ryder Cup. How different will it be weather permitting to this?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Of course it will be different because we are playing in the first week of October. Here we are in the first week of June and it's very different, different weather conditions above and below.
But it will be a fair test of golf. I think you can tie yourself in knots trying to set up a course for our 12, as opposed to their 12, if you know what I mean. I think good golf will prevail on either team.
So I'll set the course up in a very, very fairway.

Q. Nice finish to a decent day for you?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yeah, it was. There's a bit of pressure on you, because people expect you to do well, and I don't know why, but it seemed that way. It's nice to score 69, yes, of course it is. A couple under is never a bad start to a tournament. And as I was saying early on, I just have to try to get four rounds in instead of just the two or three that I've been doing over the last month. I've been playing reasonable but not putting four decent rounds together, I've only been getting two or three.

Q. By being obviously the Ryder Cup Captain here at this course next year, it automatically makes you centre of attention; so does that help?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes, it does. Yes, it does. I think I've always liked that position, I suppose, and I just look forward to everything regarding The Ryder Cup, everything, everything around it. Yes, I'm busy, but I enjoy that and it's a great honour for me. As I said to the committee room when I was asked to be captain, I said to them that no stone would be left unturned in our efforts to regain The Ryder Cup. And so far, so good.

Q. Are you able to turn stones when you're out there competing for yourself in The Wales Open?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It's funny, you know, you do think about things. You do think about where the crowd might be or what the signs of certain things will happen, whatever the case may be, of course you do. You're thinking a year and a bit ahead, of course you are.
And when we come back here next year for The Wales Open in 2010, it will be nearer, and the course will be in the near-condition that it will be for the tournament. So it will be even bigger and better next year.

Q. A lot of people listening to this are thinking, oh, Monty will want to stick one over Corey Pavin this week. Are you looking at his score?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, actually I haven't looked at his score. It doesn't mean much, really, because he and I are not going to hit a shot come 16 months, so it doesn't matter. It's the 12 guys that are assembled on our teams that matter.

Q. An important three days coming up for you, because you have been hitting the ball well over the last few weeks and you need to convert that into scores.
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I do, I need to convert that into Top-10s and Top-5s, and finishing 30th and 40th in tournaments has never been my idea of fun. So we have to convert a half-decent start. I'm 20th right now apparently, and I have to get that into the Top-10 over the weekend and into the Top-5 on Sunday.

Q. You mentioned on Sunday a certain despair in your game at the end of the tournament, and you talked about being out there sometimes waiting for the next mistake. Sounds like you've moved on from that.
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I finished with a 7. It's always disappointing to finish a tournament with 7 obviously, and I set off today and hit my ball in the bunker and thought I could hardly play it and thought, I'm going to make another one. You have to move on I suppose. But it's very difficult that last hole at The European Open.
I enjoy playing here. I'm comfortable here and I enjoy the crowd and I enjoy the reaction and I have two good playing partners today, and we had a good game.

Q. You had a good look at eagle on 15, was it a bit slower than you thought, the greens seemed to be slowing down at the end.
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes, the greens are beginning to grow believe it or not, actually, which is great. They can do with a couple of cuts tonight which would be super for them and then in the morning.
I hit it very hard thinking it was slow and actually hit it too hard at the end of the day. A good chance for eagle there will and made birdie and two good pars on 16 and 17 which are good holes, and that was nice to get a birdie at the last.

Q. You had supporters at the first with plaquers.
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I saw that. They wanted a "full Monty." I said if I shoot 59, they will receive one. I shot 69, so I was actually quite safe I felt. I didn't want to get people -- no, no, forget that. (Laughter).

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297