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NISSAN IRISH OPEN

May 20, 2005

Stephen Dodd

MAYNOOTH, IRELAND

GORDON SIMPSON: 69 yesterday, 70 today, leading the tournament at the halfway stage, and it's been quite a remarkable six months for you, hasn't it, starting in China?

STEPHEN DODD: Yeah, it's been a great six months obviously. I had a good finish to the end of last season, and it gave me a lot of confidence. So this start of this year, obviously and I could not have asked for it to go any better to be honest.

GORDON SIMPSON: You near had a chance to win another tournament in Dubai. How much of a dagger blow was that when Ernie holed the eagle putt?

STEPHEN DODD: It was just a great way for him to win the tournament. I was pleased, I did my best, and that's all I can do. I can't control what other people do. He made a great eagle to win the tournament.

GORDON SIMPSON: Did it give you the realization, having won once that you can do it again?

STEPHEN DODD: Yeah, I think so. If you do win a tournament, I think it does give you the belief that you can do it again and that's what's happened to me over the last few months.

Q. Are you a better player now than six months ago?

STEPHEN DODD: Well, obviously the results suggest I'm better. I just think I'm a lot more confident now about the way I approach things. That's the main difference. I'm not saying I hit the ball any better because I probably don't. I think I do things in a more confident manner now.

Q. Do you like tough courses?

STEPHEN DODD: Yeah, it is a bit tough but it's nice to play some tough courses where 72 means something, rather than 72, you miss the cut, a couple of 72s, you miss the cut.

Q. Your confidence level Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½ is that down to anyone? A sports psychologist?

STEPHEN DODD: I have a sports psychologist, Alan Fine his name is. I've first met him in '88, '89, so I've known him a long time. I've worked on and off with him over that period of time, but full time for the last couple of years. He's still in the States.

Q. What does he do for you?

STEPHEN DODD: It's difficult to say what he does. It's just a lot of different things that have made the difference.

I'm just more focused. I think he's got me to get more focused what I am playing and not to give in at all, because there was times and it's so easily done when you're 3 or 4 over par just to forget it, and that's been the difference is just to keep on going until the end.

GORDON SIMPSON: Is that why it took so you long to make the breakthrough is that you were not quite focused enough?

STEPHEN DODD: I think so. I think it's made a difference.

Q. Do you have any targets?

STEPHEN DODD: I don't have any targets or set any goals. I just go from week to week and do my best each week.

GORDON SIMPSON: What about today, five birdies and three bogeys, any particular good ones that stand out?

STEPHEN DODD: I think they are all good, aren't they?

18, the tree was in my way on the second shot and I had a high hook around it and just hit it straight and then the wind just moved it a little bit anyway. That was the problem, the tree was in the way for my approach shot on the last hole.

GORDON SIMPSON: How close did you get on 3?

STEPHEN DODD: Six feet.

Q. What have you done with your winnings?

STEPHEN DODD: Keep giving it to the caddie and the coaches; nothing left, psychologists, coaches, caddies.

I bought a new house actually but that was a couple of months ago. I haven't moved in yet, it's being built at the moment but should be ready end of June. It's not far, it's a couple of miles from where I am now actually.

Q. Are you going to treat yourself to something?

STEPHEN DODD: Possibly towards the end of the year, I'll just see how the year goes and decide then.

GORDON SIMPSON: In terms of your schedule, you must have a good idea of what you're in for the rest of the year.

STEPHEN DODD: As I say, I'm taking each week as I go, and my main goal now is to play the Open in and I'm hoping to qualify for that.

GORDON SIMPSON: Have you played the previous Andrews Open?

STEPHEN DODD: I haven't before.

GORDON SIMPSON: Did you try to qualify?

STEPHEN DODD: I think I tried in '95. I didn't in 2000 Troon in '89 was the only time I played in the Open. I can't remember much about it.

Q. You do play most every week.

STEPHEN DODD: I haven't played that much this year, I purposely this is my ninth event. So I haven't played that much compared to normal I've normally played three or four more by now.

Q. Did you do something special in the North-West of Ireland at Slieve Russell?

STEPHEN DODD: I finished second, three or four years ago, that was. Well, I was playing on the Tour that year anyway, and obviously helped get me through it to keep my card.

Q. Did you ever say: I am not going back to the Q School?

STEPHEN DODD: Not really, not really. I think everybody says that. It's a nice position to be in. We don't have to worry about it for a few years, I think it's at the back of everybody's mind who has not got the exemption at the start of the season just to and that's the reason why I play a lot through the winter is to try and get off to a good start and get some money on the board early on. But with the exemption, it's been nice just that take some time off in January and February.

GORDON SIMPSON: What's your World Ranking at the moment?

STEPHEN DODD: I think it's about 103 or something like that. It's going the right direction at the moment but a long way to go.

GORDON SIMPSON: Stephen, well played again, and good luck over the weekend.

End of FastScripts.

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