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WGC ALGARVE WORLD CUPNovember 16, 2005Luke DonaldDavid HowellALGARVE, PORTUGAL RODDY WILLIAMS: Luke, David, thanks very much for coming in to join us. Luke, you won the title last year, but with a different partner. I think you've chosen a new partner with somebody in pretty good form this year. LUKE DONALD: Yeah, obviously it was a tough decision, when I had the decision to choose who I was going to play with. But David was the in form player at the time and obviously made me look quite clever by winning last week. So glad to have David on the team this year, and looking forward to hopefully defending our title. RODDY WILLIAMS: David, give us a few comments, as well. DAVID HOWELL: Obviously I assumed Luke was going to pick Paul all year, really. Delighted when he asked me. Obviously my good form the latter part of the season gave him a question mark on who was the better choice, so obviously delighted for myself that he did pick me. RODDY WILLIAMS: And you had a great win last week, how are you feeling a couple of days on from that? DAVID HOWELL: Feeling great, yeah. A bit tired and obviously full of confidence the way I played last week, which is just ideal coming into a team event like this. Q. Have either of you played this course before? DAVID HOWELL: No. First time here. We played nine holes yesterday and today. It's very pleasant, not overly difficult, but fantastic condition. It's going to be a birdie fest, as they say, but probably not a bad way to have it for a tournament such as this. Q. What would you pick as the key hole on the course? DAVID HOWELL: Well, the most difficult hole is 18, definitely. There's not really another really strong par 4 out there, and the 18th certainly jumps out as you as the most difficult hole. And I'd say 17 is a very good par 5, as well, probably not reachable in two. But there's plenty of trouble if it does play downwind with the second shots. It's got a strong finish, plenty of chances before that. RODDY WILLIAMS: Luke, what are your thoughts on the course, as well? LUKE DONALD: Yeah, very similar to what David said. It's a pretty straightforward course. Everything is pretty much out in front of you. The last couple of holes are the more challenging holes on the course. I think 18 today was playing into a little breeze; that made it a little bit more tricky, you know, hitting a long iron into one of the only kind of long par 4s on the course. So it should set up for an interesting finish if it's close coming down Sunday. Q. Is this it for the year for both of you? DAVID HOWELL: It is for me. I think Luke's traveling around the world. LUKE DONALD: Sun City and Target. Q. When was the last time you played golf for England? DAVID HOWELL: For England? Dunhill Cup, I would say, that was in '99 probably. Q. Any particular memories as an amateur player? DAVID HOWELL: Oh, well, I've played every level going as an amateur. I played loads of amateur golf, obviously very, very fond memories of representing England. I can't say one incident or match particularly stands out, but they have all been enjoyable and I'm sure it will be this week, as well. Q. How does the term "favorites" rest with you? DAVID HOWELL: Leave that one to you. LUKE DONALD: I think we both come here feeling that we have a good chance to defend. You know, there's some other strong teams out there, obviously. We're definitely not clear favorites by any means, but I guess if you add both our World Rankings together, we might have the lowest number out here. So I guess that makes us favorites. DAVID HOWELL: I think it's a nice position to be in obviously. It's great, you know, our careers are both progressing well, and to come to a tournament like this in that position is obviously very pleasing and an enjoyable position to be in. LUKE DONALD: I think we'll have quite a good support out here, too. From the last couple of days, there's been a lot of English speaking voices following us around. I think it's a popular place for the English to come on a holiday and have villas out here, so hopefully we'll get cheered along quite a lot. Q. Is foursomes something that you can practice and prepare for or talk about, or is it really essentially a matter of getting your game in good order for both formats? DAVID HOWELL: I agree with really the second part of what you said there really. We haven't actually got as far as deciding which holes we're going to tee off on. I think we'll leave that until after we've played the course competitively tomorrow. You know, foursomes is a very difficult game if you're playing poorly, and if you're both playing well, it's not the daunting task that it can be, as I say, if you're having a bad day. The main thing is to both be playing well and confident. And I don't think it really makes much difference who tees off where or what the strategy is; you just go out and play. Q. The forecast is for wind and rain on Saturday and Sunday, would that affect your judgment of the course that you gave before? DAVID HOWELL: No, not really. I mean, obviously if it's windy and rainy, it's going to play more difficult. But it isn't a testing course obviously, especially with the four ball format, there is going to be plenty of birdie opportunities, definitely. Q. Luke, is it a fun week last week or do you actually feel pressure in this event? Obviously it's nothing like Ryder Cup. LUKE DONALD: Last year? DAVID HOWELL: Is was a fun week for him last week watching his partner win. LUKE DONALD: It was good to see. I wouldn't say it's one of the more pressured tournaments. You do try and have fun this week. I think it has a that relaxed atmosphere about it; two man team, you know, you're good friends with your teammate. It's just about going out there and having some fun. I think, again, you wouldn't have thought you couldn't get into too much trouble on this course, so it should be fun making birdies I think out there. It's more fun than pressure, definitely. DAVID HOWELL: Slightly concerned that you think I can't get you into trouble. RODDY WILLIAMS: Have you two played together much before at any level? LUKE DONALD: We've never played as a team like a two man team before. But we've played in teams together, obviously the Ryder Cup, and we've played a few times competitively in individual tournaments. But never as a team. Q. On the outside it seems there's quite a lot of similar ties in both your games and personality, is that how you see it? LUKE DONALD: Yeah, I think someone was saying that they looked at both our stats and they did seem quite similar. David thought his game was very different to mine for some reason. (Smiling). I think, you know, we're somewhat similar. You know, David's very well known for a great short game, great putting, and my putting has come along this year, as well. Similarish distances off the tee. David might squeak in a little bit further. DAVID HOWELL: Little bit? Taking it easy on you. LUKE DONALD: Yesterday I was way past you on a couple of holes. (Laughter). I think, you know, compared to like last year, Paul's game to my game, we're quite different, but it seemed to work and we'll have to see if our games, because they are somewhat similar, work, as well. Q. Feel free to disagree, David. DAVID HOWELL: No, I think it's very strange you ask that question. We were out with a friend last night discussing it, and he said, as Luke said, the statistics show that we are very similar. I see Luke as a much steadier golfer as myself; rightly or wrongly, that's just the perception. But that being said, yeah, we do hit it similar distances, so maybe that's just my perception and it's slightly wrong. But I think as Luke said, you know, Paul's a really long hitter and a much more dynamic player than either of us two. So we are certainly more similar than the Casey/Donald partnership. Q. Next year, David, is your schedule pretty similar to this year? DAVID HOWELL: Similar, though I think I'll end up playing my 15 in America, so I'll play twice more in America than I did this year. I'm going to take my card up. But I say it only makes two tournaments difference. And obviously I had the eight weeks off this year, so really not much really not much different other than I am going to be a member of the PGA TOUR rather than not. Q. So at the start of the year? DAVID HOWELL: Probably I'm going to play one more, the run into The Masters and TPC. I'll play one more event than I did last year I think, and then fit one in much later in the year, maybe after the Ryder Cup. Q. And yourself, Luke, where do you start next year? LUKE DONALD: I'll start in Hawaii, the Sony Open. DAVID HOWELL: Tough life. LUKE DONALD: Play a lot on the West Coast and go from there, really. Pretty similar to what I did this year.
RODDY WILLIAMS: Gentlemen, thank you very much. Good luck this week.
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