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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2005

Luke Donald

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA

SCOTT FORD: We have Luke Donald to answer a few questions for you. Do you have any comments you want to make to start off with or just open it up to the field?

LUKE DONALD: Just open it up.

Q. Any parallels, anything that you can take from the starting and stopping at THE PLAYERS Championship to now going through the same thing here?

LUKE DONALD: Well, getting more used to this starting and stopping. It's been this way for most of the year, but I'm not sure if you learn anything. You know, I try and kind of switch my brain off when I'm on a break, not try to think of anything, and then, you know, when it's time to go just to be ready, and that's what I've been working on this week.

Q. How big of a deal was it for you when you won at Annandale; was that a big thing for you?

LUKE DONALD: It was the first win as a professional, and so obviously a big deal at the time, yeah, very big deal. It was my first year and gave me a lot of confidence for my second year on Tour. Obviously there's a little bit of a surprise being rained short to 54 holes, but every win is a confidence booster.

Q. You said that you like to turn your brain off when you're on those breaks, what sort of methods do you do to try to do that?

LUKE DONALD: Just try not to get too entangled into the players and them talking about the weather and the golf and what they have been doing and just try and be quiet with myself or just try and find a quiet corner really and just get away from it.

Q. Do you read? Do you nap?

LUKE DONALD: Napping is an option. I did bring a book, though.

Q. What did it feel like hitting your first tee shot yesterday in were you nervous, more nervous than you've been in another round?

LUKE DONALD: I was more nervous on the range actually warming up. I think that's when it started to hit me and I think I got rid of the nerves early, I think it was a little bit different because I was starting on 10, it was so different to how the Masters usually starts where everyone usually goes off the first tee.

No, I felt pretty comfortable. I got off to a very steady start and then I was away and feeling good about my game.

Q. You certainly didn't play like a rookie in your first round, did you feel as prepared as you could be having never played this tournament before?

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, I felt prepared. I think knowing this course is beneficial, but you know, I'm coming into this week and playing as good as I've ever played and my game feels really good right now.

So in that way, I feel very prepared.

Q. You talk about confidence, how much confidence did you get from the Ryder Cup and being involved in that?

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, it was a huge confidence-booster. I think when I decided to rejoin the European Tour last year and I went over and won a couple times, that really gave me confidence going into the Ryder Cup and then having -- then I won the Ryder Cup with Europe. Then Paul Casey and I won the World Cup and it was just kind of a snowball effect and my confidence has grown a lot since then. I think all of those, any time you win, it has a big boost on your confidence.

Q. I know it's only one round but how did it feel going into the weekend with the lead in the Masters?

LUKE DONALD: It's 20 holes I've played, a lot of golf to be played and there's danger lurking around every corner at Augusta. So I'm going to try and, again, just put it in the back of my mind tonight and not think about it, come out tomorrow, be fresh and if I keep playing the way I've been playing, then I'll start worrying about it come Sunday.

Q. Talk about you missed the putt at 9 that would have tied you for the lead in the morning session; and you must not have had much time before you went back out, had a birdie two holes later after that, what all happened there, the putt on 9, and then go back to the other birdie.

LUKE DONALD: Yeah, I hit a very nice 8-iron into the ninth hole to maybe six or seven feet just above the hole and really hit a decent putt. I just misread it. I thought it was going to break to the left and it stayed pretty straight. I think just how quick that putt was, it just didn't take the break. Still very happy with 68. Played very solidly, didn't really put myself in much trouble.

And we only had about 45 minutes, so I grabbed something quick to eat and went back to the range and warmed up briefly and then we were off again. So, yeah, not much time to really think about it.

Q. How far was the birdie putt on 2?

LUKE DONALD: Probably around eight feet.

Q. You've spoken often in the past about your passion for art and your painting --

LUKE DONALD: Getting it in now, aren't we?

Q. It's my only shot, dude. Is that something that you still have a passion for, or is that something that you have as much time for as you have; and where does that sort of fit in in your whole plan that you're now executing?

LUKE DONALD: It definitely -- it's definitely second on my list behind golf. Golf's my passion. Art is something I've done, decided to do as a major in college and I enjoyed doing it.

Occasionally I still do it on my off-weeks and just something I do to relax and take my mind off golf and lead a balanced life, I suppose.

Golf will always be my passion.

SCOTT FORD: Any final comments for the group tonight?

LUKE DONALD: Looking forward to some good weather tomorrow and Sunday.

SCOTT FORD: Thank you all very much.

End of FastScripts.

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