THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 24, 2005

Stuart Appleby

Tim Clark

Nick O'Hern

Adam Scott

Mike Weir

VIJAY SINGH: We putted really horribly.

They made birdie on 1, and what happened on 2, we 3 putted 2 and then we made great pars on 3 and 4. So after that we settled down and got ourselves going. It was good after that. We played nicely and the end of the day, you know, I think it was a fair result.

Q. So you're not disappointed with halve?

VIJAY SINGH: Yeah, we're 2 up, two holes to go, but that's what happens.

Q. You guys went down on front nine but came back on the back.

STUART APPLEBY: Yeah, we got up to an ordinary start. Gave a couple of holes away early and that left really, really hard work for the rest of the day, because you know Jim and Tiger are a very formidable team.

We just, you know, tried to gut it out and tried to keep making some chances and make some putts. Played probably more consistent, didn't hit it as good but we managed to score for a stretch of holes and keep pulling them back. It was disappointing not to have won, but, you know, we'll take a halve. It didn't look good early and we turned it into something good at the end, finishing square.

Q. It could have been worse, the big putts at 4 and 5.

STUART APPLEBY: We could have been in deep, deep trouble but ended up getting out of that, some big putts. And then to get in the lead after the start was a bit of a pain because we bought ourselves into a lead, and when we were so far from one, and not so much to give it aback, but like we knew they were going to be a great team and they were going to keep pushing.

Q. Great match, guys. 2 down after 12 holes, what allowed you to come back and win this thing?

NICK O'HERN: You know, we really hung in tough. We got off to a scrappy start. You know, match play is a funny game and if you just start hitting the shots and holing some putts, anything can happen. We made a lot of run of birdies towards the end there and we just kept hitting them and making long ones and it was great.

Q. First time you've played together in this type of competition this week. What was the decision, what went into that decision to pair up?

TIM CLARK: I thought a few weeks ago that we would make a good pair in this format because with length off the tee and we both keep it in the fairway, he certainly does 80, so I felt our games lent itself better to the alternate shot, and certainly we can split up in the afternoon.

MIKE WEIR: Wish I would have hit it a little closer for Trevor, but looked like he hit a great putt. Unfortunate it didn't go in.

Q. Inaudible?

MIKE WEIR: Well, I didn't want him to I didn't want him to pick it up because the match would be over if I don't make that, so I just didn't want him to make it. I was going to give it to him anyways. I just wanted to make sure we did the right thing by putting it back.

Q. Is it a mental thing?

MIKE WEIR: When you pick it up, it's better to see the coin now, and it's match play, you want the point now and you want the guy to have to make it. If I happen to miss, you don't want it to be over right there and have them still make a putt to win the match.

Q. You want to have them still make a putt to win the match.

MIKE WEIR: Exactly. Jack came in and agreed and said that's the right thing to do. It was loud and I said "Great shot, Stuey." And I think he thought I said "pick it up" or something' and the crowd is yelling and I don't think he heard it correct. It was an honest mistake and that's why we want to make sure we, you know, get the right thing.

Q. During the discussion, was loss of hole brought up at all?

MIKE WEIR: That was the first thing I brought up. I don't want this, my intent was just so the ball was there when I'm putting that was not my intent at all, I just wanted it there.

Q. Point of reference?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, exactly.

Q. How big of a putt was that to come back after the distraction?

MIKE WEIR: It was a big putt, for sure.

Q. Surprised you're not going out this afternoon?

MIKE WEIR: I'm surprised, yeah.

Q. Hard time after inaudible?

MIKE WEIR: Yeah, because I don't think they knew what was going on. I think they thought I was trying to win the hole that way or something. Like I said that, wasn't the case at all. Just wanted to make sure we did the right thing. That's why I looked at Trevor, because I said, "Did you say it was good, because I didn't."

Q. Davis just misunderstood, he thought you said

MIKE WEIR: He just misunderstood, yeah.

Q. Between the players

MIKE WEIR: No, no.

Q. How hard was it for you to recollect?

MIKE WEIR: I had to re-gather myself there. I didn't want to make it a big deal because that wasn't my intent. My intent was just I wanted the coin there. And if you can't put it back, I said, I want the putt to be good then if you can't put it back. But, yeah, I had to refocus because people were booing and didn't know what was going on.

Q. Good match.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it was, you know, it was a tough match. We didn't play our best, certainly, and I mean they probably didn't play their best either but it was close. I mean, it was even. It was hard to win holes. Retief and I haven't made any putts, so that makes it hard to win.

Q. Do you feel I think both of you guys, you haven't played your best golf but you have won two matches, if you can just get the putter going.

ADAM SCOTT: I think it comes down to if we can make some putts this afternoon, we can really do some damage and hopefully get a quick match.

End of FastScripts.