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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2009

AJ Montecinos

CHASKA, MINNESOTA

Q. How long have you been with him?
AJ MONTECINOS: I met him second stage '07.

Q. What is it about his personality that you knew he would not back down?
AJ MONTECINOS: He's just not scared. He's just a world-class player, and you know, he's got nothing to lose. He said, "I'm not nervous."

Q. The shot on 18 was one of the gutsiest things I've ever seen.
AJ MONTECINOS: It was pretty classy, wasn't it.

Q. What was it?
AJ MONTECINOS: 3-iron. It was -- I can't even think. It was 210.

Q. Take it over the tree?
AJ MONTECINOS: Take it over the tree.

Q. What about 16, that flag, was that in the plan?
AJ MONTECINOS: I think that was a little miss, but it hung in there. So, yeah, thankful for that.

Q. What were the circumstances when you met him in 2007?
AJ MONTECINOS: I was a caddie for second stage, Oak Valley is close to my parents' home. I know that golf course. Worked there. The first time I met him we won together and I good not hookup with him again until second stage 2008 and we have been together ever since.

Q. Do you know any Korean?
AJ MONTECINOS: I'm hungry, that's all I know.

Q. Obviously winning in the final group and winning the PGA matters, but how much does it matter beating Tiger that you took down?
AJ MONTECINOS: You know, it's huge for me. He's fighting to make his name for himself here in the States and I believe this is going to do it. Tiger's got 80-some or 70-some wins, we've got two, so he's still the best in the world.

Q. Has he talked at all about what it might mean for Korea, for golf in Asia?
AJ MONTECINOS: No, you'd have to ask him that. I don't get that deep in Korean.

Q. What types of things was he saying?
AJ MONTECINOS: We just talk about everything, you know, I just try to keep him calm and that's about it. He's very, very low key and very easy to get along with, and just when the general public gets to know him, they are going to fall in love with him because he has a heart as big as his face.

Q. Was there anything that you said to him walking to 18?
AJ MONTECINOS: Just stay patient, one at a time. And he said, "No problem."

Q. When you guys are not talking golf, what other subjects do you like to rap about?
AJ MONTECINOS: Music. I'm starting to like Korean music. We talk about life and houses and what's the right thing to do, what's the wrong thing to do. He helps me a lot. He helps me be a better caddie every week.

Q. Did you say houses?
AJ MONTECINOS: Yeah, you know, whether I should pay my house off or not.

Q. Where is your house?
AJ MONTECINOS: San Antonio.

Q. He said yesterday that he was working on his swing tempo and just trying to keep rhythm. Is that something that you talk about?
AJ MONTECINOS: He's always had phenomenal rhythm and that's something, whether he makes double or eagle, his rhythm never changes.

Q. Did you say anything to him after the shot on 18 as you're walking up?
AJ MONTECINOS: Just great.

Q. How close do you think it is?
AJ MONTECINOS: Maybe ten, 20 feet.

Q. What about on 14, what was the emotion like there?
AJ MONTECINOS: Oh, it was pretty strong. It felt great.

Q. What do you think that was on 18, eight feet?
AJ MONTECINOS: Yeah, I'd say.

Q. Was there any thought of just dumping it on the green on 18?
AJ MONTECINOS: You know, I didn't even -- he just said 3-iron and I said, okay, I like it.
I let him -- he just goes right at it. That's the way he plays. I don't want to -- he doesn't waste any time ever. No thinking, the better.

Q. The first time you guys were hooked up, what do you remember about the first time you met him?
AJ MONTECINOS: He's always treated me classy from the first time I met him and he continues to -- I learn from him and I'm very thankful to be with him because he's a classy guy.

Q. How old are you?
AJ MONTECINOS: 35.

Q. When he's not playing, when he goes through his stretches of not playing, what's the difference?
AJ MONTECINOS: I would say a little bit of putting. A little bit of putting, maybe speed. He's a world-class player.
The last three weeks we've had Top-10, Top-10, top 20. He was just tired, took a lot out of him. But he never wastes any energy. When he's tired, he relaxes and when he's ready to play, he's ready to play.

Q. How long have you been out here?
AJ MONTECINOS: This is my first year. Honda was my fourth PGA TOUR event.

Q. What did you guys do this morning?
AJ MONTECINOS: I just hung out with my roommate.

Q. Were you ever a player?
AJ MONTECINOS: I played golf at Jackson State University.

Q. Did you read anything particular this morning?
AJ MONTECINOS: Yeah, it said not to think of myself too highly, let other people speak highly of me instead of me speaking about myself.

Q. Is that the Bible?
AJ MONTECINOS: Oh, yeah.

Q. Did you expect to be on the bag with him when he goes back to Asia?
AJ MONTECINOS: Yes, sir.

Q. What were your thoughts after the first round?
AJ MONTECINOS: 73, 1-over, just we're right there in the hunt, and next day, he missed a couple close putts, and it should have been a little lower and yesterday he missed a close one on 10. And once I saw that look in his eye, we were going for a ride.

Q. How do you compare your basketball game and his game?
AJ MONTECINOS: It needs some work. He shoots with two hands. We played around the world and horse last week at the World Golf Championships. Kenny Perry and all of us were playing horse. I took Kenny down.

Q. What qualities do you think put him right here?
AJ MONTECINOS: I've been around golf a little while and I've been around some great players and I've never been around a more tough mental competitor in my life. Just the fact that you know, nothing affects him, whether he makes double or triple or he's just like, no problem. Then he just goes about his business and it makes me better. It's pretty impressive.

Q. Can you run through the chip-in, what club he used, what you guys talked about beforehand?
AJ MONTECINOS: He goes up and survey it is and he says 52 and that's our 52-degree and I handed it to him and that's exactly what I'm thinking, too. Next thing you know, it's in the hole.

Q. Do you have to fight the feeling that you're going against Tiger Woods, 14-0 in the final round, fighting that it's impossible?
AJ MONTECINOS: Of course. I mean, he's wort No. 1. He's been that way for a long time. He's got a two-shot lead going into today so we have not a lot to lose, just go out and do the best we can. God willing, breaks go our way and he made a lot of good putts that didn't go in today and he'll be the first to tell you, you know, we were just very fortunate and very blessed to have made them.

Q. What is your sense from him out there, Tiger?
AJ MONTECINOS: Class act. First time being in a group with him. Classy guy. "Good shot, Yang, way to go."

Q. When he made that putt on 18, it looked like Tiger was going to give him a nod or a little smile, did you see that?
AJ MONTECINOS: I didn't. I didn't see that. But I'm sure he did. He shook his hand and again and said "Great stuff." That's what it's all about.

End of FastScripts

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