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WALKER CUP MATCH

September 11, 2009

ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA

PETE KOWALSKI: We'd like to welcome our team members and captain from Great Britain and Ireland. In the center is second-time captain, Colin Dalgleish. To his left and your right, Gavin Dear and Wallace Booth, both from Scotland, both first-time members of the Walker Cup for GB&I.
Colin, obviously the weather has dampened your preparation. If you could tell us what you did this morning and what is going to happen this afternoon, how things changed for you because of the weather.
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: I suppose the forecast had been for rain the past few days. Finally hit this morning. We were planning to play at 9. We were going to leave the hotel at 7:30. We made a call at 6:45. The weather was going to be so bad, we told the guys to stay in bed. We would shoot for a 9:30 departure. Then we pushed that back to 12.
Kind of in the morning, the guys just had a leisurely morning, watched a DVD, came out to the golf course, had a little bit of lunch, played four or five holes. It worked out pretty well for us today.
PETE KOWALSKI: Questions for Colin and the players.

Q. Your impressions of the golf course?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: We think collectively the golf course is fantastic, but I'd be happy to pass that to Wallace or Gavin, the guys who are out there, might have some more comments on it, if either of you care to answer.
GAVIN DEAR: Golf course is really, really good. Greens are quick, slopey, but fair. I personally like the fact if you knock it in the rough, you're going to struggle to make a par. Also if you hit a good shot, you are rewarded. If you hit a poor shot, you're in trouble. It should make for an interesting weekend.
WALLACE BOOTH: To reiterate what Gavin said, the course is fantastic. Definitely one of the best courses I ever played. It's a great challenge. Fair golf course. Like Gavin said, if you play well, you'll be rewarded and punished if you don't. It's going to be a good test this weekend.

Q. Colin, with the rain and the wind, does this play into your favor more so than the U.S.? A leveler, maybe?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: I think if you get wind and rain, it is a bit of a leveler. The forecast for the weekend I don't think is particularly for that. We would be happy to play in this, but clearly would prefer to play in blue sky and sunshine. Whatever it is will be.

Q. I asked Buddy about his thoughts on the 10 singles on Sunday. How do you feel about playing all 10 players in the singles on Sunday this year in?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: Obviously, that was an innovation this year for the first time. I think there's arguments both ways. But certainly overall I think it's good. I think it's great to have all 10 players out there. It's a difficult job for the captain to decide in every one of the four series which two players are not going to be playing. It's kind of nice on the second afternoon, you know you have all your players out there, which is I think they've all worked hard to be here and it's quite good they're going to be out there and very much involved in the process of the Walker Cup.

Q. With the rain, does this change what you've told your players in regards to a philosophy on how you want to play this golf course? Buddy was talking about how now with the rain, if you're in the rain, it's more penal than it was before?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: Yeah, I think we'll wait and see what tomorrow brings. But in general, with these heavy, wet conditions, it's going to put even more of a premium on hitting these already tight fairways. So I suppose that's something you would just take into account.
We've all taken that into account on certain shot decisions, tee shots. There may be some times where in drive conditions you might be taking more aggressive shots, but with the increased premium on hitting the fairway, you may have situations where you go with a little more cautious approach off the tee.

Q. Wallace, you played some college golf in the States. You know some of these guys. Is there any guy you're looking forward to competing against, extra motivation you have this week?
WALLACE BOOTH: I really from the team the only person I really know is Rickie Fowler because I played with him last year at the Eisenhower. I would love to play against him this weekend again.

Q. Colin, from your experience last time as captain, was there anything that you picked up in terms of how you handled the preparation during the week that you might have done differently this week trying to get ready for the competition?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: I think at Royal County Down, the preparations we had there went very well overall. Looking back on them, there probably wouldn't have been a great deal I would have changed. There was a great deal of feedback from the players it had been good. I think one thing I was conscious of this time is trying to build in a little bit more flexibility into the practice schedule so that the days were maybe not necessarily quite as long. You know, the main team schedule practice left enough space on either sides for guys to do their own things. Some guys prefer to go and chip and putt, some prefer to go to the range.
Out here, we were essentially encouraging people to get back on the golf course and spend some time around the greens. There's certainly more space for them to do that. Also we took a morning off on Wednesday morning because we'd been together since last Thursday in London, a couple days there. So it's been a fairly full schedule and it's quite good just to have that little bit of downtime on Wednesday.
We were supposed to be going out to (indiscernible) on Wednesday afternoon, but because the forecast and whether for Thursday and Friday were so poor, we decided to play at Merion instead, which I think was a good move. Certainly felt pretty silly if we'd gone out there Wednesday afternoon, get rained out on Thursday here, we were looking and trying to get practice rounds today. I think that was the right call there.

Q. Wallace, some players usually put off their professional careers just for the chance to play on the Walker Cup team. How did that play into your career plans? Are you thinking of turning pro or did you delay it so you could be part of this team?
WALLACE BOOTH: Well, actually I went to Tour School last year in Europe and didn't make it through second stage. I stayed amateur this year for the main goal of making the Walker Cup team. That's what I suppose all amateurs growing up in Great Britain and Ireland grow up doing, representing GB&I in the Walker Cup. That was definitely the main goal for this year. Growing up, that was always my main goal.
GAVIN DEAR: I went to second stage as well last year, didn't make it through. Again, you sort of assess your goals at the start of the year. That became the Walker Cup. And then turn professional next week straight after and go back to Tour School again.

Q. How much have you absorbed the history of this course? Have you seen the Bobby Jones plaque at 11? Does the history matter to you?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: On the basis I'm the oldest guy here, let me answer it. I think when we brought a squad over here last September, of which I think five of them made this team, one of the reasons for doing that was to let them get excited about the venue. Of the age they are, maybe they heard the name Merion, but you get over here and you realize how special the place is, how much history is here. When the team was picked, I sent all the guys a gift of the book of 'Golf at Merion' which outlines the history for it. I think we are all very conscious of all the history that's unfolded here, particularly I think with the Bobby Jones connection and how that completes the circle with his Grand Slam venues, having been to all the courses, all of which have hosted a Walker Cup. Merion was a missing venue. That concludes that part. Everybody has to know about that 1-iron that Ben Hogan hit into the last in 1950. Everybody has seen the play. I think Gavin and Wallace and all the guys on the team are fairly conscious of the history that's unfolded here.
Can you say, guys?
WALLACE BOOTH: Yeah, definitely. I mean, just being here and knowing, I've learnt a lot more of the history this week, but coming to a place like this knowing some of the history just makes it even more special.

Q. Gavin, did you play a shot from the 18th from Hogan's plaque? If so, what iron did you hit?
GAVIN DEAR: I haven't.

Q. Wallace, did you?
WALLACE BOOTH: No. I've been in the right rough all week (laughter).

Q. Gavin, you spent four years so you're used to the conditions here. How are the other boys handling that sort of thing?
GAVIN DEAR: I've had a couple of questions from some of the guys. I tend to play shots from around the greens with a 52 instead of a 58. For me it sort of makes it easier to control the ball. It's difficult, thick stuff.
What I've seen, the guys are handling it very well. It took a couple of days to adjust, as you would expect. But from now on, I think it's getting easier, and also the fact that the greens are slowed down a bit and it's a little bit softer has helped the guys. Takes a little sting out of the rough. But it's going well.

Q. Colin, you have a squad that doesn't have very much experience in the matches here. Has that made it more incumbent upon you to talk to them about what they might be experiencing this week or the next couple days?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: I think, as you said, everybody here has not played in the match this year. The same in the U.S. Well, Rickie Fowler played it in '07 and Brian Harman in '05. The guys have got a lot of experience. With Wallace and Gavin winning the team championship for Scotland for the Eisenhower trophy last year, they've played in a lot of events in different parts of the world. We have guys who have won in the U.S. and won in Argentina and won in Spain and Portugal and Australia, so on. So they have plenty of experience.
Certainly the Walker Cup is unquestionably the biggest interest event they've ever played in in terms of the whole general interest of the world of golf. It's absolutely massive. Whether you played in the Amateur Championship, British Amateur, the U.S. Amateur, the Walker Cup is very special. I think we have tried to talk a little bit about that this week. It's probably kind of unfolded as we've gone on. We met in London, a couple nice days there. Moved across to Pine Valley, and that was fantastic. The guys loved it. I suppose relatively relaxed until we got down here. Got down here Monday evening. To walk in here, see the tents, a nice function that Merion Golf Club hosted just for the teams, the whole thing gradually builds up. Even arriving today when all the spectators are here for the flag raising ceremony, it's a gradual process.
But everybody is certainly realizing this is a big, big event. They've all dreamed of playing in it. All of a sudden it's just on their doorstep tomorrow.

Q. Today is the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in America. Two of you were much younger. I'm sure all three of you were much farther away than you are today. Can you think back to that day, what you were doing, and can you fast forward to today? You're here in America on a significant date in history. I'm sure in your hotel you've seen some of the TV coverage.
GAVIN DEAR: I was at university down in Florida. I would -- I was in the States at that time. Obviously a very big tragedy. It's now a significant day, I suppose, in America and around the world. I think they're going to do something with the flags, aren't they, they sort of opening ceremony, which is a very nice touch. It's just one of those things that you wish didn't happen. It's there. I suppose as long as everybody remembers what happened, sort of tries to make the world a better place on the back of it, so...

Q. Wallace, you mentioned you were in the rough. Do you feel comfortable out here on in golf course? Is it something you are comfortable with heading out to tomorrow?
GAVIN DEAR: Yeah, Wallace and I are pretty strong players, him especially. He can give a good whack out of the rough. It's nice the fact you go to some courses, guys can spray it around, you get away with it. It's really nice to come to a course where a premium on hitting the fairway. You still have to hit a lot of drivers out there on the long holes, but there's a real premium. When you do go in the rough, most of the time, especially with the greens, I suppose tricky pin positions, you're going to lay up. That puts the best wedge players, the best guys that can control their balls will come out on top, which is really what it's all about.
WALLACE BOOTH: I feel fine on the golf course. I'm hitting I wouldn't say it was a fade, it's a slice. I think this golf course, it's more favorable if you hit the ball left to right than right to left. There's more holes where you can shape it that way. I just really like the golf course, so I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Gavin, how often do you plan on using driver or on which holes do you not plan on using driver?
GAVIN DEAR: I hit driver 2, 4, 5, 6. I've been hitting it down 12, 14 and 18. I tend to draw the ball. Set up, give it a little fader in there. To be honest, it suits me. If I get it going a little further right, I still got the distance to carry that rough on the right side. It makes the whole a little bit shorter. Obviously it's tricky to get in. But it's one of those holes where it's better with a driver. If I was taking 3-wood, I flail it right, I'm going to catch the rough so...

Q. Colin, with regards to the pairings for foursomes, have you got in mind who you're likely to play with who? You put in your team already. Can you give us any insights at all as you how you made the decisions?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: Obviously, that's a discussion we're having after Wallace and Gavin left.

Q. With regards to the players really, with the rate that the rain has affected the golf course, in relation to how you -- I don't know whether either of you came last September, has the course changed significantly from then?
GAVIN DEAR: Well, neither of us came because we were both at Tour School last year. I played 16, 17, 18. 17 obviously is a brute when it's into the wind. I would imagine with the rain it actually makes the fairways play a bit wider, a bit softer. It's slowed up the greens a little bit. I would think it's actually a good thing. It's going to allow a bit more attacking play. You knock it in the fairway. If you have two guys or two foursomes that are hitting the fairways consistently, I would expect you're going to need a fair few birdies. Apparently if you have two guys that are sort of spraying it about, be a tough game. I think it will make it more attacking.

Q. (No microphone.)
GAVIN DEAR: Think it probably suits both sets. As you know, we play a number of tournaments, St. Andrews links, where you're playing away from the pins a lot. That's something that our guys are used to. At the same time we play a lot of tournaments that sort of 20-under par wins. You've got both sides of it really I suppose. Our guys understand if you hit it in the fairway, you can really go for pins. If you don't hit it in the fairway, you got to play smart. I think our guys get that message. So it suits us quite well.
PETE KOWALSKI: Thank you, Wallace, Gavin.
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: On the foursomes pairings, really you've got to find four pairings out of the 10 players. I suppose we're trying to find compatible games, compatible personalities. You're trying to find a player that's going to bring the best out in the other. Equally, I don't think we want to put a long hitter with a short hitter. You want players who are going to play their second shot from the place they normally expect to be playing it.
I think there are some pairings in there that, the players that play for Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, international team championships, there are some pairings in there that have already been kind of tried and tested, and maybe have some recent current form, and that certainly is a consideration. It's good to know they've been tried in the heat of battle, albeit not something as rarefied as the Walker Cup.
Equally, some players who have specifically probably never played with each other in foursomes before. I mean, for instance, I can say that Wallace and Gavin, while they play for Scotland, have won for Scotland, European Team Championship, they've never played together as a foursomes pairings. They're the best of friends, but it's just something that they kind of feel they don't bring the best out in each other's game for whatever reason. So clearly I can tell you they're not playing together.
It's a case of kind of finding compatible people. We've actually done that. We've actually played some foursomes earlier in the week down in Valderrama in Spain, tried some in there. Since we went to Pine Valley, the five foursomes pairings that we've gone with have been very comfortable with. It was kind of just a case of picking four out of these five. Everybody has been playing really pretty well. It's always a tough call to decide who is not going to play and who is going to play. But we went with four of the five pairings. I think they're good pairings.

Q. I see the lineup has nine players from England and Scotland, one from Ireland. Is that the usual spread in Walker Cup play?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: You know what, actually it's not 9 and 1. It is 7 from England, 2 from Scotland and 1 from Ireland. It just kind of depends. This year there's nobody on the team from Wales. Two years ago there were three players on the team from Wales. I don't think it's reflective of anything other than particular players that are coming along at a particular point in time. So I suppose over the years, I'm sure there's been different numbers from each of the four home countries, but the guys that happen to be playing at that point in time.

Q. Is that a bonus, the fact you have seven English players, almost a team within a team, and the two Scots who know each other really well? Two teams within a team?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: Yeah, I mean, I suppose the English guys, a lot of them are pretty familiar, travel with each other, playing on the same team. To a certain extent I suppose you do have that.
When we did pick it, now it's very much a Great Britain and Ireland team. But the fact you have these units that have traveled a lot, might be a bonus. I hope it is.

Q. Have you given any thought to order of play?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: Yup, it's a very kind of distinct difference, all the par 3s on the odd holes, also the way the holes set up, more of the driver tee shots are on the even numbered holes, as you heard Gavin talking about, that's going to come into it. But it's probably a decision for each of the foursomes pairings figuring out which is the way they want to play it.

Q. Obviously with the change of format for the Sunday being 10 singles, first of all, how do you feel about that? Secondly, would you have also liked to have had five foursomes?
CAPTAIN DALGLEISH: No, actually I think the question with regard to 10 singles on a Sunday, entirely comfortable with that. Makes a lot of sense. Makes my job easier as far as that's concerned.
Five foursomes, I think if you went to a situation where you had five foursomes and 10 singles, quite honestly you'd want to be traveling with 11 players. Obviously Sunday is the only day, Sunday afternoon, where you would have an issue of a substitution policy because every other game you've got two players sitting out.
PETE KOWALSKI: Colin, thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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