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VOLVO WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

October 28, 2009

Sergio Garcia

CASARES, SPAIN

GORDON SIMPSON: Welcome to Sergio Garcia. Sergio, you didn't manage to quite pull it off last week and defend your title but I'm sure you would like to make amends this time around.
SERGIO GARCÃA: Yeah, Gordon, I think that last week was good. I think we held a great tournament. Obviously Michael played very well, and Martin, too, Christian. But it was good. I think I played nicely all week. I had a chance of winning. Unfortunately things didn't go exactly the way I planned on Sunday, but at least I was there. I was giving it my all and was close enough.
So we are looking forward to coming here this week and have a good chance, see if we can win some matches and get as far as possible and get to Sunday and try to win it all.
GORDON SIMPSON: We have got a new sponsor obviously in Volvo, and I think it's fair to say that this golf course is slightly different from Wentworth. Tell us a little bit about your thoughts on it.
SERGIO GARCÃA: Yeah, it's a totally different golf course. I like the way it's set up, though. There's not a lot of rough so it gives you a little bit of an opportunity. The greens are quite small and very narrow at points, so you still have to hit very good shots into some of throws greens to make a good amount of birdies. And because there's not a big amount of trees, and we are here on top of the hill, it can get quite wind.
So it's a tough course, it's in good shape, the greens are rolling very nicely, they are getting fairly firm. So you know, I guess there's no complaints on that side, and we'll see how the week goes on.

Q. Is there anyone you would particularly like to play this week? You lost to Anthony Kim, for example, in The Ryder Cup; is there anyone you think you might like to have a rematch against here?
SERGIO GARCÃA: No, there's no rematch in my head. I'm going to play obviously Robert, Oliver and Martin once, that's for sure and whoever comes, that will be nice. So, we'll see.
GORDON SIMPSON: Did you like the idea of the new format where you get more than one chance if you lose?
SERGIO GARCÃA: I do. I think it's a bit more interesting. I think it's better for the people, for the crowds. They get to see all of us for three rounds. And then you know, a good solid semifinals and finals. So I'm looking forward to see how it evolves, and see the results of it.

Q. How will you cope with the idea of playing a full 18 holes, if you were to win 7 & 6?
SERGIO GARCÃA: You haven't.

Q. You've still won the match --
SERGIO GARCÃA: You have to keep going. Well, you have to realize that you can only think about your match at the moment, because you've got to realise that even if you win your first match and you're 7 & 6, the differential might be key to making it to the semifinals, because we can all win one game, and it's a triple tie and then, you know, it's going to come down to how many down do you lose.
So I think it's important to stay focused throughout the whole 18 holes. It's going to be interesting to see how we get used to it, because it's not something that we haven't done in the past. So we will see how it turns out.

Q. When Lee won a couple of weeks ago, he talked and admitted about doubts creeping in, about having doubts about his ability to finish things off; you haven't gone as long but has your confidence suffered at all about taking chances?
SERGIO GARCÃA: No, I don't think so. Unfortunately for me I haven't had that many chances this year. I've probably had two or three.
No, not at all. I think it's a totally different situation. He's played very well. He's been up there a good amount of times for over a year, or two. And you know, it was good to see him win. I think he definitely deserved him, and you know, he's going to win many more. So there's no doubts about that.

Q. Just on a separate thing, have you spoken much to Rafael Nadal over the summer?
SERGIO GARCÃA: About?

Q. About his tennis; about his health; about him going forward; how frustrated he has been; that sort of thing.
SERGIO GARCÃA: No. Well, I talked to him a little bit. He obviously went through a bad stretch there where he had to obviously quit because of the knees and for about two, two and a half months. So that was a little bit frustrating for him because he didn't get to do what he loved, which is playing tennis.
But no, he doesn't think he's having a bad year. If you look at it, he won Australia. He won some good tournaments early in the year. And you know, since he came back, he's been pretty much every week, he's been in the semifinals or finals or quarterfinals.

Q. Does he think he's fully fit? You played with him last week --
SERGIO GARCÃA: Does he think he's fully fit? Yes, he's feeling much better, yes.

Q. Coming to Spain, the Volvo World Match Play and coming to the country, what can this event do for the area and golf in general, what your thoughts are?
SERGIO GARCÃA: Well, a tournament of this magnitude, it can only help. It gets things going. I think the people around here are very excited about it, so as the players are. And I mean, I can't predict the future, but we'll see how everything goes on, but I think that everybody is very, very thrilled about it.

Q. I know you're a big Real Madrid fan, how did you take what happened last night?
SERGIO GARCÃA: What happened? Did they play last night?

Q. Well, I don't know if they played but they certainly lost 4-nil. Have you been speaking to any of your friends?
SERGIO GARCÃA: No, I didn't even watch the second half. I was tired. I went to sleep. 3-love in the first half was enough for me to watch.

Q. Monty is keen for potential Cup players to play at Wentworth, Celtic Manor and possibly even Gleneagles?
SERGIO GARCÃA: Sorry, I didn't quite get that.

Q. Monty is very keen for potential Cup players to play the Flagship Event at Wentworth, Celtic Manor at The Wales Open, and possibly Gleneagles.
SERGIO GARCÃA: What did he say, the Vivendi Trophy? No, the BMW.

Q. The Wales Open.
SERGIO GARCÃA: Is the BMW a similar course to The Ryder Cup event? I don't think so.

Q. He's just asked players to attend if they can.
SERGIO GARCÃA: Has he? Well, if it fits in my schedule, I will definitely make an effort. If it doesn't, you know, I'll have to play wherever it fits my schedule. I haven't looked at it yet, so I can't answer that one. He hasn't talked to me yet. So maybe he doesn't think I'm going to make it. (Laughter).
GORDON SIMPSON: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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