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FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN

January 26, 2010

Nick Watney

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

MARK WILLIAMS: Nick Watney, defending champion, welcome back to the Farmers Insurance Open. Different title, BUT obviously you've got very good memories of this golf course. Just talk about what it means to you to be back here defending and what you're looking forward to this week.
NICK WATNEY: Well, it's great to be back. Definitely a lot of good vibes coming back here to Torrey Pines. Also it's great to know that Farmers Insurance stepped up last minute and we're going to have a tournament here for a while to come. So very happy to be back and excited to start the week.
MARK WILLIAMS: You just came from the Military Appreciation Luncheon, a lot of military folks there. It's a pretty good initiative for this tournament. Just talk about your experience there today.
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, it was very humbling to be in that room. They are remarkable men and women that serve our country. I got a lot of thank-yous for being there from them, which was I thought a bit ironic because of what they do. So it was a great lunch, and I look forward to doing it again for years to come.

Q. Does it feel any different coming back as the defending champion than maybe going to a regular tournament?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, it's -- it's nice to come back. It's the first time I've been back since last year, so just the feelings and remembering -- even coming in here, the last time I came in here I was just very, very excited and elated. It's nice to get back on this golf course, and like I said, I'm really looking forward to getting back into the swing of competitive golf and getting the week started.

Q. Speaking of swings, can you kind of talk about the West Coast Swing? It's kind of suffered over the years as far as a lot of top-20 players aren't playing the West Coast Swing as much as they used to in the past. Why do you think that is?
NICK WATNEY: You know, I really am not sure why guys aren't coming. Me personally, I'm from the West Coast, and I love playing golf out here. I think a lot of the -- maybe some of the knock on the West Coast is the weather, but a lot of other places in the country you can't even play golf. So I think that's a bit relative.
I can't really speak on why those guys aren't coming. But as far as myself, I like the West Coast.

Q. You had a very successful year on the golf course last year winning your second TOUR title, came close to winning at Doral, played in your first World Cup. I just wondered how much your life has changed, and are you getting more recognition from people outside the ropes?
NICK WATNEY: Maybe slightly, but you know, this week is -- being from California and being the defending champion, it may be skewed a little bit. You know, it's definitely nice to be recognized for what I've done on the golf course. But in no way am I approaching Phil or Tiger status (smiling). It's just the occasional person.

Q. What's it take to reach that?
NICK WATNEY: Maybe 30 or 40 more wins. (Laughter.)

Q. Speaking of your stablemate Phil, do you think there's any more pressure on him to kind of shoulder the burden and carry the flag forward given the circumstances surrounding the current No. 1, to make some noise and maybe hit the ground running fast, all that stuff?
NICK WATNEY: You know, I don't think any more than -- I mean, I think he has shown that he is clear-and-away the second best player in the world. I'm sure he puts a lot of pressure on himself regardless of the situation. I'm sure he tries to play his best all the time.
While some people may feel that while Tiger is not playing, Phil needs to step up, all he can do is control himself, so I think he'll probably -- I think he puts enough -- he has enough expectations as it is.

Q. Talk about the course out there. I'm assuming you went out and played a little bit today. What do you think?
NICK WATNEY: You know, I actually haven't been on the golf course yet. I went to Titleist to practice this morning and then went to the military lunch. I've heard that it is soft, but I think that's to be expected with the storms that came through. I'm sure that the staff will get it in the best shape possible.

Q. Does last year's win give you a little more confidence going into this one do you think, or does it not carry over?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah. It's -- this is the second time I've come back to a golf course that I've won before, so yeah, it's nice to just remember shots and situations. It's a special thing. I mean, I think you can ask Phil and Tiger if it gets old, if they get used to it. But as far as I'm concerned it's pretty neat to come back to an event that you're defending.

Q. Do you prefer these kind of conditions, these kind of soft and wet conditions, as opposed to a hard golf course?
NICK WATNEY: I try not to have a -- I try to just play the course that I'm on in the current conditions. But I would say I prefer -- I enjoy playing on poa greens, whereas some guys hate it. I think it's what I grew up on, and I really like this golf course and this part of the world. So I'm going to enjoy it.

Q. From an experience standpoint, talk about the differences of what you got out of last year here, the way you finished off, compared with going toe-to-toe with Phil at Doral and Phil and Tiger in the last group at Shanghai, which are two losses, or two not-wins?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah. Last year here was -- actually I got a DVD from The Golf Channel at Kapalua, and they had like a -- it was the collection of the coverage they did, and I wasn't even in the coverage until the 16th hole. It was all John Rollins and Camilo. So although I felt I was trying to catch those guys and what have you, I wasn't "in" the golf tournament until very late, and then I was able to pull it off and win, whereas against Phil at Doral, it was like a duel from the very start.
I will say that I learned so much in Doral just about myself and about how Phil played, and those are two experiences -- and I also learned how much -- when I was growing up, I watched Tiger at Pebble Beach, and he said, "Second place sucks." I mean, it really stings to play -- at Doral to play really, really well and come up short, a lot of people the next week were telling me congratulations, and it was kind of like, why? Why are you congratulating me?
But definitely two different experiences. And then China was just -- I was like a kid in a candy store really; just getting to interact with those two and see them in the heat of battle was incredible, although I wasn't quite as in the mix in China because I was a couple shots back.
But all things that I'll remember this year and hopefully be in contention and be able to draw on.

Q. Have you ever been satisfied with second?
NICK WATNEY: I don't think so. I mean, Doral was a perfect example of it was just -- it actually hurt to finish second. It was upsetting because it's just not as fun as all. It's a bad feeling, whereas winning is just such an incredible feeling. Second is -- as you said, it's a loss. A loss. I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with a second place finish.
MARK WILLIAMS: I know that obviously Bill Haas won last week and I know a lot of people in the crowd, gallery, get you two confused. Have you had any congratulations this week?
NICK WATNEY: I haven't. Actually I haven't registered yet. My old roommate was joking about that, that I got my third win yesterday. (Laughter.)
I'm actually very happy for Bill. I've known him for quite a while, and he comes from a great family. In a weird way I'm proud of him. It was great to see.

Q. How much are you thinking about the Ryder Cup?
NICK WATNEY: I'm trying not to think about it yet because it's so far away, and from last year I got -- I was right there contending for The Presidents Cup, and then once it kind of came to the forefront, I didn't perform as well as I needed to to make the team. That's another experience I'm going to take and try to utilize this year because I would love to make that team, especially when it's an away game. So I think that would be awesome to go over there and win the Cup.
But for me, I don't think about the outcome, I just need to focus on the process.

Q. Do you have any match play experience, much of it?
NICK WATNEY: Not a lot, none as a pro. I'm playing in the Match Play this year, so I'm looking forward to that. But none as a professional.

Q. Having had such a successful year last year, how much have you elevated your expectations of yourself for this year?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I just want to keep improving. I was lucky enough to play a couple practice rounds with Tiger, and he pulled me aside one time and said, for him, what he tries to do is if he can say that he's improved December 31st, if he's a better player than he was January 1st, it's a successful year. That really struck a chord because he's the best ever. So that's my goal, to try to improve this year and use last year as a steppingstone or a springboard to keep moving forward.
My expectations are to -- if I keep improving, then hopefully the wins will come in.

Q. Where did that conversation take place; do you recall?
NICK WATNEY: That was at the PGA.

Q. Last year?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, in Minnesota.
MARK WILLIAMS: Nick, we appreciate you coming in. All the best on your defense.

End of FastScripts

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