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THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 15, 2010

Andrew Coltart

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

MALCOLM BOOTH: We'll make a start. Congratulations, first Open since 2002, am I right?
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah.

MALCOLM BOOTH: And atop the leaderboard. Must be very satisfied with your round today. Do you want to just talk us through it.
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah, obviously I got a good draw. I've known John for a long time. It's a pleasure to play with him again, and it was a good atmosphere out there, a good crowd, even that ridiculously early in the morning in those conditions. And he got off to a flying start. And I think it just helped us, helped me a little bit.
I managed to knock that one in on the 1st and get a big putt in on 6, which helped, and sort of settled me down a bit, and just got on the back of John making a few birdies, and the crowds swelled up and nice to be out there again, and managed to bring it in.

Q. I think you were telling us the other day there was a period not so long ago when you wondered whether there was much of a future.
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? I think I've been satisfied not to be four or five times, I think. Yeah, there was a spell there, I think it's right, about 16 missed cuts in a row, and you start to wonder whether you're going to make it through the weekend again. Fortunately I'd say -- well, I managed to win my Tour card back after losing it, and that gave me a little bit more belief, even though I was losing it I was still winning it back again, so that gave me a bit of confidence. A few Top 10s last year, and I know I can still compete.
By all means this round was a bit of a surprise, but I've always enjoyed playing here, and it's nice to get off to a start like that.

Q. Did you work the broadcast here last year?
ANDREW COLTART: Last two years, yeah.

Q. That must make it even harder wanting to be out there and not being able to.
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah, but it's great, because it really inspires you again. You're on the other side of the ropes, and naturally a great bunch of people on the other side of the ropes and you're watching the golf from a different perspective. You know, you want to be there. It's not hard, it's great. You know, it's better than standing in the rain, beating balls trying to improve. It's inspirational stuff being here watching these guys play in these majors, and it helped to get me up to get back out here.

Q. I think a year ago today you actually followed Watson and Manassero. The comparison between that and today, just how much better to be back out?
ANDREW COLTART: It was a lot of fun, no doubt, it was a lot of fun, that's for sure. In some instances, particularly, I'm sure you'll figure out whereabouts, quite terrifying in some places out there. There will be a few folks talking about things like that I'm sure.
Yeah, it's great to be inside the ropes, playing well, holing some putts and really feeling the crowd. You know, enjoying the golf and getting behind you. That's fantastic.
As we've talked about, as well, being back here at St. Andrews means a hell of a lot to me and most of these guys that play this game.

Q. How would you rate that round in terms of your career?
ANDREW COLTART: No, I think that's probably right up there with one of the best ones. You know, fortunately enough I got the chance to come back here in the Dunhill Links Championship and we get a chance to play, but I've struggled with it the last few years, so it was a bit of a surprise. This one will be plugged in the memory banks for years to come.

Q. When you had your mini-slump was there ever a point where when you didn't get your Tour card and you were doing this media stuff, did you ever think about another career and leaving the game?
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah, those questions were starting to rear their heads in my mind. Yeah, I was wondering what was out there, how much longer could I go. And struggling, it was pretty difficult. The family were making sacrifices. I wasn't getting a chance to spend time with the family, and yeah, it was pretty demoralizing. Pretty demoralizing.
Your self-esteem was quite low and you were wondering what you were going to do. You were starting to ask questions wondering what was out there.

Q. Back in '99 you were doing very well at the top of the leaderboard I remember on the Friday or Saturday, and you had to play with Tiger.
ANDREW COLTART: That's right.

Q. Did that round turn out to be one of your best experiences in the Open, or as it happened --
ANDREW COLTART: Well, no, certainly, it was an amazing experience because that was the first time I had a chance to play with Tiger, and obviously trying to get used to everything that comes along with Tiger being out on the golf course, many more photographers and people following him. It was still a great experience.
I remember obviously being very, very nervous, but I remember sort of when it crunched this iron on the 2nd, and I thought, bloody hell, that just sounded awesome. What a great sound that was. Might as well just watch this one. A bit early, but nonetheless I thought it was in the best seat in the house, but nonetheless watched him get on with it. He kind of struggled a wee bit in the middle of the round and Paul went on to win, but it was a great experience nonetheless.

Q. It's still very early, but do you think if you continue to play the way you have today you could be there or thereabouts come Sunday?
ANDREW COLTART: It's a long, long way away. The world's best players are here. I've shown very little form, if any, going into this. It would be highly unrealistic to look at it in that perspective. If I can go on being comfortable with the way I'm hitting the ball, we'll look at things in another sort of couple of days. But obviously there's some fantastic players playing here, and we were lucky this morning, the course was very benign. If we get the benign conditions, guys can go low around here. John himself, I'm sure you'll hear about that in a minute, he's left four shots out there at least just on the greens. He's hit some great shots in there with some very lofted irons going at some of these greens. He can attack the flags.
It's a long, long way away yet.

Q. Can you talk about your impressions of Daly's game, in particularly the length. 16 he was probably 100 yards past you.
ANDREW COLTART: Yeah, John looks in great form. I said coming in here, St. Andrews always suits a long hitter, just because of the places that they can put the pins. John can attack some of these pins with his lob wedge and his pitching wedge and stuff like that, and I've got like 5-iron and things like that, so it makes it slightly difficult to judge the run-up. So it sets up for these guys. But he was driving it great, I thought, and looked very, very calm and composed out there, like I said. He could have easily been better.

Q. Can you pick out a couple of shots that gave you real pleasure and showed you you can still do it?
ANDREW COLTART: Certainly the putt mark on 6 was a big surprise. That was a 40- or 50-footer that went in. That was a surprise. That was good. I had a nice 5-iron in at 13, just right down the flag, tough to get it close, but it was exactly what I wanted, and I got a reasonable result and obviously managed to get it off the tee at 17 over the sheds.

Q. How nervous were you there?
ANDREW COLTART: Fairly. There should be a toilet fairly close to that tee. (Laughter.)
MALCOLM BOOTH: On that note, Andrew, thanks very much.

End of FastScripts

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