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DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

March 3, 2005

Miguel Angel Jimenez

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

GORDON SIMPSON: Well played again today a round of 67, current leader. You came close to winning a tournament at the Emirates Club a few years on.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I've had many chances. At the moment, I'm playing well, I'm feeling good and 5-under par is a nice start. A long way to go win, so just be yourself, play your golf and enjoy yourself at the moment.

GORDON SIMPSON: Last year was a very good year for you with five victories in 2004.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: It's very difficult to imagine another season like that but I would like to tell me receive that is the only way to win tournaments and make something similar.

At the moment, I'm playing well and feeling nice on the golf course.

Q. Do you feel you're a better player since the Ryder Cup or was that a combination of a good run of form?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I am same player I was. To be in the Ryder Cup, you have to be a good player, you know. If not, you cannot be in the Ryder Cup. I think I played very well last year and somehow in 2003 I played well again and I feel comfortable on the golf course.

Q. What is the view of the continental players on two more appointments? Is there a feeling that perhaps you would like to see a continental player the next time the job becomes vacant for the Ryder Cup Captain? You were part of the committee; is it a feeling that next time it must be another continental player?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: Well, at the moment, two Ryder Cup Captains and I am happy for both. You never know what's going to happen, you know, the people, they serve, the people that are supposed to get be captain. I don't think you have to worry about this now. Now we have chosen the 2006 and 2008 Ryder Cup captains, so just keep going out and play golf.

Q. Why do you think you're playing some of the best golf of your life at this stage of your life, what has happened?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I am like the good wines, you know, with the age, getting better.

I don't know, probably it's the mentality. Of course, it's everything. You have to live the moment and enjoy yourself and don't be upset. Try to play as best you can and compete with them, that's the only way and when you realize that and not think this way, why am I not stronger than before. I am very mentally happier. You know, it's a feeling on the golf course, you know, and I hope to keep it for many years.

Q. You get to the age where you say, well, I've done everything before, I'm going to enjoy it?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: Yeah, that is another thing, you know. I'm 41 now and the things when you are 25, you want to see the world. Probably I still want to do something, you know, but 25 years old, they think they are the future. We are on the way back, and they are on their way forward. You have to realize that, you know, you have to realize that and tomorrow probably you start to make different. The thing is you have to try enjoy this moment and don't be upset if tomorrow you don't play as well as you want.

Q. Is there something in Asia that brings out the best in you; three tournaments in the last two year you have won in Asia?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I love that part of the world and I like the people. The people are nice and there is good weather, the food, I like the things like that.

Q. When were you last upset on the golf course and how bad were you?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I forget what I played last week, I don't know. (Laughs). I try not to take care about things that will upset you. Nothing you can do, you know.

Q. But do you have a memory of being really upset?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I don't know. I feel upset in 2002 a little with myself because, you know, it's like I'm always very disappointed with everything and not getting close to the hole and when you finish, why did this thing happen. You cannot be upset because you missed a chance. It's a matter of making a bad swing, you know. There is a positive in everything. You cannot be upset -- it's just a matter of, you make a bad swing, why get upset with yourself? You have to learn to be on the right.

Q. Do you set any targets for yourself, World Ranking, wins?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: At the moment, enjoy myself now.

Of course, long-term, I would like to be in a position to win a major and win it, and I would like to be in a position for Order of Merit and the next Ryder Cup. But this is long-term target, but you cannot have this target if you do not concentrate and enjoy yourself out there at this moment. And this moment is just enjoy this time here, enjoy this golf course, this golf course, it's a great golf course, it's in super condition, you won't find a course in better condition than this. And if you start thinking about what's going to happen in one month or two months or the Masters, you are not going to enjoy this. That's the way I try to do things. If you ask me about the Ryder Cup or something, hey, too far away, I don't know what's going to happen there. Just worry what happens now.

Q. Any thoughts on being a captain in the future?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I don't know what's going to happen in the future if I'm going to be in position to be the captain here I don't know. I don't think about it, you know. I don't think about that situation.

Q. Do you know what your schedule is for the coming weeks?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: This is my first tournament of the year. I've already make one round-the-world trip. And I'm going back home and I'm going to two weeks at home and then TPC, BellSouth and the Masters. Home, off and then China.

Q. Will you play the British Masters?

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I don't know. This year, I don't want to play almost every tournament like I did last year. I want to play less this year. I don't know whether I am or whether I will.

End of FastScripts.

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