WGC EMC WORLD CUP

November 15, 2001

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Sergio Garcia

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: Yeah, we played very well together, especially Sergio, making three or four birdies on the last four holes. We played consistent and didn't have any bad holes, really. It was good.

SERGIO GARCIA: I would say we if we made some putts at the beginning, it would have been a really, really good round because we had birdie chances on every hole and probably a couple eagle chances, too, pretty good eagle chances. So, unfortunately, my putter was a little cold at the beginning and his was, too during the whole day. But I think we both played pretty solid.

SERGIO GARCIA: Yeah, for sure. We were talking, probably on the ninth hole, and we were saying we have to try to at least get it to 10-under. Then we had a good chance at 10. We hit two very good putts and missed them. Then I almost eagled 11. Then on 12, Miguel had a very short putt for birdie and then didn't make it there. Then I hit a great putt on the next and just missed. So it got to a point where we thought, "We have to get something going here to get it to that number." It was great to finish that way, but through all the day, we really could have made a lot of birdies. You know, unfortunately we didn't until the end, but it was still good.

SERGIO GARCIA: It felt quite better on the back nine. It was pretty sore this morning. I went to the fitness trailer, and Dale, the guy who works with Ernie, too, he checked it and it felt quite good. I went to the range and hit a couple balls and I said, "This is perfect." All of a sudden on the third hole, I started hurting again. It was a little sore at the beginning. As the day went on, it got a little better and better. So this afternoon, just going to go there and I'm going to check it again, and hopefully, it will keep improving throughout the week.

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, some shots it does. Not distract me, but some shots it hurts. For example, when I try to hit a fade, it hurts a little more than when I try to hit a draw. You know, it's a little sore, but, you know just got to close your mouth and make a little bit of strength and just hang in there.

SERGIO GARCIA: Why is that? More than anything, because I hit good shots and I made a couple good putts. (Laughs). As I said before, Miguel and me, we're playing really well, but putts just weren't dropping. I hit probably -- well, I hit four really good shots. 15, I hit my wedge to about two feet. Then on the next, I hit a good 6-iron to about 12 feet and I made it. Then on the next, Miguel hit a 4-iron to four feet and I hit a 5-iron to about seven, eight feet and made mine, so he didn't have to putt. The next hole, I hit a 5-iron second shot and it was probably two feet two short of being really close for eagle; so it hit the slope and went down and I 2-putted from there.

SERGIO GARCIA: Well, I think the U.S. team is a great team, don't get me wrong, but it's not easy. The course is playing long. It's wet. The ball is not rolling. It's cold, so the ball is not playing as far. These greens, they are very good. They are in very good shape. But because they are so fast and so many undulations, it's tough to make putts. I know that the U.S. team is going to be up there on Sunday. It doesn't matter if today -- they are 5-under and they still have two or three holes to play so they could finish 6 or 7 (-under) and they are still there. Sometimes, you don't play as well as you usually do, and sometimes you play better.

SERGIO GARCIA: One to ten is tough or one to ten is good? If it's tough, I'll say -- I played in '99, so if you compare '99 to now, I'll say the course is playing -- I mean, if before it was probably, maybe I'll say maybe a 6. Now I think it's playing probably between an 8 and 9 of difficulty. So it's not an easy course. You can shoot low because the greens are very good and you can make a lot of putts, but, you know, with a little bit of wind and the cold weather and the fairways being soft, the course is playing quite long.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: I think also about an 8 to 9, yeah, because it's not very high rough, but all of the bunkers, they are in the right place, they are in play for everybody, and the greens, they are superb, a lot of movement and a lot of hills but they are in superb condition and I think this is a great golf course. The fairways and the tees and the greens, they are in pretty good condition.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: We are going to discuss it in a couple of minutes.

SERGIO GARCIA: We'll discuss it this afternoon. Surprise.

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: It will be a surprise for tomorrow. (Laughs).