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WGC CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP

March 13, 2011

Nick Watney

MIAMI, FLORIDA

LAURA HILL: We would like to welcome our 2011 Cadillac Championship winner. We had you in here two years ago as the runner-up, and now you're the winner. Talk about what this victory means to you, Nick.
NICK WATNEY: First of all, does anybody know in the brackets are out for the NCAA Tournament -- they (Fresno State) didn't get in?
LAURA HILL: Highs and lows, right.
NICK WATNEY: This means so much. It's the biggest day of my golfing career. You know, with the way yesterday ended and two years ago, it means a whole lot, and I'm very, very excited.

Q. How much did two years ago come into your mind during the final few holes, if at all? Did you think about it?
NICK WATNEY: A little bit. I remember how -- I mean, it's nice to finish second in a World Golf event, but at the same time, it's the worst place to finish when it's a close tournament like that.
So two years ago came into my head, and also Whistling Straits, just the letdown and disappointment of the way that I performed that day. So I just wanted to, you know, give myself, or allow myself to play well and to execute, and I was able to do that.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the tee shot on 18, after what happened yesterday, and what went through your head; were you trying to block out yesterday and just what it meant when you saw that thing land on the fairway?
NICK WATNEY: Well, yesterday I was a bit frustrated with the putts I missed on 16 and 17 when I walked to the 18th tee. And so today, you know, I had some really good conversations with my team just as far as being in the moment and that's the only shot that matters.
So I'm very proud, just that I was able to execute that shot. The circumstances were very important, but proud that I allowed myself mentally to make a good swing, and luckily the ball went in the fairway.

Q. How much courage does it take to go at the pin on 18?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I was going just a little bit right of the pin, but I know how good Dustin is. And it wouldn't have surprised me at all if I made a par there; that if he would have made a birdie to force a playoff.
The golf tournament wasn't over, and I wanted to give myself a putt. I putted the best I've ever putted under pressure today, and I just wanted to give myself a putt, and it worked out.

Q. How conscious were you of what Dustin was doing behind you, particularly on the 15th hole I think when you had the shot, the tee shot into the bunker, and the long par putt right as the commotion was going on behind you?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, at that point, I tried to keep my head down pretty much all day. I wasn't purposely not looking at the boards, but I just figured it didn't matter what the scores were through eight holes or nine holes.
So I did happen to see a board on 14 and I saw I was ahead of him by a shot and then I heard he hit it close and made birdie on 14, and I hit a bad shot on 15 and a bad bunker shot.
So Kuchar was right on my line there, and I had to move my mark. And he putted his down, so I knew what I was doing. It was just a matter of hitting it on the right line. That one felt pretty good to go in.

Q. When you look back at this win, will you be more fond of the two pars you made on the par 3s on the back or the way you played 18?
NICK WATNEY: I think it's all pretty sweet for me right now (broad smile).

Q. I want to you pick one?
NICK WATNEY: Pick one? I think 18, just because of what happened yesterday. I mean, the par 3s, I feel like that's what happens when you win a golf tournament. You make some putts that you really need to.
But 18, making double yesterday, to play the hole that way at this event was very special.

Q. Were you nervous on that tee?
NICK WATNEY: I wasn't nervous. I was more so, I really wanted to take care of business and to grasp this opportunity. I actually love that feeling you don't get it too often, but I really love to be -- yeah, I guess a was a little nervous. (Laughter).
LAURA HILL: Nice try.
NICK WATNEY: But it's fun. It's fun. That's why you play.

Q. There's water left, there's trees right, and you're standing up there thinking, what?
NICK WATNEY: I'm thinking, I have to be in this moment, right now, because this is all that counts.
And then, my caddie Chad, just says, just give yourself time. Get a full turn and give yourself time. So that's what I tried to do.

Q. Your short game has obviously been very good, and talking to Adam Scott afterwards, he said really that's the biggest difference between you this year and last year is your chipping and putting. Talk about what you worked on in the off-season with that, or the difference from that standpoint for you?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, my putting has been -- that's where I really feel like I've made strides. And I work on that. Butch will watch that. But mostly mentally, I work with Morris Pickens, and he's helped me just to develop a process that the goal is that it the putts I hit practicing out at Butch's place in Las Vegas mean the same as the putt on 18, which obviously isn't true. But if you can think that way, it makes it a lot easier to putt when you're under pressure.
So that's what I've been working on mostly. It hasn't been mechanical; it's been more my mental approach.

Q. How did he get you to think that way about certain putts -- meaning putts meaning the same?
NICK WATNEY: How did he do it? Well, when I first are started working with him, we discussed what I did think about what I was putting, and it was, you know, this is to go 3-under par, or this would be a nice save, or whatever. Instead of, you know, my target is the right edge of the hole or something like that.
So I just try to think of where I want the ball to start, and hit it. It's really quite simple to be honest.

Q. Given a couple of the negative memories you mentioned, 2009 here, Whistling Straits, what could something like this -- how can you build on this?
NICK WATNEY: Well, I think just to win more. I mean, winning -- Top-10 finishes are nice but winning is what counts out here and that's how you're measured. To win this tournament against this field, it's a huge honor. I'm very excited. I'm very proud.
But, next week in Tampa, we all start tied at level par. So I think I'll take that I was able to mentally and physically execute down the stretch under pressure. Take that, store it in my memory bank, and get after it again on Thursday.

Q. Can you talk a little about the bet with your caddie, Chad? It's his hair, not yours?
NICK WATNEY: It's both, but Chad's is much more noticeable.

Q. You haven't had a haircut since last year?
NICK WATNEY: Yeah, I'm not sure when it was, when my last haircut was.

Q. Can you give me the exact bet, what it is?
NICK WATNEY: Well, my first tournament was San Diego. And he was going to go get a haircut in San Diego. So I mean, it's really silly, but I just said, why don't we not get hair cuts until we finish out of the Top-10, and it's been five tournaments now, over a couple of months. I'm not sure how it got -- how it's getting so much attention (laughter) but his hair is looking a little bit nesty.

Q. Do you feel like one of the top American players in the world?
NICK WATNEY: I feel like that's your guys' job to decide that.

Q. Our job is to ask that you questions.
NICK WATNEY: My job is to answer it; that's your decision (laughter).
I feel like all I can do is try to keep improving, hopefully keep winning tournaments. The World Rankings are what they are. I mean, it's clichÃ©, it's very clichÃ©, but that's not why I play. I play for feelings like this.
If one day you guys decide that, then I'll be honored, but that's not -- I don't really think about that.
LAURA HILL: Nick, congratulations. Thank you.

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