WGC NEC INVITATIONAL

August 22, 2003

Nick Faldo

Q. What was better today?

NICK FALDO: Oh a lot of things. I played solid today, it was good. Yesterday I was a bit rusty, it was your four weeks off and what do you expect. I hit four bad drives yesterday and one putted the last for birdie from four feet, that was it, everything else was two putts. Today was more solid and putted a lot better. Tried my David Toms stroke today and tried to get a bit more fuller through.

Q. How is your stamina?

NICK FALDO: I feel all right actually. This is a serious test with the humidity soaking you. You don't get it as tough as this many times in the year. I feel good and I'm pleased about that.

Q. What is after this for you?

NICK FALDO: I am playing next week, the BMW, but I am not playing in Switzerland or the Lancome. So I will start again at the Linde and then the dunhill and Valderrama.

Q. How big an achievement would it be to play in the Ryder Cup again?

NICK FALDO: It is do-able. Right now I am 12th in the team on the World Rankings, 54th in the World, so really that is my goal to try and move up into the top 40 of the world, I'll make the team. So that is really the game plan. I have obviously got to play a bit more and play a bit more consistent to get in there. Gives me a good challenge so I might as well give it a whirl. There will a lot of good competition, it will be a real bunfight. Be interesting to see what happens. The Swedes will be trying to make it from America through the World Rankings.

Q. But where you are in the world has no bearing on it at the moment, the points start from zero?

NICK FALDO: Oh, do they!? I thought that couldn't be right! Well, the bottom line is you have to play as good as everybody else.

Q. Is it encouraging when you see guys like Jay Haas and Fred Funk do so well?

NICK FALDO: Yes, the old farts! The over 40s have had a good run this last year. I think a lot of guys have probably changed their game strategies a little bit and having to accept that you can't beat these guys who hit it 320 yards, so you have to find a way of making a score. I think that is what happened with Mark O'Meara. He spent so much time playing with Tiger, that to have a match with him he had to find a way to shoot 65. If that meant getting up and down every time on par fives, then so be it, and look what happened to him, he won two Majors. I think that is what happened to a lot of players. I'll have to rethink my game as well and I'm thinking about having four wedges in my bag on certain courses. You have got to raise your percentage from nine iron and in, that is what I am setting my target for.

Q. Can you understand the difficulty Harrington is having focusing at the moment?

NICK FALDO: Well I have been through the same thing but it is a wonderful time, it's not like it's putting any pressure on you. It is a wonderful time and it makes you realise the importance of golf when you see that little thing.

Q. And he will too?

NICK FALDO: I think it will probably help him. I don't think it has harmed many guys over the years and I think a lot of guys have started playing better once they have had a young family. It is a great switch off. He is mad on his golf and I think when he comes home and he has a little baby to play with, he will realise it is good for the mind, he will stop thinking golf which is great.

Q. I suppose the one person that might not apply to is Lee, who has struggled since his son was born?

NICK FALDO: Well there is always one isn't there. Can't think of too many others.

Q. Could Harrington do with stopping thinking about golf?

NICK FALDO: Probably. I can't really comment but he does work really hard very hard. At the K Club, my goodness he was out there practicing hard and then announces it ain't going to do any good, so somewhere between that two is the happy medium I think.

End of FastScripts....