VOLVO PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 28, 2001

Nick Faldo

NICK FALDO: Yeah, I think that was the big breakthrough, really. You know, I had a good day. I went out and had good intentions, and attacked the golf course. Played some really good shots: The 4-iron, I hit up the third was a hell of a shot. Then holed a bunker shot on 9; that's what I was trying to do, so it was really a great feeling to try and do something and do it. That's what I was talking about before. It's like making things happen when you need it. So that was really -- and I played good coming in. I had some very good shots. About the only bad swing I made was the swing with the 3-wood on the fairway on 18. I don't know what happened with the pitch because I was feeling all right. I was feeling aggressive and had to land it just on the fringe there and it just came off a yard short in the thick stuff and just killed it. That is a shame to come up a little bit short, but all in all, to play like that on a final day was a really good feeling.

NICK FALDO: It was really fantastic. It was like the good old days. That was really a super feeling. The crowd was right with me. Really made me feel good today. It was just how I used to feel. I used to go on the green and think come on, do something, just to create another cheer. That's all I was trying to do, just focused in, trying to get that ball in the hole every time. That was a very good feeling to have again.

NICK FALDO: That was a bit special.

NICK FALDO: I was in between clubs -- I had a choice 5-wood over the green and if I didn't quite hit the 3-iron. Because I played the 5-wood the other day and it landed in the left rough on-line with the pin and I thought, "Well if I land it in there again," but actually cut it up. Yeah, it was six of one and half a dozen of another. The 5-wood would probably go over, which was fine; I could probably make a 4 from there. I hit a really good tee shot on 15. I played really good.

NICK FALDO: Probably not since we won the World Cup for England, again -- get my plug in. That was the last time we were under pressure like that, I think.

NICK FALDO: I can't. I can't rethink anything. I have my schedule. I've got my 15 to play, which I'm only just squeezing in. So, no.

NICK FALDO: Just the three majors and Loch Lomond. Just need good stuff. More good stuff.

NICK FALDO: I think it is a good start. Yeah, because there's no flukes in that. The swing was really good. Fanny has been a big help. We've really worked hard, from the last couple tournaments in America, and the big word is trust now. I'm starting to trust -- I know what I've got to do. It's just like -- I just keep telling myself to do it. And if I do it, it's a little Catch 22; you've just got to make yourself do it, so you're going to trust you're going to do it. Simple as that, or as complicated as that.

NICK FALDO: No, it was great. I was really enjoying getting on a roll and feeling the heat and hitting the shots. I hit all the shots how I wanted to hit them. There were some tricky shots out there. I've never known Wentworth to play like this. We had a couple of holes where -- like, was it 13, you're standing over a wedge and you can't go for the pin, because you can't land it -- there's a bunker there, and you can't land it on the green because it's going to go -- anything landing on the green downwind was releasing 25 yards. So you've got to jiggle a wedge to land on the upslope short of the green. There were a couple other instances like that. So, it's very unusual the way the course has played this week.

NICK FALDO: Yeah, that was my lowest over the last decade. No, I always knew -- I've had great help. That's the most important thing I've had great help from Cheryl, to my mate, Danny, to Fanny now, from V (Valerie) -- gosh, everybody who has been involved in helping me, my physio guy, everybody is 100% behind me. I've got a great team. I've always needed a team and I've got a damn good team now, everybody helping me.

NICK FALDO: Maybe it's just when you get nervous, it's getting to the finish. You know, it's finding a finishing position and making sure you get there. When you get nervous things don't quite -- I still make sure I turn my shoulders fully on the backswing, a few other bits, and make sure I get to the finish. If you don't quite get there, you're out of whack.

NICK FALDO: I'm going Thursday to Orlando, practice and then I go to Memphis before the Open.

NICK FALDO: It's a great achievement. As I said yesterday, tough golf course. It was demanding a lot of finesse shots, and when you are nervous playing finesse shots, it ain't too easy. So he's done a great job to hang on, and good luck to him. I just don't thank Mr. Cabrera because he might have cost me a Ryder Cup spot. (Laughs).