U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 14, 1995

Nick Faldo

LES UNGER: Nick there has been, as we are going through interviews these last couple of days, an extremely strong sentiment that foreign players are going to play a very strong role this week and your name has been used often. I wonder whether you would agree with that and expand on it; if you could?

NICK FALDO: Well, this is a typically British summer's day. The first time you come to the British Open for a summer holiday so -- I don't know about foreign, obviously this is more - this U.S. Open is more British than the British Open this year, so that it obviously got an awful lot of, you know, more Links than any other Open we have played and I think it is such a great golf course and the character of the golf course, I don't know about what individual or where from, but I think it is the way it is playing, it is just going to demand whoever is playing very solid, especially from tee to green. I think it is going to be - is really the key to the week. It is a great test of golf, and simple as that. I think it is just going to be a tough week.

LES UNGER: We have had, I think this being the fourth day of a fair amount of rain. How much will this change the course?

NICK FALDO: It won't change at all. It always plays lush. It is not quite playing that way, which is a shame because that is the real character of the greens. They are very difficult and when they are hard, the wind is blowing 20 miles an hour, that is difficult, so at the moment, it is sort of - has taken the real flavor out of the golf course.

LES UNGER: Questions.

Q. Can you discuss how important this Open Championship is to you right now and any sense of urgency that you might feel to win it?

NICK FALDO: It is important to me. This is the number one event in the world that I'd like to win. That is simple enough on that. The urgency bit, yeah, I suppose now is better than ever, so-- but obviously this one is more attune to a European style or obviously more like a Links. There any other U.S. Open course, so obviously I feel comfortable out there. I am enjoying -- the practice rounds are all going okay, so, you know, I have been planning on what I am going to do on the golf course, so I feel good out there.

Q. One of the changes they made here since 1986 was mowing around a lot of the greens on the mounds and so forth. Does that actually make for a tougher shot having the ball run down the mountain into the rough as it wouldn't if you had the long stuff next to the putting surface?

NICK FALDO: In some cases, yeah, it will be because, you know, you are going to run off then. You got to chip it back over a hump on to, obviously, a little -- difficult slopes around the greens, so -- but if they are going so flat, that has hurt that. It is a bit like they set up the course in Australia. If you roll off the green; if you chip, it doesn't get on. It comes back to your feet which is a hell of a hazard. It is a great way of making chipping very difficult but obviously with the softness of the ground now we can -- if we miss the greens we can still take a sand wedge and get it on the green and stop it; whereas, if it was firm, you have to play little bump-and-runs which get difficult when you are not sure how it is going to react.

Q. Nick, if the rain stops and the course continues to get soft, does this mean we are going to need better than 100?

NICK FALDO: I would have thought so. Obviously, very windy last time here and yeah, I mean, if the balls -- if the balls are staying where he hits it, I would have thought yes, it is going to be, but who knows what -- who knows what weather is in store for us. It is just guessing, but I am sure you know, under par will be a few under.

Q. In your opinion, with all the rain that we have had, obviously still only Wednesday, even if the rain stopped now, could you see the greens get something as fast by say, Saturday or Sunday?

NICK FALDO: Oh, yeah, if it totally stopped by Sunday they will be back to -- this golf course drains unbelievably well. It would still be -- even with this coming down, it is playable and if you get the breeze and get a bit of sun on them within a day they are firming up and give them two days -- obviously, then they water them -- two days they will be quick.

Q. Of all the U.S. Open courses you have played on, are you saying that this is the one on which you feel the most at home?

NICK FALDO: Obviously I would have thought so because it is just very -- it is like -- well, it is like a Links modeled with a bit like, you know, when we played in Belgium, sort of Links in the trees, sort of bit -- it is a natural piece of land; you are by the coast, so it is not quite a true Links but pretty close to it, so you know --

Q. Nick, how has the move this year to the U.S. Tour affected your mental outlook or your game; has it been a refreshing change at all?

NICK FALDO: Well, I have obviously enjoyed it because. I have enjoyed coming to the States to play and you know, I can play and practice as much as I'd like. The continuity has been good. I have worked hard all year and I enjoyed working. That is the thing. I have enjoyed playing the courses, the facilities each week, so basically, it has been good for my game and good for everything.

Q. Why didn't you play in 1986?

NICK FALDO: I think I was too young. I had -- I didn't qualify. No, that was the dark age. I was busy revamping the swing. Surgery was still going on. They were still operating, so, yeah, I obviously hadn't thought about it -- I am sure the way I was playing at that time I wouldn't have been able to.

Q. Further on the question of moving to the States, you also find you can move around personally over here a little bit more than maybe you would do in England?

NICK FALDO: There is no problem with that. I mean, wherever I go here I am recognized same as at home, so no difference -- no difference in the life -- I don't put any -- I don't stop myself from whatever I want to do here or anywhere in the world. If I want to go anywhere or see anywhere, I go. I don't get the limo out and the bodyguards. Just go incognito.

Q. What are your earliest memories Nick of the U.S. Open?

NICK FALDO: Earliest memories, wow, that is a good one. Probably Nicklaus hitting that 1-iron that hit the pin at Pebble. That is probably, I am sure, I can't imagine if I can remember anything before that.

Q. Among the other European players who are over here, who do you regard as the players that have to be watched the closest or have the best chance other than you?

NICK FALDO: As I said, I think it is just going to be -- the way it is setup, such a good course, I think it would be an obvious name at the end of the week that is going to win this. I don't think it is going to be a surprise name.

Q. What would it mean to you to actually win here, to actually get this U.S. Open title?

NICK FALDO: It is all part of my goals and you try to reach your goals and you just work hard to try and achieve these things, that is really it. It is just -- just simple as that. I don't think you get too overexcited, you said, great, I have done what I have set out to do. That is all you are trying to do. Simple as that. Set your goal and keep working 'til you get there.

Q. It was said in U.S.A. TODAY I think this morning that you were possibly the only player who came along way in advance. Can you tell us how many times you actually came here and how early that was?

NICK FALDO: I was here Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday of last week; simply took a look and get a feel of the place because -- and you know, I was quite happy with what I saw and then I have just been -- I felt comfortable out there. I haven't felt like I had to really grind on learning anything. It is a simple good golf course, you know, just got to go out and hit the shots where you want to hit them. Not like there any holes that there is nothing goofy or anything, it is just really solid holes.

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