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WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

February 25, 2005

Nick O'Hern

CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA

JAMES CRAMER: We have Nick O'Hern with us, a 5 and 4 winner this afternoon, and also a winner this morning, in his match with Tiger Woods. Nick, end of a long, tiresome day, I assume. Could you get us started off by making a comment on your play today?

NICK O'HERN: Surely. No, it was a very successful day. This morning when I was playing Tiger, it was always going to be a tough match and I just played really solid all day. I actually probably hit the ball better this morning, but I putted really nicely this afternoon. They rolled the greens between rounds and I found them a little bit smoother than they had been, and that made quite a big difference.

So the greens are getting better, because there's less guys on them. So by Sunday they should be perfect, at least.

Q. Nick, that's obviously a big win this morning. Is there any kind of guarding against emotions going straight into Luke that quickly?

NICK O'HERN: Yeah, between rounds it was a real drain this morning, because I knew I had to just be all guns blazing. And I felt pretty tired front nine on the second round. I was playing pretty well, and got off birdie birdie, and then he fought back really well there the middle. I was 4 up through 7 and he had three or four birdies in a row. And that was pretty impressive.

I think I finished 6 under for the round this afternoon and played really well. But, yeah, it was more a physical thing. I had knee surgery just before Christmas and I haven't played that much golf.

Q. What would that be?

NICK O'HERN: Just arthroscopic surgery on my right knee. And I played my first tournament about two or three weeks ago at the Heineken back in Australia. And that was my first event in about seven weeks, so to actually be playing that well so early on is a bit surprising. But it's just all the hard work has been paying off, and I'm playing really solid.

Q. You mentioned on TV I remember when O'Malley beat Tiger that basically that ended any sort of intimidation factor. What did you think when you -- when Tiger was 1 and O'Malley 64, was that a surprise to you? And when you went out there today are you thinking about that at all?

NICK O'HERN: It doesn't surprise me that he beat him, because it's he's unbelievable tee to green. Whether he hits a driver or a wedge it's always the same; it's great to watch. And he can beat any player on any given day. All the guys in this field are very much the same. If I play solidly, I have a good chance of beating anyone, and obviously that proved this morning. Tiger missed a few putts which helped me out. But that's golf, you take your chances.

Q. After the drama of beating Tiger, was it hard to just get up emotionally half an hour later and go back out again?

NICK O'HERN: Yeah, a little bit. I sat with my caddie and had a good chat. He just reminded me that we still had a job to do. It was important to keep it in perspective that it was fantastic that we won, but we still have a job to do and we have to play and hopefully keep playing tomorrow, and it's turned out that way. It's that old cliche, one shot at a time, and that's what I did all day and I did it very well and that's why I'm still here.

Q. How good a baseball player were you? Did you know any of these guys who have come about six, eight guys from Australia playing the majors; was there any chance you might have followed that?

NICK O'HERN: I was very young when I played baseball at a national level back in Australia, and my father was an Australian baseballer and I played you probably know Dave Nielsen, he played for Milwaukee, he was sort of around my time. And I'm a pretty thin sort of guy, and looking back I probably made the right choice with golf. I used to pitch and catch and a bit of everything.

Q. Did you follow the game over here at all?

NICK O'HERN: I did. I tried to. I'm a big Greg Maddux fan. But I do try, but back in Australia it's a bit hard. I spend most of my time in Europe, and they don't televise too many games.

Q. Were you a left handed catcher?

NICK O'HERN: I pitched right and batted left.

Q. Nobody accused you of using steroids?

NICK O'HERN: Not yet, no (laughter).

Q. Can you go over your emotions during before and during the Tiger match, last night, this morning, getting confidence as the match went on. Can you run through that?

NICK O'HERN: Well, last night was just a normal night. I went out with my caddie who I'm staying with this week, and had a nice glass of red and nice meal. But I'm never a good sleeper before I play a big match, so I didn't get much sleep last night, which is nothing unusual.

Through the round I was fairly nervous, but I play my best golf when I'm nervous; whenever I'm flat I'm not up for it. If there was ever a match to be up for, that was it. Towards the end I was feeling it and I knew I had a real good chance, but it's great that all the practice you put in and all the mental training and all the hours on the range, they all pay off. When you're under the pump and you have to hit the shot and you can execute it, and I did, it was very pleasing.

Q. The second shot at 17 in the morning round, what was the club, and what was going through your mind on that?

NICK O'HERN: Yeah, well, 2 up with two to play is a pretty good situation to be in. We were fortunate they cut the rough out on the right hand side. I got a pretty good lie, because most of the time you get in the one of rough, you're wedging it back out. I had 183 meters, I hit a run up 3 iron. It was a matter of it wasn't a tough shot, and also the situation was just a matter of hitting it straight. If I hit it straight, it was going to get back to the flag, but it was a matter of hitting solid.

Q. You made a number of long putts, at least in the morning round. I didn't see in the afternoon. Was it there a consistent line you were taking or aggressiveness that was paying off?

NICK O'HERN: This morning I didn't feel as though I made that many putts. This afternoon I made a few, which is nice. But it's hard around here because it's so bumpy. You try to be aggressive, but every now and then it doesn't bump and you knock it four or five feet past. It's a Catch 22 on what to do.

I pick my line and get good speed. If I hit the right putt, it's not going to bump on me. They've been rolling the greens, and they're getting better. I gauged the speed a lot better today. I rolled that well today.

Q. You were 1 putt away reaching the semifinals down at Metro. How much have you missed this tournament and how much have you wanted to get back?

NICK O'HERN: Yeah, that was a tough loss to take, Steve Stricker, rolled a pretty nice putt. That's match play. And I always wanted to get back to this tournament, and I haven't reached that top 64th until this year. And it was nice in Australia, it helped with the travel. It's far to come over here.

Q. You were 39th alternate that week?

NICK O'HERN: Something like that, they went back a long way. Someone's got to win, though.

Q. A lot of the European not a lot, some of the European Tour players, Brian Davis and of course Darren Clarke and Westwood are starting to play here a little more. Do you have plans, perhaps, to try this Tour?

NICK O'HERN: I'm going to play here a bit more this year with Bay Hill, TPC and The Masters coming up. I'm looking forward to all those events. I haven't played much over here, a couple of the majors and a couple of Tour events. I might get some starts with PGA and U.S. Open. I'll bring my wife and baby over and see if she enjoys it. I'm pretty happy in Europe right now, though.

End of FastScripts.

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