THE RYDER CUP MATCHES

September 25, 2002

Niclas Fasth

GORDON SIMPSON: Last, but by no means least, No. 12 of the 12 European players, Niclas Fasth. The week is nearly over, Niclas, how has this week gone for you so far?

NICLAS FASTH: Really good. I played very good out there today. And we had a good time. We have been having a good time all week. And as things have drawn closer, the team has sort of come together more and more the last month or so.

GORDON SIMPSON: Can you sense the feeling of excitement now that you see so many crowds out for the practice day?

NICLAS FASTH: Yeah, it was always going to be something out of the ordinary, and certainly it is. And this sport you're getting is fantastic. It will be great once the matches start to have the crowds on your side.

GORDON SIMPSON: You're coming into this in good form after the round on Sunday.

NICLAS FASTH: Yes, I've been playing steady all year. I had a good week last week, and it will raise the confidence a bit.

Q. What kind of advice have you gotten from any of the veteran players about being a rookie in the Ryder Cup?

NICLAS FASTH: Well, you get some small advice here and there, but it's really difficult to tell anybody else how it is out there. And they all pretty much know that. So -- but the best advice you're getting, and you'll ever get is just to be yourself, go out and play, and that will be good enough in one way or another. That's easy. I don't know magic, secrets or anything about it. In the end it's still golf, you still go out and play. And match play is somewhat different. But you can do nothing special but go out and play your game. And it will certainly be a lot more intense and hopefully or even very likely they will get the best out of you.

Q. Padraig said he felt his first Ryder Cup three years ago, was probably going to be easier because there are more expectations on him now. Do you feel any expectations on you at the moment, or are you pretty relaxed?

NICLAS FASTH: I'm pretty relaxed, but I'm sure there are expectations. That's always going to be the case on a team event; that's one of the differences. When you're only playing for yourself -- to be fair, we're all hardest on ourselves, nobody else is going to expect more of you than you are, yourself. And that's going to be true this time, as well. But if you're only playing for yourself, it's more fair because -- nobody else really has a say. But the expectations will be big on the team and there will be expectations of me, yeah.

Q. Do you feel that the year's delay in the event, has worked for your benefit? Do you feel you're a better player now than you would have been 12 months ago?

NICLAS FASTH: Yeah, I've developed a lot as a player for this year. And it's been so much steadier. If anything, I haven't won an event yet this year, and which has been disappointing, since I've played well. But still I've developed as a player, and it's obviously good for the confidence. The last period I've even gotten the putting going, which is great. And that was sort of the missing part. I feel really good about my game right now and I'm certainly more confident than a year ago, yeah.

Q. Do you suffer from nerves and if so, how do you cope with that?

NICLAS FASTH: I don't. But you can certainly feel tension. And there are ways to handle that, to control your tension. It's classic, easy techniques, that will be used in a lot of sports or even other places. But to have the means of self control will be very valuable this week, I'm sure.

Q. Do you have the breathing techniques you do?

NICLAS FASTH: Yeah, and others.

Q. Can you elaborate a little on some of the others?

NICLAS FASTH: You clench your first and you let it go, and you will contrast, and you can use that contrast to feel relaxed in your whole body. One very, very common technique, along with different breathing techniques. It's just very basic stuff.

GORDON SIMPSON: Enjoy the experience. Thank you very much.

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