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FORD CHAMPIONSHIP AT DORAL

March 4, 2005

Jose Maria Olazabal

DORAL, FLORIDA

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: I started really solid and then hit a few bad shots, terrible tee shot on 3. Then I put the a poor second shot on 6, made two bogeys there.

After that, I started hitting the ball a little better again and birdied 8 and 10. That settled me a little bit. I played fairly steady after that.

Q. How were the conditions out there today?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: A little bit more difficult, especially to start with. I think the last few holes we had the best of the weather. The wind died down a bit and it was obviously much easier than when we started.

Q. How much better do you feel like you're swinging the club now than when you won the Masters twice? After strength training, working with Butch, do you feel you're swinging it better?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: Well, I have to say that off the tee, both years that won the Masters, I wasn't swinging well. I struggled with my driver going into the Masters, and it was okay at Augusta because at that time you know, the fairways were wide open and there was not the primary cut or the second cut, call it whatever you want. And the rest of the game was extremely sharp. My iron play was excellent, and that's one of the reasons why I managed to win both Masters because of my short game and my iron play.

But I was never a good driver of the ball, and I think in that department I'm improving. I'm not saying that I'm like Mr. Fred Funk, you know, but I'm improving and that's the main thing.

Q. I wanted to ask you, how is it that you have to get into events now this year?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: I have to get invitations from the sponsor, as simple as that. I lost my card last year and I have to rely on that.

Q. Did you ever think about not coming or staying over here and going back to Europe and playing primarily?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: No. I've always wanted to play over here. I've always said that this Tour is excellent. The level of the game here is extremely high. The conditions that we play on are usually pretty tough. The golf courses have quite severe rough, generally hard greens and are quite demanding. If you want to improve your game, or at least if you want the best of the challenge, I think it's here.

Q. What's your next event?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: I know I'm playing in four events around the Masters, and that will be BellSouth all the way to Houston and that's all I know. After that, I really don't know.

Q. So from now until?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: To BellSouth, I will go home for three weeks, that's it. BellSouth is just the week before Augusta. I'll play Augusta and then the week after, which is the MCI and then Houston.

Q. Did you try to get into Bay Hill or Honda or THE PLAYERS?

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: I know THE PLAYERS, you can't get invitations to THE PLAYERS. You either qualify or you don't qualify.

End of FastScripts.

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