DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

March 8, 2003

Alastair Forsyth

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: Pleased to be tied for the lead. Played pretty solid. I was pleased with the way I played. Left a few putts on the course, but I holed a few good ones, as well. Overall I was very pleased with the way things went. Obviously Ernie is there, so he's probably the man to beat. But today he showed he was human and he does make mistakes. I think it will be pretty close tomorrow.

RODDY WILLIAMS: Did you feel intimidated or inspired?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: He played his own game. I just went and did my own things. There's no problems anyway.

Q. Did you chat with him at all?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: A little bit, just like you normally would do. He's a normal guy, just gets on with it. There's not really much difference.

Q. Was he even more aggressive than you thought he would be, driver on 2, driver on 17?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: Nothing really surprised me at all, really.

Q. Had a good start didn't you?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: Yeah, that was a bonus. Got off to a great start. I think the way the flag was, there was no way I could get near it. I just hit as good a shot as I could hit and really just played -- got myself back after the bogey on the fourth, so it was just as well.

Q. (Details of the eagle)

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: 5-iron to about probably 40 feet.

Q. Did you feel comfortable out there, three shots clear?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: Yeah, obviously, I was three shots, halfway through the front nine, 27 holes to go, something like that, and it's the same tomorrow. I just got on with getting my own game.

Q. Did the putt you missed on ten stop your momentum?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: If I holed it for three, an easier up-and-down. I thought I could putt on 10, but it doesn't really bother me too much. So I hit it as well as I could -- the fact that I hit good shots, made good putts, I wasn't too bothered.

Q. What do you think about tomorrow?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: I don't think it will be any different. I think I didn't feel as much pressure as I was going to feel, I think. Once we got going, I felt absolutely fine. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Is the fact you are playing with Ernie for a second day going to make it easier?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: It won't be easier, but it doesn't really make a difference who you are playing with. I think you're going to have four or five, six different guys all trying to win the tournament. It doesn't matter who is paired with who.

Q. Would you have been more alarmed if it was Tiger you were up against?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: I don't know till I play with him but imagine there will be a lot more excitement, yeah.

Q. How close could you get on 17?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: 30, 40 yards.

Q. Thought never crossed your mind?

ALASTAIR FORSYTH: Never.

RODDY WILLIAMS: Thank you very much. Good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts....