THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 24, 2005

Chris DiMarco

Jim Furyk

Tiger Woods

JAMES CRAMER: We are joined by Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Chris DiMarco from the U.S. Team. We'll go into questions.

Q. Tiger, you seem more animated this week than we've ever seen you at one of these deals, what is it about this group of guys that sort of pushed you to that?

TIGER WOODS: I don't know. It's just that I think we've had a bunch of fun this week, and I'm actually playing halfway decent, too, so it helps.

Q. Just talking about you, you got yourself a partner, a guy who has been coming up big, wondering in retrospect, are you somewhat surprised, you guys have played together on six or seven international teams and you have not been paired together until this week, just your thoughts on that and why you guys seem so compatible?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I think we played on our first team together back in '97 and been on every team together since.

We wanted to be paired together and Jack was nice enough to put us out there together yesterday. Tell you what, even though we have different style of games, our personalities are very similar, in how we approach the game of golf and how we compete. So from that standpoint, it's kind of a no brainer because we're very similar in how we like to compete and play the game of golf.

Q. This is a question for all three of you, you've all been veterans in Ryder Cups and played Presidents Cups before; has the quality of golf of the last few days been as good as you've been involved in, because watching it, it seems to be.

JIM FURYK: I'd say in the matches I've played in, it sure has been. It's difficult for us while we're playing to really get a feel for what's going on. You see some guys, DiMarco and Mickelson have had a lot of success, Tim Clark and his partner have had a lot of success, Retief Goosen and Adam Scott, I keep seeing those names winning points but we don't see the shots. I think from both sides from the International Team and from our matches I've been involved with, I've seen some unbelievable golf shots the last couple of days.

TIGER WOODS: The same thing, you can't really see what's going on out there. Only thing you can see is what's going on in your group, but the matches I've been involved in, the guys have played wonderfully.

On top of that, you know, we were paired up against Stuy all day today. I don't know if anybody has played any better than this guy. He made 3 putts over 30 feet for par this morning, a couple this afternoon. It was just an unbelievable exhibition of putting all day.

CHRIS DiMARCO: I think the level of play has been great, obviously both sides. I think that under par, way under par is winning matches and I think that's what people want to see. The score is 11 11 and you've seen lots of unbelievable golf shots. I think it's good for the game of golf.

Q. It's such a no brainer, you and Jim's game and personalities, what do you think took so long?

TIGER WOODS: I think it might just be the difference in length and off the tees and how we play.

JIM FURYK: Just a little difference.

TIGER WOODS: That sometimes can be something that deters captains from putting guys together. You try and put guys who have similar games together, and obviously, we don't hit the same clubs off tees or the greens. But as I said, the way we approach the game, we read putts very similar, and Jim and I were reading putts all day together.

Q. And for Jim, as many of these Cups as you've played in, I wonder if you can talk about the aspect of two very good teams going at it for 36 holes and it's been so tight.

JIM FURYK: One of those frustrations, like we had to go through all of this just to be tied at the end of the day and it's going to come down to singles.

So, yeah, I think we started the day one point behind the whole way, so we had an opportunity to go out today and even it up or get ahead, and we got it back to even. It's all going to boil down to tomorrow. It's an exciting week and I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. A year ago, a lot of us saw you guys really unhappy. What's happening this week and is that part of a process of getting the American team back to the point where you want to be in these international matches?

JIM FURYK: What do you mean by "unhappy" though? Could you elaborate on that?

Q. 18 1/2 to 9 1/2.

CHRIS DiMARCO: Who is going to be happy losing 18 1/2 to 9 1/2? When you get spanked like that, you're not going to be happy. When you win, you have fun and when you lose, you don't have fun, so we'll see why after this week.

JIM FURYK: Are you saying why do we play better?

Q. No one involved in American golf was happy to see those matches and this seems like a great improvement; what's that process and where is that coming from?

JIM FURYK: A lot of times it just has to do with momentum and flow. These matches have been close every day where no one has been ahead more than a point.

You know, if the momentum starts going one way, you know, it's easy for it to get I shouldn't say it's easy for it to get lopsided, but I've been on three or four of these, three teams, on the lopsided end, and the good side once and the bad side twice. When you get down, you know, you feel like you can't miss a shot. You start pushing a little bit and when you're up, you just keep hitting good shots and then things start to go your way.

Last year, yeah, we were not happy because it was miserable being on the bottom. It's a whole new year, it's a whole new team. It's not like the chemistry is any better or the guys on this team get along and we didn't get along last year. I mean, I think a lot is made out of that. We always have a good time together and we always look forward to playing golf with each other.

Q. Anybody who wants to try to answer, how do you take this exceptional play that we've seen and carry it over into singles tomorrow when tomorrow it will just be you, you won't be looking around having a teammate to help you?

CHRIS DiMARCO: We do that 51 weeks a year, so got to go back to that.

It's been nice to have a partner. It's been nice to look over and know somebody is going to help you out, but I think we all know how to play our own ball.

Q. How important will the crowd be? Can the crowd actually be a factor if it gets going, you get a lot of early momentum, something like that?

PHIL MICKELSON: It certainly can be a factor. We can tell the difference between a cheer for the American side or a cheer for the International side. When you hear a cheer for the American side, it's a momentum boost. You can feel the momentum, you can feel a little adrenaline rush, the excitement of our guys are doing it, the lessening of a little pressure because we know our other players are doing well when you hear those roars. So it can be a big factor, knowing that your teammates are playing well and that the fans are into it.

Q. For Tiger, can you talk about the streak that Jim got on this afternoon and what that did for your game as well?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I didn't really do much, I started off well making birdies early and after that I didn't really do much except for read putts and have the pom poms out. Just cheering him on all the way. Finally was able to help him out on 16 and I made a putt there.

Jim played unbelievable golf today. I mean, he hit the ball beautifully, made a bunch of putts, I don't know what he was, probably 7 or 8 under for the day and that's pretty impressive play.

Q. Can you confirm at all, did Tiger hurt his back playing ping pong?

TIGER WOODS: (Laughing).

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't think so. But watching the highlights on television with these two guys going down the fairway, you think something is wrong and you watch them play and it's amazing, so I don't know.

Q. The Americans historically have always done better in Cups in the singles matches, but I wonder if the dynamic or expectations are different given that this International Team is really no different than when it comes to, you know, playing the Tour?

PHIL MICKELSON: Are you asking me?

Q. I'm asking whoever thinks they have the answer.

JIM FURYK: Give us some insight there.

PHIL MICKELSON: I don't think that I have the answer but I'll try to make a go at it. (Laughter).

I think tomorrow is a toss up. And the International side is a very strong 12 players, 12 of the best players in the game. And they are extremely tough and playing some extremely good golf.

I do feel, though, that the American team is playing some exceptional golf as well and it is going to be a coin toss.

I have faith and belief in my team, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. If you look at some of the matches, you come out here in these singles, there is going to be some fun, very exciting, interesting and stressful pairings. I think it's going to be an exciting day of golf tomorrow.

Q. The putt you made on 17, the winning putt

TIGER WOODS: 16.

Q. How much did you learn from Jim's put; it was on a very similar lie?

TIGER WOODS: A little bit. Jim hit a good putt and it broke a little bit more on the end than I think we both thought. I know he didn't hit the speed that he wanted to but it still broke quite a bit. I think I tried to throw mine up there a little bit in case it broke a lot. It's getting kind of hard to see out there, so seeing Jim's putt first certainly helped in my read.

Q. For all four of you, do any of you know who you're playing tomorrow, and have any of you requested Jack seems to be giving you guys a lot of leeway in who you play and who you play with. Have any of you requested a particular opponent for tomorrow?

CHRIS DiMARCO: (Shakes).

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, I did. I just hope I don't get to sit out. No envelope, please. Not again.

Q. Who?

TIGER WOODS: One of the 12. Pick 'em. They are all playing great. So we've got to go earn a point, simple as that.

Q. Can you talk about all of the fireworks in your matches today and how well you and Phil have played?

CHRIS DiMARCO: We just really cat and moused out there. We made a whole bunch of birdies between us, a couple of eagles, had some good shots go in, I had a hole in one and obviously that was pretty awesome. We just gelled together. I think like Tiger said about him and Jim, the same demeanor, Phil and I the same thing. We read putts very much alike and it was the same type of atmosphere as far as that goes. We just kind of had a good teamwork going. We both made sure we hit greens and gave ourselves putts at it and made a bunch of putts today. We didn't do that yesterday; we made a lot of putts today.

Q. For Tiger and Jim, I apologize if this was asked at the beginning, but you guys asked to play with each other; does any part of you think, why didn't we think of this sooner and why didn't somebody else think of that pairing sooner?

TIGER WOODS: It would have been nice if we would have had an opportunity. But if you notice most of the times in the pairings, guys are paired up with players that have similar games, and obviously Jim and I play golf differently.

But still, I think the most important thing is the way we approach the game. Our attitudes are very similar. We read putts almost identical. The way we compete, I think we're very similar in that regard. So it was very comforting for me to go out there and play with Jim the last two days.

Q. For all four of you, sports usually is a trend type thing and obviously being in the Ryder Cup atmosphere, you're all near the top of the points list, do you think what happens tomorrow or what happens in this Cup will carry over, at least if it's a positive, into next year in any way, shape or form?

TIGER WOODS: No.

JIM FURYK: I don't think so. It's a year away. Kind of focus on tomorrow and trying to win the Presidents Cup, and 12 months from now, I think all four of us hope we'll be on that team and then we'll focus on trying to win the Ryder Cup.

I don't think last year playing poorly at the Ryder Cup affected any one of us coming into this week and no matter what happens tomorrow, I don't think it's going to affect us next year. It's 12 months apart; I think that's too far away.

TODD BUDNICK: Thank you, guys.

End of FastScripts.