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SENIOR BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 20, 2005

Carl Mason

ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND

STEVEN FRANKLIN: Carl Mason, ladies and gentlemen. Carl, thanks for coming down to the media center. No. 1, on the Senior Tour at the moment. Twice a winner this year. So you must be looking forward to this week.

CARL MASON: Absolutely, yes. Obviously this tournament, since my debut at Turnberry a couple years ago, yes, it's become a, one of my favorite events. As was The Open Championship. I always played, always enjoyed playing links courses. I think I know through my amateur career you were brought up playing major events on links courses. So probably used to that and I enjoy it.

The scene of this big championship is always great.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: You mentioned Turnberry there and 2003 you came so close to winning this. Beaten by Tom Watson in a playoff. Does that strengthen your resolve this week?

CARL MASON: I'm not probably the only time, if I get the chance, the only time I might think of it would be on the 18th tee, probably. But I hope I have that chance again. But I should just try and do my best. And if you do, if I play in a form that I've been having this last couple years, I should, I hope to be featuring.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: Twice a winner, you come off the back of two wins and a third place.

CARL MASON: Third at the last.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: So confidence is good at the moment.

CARL MASON: Yeah, I'm just really enjoying myself. Confidence is good. I wish I had this confidence 20 years ago. So, yeah, I'm really having a good time, obviously. To come here with all these great name players playing, it's a great thing for us and we really look forward to the championship.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: Questions anyone?

Q. You mentioned the confidence you wish you had 20 years ago, you of course you won at Gleneagles when you won on the Regular TOUR. Why do you think it was that then you didn't have it and you've been so successful now on the SENIOR Tour. Why do you think that is? What's made the difference?

CARL MASON: I think that somehow in my mind I had it that if you ever got in the lead or whatever, that you have to play fantastic golf, shoot low scores to win, you know. It's not, that's not really the case. I've sort of learned you just play steady golf, avoid mistakes and just play steady, amazing how well you play doing that. You get your putter going and knock in some putts and, presto, you win. You know, where I sort of used to panic if I didn't get off to a flying start and all that stuff. Figuring I got to shoot 65 to win every time. And it's not the case as we all know. But it's difficult to get that mindset. I finally found it.

Q. What does it do from the profile of the whole Tour when you get someone like Greg Norman coming on making his debut this week and his profile and charisma?

CARL MASON: Well, I think this is the beauty of the senior golf. That these great names that we have known for years and years suddenly have this chance to perform at 50 without the pressure of the Regular TOUR and what have you. And it can only be great for Senior Tour golf, can't it. It's wonderful. I'm sure we're going to get terrific crowds here this week from what I hear. And why not? Names everybody can relate to and still want to see.

Q. Greg particularly playing here, because he said he's only going to play a very limited schedule. He's not someone that has to do it.

CARL MASON: Yeah, exactly. Sure. Sure.

Q. This is one of his four or five events I think that he's going to use.

CARL MASON: Absolutely. Most definitely. As I say, I think that the great thing we have going for us is all the great names that are playing. The people know the names and want to come and still want to see them play. I think it's fantastic.

Q. You played with Greg over the years.

CARL MASON: Yeah, we played about 37,000 years ago I think it was. I think the last time was probably Port Corr and I don't know whether he I played with him and Gordon Brandt, Jr., in the final round and I think Brandt, Jr. won. What was that the Coral, was it? Coral Classic or something like that. Now that was only his second year there, so it was a long time ago. I think that's last time we played together.

Q. (Inaudible.)

CARL MASON: Yes, I go for around about early '80s. Late '70s, I would say early '80s. I think that would be about it.

Q. Tom Watson was talking last week about how he's hitting the ball further and is playing better.

CARL MASON: Yeah, similar, I'm sure. I hit the ball further now than I hit it when I was 22 or 23.

Q. (Inaudible.)

CARL MASON: I would think the driver probably goes another 25 yards probably.

Q. (Inaudible.)

CARL MASON: Yeah. Yeah.

Q. What are you hitting with the driver now?

CARL MASON: I would think, flat conditions, I would think around 280. 275, 280. Where in the old days you had to bust it to get it 250. And you had to get it down the middle as well. Now you can miscue it a bit and it will still go 270.

Q. Sam Torrance expressed a view that guys who are just passing 50 are younger looking and that much fitter than they were a generation ago. Do you share that feeling?

CARL MASON: Yeah. Definitely now. Greg Norman is the fittest thing I've seen. I said to him earlier on, I said "You're not allowed to look like that. You're too fit."

(Laughter.)

Q. So you see him as a big threat then do you?

CARL MASON: Oh, most definitely. He looked to be playing well last week. He's going to be a threat.

Q. I asked Sam whether the old boys welcome a new kid on the block. Do you go along with that?

CARL MASON: Absolutely. The more name players we can have playing the better. It's got to be good for the TOUR.

Q. A lot of big name players joining the Senior Tour in the next few years, that generation?

CARL MASON: Of course. Yes. It's going to be good.

Q. (Inaudible.)

CARL MASON: We certainly have a great future ahead of us.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: Any more questions? I mean, personally, what do you think of the course yourself having been out there?

CARL MASON: Yeah, she's good. She's, especially this wind direction at the moment, because it's playing, it's not a prevailing wind, so the front nine's playing into left to right. And the course is not designed for that. It's made for some really tough holes. Really tough. Awkward driving on the front nine.

Q. (Inaudible.)

CARL MASON: I'm told the prevailing is sort of down. Yeah, it's certainly not designed to be played into wind I would suggest.

Q. You hadn't been here before?

CARL MASON: No, definitely not. No.

STEVEN FRANKLIN: Okay, guys. Thanks very much, Carl.

CARL MASON: My pleasure.

End of FastScripts.

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