DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

October 4, 2002

Simon Dyson

Q. You must be pleased with that?

SIMON DYSON: Yes especially as I played with a completely new set of clubs after mine were stolen from my car last night in the car park at the St Andrews Bay Hotel. Discovered it first thing this morning, twenty to seven, went out to the car, brand new car Audi TT, found they'd smashed the back window, ripped out the thing that covers the boot, straight in and taken away my clubs and bag. I had a Ping irons and a handmade Ping putter, the only one that has been made in the whole world.

Q. How much was that worth?

SIMON DYSON: I've no idea, I'd say it was priceless. I had a driver and a three wood as well and the three wood was the best club in my bag and I missed it a little bit today. I actually needed it on the 17th where I dropped my only shot. I would have hit it from the tee because it was a bit far for the driver but I took the two iron instead and didn't hit it that well and then I had to take the three wood I had and hit it into the bunker from where I made five, so that was a bit annoying.

Q. How did you feel when you saw your car?

SIMON DYSON: Gutted, absolutely gutted. At first I just thought it was the window that had been smashed and that was bad enough considering I've only had it for two weeks but then all of a sudden I didn't see the clubs and I just panicked a little, I didn't know what to do. I was walking around like a headless chicken for about 20 minutes. I phoned Nick Dougherty up and said, 'I don't know what I'm going to do and just by chance he said he had a spare set with him, but they were Callaways. So I used his irons, his driver, borrowed a three wood and borrowed a putter. The three wood was from the tournament office from one of my mates and the putter was off Bradley Dredge which worked a dream. I'm going to carry on with them all for the rest of the tournament. They went well today, it might just have been a flash in the pan but I have always liked Callaways so it is always nice when you get a club that you like so we'll just see what happens tomorrow.

Q. Is that the first time anything like that has happened to you?

SIMON DYSON: First time ever, yes, gutted, yes. I mean I got to the range and I half didn't feel like playing at all to tell you the truth. I was gutted about the clubs but I got another set, in truth at that time I was more gutted about my car, nice new car, you save up to buy it and then this happens. I just had to leave the car this morning because I had to get to the golf club and play. If I had waited around for the police to come I'd have missed my tee-time but now I have got plenty of time to go back and get it sorted out, get a new window put in and give my details to the police so I can sort it all out on the insurance. At least everything was insured, my car, the clubs, everything.

Q. I suppose it is a good response to the people who did this, shooting 68?

SIMON DYSON: You know I was just thinking exactly that when I was coming down the last. If I had done really well I could have said well it has turned on them. But I did okay. They must have known though because it was the only car done in the entire car park. Don't know how they knew because I don't have my name on the car or anything like that.

Q. Would you have a message to the people who did it?

SIMON DYSON: No, not really, just 'Get a life.'

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