SENIOR BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 26, 2003

Tom Watson

MODERATOR: Okay, Tom, thanks for coming in again. 66, 67, 66. You must be feeling pleased with your position so far. Can you sum up where you are and how you feel today?

TOM WATSON: The golf course played fairly easy again today. The greens are holding fairly well. They're not really bouncy like last week's greens. As a result, you've seen quite a few low scores. My game I played today was good. I hit the ball where I was supposed to most of the day. I made one bogey at 13, when I knocked it over the green from the right ruff. All in all, I felt I played well and drove the ball well. 17 is the littlest big bunker I've played in my life. I had my chance for a birdie even though I knocked it into that bunker for today.

MODERATOR: Before we take questions, go through your birdies.

(Score card done.)

MODERATOR: Any questions for Tom?

Q. Because of your history, do you think the crowd want you to win?

TOM WATSON: I think the crowd particularly wanted to see Carl win. They wanted to see a home-grown boy win.

Q. But you are in a strong position?

TOM WATSON: I'm in a good position obviously. It's -- I'm definitely within shouting distance. I don't know what they finished. I think 13 under or 14 under is what Carl finished. 14? So he's the man to beat. I played with him on the first two rounds. He certainly played better than I did on the first two round. I'm going to have to turn it on and play my best round of the week tomorrow to catch him. It's going to be a difficult chore. He's playing very, very solidly. He's not making any mistakes, or very few mistakes.

Q. Your own consistency must please you?

TOM WATSON: Well, my -- I have to say that my play this week has been pretty scratchy. I have been making a lot of putts. Yesterday I turned a 72 into a 67. I made everything. I made four or five really long putts, and I didn't expect to do that. Maybe one, but not four or five. I made two more today.

Q. Driving better today?

TOM WATSON: I'm happier with my driver now, yeah. Getting over the left to right practice.

Q. Would you hit driver on 18 if you had to make birdie?

TOM WATSON: Probably not. I think I could play that hole very, very well without a driver. I hit a 2-iron, 7-iron there. I hit the 7-iron very solidly for my second shot. That's the reason it went by the hole. I was up there with a 7 or 8-iron. I can get up there. That's why I play it.

Q. Turnberry an Open venue again?

TOM WATSON: Well, I think the golf course is definitely a quality golf course. The last time we played, it was very narrow fairways. You have to have narrow fairways here. It doesn't have the length here, nor can you back it up very far to acquire the length to compensate for the extra length the ball is going. That's the way the course should play.

MODERATOR: Okay, everyone, any more questions? No. Thanks, Tom. We're all done.

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