JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

January 31, 2004

Simon Yates

GORDON SIMPSON: You're making a habit of this. I remember the Dunhill you were in good shape and now again this week. Can you start off talking about that.

SIMON YATES: All right. Yes, it's sort of my home country now. I enjoy playing in the heat and this week so far it's really been my putting. Normally I'm not a great putter, but this week I putted really nicely. Just like the Dunhill for two rounds. And then my golf ball striking is not as good as normal, but I've been struggling a little bit with my short game and wedge play has been pretty solid. So basically I'm happy with the way things are going and my scores are pretty good and I haven't 3-putted yet in three days and hopefully it will stay that way.

GORDON SIMPSON: What has been the key, would you say.

SIMON YATES: Definitely putting. Normally that's the weak part of my game somewhere around the greens. But I don't know how many fairways I hit today, but it wasn't that many. But if you shoot 4-under hitting in the rough all day, so I was happy with that and definitely putted really nicely.

GORDON SIMPSON: How do you feel about being in this position because certainly it's exalted company with Bjorn and Faldo and that, they don't seem to intimidate you.

SIMON YATES: No, I'm just out there playing golf. That's it. They play a game of golf when we're out there and we're all doing our best. So, no, it doesn't really, no.

GORDON SIMPSON: Take questions, please.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: Probably Dunhill because I come from Scotland. But basically here, see we have local events here we play and then this year I won the Order of Merit, I had to win in sort of three seconds from five tournaments or six tournaments, and you're well recognized, probably a lot more in Thailand than I am in Scotland. So basically I would say Scotland is my home though, so it's always nice to play golf there I enjoy that. But obviously it's nice to play well out here and get recognized.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: If I can get my ball striking going and hit fairways. Because that's the main thing. If you hit fairways, then you can go deep. But the last few days have been -- the first few days I played pretty solid then the last two days struggled a bit. But I'm going to go to the range and see if we can sort it out. See if I can find a videocamera. If I can sort out my driver -- normally I've been a very good driver of the ball, but it's been like army golf. But the results in this case have been really good, considering the way I've hit it.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: Yeah, I played the tournament last time I think it was -- well, no I played this tournament a while ago, missed the cut. When was it, two years ago? And the year before that I played and I think I finished third, I shot 65 the last round. Which hopefully will happen tomorrow. But the rough obviously wasn't that deep then.

Q. You're still 33 years of age?

SIMON YATES: Yeah, still 33.

Q. Maybe not so easy, but should you win tomorrow, obviously that makes you eligible for European TOUR membership and Ryder Cup points and all that. How do you feel about that?

SIMON YATES: That would be very nice, yeah, sure. I would take one at a time and see how it comes, and if I play great, that's great. If I don't, that's it.

Q. But you would become a member?

SIMON YATES: Yeah, sure, if you win you're eligible to play, sure, I would play some European TOUR events. Obviously not in the home country, but.

Q. But you haven't paid any affiliate membership?

SIMON YATES: No, I haven't paid any fee.

Q. Where was the nearest time that you -- you have tried to join the European TOUR in the past have you at all?

SIMON YATES: Long time ago, one time.

Q. When was that?

SIMON YATES: What year was that in 1991 or 1992. No, it was '94 was it. It was in that time. But it was only once.

Q. You went to the school?

SIMON YATES: Yeah, I went to the school a long time ago when I was working in Germany, I think it was 1994. Yeah. Sometime around then. But, yeah, I went once. That was enough.

Q. How long have you been out here now?

SIMON YATES: Been out here since -- I came on holiday near 1993 and basically went to the Tour School in '95 here, the Asian Tour School in '95 and played out here ever since. And I do enjoy the heat. But people have said to me that the next three years I should go over to the U.S. TOUR qualifying and go there. And that's my sort of goal. Trying to hit fairways and greens and more like warm conditions, you follow where the sun goes, that's more like where I would try. So, yeah, I don't want to look back and say I wish I tried doing that, so the U.S. TOUR is perfect for two or three years, give it a go and if I don't do it, I'll stay out here.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: Total? Maybe 7 hundred something thousand dollars. I'm not sure exactly. It's around there.

Q. U.S.?

SIMON YATES: U.S., yeah.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: So far about two hours away.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: Yeah, drive. Drive. It's on the course. It's beautiful. I look forward to going back to it really.

Q. (Inaudible.)

SIMON YATES: No, no. My girlfriend lives in Bangkok, so it's very easy staying at her place. It's in the middle of Bangkok, so it's very easy, it's great.

Q. She's Thai?

SIMON YATES: She's Thai, yeah.

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, Simon, give it your best tomorrow. Maybe see you again this time tomorrow.

SIMON YATES: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.