Q. What conclusions did you come to after your big think?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: That I've got to do something about it. I changed my clubs actually last night. I went into the car and I found another set and I thought oh, bugger, I'll put them in. They worked. It's a new set of Callaways that seem to be working better than the old ones did, so I'll keep them in. But nothing in particular, I just didn't -- I wasn't completing my backswing yesterday. I was getting short and quick and I thinned the ball, and that's what happened at the 18th tee yesterday.
Q. Is that an old set or new set?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: They're advertising them on the way to the Open. I saw myself on a big screen as I drove in and I said "That's me, oh, God," and I am using a club I've never used before, a Big Bertha iron, and so I got them to make me up a set for me on Tuesday and I didn't use them on Thursday, but I used them today.
Q. Who are you giving your old ones to?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: (inaudible).
Q. There seems to be a sentiment the way this golf course is set up is wonderful in the sense that Augusta and the U.S. Open just lengthened the course making it easier for the longer hitter. (Inaudible) Do you prefer this kind of thing? Did they make a mistake in doing that, do you think?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Please don't put words in my mouth that that was the case. But at the same time, I'm glad that he every Par 4 on this course doesn't have to be 490 yards long. We played a course last week, Loch Lomond, the two best Par-4s I think 9 and 14 measuring under 360 yards , and I feel that sometimes we're going away from that fact that because it's 490 doesn't have to make it good. You can set up a course with bunkering and rough that is better than that, I feel, but I never said they weren't, I just said this course seems -- everybody that's played here that I've talked to seem to feel this is the fairest and best set up that we have in Major Championship golf right now.
Q. Did you think you did too much damage(inaudible)
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Initially, of course, yes, I mean, 3 over isn't a good starting point, to be honest with you. I'm always a great advocate of saying you can only lose it the first round; you can never win it. I was in a very strong case of losing it last night, but I have to take on - if you add these two scores together, two 69s if you like at four under at the start of the week, I would have taken that. That's where I am right now and that's where I've got to focus on right now. All I've done is two 69s which is four under par and it's the top 10 and that's exactly where I want to be.
Q. What did you learn -- (inaudible)?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Well, I don't know until I actually come to that situation again. Leading is a very different situation than coming from a situation from behind. Leading an Open for that length of time, if you like, is a difficult task. Coming from behind, scoring 64 on a Friday morning is a lot easier. So hopefully, if I do get into that position again, leading, that I can look back on what happened last year and I can use it positively.
Q. (Inaudible)
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Just to keep going; not to let this go. I want to keep this momentum going. I know I can win. I've never been frightened of winning ever. I've never been frightened of winning here. I think my last hole proved that, I wouldn't have made 3 on the last round, so I'm not frightened of winning. I've just got to use that psychology, if you like, in a positive way over the weekend.
Q. How much of a factor was the rain and how much wind was out there?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: There was more wind than there was yesterday. It was a very -- because it was misty and sort of a heavy day, the wind wasn't really affecting shots to that degree. It wasn't that bad. I don't think it's going to get bad through the day. I think it will remain this type of day all day, good Scottish summers day.
Q. Overall you putted a great deal better right now than you were a year ago. Going into the weekend, does that give you more confidence that at least by Sunday (inaudible) --
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It was the putting that let me down last year, and David Duval can say the opposite last year. My putting let me down in this Championship last year and hopefully I'm putting a lot better now and hopefully that won't happen again.
Q. What was the length of the eagle putt on 5?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: It was about 25, 30 foot, possibly.
Q. Uphill lie?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Well, yes, it broke in from the left. I was fortunate my 3-wood shot hit the green that slopes right to left as opposed to back to front, and I came down on the right level at least and it gave me a chance, but just almost from 30 foot, it's fortunate if it drops in.
Q. Is Andy, your caddy particularly helping you this year. He won in '87 here. (Inaudible) --
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: He was with somebody very different then in Faldo but it is good that you have somebody on the bag that has won here before. It's very encouraging and very positive for me to have someone on the bag that's won a tournament around this course. There is very few out here that have. So it's important to have him now at the weekend. We can get our way around here, we can find our way around here. We did today.
Q. Has he said anything in particular to you?
COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Not particularly, no. We get the yardage, we get the club, and today we did very well. We never missed a green on the wrong side. And that was important. Yesterday we were making the odd mistake where we were missing greens and fairways on the wrong side. Today we weren't. And that's why I didn't drop a shot. I was positive enough to score 7 under, but played enough percentage golf not to drop a shot. And that's the most important thing, forget birdies and eagles, it was the lack of bogeys that was important today.
STEWART McDOUGAL: Colin, thank you.
End of FastScripts....
