THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 24, 2002

Sergio Garcia

Q. What did you hit on that second shot?

SERGIO GARCIA: 9-iron. We caught a flier but we should expect it. We didn't. But don't blame it on 18. The way I played today I should have been at least 8-under par going to 18, at least. But you know, that's the way it is. Unfortunately, sometimes the ball doesn't want to go in the hole. That's what happened for me this week. But I am still really happy with the way I played. I hit the ball extremely well. I gave myself as many birdie chances and eagle chances as I could. Unfortunately, I didn't -- I am happy with the way I played.

Q. Did you think the putt on 17 was in all the way?

SERGIO GARCIA: I thought so. I mean, the hole is sideways. It sits down a cliff and I hit it like -- I hit it like a bullet. As soon as I hit it, I thought it was in. The ball just didn't break, but it's not the only one I missed.

In this golf course you don't want to be forcing it coming in. You want to see the way the course is playing and everything. You want to be -- I would like to be like 7-under going to 17 and 18. And the way I was hitting the ball, I really felt like maybe I could get one in those two. But I just wasn't able to, unfortunately.

Q. Did you think it was there for the taking today?

SERGIO GARCIA: For me it was because of the way I played; not because of the course. The course is not playing easy. But if you drive it in the middle of the fairway almost every time and every time you hit a shot, I don't know, you hit it inside 15 feet or twelve feet for birdie it is for the taking. But it's not easy to play that way on this course.

Q. (Inaudible)

SERGIO GARCIA: I am going to take a well deserved two weeks off. I think. I think that I have done pretty well. I am really proud the way I am hitting the ball. I am really looking forward to The Masters. If I keep driving the ball the way I have been driving it and hitting my irons like this, I should have a chance there.

Q. (Inaudible)

SERGIO GARCIA: I heard they are great. Vijay, I was talking to him the other day, he told me the course looks exactly the same but just longer and it looks very good.

Q. Everyone seems to be having trouble with two -, three-foot putts?

SERGIO GARCIA: Unfortunately mine weren't two, three feet. It is tough to hit it to two, three feet for birdie. I hit it to two, three feet on two of the par 5s that I hit on the green and 2-putted. It was more than anything, just confidence wasn't there and I had a lot of 10 -, 12-footers and 7-footers, 8-footers for birdie. And if the confidence is not there, it is tough to make it.

Q. Do you believe what is happening out there now?

SERGIO GARCIA: I said it yesterday. I said everybody is going to be surprised what the winning score is going to be. This course is not that easy. As the greens were firming up and the wind is still blowing I said it yesterday, you are going to be surprised with the winning score. I knew. I knew what I had to do.

Q. Surprised to see a guy like Stephen Ames come out and shoot 67 today?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, he's a great player. He has always been -- he played great in Europe when he was there and he has played some good tournaments here. I know he had had trouble with some stuff for the last couple of years, but it looks like it's settled down and I am happy for him. He's a good guy.

Q. You see the same favorites as last year you Ernie, Tiger (inaudible) --

SERGIO GARCIA: It all depends. You can put favorites and -- but it all depends how they are playing and how they play that week and how things go, but of course, those guys are playing well. Duval has done well there too and there's a lot of guys who can do well, so -- but we'll see what happens.

Q. (Inaudible)

SERGIO GARCIA: I wouldn't say he is the favorite. I would say he is one of the favorites. But not the one.

Q. (Inaudible)

SERGIO GARCIA: I will probably take three or four days off and -- I need them.

End of FastScripts....