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FUNAI CLASSIC AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT


October 20, 2006


Justin Rose


LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA: Round Two

JUSTIN ROSE: Obviously there is always going to be a day where you could, because you're playing a totally different golf course. You have to come back with a completely fresh mindset, almost forget about the day before. That's what I try to do. I try to approach it with the same attitude I had the day before, which is go out there and obviously play one shot a time and just know I was playing well.

Yes, starting birdie, birdie, was a good thing, and got me back on the horse, if you like.

Q. You had a couple of wobbles there on the par 5 and finally missed a green, but it looked like you were so on form. I think your longest par putt was like thirty inches.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes.

Q. You weren't working hard out there probably your first 14 holes today. It was just you and your little bubble playing golf.

JUSTIN ROSE: Yes, exactly, I think that was the case. I didn't put myself under any pressure today, other than, yes, that par 5. I felt like I began to get a little distracted out there, a little tired. It was a long day for sure. So yes, that was a reason for that, I think.

I tried to eat as much as I could. I tried to drink as much as I could. You know, do everything I could just to stay focused, because it was hard. Then you're sort of racing the light coming in. You think you may have a chance to finish, so you're trying to get the whole group and the amateurs to try to hurry along. Obviously, it seemed to get dark really quickly.

Q. The amateurs are determined to play on the weekend, even if it is just one hole?

JUSTIN ROSE: Exactly.

Q. How will you handle tomorrow?

JUSTIN ROSE: I think it's a case of just keep going forward. You look at the Deutsche Bank, Vijay was two ahead of Tiger. The guy has a two shot lead or three shot lead and shoots 67, or whatever he shot, and still loses. So at the end of the day, no lead is enough. You just have to keep playing one shot at a time. Brian Palmer shot 62 in the last round to win. So you never know what's going to happen, basically. So just keep pushing forward and hit the right shots.

Q. How about in terms of coming out in the morning and having a little bit of a break?

JUSTIN ROSE: I guess I'll be teeing off at 1:00 after that, so yes, it's certainly not ideal. There's not quite enough time to drive thirty minutes all the way back home. I haven't quite assessed my plan really tomorrow. But yes, it's certainly not ideal, but those are the kinds of things you have to deal with. It's all part of the game.

Q. Can you, for us layman hacks, describe for us what it's like to be playing the way you're playing for the last 34 and three quarter holes?

JUSTIN ROSE: Very enjoyable.

Q. It's 10 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet, 8 feet, 12 feet.

JUSTIN ROSE: Obviously, it's trusting your swing and staying if your swing is good, you obviously have to keep focused, keep choosing the right club, pick the specific targets. That's really the focus you're trying to keep up and maintain that. And that's I think what I did very well. And I obviously, you know, kept in the moment, as well, so obviously kept making birdies today. And obviously I had a little slow patch coming in, but it was just tough really. It was getting dark. I found it a little bit difficult. So I'm looking forward to tomorrow, a fresh start, and looking forward to getting back out there and enjoying the golf and trying to create as many birdie chances as I can.

Q. The tee shots on No. 4, were those your worst shots of the tournament so far? It's your only bogey.

JUSTIN ROSE: It was only really one shot. I just missed the fairway right. But I was patient, I could have tried to hit 5 wood out of that rough and bring all the trouble into play, but I hit an 8 iron down the fairway and left myself 77 yards. The pin was tight to the back edge and I probably got too aggressive at that point. I was feeling good and making birdies and possibly got a little too aggressive on that one. It took once bounce and went in the back trap. Actually, I had absolutely no sand under the ball. It was one of those shots, you hit it, the club bounces.

But yes, I could well have just hit the sand wedge 10 feet short of the hole. But I just kept seeing the flag. So sometimes it happens. The key really for me is I missed the green on the next hole, as well, and made a good little chip and putt to keep the momentum going.

Q. I've heard some players say no matter how well they're playing or how bad they're playing, they try to delay whatever emotional response they have until after the round. Are you having fun or do you have blinders on and focusing on the next shot? Is it enjoyable while you're doing it or only upon reflection?

JUSTIN ROSE: That focused calm, relaxed state where you're hitting good golf shots, you're not out there, ha ha, having a great time, slapping your caddie on the back saying, "This is great." The enjoyable thing as a pro golfer is being in that focused zone. Because it doesn't come around every day or every week, so that's really the enjoyable state to play golf in, where your emotions are in check and you're playing well.

Q. Saving that back slap for Sunday?

JUSTIN ROSE: Hopefully, yes.

Q. Did you ever come close, wire to wire, in any of your international victories?

JUSTIN ROSE: I won wire to wire in Japan and ended up winning by 5 there.

Q. So it's been done?

JUSTIN ROSE: It's been done.

Q. What was that like, being the marked man all week? What's your recollection of that, having the target on your back and all those cliches? No problems?

JUSTIN ROSE: It hasn't happened frequently enough since to really remember or know. I'm actually comfortable with it right now. Obviously it's much easier to be comfortable with it on Friday than maybe Sunday. Really I'm just trying to stay one shot at a time this week. I can't say it enough and I'm not boring you by saying it, but that's really what I'm trying to do.

End of FastScripts.

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