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SEVE BALLESTEROS TROPHY

September 25, 2005

Paul Casey

David Howell

Colin Montgomerie

BILLINGHAM, ENGLAND

RODDY WILLIAMS: Colin, perhaps you could start off with a few comments, that's three in a row now.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes, I'm delighted, I was, especially after Thursday to come back the way we did and win the four sessions in a row was fantastic, especially today. I was delighted for everybody, especially the two Welsh boys that they did well to win their games and tremendous for everyone concerned. It was a real team effort.

Again, everyone got at least a point and contributed to a wonderful victory. To win the singles 7 3 is great. The matches were very, very close, they are a lot close than people are making out and we did very well, very well indeed and I'm very, very proud of the team.

It was a nice way to finish with Nick, that game probably deserved to be a halve and at the end of the day, I think Nick agrees, it was the right thing it do to give each other the 10 or 12 feet that was left, and exactly the right way to play the game.

Q. Why is Paul missing?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Well, Paul unfortunately had to leave, he has a flight at 6:30 so has to leave. So I apologize on his behalf.

Q. Your two singles victories, does this show the strength of

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Yes, well, mine was expected.

Q. Shows how impossible it is to predict?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think it shows how competitive it is, definitely. And it just shows that anyone on any day can beat anyone else on both sides, and that's why it's I'm so proud of our team to come to a 7 3 result today. Yeah, it proves how competitive it is, and the strength and depth. There's much more strength and depth in European golf than there ever has been.

Q. Is this the strongest British team we have had for a long time?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think it is. We were saying that Lee Westwood was the only one in the Top 100 in England not long ago and now we have several, and not just Top 100 players, but Top 20 players and Top 30 players. I'm delighted for British golf to think that we had nine on the last Ryder Cup Team, British or Irish, fantastic. And I expect a few on these teams that were not playing at Oakland Hills can look forward to playing at The K Club.

Q: David, were you aware of how sick Thomas was?

DAVID HOWELL: No. I didn't. I was aware he was becoming sicker and sicker as we got through 13 holes.

Q. Your positive bollocking seemed to work -- what did you say?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: No, no, I wasn't happy. We were all unhappy, you know. To be 4 1 down we come together as a team and go, whoa, wait a minute, what happened there. It was a positive meeting and everybody was fired up to go out on Friday. And I said that we had to win the next three series of games, of which they did. And that's all credit to them all because it's tough, very tough.

At one stage in the foursomes, we were down in all four games, you know. I mean, one series, as well. That was a great effort, great effort, yeah. Very easy to let that thing go after 4 1, but they didn't, and all credit to them all.

Q. What did you think of Seve's comments?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Regarding? I'm sorry, I haven't seen Seve's remarks.

Q. He said that he has not been impressed by the modern golfer?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Well, everyone is entitled to an opinion. I was very impressed with my team today and throughout the last five days. That's all I can say about my team. Very, very impressed. I've seen some great golf and some great golf and should some great putts holed and some great clutch putts holed the last few holes there. That's all I can say about my team. I was very, very impressed with them all.

Q. Jose Maria said your team won it on the greens; would you agree?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Well, I don't know. You can answer that one better than me. I think we were out played the first day and I think we out played them from then on. Whether that's on the greens or whether it was putting the ball in the fairway or putting the ball on the greens, I'm not quite sure. But I think we played the better golf for the last three days, and they obviously beat us the first day.

Q. Would you say the outlook for the Ryder Cup is very good next year?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think we'll start as an all team team at The K Club for the first time ever, and whoever is in that 12 has a fantastic opportunity of playing on a Ryder Cup Team that wins the Ryder Cup three times in a row, first ever European Team to do so.

Q. David and Paul - After losing the first match what did you say to each other?.

DAVID HOWELL: Well I said to Paul buck your ideas up you played crap. After that I played crap and he played great.

PAUL CASEY: That sums it up I didn;t play well enough the first day. It was nice to be able to go out after that in the same team and show everybody the golf we can play.

Q. How much of a relief is it to put that dip behind you?

PAUL CASEY: I think my golf is great now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season and the few events we have for the rest of the season. I am looking forward to trying to qualify for the Ryder Cup and getting back into the big events.

Q. David, do you see yourselves as a future Ryder Cup partnership likle McGinley and Harrington?

DAVID HOWELL: He would have to buck his ideas up a bit. I am sure we would both be delighted to if wqe qualified. If it panned out we both got there. We have only played one fourball match and we played together so there is an obvious pairing. We get on well together and form a strong partnership.

Q. What is different about this team?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: I think Thursday brought us closer together possibly, yeah, after Thursday's loss, if you like, to be 4 1 down. I think it brought us all closer together, we're all fighting for that cause, if you like. We're all fighting for that same goal; suddenly, a lot closer together. It's been the closest team that I've been associated with in the last four, I think. I think those who have played on all four would see that, and I certainly see it. I think British and Irish golf has improved in the six years that this tournament has been played, yes, definitely. So yes, this has been the best team, yes.

Q. What have you learned from your captaincy in the Seve Trophy that you think will help you in Ryder Cup?

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: Oh, it's difficult to say what I've learned so quickly afterwards, but there's a number of things. You learn as you go along, you know. I can't really say what I've learned right now. But I will take the mistakes I've made over the years at the Seve Trophy and hopefully when and if I am Ryder Cup Captain, I will use them in a positive way, the mistakes and the good points of one's captaincy and one's leadership, if you like.

But, I mean, I was part of a team here as well, I was playing as well. I was part of a team. The Ryder Cup is very different, when and if it happens, then I certainly won't be playing.

RODDY WILLIAMS: Congratulations.

End of FastScripts.

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