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Quotes from Sunday's
play Paul
Lawrie (67): ``I'm going to cry, I can't believe it. I didn't think I'd make
the play-off. This is incredible. I don't know how I kept my cool for the four
extra holes. I took it one at a time. Winning in front of a Scottish crowd...
it can't get better. I'm a local boy and all the people who came this week all
clapped me. I want to thank them very much. I'm 30, but I feel my career is just
starting. I feel I can compete with the big guys now. I didn't look like being
here with nine holes to play in the qualifying at Downfield last Monday, but I
was desperate to make it. The way the course is set up that closing 67 is the
best round I've ever played. Four under around here even on a calm day is lovely.
This course was very, very tough bordering on silly, but the guys who whinged
have not done very well. I've won here before and was really looking forward to
the Open." Jean
Van de Velde (77): There are some worse things in life. When I dropped it
in the mire it was terrible. I took my shoes off because at first there was three-quarters
of the ball outside the water, lying on mud. It was pretty firm and I thought
I had a pretty good chance of hitting it on the green. Then the ball was sinking
and it was saying: 'Hey, you madman, not today. It was then three inches in the
water and at that moment there was no hope. Justin
Leonard (72): "I basically lost the Open twice in one day which makes
it twice as hard to take. As bad as I'm feeling, Jean feels worse. That's tough
to go through, to have a lead like that and not be able to win. It had to be a
sick feeling for him through the play-off as well. I don't know if there is a
lot you can learn other than he got himself in a position to win the tournament." Craig
Parry (73): "I was really feeling sorry for Jean on the 18th, I could
see him throwing the tournament away. When Jean put it in the burn I said to him
the tide was going out so the ball was going to get closer to the surface. Then
(after I holed my shot) I said 'what about you following me into the hole.'. His
reaction was fine after he didn't do it. He said 'Fine, I went for the glory and
it didn't come off and now I have to pay the price and go out in a play-off.'
I blew it on the 12th I thought. I had the worst possible lie and moved it about
four feet. Then at the 17th I probably lost my concentration, a little bit frustrated
with the mistakes I made and I was pretty angry with myself. My feelings? I think
those are private words. I know what I've done, I've had a few chances. Hopefully
I can do better next year." Colin
Montgomerie (74): "That (a triple bogey at the seventh) stopped me in
my tracks. I thought I was in with a chance up until that point. But I felt I
had to take a gamble. Unfortunately it didn't pay off. It was difficult to keep
going after that but I got pars at the last eight holes, which I am pleased about." Mark
James (78): "I am very disappointed with the way things went but the
course didn't do me any favours." Quotes
from Saturday's play Jean
Van de Velde (70): "Maybe I will blow it, maybe I will win it - but I
aim to enjoy it. If I shoot 90 I will still enjoy it - I will force myself to.
I know better players than me have had a more commanding lead and lost, but I
will try to give the course a hard time. Normally I am an intense guy, but this
is nice - how many times in a lifetime of a golfer is this going to happen, no
matter how good you are? The only thing I have to prove is to myself. If I blow
it, what did you expect? I'm not the number one in the world - not yet! If I do
win it will be a dream come true - it will be a boost for me and a boost for golf
in France. There are only 300,000 golfers in France, so I hope they all go to
Paris and if I win they can dance on the Champs Elysees." Justin
Leonard (71): "I had fun out there today and played well. I'm pleased
to have a chance to win going into Sunday as that was my primary goal at the beginning
of the week. Now I've accomplished that hopefully I can go out and accomplish
something else tomorrow. I imagine my emotions will be a little different tonight
than they were at Troon. Back then I hadn't played well on Saturday and felt I'd
let things slip away a bit. (This time) I'll judge the day, see how things unfold
and if I have a chance play aggressively. Tiger
Woods (74): "I'm seven shots back and there is no way if he stays where
he is I can shoot a number to beat him. You have to rely on him coming back to
you a little bit. But on this course you can make pars and make up shots. I just
have to be more precise to give myself more birdie opportunities. I am making
a lot of putts but they are mainly for pars. Anybody who is 10 over par has got
a good shot at it tomorrow. I have to get off to a good start and play a great
round and post a number because I'll be finished when the leaders have to play
16, 17 and 18." Colin
Montgomerie (72): "I need something very very good and early. I need
to be three under at the turn and then play the back nine well as well. If the
weather is like it was today you could realistically score 67 in the last round
trying to win the Open. If I can do that I'll be five over and I reckon I can
win so that's a serious challenge. I can cope with the pressure, I think I've
proved myself a number of times. If I score 67 it will be the best round of my
life. All I was trying to do yesterday was to deflect the situation away from
the amount of pressure and media attention that goes with winning in Scotland
and my position in Europe and everything." Andrew
Coltart (72): "Being the leading Briton feels all right but there are
18 difficult holes to play tomorrow. The last three holes are notorious and it
is very difficult in a cross wind. You can get into serious trouble."
Mark James (74):
"It's a good job they've not had a dry summer here. The holes down wind are
virtually impossible. It's difficult out there because you are using mid-irons
off the tee on course that is 7,400 yards. I frittered shots away. You need to
keep your short game tight on days like this but mine was too loose. I'm too far
back to make a challenge. I don't think anyone on double figures has a chance.
Monty plays well all the time but also frittered away some shots. However he is
still in with a chance on nine under." Craig
Parry (67)*: "If I had met a train I think I would have run through it.
That round ranks up there with the best I've ever played. I felt about six-foot
tall the way I was playing. I thought someone was going to have a low one this
week and I was hoping it was going to be me." *
Lowest round of the tournament so far Payne
Stewart (74): "It is tough when you have amateur bodies running golf
events and they set up courses their way. I think the USGA have listened to the
players in recent years and made the courses playable. We will have to see how
they (the Royal & Ancient) set St Andrews up. If they do this next year to St
Andrews it's not going to be any fun at all. I don't think they care whether players
come or not. They've got the British Open and that's their championship. People
will show up and they'll give the jug away. It's up to people to get the R & A
to listen. Maybe they will. Maybe they've learned a lesson this week." David
Duval (76): "I thought that if I shot one or two under today and tomorrow
I could still have had a chance. But it is fun to go out there and try. You have
to laugh at the things that go on. I never said I disliked Carnoustie. It is a
fantastic course, it is the way it is set up that is the problem. I would like
to see the Open come back here but maybe not every year. It's never known it blow
as much as this. Normally if you score 12 over you are on the flight home. This
year's championship could be won by maybe nine or 10 over." Willie
Milne (76): (Played as a marker after sudden call on Saturday morning) "The
rules guy told me just to play as if I was in the competition and I was happy
to do that. Mind you I could have had a better score as I finished six, five.
But had I been playing in the Open I would have settled for a 76."
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