Tiger Discusses Victory | Cybergolf News

Q. So British or -

TIGER WOODS: To be honest with you, I really don't know.

Q. I hate to be provincial, Tiger, but you have a tournament in Washington that's yours. Do you anticipate you will try to get back and play in that event?

TIGER WOODS: As I said, I don't know. I pushed it pretty hard this week and I just want to enjoy it and we're going to reevaluate after this event and see what happens.

Q. On 18, the last hole, you looked over at Stevie for a read. You don't look at him a lot for reads, particularly out here. Just talk about that and just asking him.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, because I didn't see a thing. I didn't see any break at all. I asked Stevie to take a look, because I couldn't find anything. He read it and says, I can't see anything, either, it's dead straight. Okay, here we go, our tournament relies on a dead straight putt for four feet. I gave it some extra gas on the putt, to make sure that -- you only have half a cup to play with when you're playing dead straight. So I gave it a little bit of speed.

Q. Not to really compare the two, but you now have almost more of an appreciation of what Hogan went through in 1950?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I was not in as bad of shape as Ben was. Geez, he was in the hospital and he didn't know if he was ever going to walk again. I knew I could walk, it's just going to be a little bit on the slow side. But I was just trying to get through this week. Everyone plays with nick knack injuries, and here, there, whatever it is, and Roc's done it pretty much his entire career with his bad back. Guys have that, you have injuries. And you play through it and suck it up and get it done.

Q. Can you tell us about 14 and 15, 14, Rocco was wondering if you went to the 3-wood or 5-wood?

TIGER WOODS: I had a 3-wood on that one.

Q. And also 15, playing out of the bunker over there and the putt he made, obviously?

TIGER WOODS: On 14 it was -- the tees were back and I had a little bit more into the wind today so I could hit the 3-wood, put a slow peel cut over there. I had an easy pitch, but the lie was a little funky. It was good where my ball was, but it had a tuft of grass under it. I thought if I came in steep enough, it would be an easy pitch and I could make it. I caught that tuft of grass and came out soft and I fluffed a little bit. I hit a good putt, just didn't move. So be it. All of a sudden I went from being in control of this tournament to now it's a ballgame. We're all square.

So going to 15, catcher called pitch out, so I hit over there to the right. I had 170 front with a 7-iron. I had to start the ball in the middle of the right bunker and just rope it in there. I hit it so flush, it was like -- it was probably the best shot I hit all week, feeling-wise. And hit it up right behind the hole. When Roc hit his putt I was thinking that's at least 10, 12 feet by, and it rammed in the back, and he was -- you could see him, he was shocked. He said a few things I can't say here, and I hit my putt, and I rolled it four feet by, and said, well, here's the tournament. If I miss this putt the tournament is over. I make this putt I can still win this in regulation. Here we go. Get it done. I made the putt. Thought I made the one at 16. Then came down to 18, Roc gave me a chance. He pulled his tee shot just a touch. And I felt that -- it looked like 4 was probably going to get me in extra holes and it ended up being that was the case.

Q. What was your yardage in 18?

TIGER WOODS: 200 carry the water and 217 to the hole and I hit a 4.

Q. For three straight days now you got on the 18th tee box behind. Do you look at those situations as like pressure or opportunity? How do you prepare yourself when you're in that spot time after time after time?

TIGER WOODS: Well, it's pressure, there's no doubt. I was nervous and that's a good thing. That means you care. You can try and use that energy as best you can to heighten your focus and then get into the right situation and it worked out great for me this week.

Q. There's been plenty of athletes, golfers included, that over time when they don't win they pointed to other things that caused them not to win, other factors working against them. You didn't do that this week, you refused to answer questions specifically about your knee. I wonder what your thoughts are when you hear other athletes point to other things when they don't come out victorious, and also if this is No. 1, Masters is No. 2, what's No. 3?

TIGER WOODS: Probably the Open in 2000 for No. 3. As I said earlier, all athletes deal with injuries and that's just part of playing sports. Sports isn't usually kind to the body. Weird things happen and that's just the way it is. But it's about dealing with it and getting it up there and giving it your best, and see what happens. And there's never any excuses, you just go play. And that's the beauty of it is getting out there and enjoying the opportunity to compete, whether you're a hundred percent or not, it doesn't matter, you're out there in that environment, so let's go.

Q. You have so much success here in San Diego, what is it that you like and you succeed at so well here at Torrey Pines that has allowed you to continually succeed at what you do?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I don't know. Maybe it's because I jumped right on the road, I used to come down here as a junior golfer and play. I'm only an hour down the road. This is the first regulation 18 holes I've played in San Diego was here, I was about 10. Golf course was a lot longer to me then. When I first came out here I played Presidio Hills in the Junior World there for the ten and unders. And my dad treated me, he said, okay, you're 10, now you're a big boy, you can play a real golf course. He said where do you want to play? I said Torrey Pines South. Everything was a driver, 3-wood, 3-wood, 3-wood. About like I was this week, actually (laughter). But it's always felt comfortable, even after the redesign in '01, I still felt comfortable with all the lines here. It just happened to work out. I've won here as a junior golfer and as a professional and now the ultimate in the U.S. Open.

Q. In your interview with Bob Costas you said something to the effect of, because of the crowds here, that you couldn't have quit on these people if you wanted to. Does that mean that the thought at any point actually entered your mind, because of the problems with your knee. And now that this is over, can you give us some indication as to what you had to do in terms of preparation to get your knee ready to play?

TIGER WOODS: I wasn't going to bag it. I think everyone knows me well enough that -- it's not in my nature, I don't know how to do that. It helped to have that energy from all the fans, because there were times when it stung quite a bit. I had a couple of zingers out there. But it's nice to have that energy out there, and you're trying to feed off it somehow. And whether -- you always try to use everything to your advantage, anyways, trying to be a rationalist, it's part of playing our sport. I try to do as best I could. It's been sore every day. It's been sore for a while. I just deal with it.

Q. Given the uncertainty coming into this week, how significant, how reassuring was it coming to a course you know so well versus one you just played a couple of times in practice?

TIGER WOODS: That helps. It helps a lot, because I didn't have to grind on my practice rounds. I just had to try to get accustomed to the pace of the greens, and that was about it. I played nine holes three straight days, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I already knew this golf course. And it was just a matter of getting the pace of the greens, and that was about it. It helped a lot, it really did.

Q. Can you talk about being only four behind Jack now and getting the opportunity to check another one off your list three years in advance of him. And also, any concerns at all, being an athlete, on the long-term ramifications of the knee thing?

TIGER WOODS: Well, only being four back, it's hard to believe I'm in this situation, you know? It's hard to believe I've had this nice a run in my career. And hopefully it will continue. I'm going to keep practicing, keep trying to grind and get better. As far as future ramifications, I'm not really good at listening to doctor's orders too well. So I end up -- hey, I won this week, so it is what it is.

Q. Did they tell you, though, that you could further injure it, Tiger, if you played?

TIGER WOODS: (Nods head affirmatively.)

Q. Yes?

TIGER WOODS: (Nods head affirmatively.)

Q. Did you?

TIGER WOODS: Maybe.

Q. This marks the 500th week you've held the No. 1 ranking in the world, can you comment on that?

TIGER WOODS: Is it really?

Q. Happy anniversary.

TIGER WOODS: Thanks. I guess that's not too bad, either. It's been consistent. Being ranked No. 1 you have to win golf tournaments. Over the course of my career I've done that. There's been a couple of years where I only won one tournament, but otherwise I've had some good years in there.

Q. Congratulations.

TIGER WOODS: Thanks, man.

Q. The greatest tournament I ever had, I heard you say that out there.

TIGER WOODS: Yeah. All things considered, yeah. I don't know how it even got this far, but I'm very, very fortunate to have played 91 holes and then come out on top.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: It's unreal. I understand why my dad was so emotional in 2002 when I won and I brought it back to him. I understand now, now that I am a father, how he felt to have my daughter there and to have Elin there, it means so much more when you do it. Obviously it's not Father's Day, but close enough. Q. For a guy who's been through as much as you had did you even learn something about yourself this week?

TIGER WOODS: Well, just keep going forward. I dealt with a few things this week and just had to keep plugging along, wasn't feeling my best. Didn't get off to the greatest of starts. Today finally got off to a good start. But I screwed that up. I buried it in the bunker on 3 there. So it's just one of those things where it all week I just happened to get off to just such slow starts and just had to keep battling back, battle back, battle back, and today was another example of that.

Q. Learn anything about Rocco?

TIGER WOODS: I already knew that about Rocco. He's not only one of the nicest guys, but people don't realize how much of a competitor he is.

TIGER WOODS: He's finally healthy. And when Rocco's healthy, he's a hell of a player. Just he hasn't been healthy in years. So now he's finally able to swing the way he can swing and then look at the results. This is what he can do when he's healthy.

Q. There was a difference with your knee today than yesterday clearly all day. How did it feel and was there a difference? As far as you're concerned?

TIGER WOODS: No, not really. No.

Q. Really, no difference?

TIGER WOODS: No.

Q. The British Open, are you -- you said you're going to take some time off?

TIGER WOODS: I'll take a little time off.

Q. Is that your next one?

TIGER WOODS: I hope so.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: I missed that putt there at 14, I felt like I was still in control of the tournament until I missed that putt. Then all of a sudden, okay, here we go. Now it's a ball game, now we're all tied up. Then he hit that putt there at 15 and if it doesn't hit the hole it's like 10, 12 feet by. But he hit it dead center and it went in. I missed mine on the top side and it was going a lot slower and it still went four feet by and I was like, oh, here we go. If I miss this putt, the tournament's over. I made that putt, thought I made the next one at 16, it's like, oh, geez, here we go. I need something, I need to birdie the last two holes. And it came down to 18, Roc made a mistake, didn't put the ball in the fairway, didn't give himself a chance to go for it in two. I did, and I figured that at least put myself in position where if I had to make a long one, at least I was in position to make one.

I wasn't going after that pin, but at least give myself a chance to, if I had to make a putt, if he stuffed it in there, at least I had a chance. And I played a little conservative on my second shot. And then Roc hit it over there about 18 feet and when he did that I knew four was probably going to get me into a playoff. Sorry, playoff, playoff. So that ended up being what happened and we ended up going down 7.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: You keep playing. Whatever it is. I was, I felt that if we would have gone yesterday I was probably in better shape to go yesterday than today. Just because I had all the momentum. I just made that huge putt. And Roc, I think he admitted he was a little bit deflated. If it would have gone to a playoff right there, then I would have had the advantage. But today it's all square. Here we go. So I just, again, it basically it's what we dealt with at the old Dunhill Cup back at St. Andrews, it's stroke match. And go ahead and just try and beat that one guy.

Q. Where does this -- the atmosphere and on a Monday?

TIGER WOODS: Unreal. Unbelievable, really. It's hard to believe that the atmosphere today was almost as loud as it was yesterday. And this is on a Monday. So for everyone to come out and support this event and to show this type of enthusiasm we as players thank them because this is what makes the event is to have that kind of atmosphere.

Q. Torrey Pines has always been special to you, is it more special now? How much does that grow in your heart?

TIGER WOODS: It does. I always loved playing down here ever since I played as a junior. And now that I come back here and to play as a professional and then now a Major Championship on top of that, and to have won, it's an unbelievable feeling, really.

Q. What do you say to the kids out here?

TIGER WOODS: Just, well, hopefully their summer break started the right way. Thank you for coming out and supporting us and I hope they learned a lot and I hope they come out again.

Q. Where does this trophy rank with the other 13 Majors, Tiger?

TIGER WOODS: I think this is the best. Just because of all of the things I had to deal with. This is probably, it's a close one to the first one I won. But with all the things considered this week, yeah.

Q. First major, first U.S. Open?

TIGER WOODS: First Major. Yeah.

Q. (Inaudible.)

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it seemed like all week I was in that position to try and get myself a chance. And all of a sudden here I'm the guy waiting to see what would happen. But this time I was in the driver's seat, because if he misses it's over. And instead of that being a birdie putt and if he makes it, it's over for me. I hit that putt, my putt I thought I hit it perfect. I thought I pured it in and just probably two revolutions short. And I felt Roc was going to make that putt. He's putted well all day, he's had good speed and that green's a little more crusty and it just stayed on the high side.

Q. What about the way Rocco handled the pressure today. He said he knew he could play good golf, but this is a whole different deal.

TIGER WOODS: Rocco is, he was just, he was loose all day. He was out there talking, and having a great time enjoying the atmosphere and then -- he reminds me a lot of Trevino how he plays. Just talking and enjoying it and smiling and having a great time with it. But when it comes down to it, when it's time to hit the shot, he goes into his own little world. People don't realize that. After he does hit the shot he comes out and goes, blah, blah, blah, having a good time. But right before each shot he gets into his own little zone. And it's pretty cool to see.

Q. Did you miss that thing the last six years?

TIGER WOODS: I've come close. I've come awfully close and it's finally nice to get it again.

Q. Tiger, congratulations. Have you ever experienced a Major Championship with this kind of ups and downs, so volatile?

TIGER WOODS: No. It was unbelievable. The whole week, the golf course was set up so fair, but also so difficult. Everyone who's come out this week has been absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is incredible. I mean the fans here what they were -- they made the tournament. And then today it was just unreal. Honestly. That it just he ebbing and flowing. Roc looked like he was in control, I thought I was in control then he was back in control again. And it was back and forth, back and forth. And 90 holes wasn't enough. We had to go one more.

Q. Walking away from 10 today up by 3, nothing's a sure thing, but you must have felt pretty confident and that three shot lead evaporated quickly?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, it did. Three shots on this golf course isn't much. I was playing a little military golf there, you know, left and right, so I was kind of slapping it around and just trying to get the ball on the green. I was putting so well, I thought just get the ball on the green somehow and I just had to struggle doing it. But Roc just made three birdies right there in a row. And that hat trick was the one, one of the more impressive runs that you can ever have on this golf course.

Q. Throughout the weekend how much was the knee bothering you and how much of a factor was it in this championship?

TIGER WOODS: I'm glad I'm done. I'm done. I really don't feel like playing any more. It's a bit sore. And I -- all I can say is the atmosphere is what kept me going. The tournament, being a Major Championship here at Torrey Pines, all the people, it could have very easily, I couldn't ever quit in front of these people. It wasn't going to happen.

Q. There have been not just so many victories but so many extraordinary moments, kind of indelible moments and there were several this weekend. What stands out in your mind?

TIGER WOODS: Oh, God, you know, what did I make three doubles? Four doubles this week? Made three eagles. Four doubles. Perfect. Even better. (Laughter.) It just was an unbelievable week. It was up-and-down, up-and-down all week and for 91 holes, through all that, finished 1-under par.

Q. When do you plan to play again?

TIGER WOODS: Not for awhile. Not for awhile. I'm going to shut it down for a little bit here and see what happens.

Q. Two more quick things. A final thought about Tiger Woods. A lot of guys have made a run at you, this was one of the gutsy yes, sir runs?

TIGER WOODS: Yeah, there's no doubt. I mean, Roc everyone knows Roc. He's -- he's a great guy. Roc has been just unbelievably nice to me and a great friend to me over the years since my first year out here on Tour. And to have him out here, and don't forget, Roc's in bad shape last year, his back was really bothering him and for him to be out here again at 45 and playing this well, I can't wait five more years now, and then he's off our Tour. And I think he's playing like this, if he keeps playing like this -- but, no, honestly, it was an unbelievable gutsy performance. He played so well, he put so much pressure on me all day today. And he played well all week. It was just a -- it was a great battle all day and also a great friendship too.

Q. Last thing, the U.S. Open traditionally ends on Father's Day and in this case a day later, but this is the first U.S. Open you've experienced as a father. Your daughter Sam was born just shortly after last year's U.S. Open. She is here. How much of this she will remember firsthand we can't say, she's just a few days shy of her first birthday. But it has to matter that she was here?

TIGER WOODS: There's no doubt. This is -- I remember here at Torrey Pines during the Buick was the first time she ever crawled. And now she's running around here. So it means everything. It really does. To have -- I lost my dad a couple years ago, and I know how special it was for him in 2002 for me to bring this home and talk to him about it and share it with him. I can't do that any more, but now I'm a father, I'm on the other side now. So this couldn't have been -- it's probably the greatest tournament I've ever had.

The transcripts for the above interviews are courtesy of ASAP Sports.