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Two close friends, yeah. They haven't told me they left, but I know they did. I know one guy at home broke his plasma TV throwing something at it. Another friend turned off the TV and didn't know for two-and-a-half hours that I'd won in a playoff. So many people in Ireland have lived my wins and losses — mainly the losses — over the years. I'm proud of the fact that I made more men cry that Sunday than anything else I've ever done.
After he lost, Sergio said, 'I'm playing against a lot of guys out there, more than the field.' What did you think of those churlish comments?
Obviously he was being interviewed too early in terms of his emotions. Whatever he felt in that situation, the professional thing to do is keep your mouth shut and say, "Well done." Whatever he was really thinking, that's the professional way. We probably criticized him for telling what he believed was the truth, for being honest. At the end of the tournament I shook his hand and commiserated, and I've never seen the disappointment as evident on someone's face as it was on his. But as has been proved in those kinds of situations, you really have to try to be incredibly diplomatic. I think he was just too honest about his feelings.
Did you see any of those other mysterious forces he claimed to be battling when you were on the course?
I've only seen the playoff holes. I don't usually read too much about what's said after an event.
You're being diplomatic.
I am being diplomatic.
You said you might not have been competitive again if you'd lost.
Normally when you lose a tournament, it's disappointing until you get on the course again. With a major, it's different. I don't know how many opportunities I'm going to have to win majors. If I had lost the Open I definitely would have walked away wondering, Would I ever get another chance? What if I get another chance and do the same thing? There would have been so many doubts the next time. If my tee shot had bounced across the bridge, that would have been the worst thing that could have happened to me, because I'd be known as a lucky guy for winning the Open. It going into the water and then having to win in a playoff, I've proved myself, and I can hold my head up. I've always been happy to put my neck out there. It's been chopped off many a time. But [losing] would have been so painful that I would have questioned whether I would have wanted to be back out there again.
You finished 18 feeling miserable, but you broke into a smile when your son Patrick ran onto the green.
I look up, and it's the first time I've seen the scoreboard. I've lost the Open. I'm embarrassed. I've messed up. I'm really starting to get into a serious downward spiral. I turn around and see my son running onto the green like I'm the champion. I open up my arms, and I became absolutely oblivious to losing the Open. I'm happy, waving to the crowd, like everything went away. From then until the playoff I did not have one moment of "I've just lost the Open championship."
You must have felt you'd dodged a bullet when Sergio's putt lipped out on 18.
When his putt lipped out, both my caddie and I stood up and headed for the door. It was just "Let's go and do it." I watched the playoff the following week, and I was actually nervous watching it. Every time Sergio's putt misses, I take a deep breath. Because I never let myself get down, I came out strong in the playoff, whereas Sergio was obviously disappointed after his bogey at the last.
Is it true that Sergio was crowding you on the first tee in the playoff, and you asked him to move?
I think that was on 18.
What happened?
Where did you hear this?
The grapevine.
Ah, the grapevine... Well, on 18 I re-teed my ball, so I moved over to where the players were standing. [Pauses] I don't know if I should be going into this. I moved it closer to Sergio. So I just said, "Can I have a bit of room, please?" It was a general statement because I didn't want to be particular to anyone. I just got the response of "Take your time." It didn't bother me. I'm just very finicky about that. I've had to ask far bigger stars to move. I asked Seve. I've asked Tiger. In fairness he had nowhere else to stand. I moved toward him. He didn't move toward me.
Finish this sentence: 'If there's one thing I know for sure it's...'
In life? [Long pause].
Well, I think your outlook tends to determine the outcome. In golf there's a fine line between the twin imposters of success and failure. Look at the Open. If Sergio's putt had gone in. we'd be having a very different conversation, and that [wasn't] in my control. There's only a short distance between a pat on the back and a kick up the backside. When I was out celebrating the Open and enjoying my success, I was very aware of how close it was to the ultimate failure. I won plenty of tournaments and was in my hotel room at 10 p.m. waiting for the next week. That doesn't happen now. If I win, I enjoy it. I know it doesn't happen often. I've had some great nights in the last year.
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