I went over before the British Open and played Valderrama thinking that I might make the team, might be a captain's pick. I made the effort to go over there.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I can say I won a Senior British Open at Turnberry. I think that's the best thing about it, the whole week, was playing this course. It's a challenging, very tough course, under extreme weather. But you know, it's nice to win any event.
I don't envisage I will be captain again, but for two England managers, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello, I was their first choice and I'm proud of that.
In a way, certain sections of the media always wanted to knock me because I had captained my country and been skipper at Old Trafford. It was all a bit odd really.
I play beside one of the unsung heroes in David Vaughan. It's a privilege to play with him: he is breathtaking at times.
Obviously it's my second senior event, and I'm tired obviously coming back from the British Open, from surgery, which was priority No. 1, did that successfully, and each week since the British Open I've felt in pretty good control of my golf game.
I played at the Sainte Maxime Beach Soccer Tournament, which was brilliant fun as usual.
But I did a lot of boxing and I was captain of an Australian surf club.
I never thought I could win the French Open.
When I came down south, I went to one of the early Wigan Challenge Cup victories at Wembley, and I was totally hooked from then.
I was in the main draw from the start, my opening match was on Court One against Jan Eric Lundquist of Sweden who was about eight in the world at the time.