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Team UK

European Tour: Tom Lewis Speaks on Valiant Final Round Effort at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Tom Lewis of England plays a shot during the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai on January 26, 2020. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

European Tour professional Tom Lewis speaks with the media following a final round 74 which led to a third place finish at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

European Tour: Tom Lewis addresses the media after coming up just short at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Given everything down the stretch, a brave put at 16 to keep the dream alive but you’ve come up short. Reflect on the day?
TOM LEWIS: It was always going to be a difficult day. Found the wind was down out of the left, a lot of time I was struggling with that wind, and I think around here you can’t miss greens. Around here, it’s going to be difficult. The greens look so fast and I think when that rain came in, it slowed it up and I think that’s why you see a lot of my putts came up short coming in.

It’s a shame, but I gave it a go and when I holed that one on 16, I thought, here we go, might get a couple of birdies, but just didn’t happen.

Q. Obviously the 68 shot by Christian and Lucas, tremendous scores. Put them into context for us, because they played in the worst of the weather?
TOM LEWIS: Yeah, I don’t see that out there. I thought anything around par, maybe 1-under, would be an amazing score. To be able to shoot 3- or 4-under par around here today, it’s hard to see, but I think Lucas has had a good night the night before, so I might have a word with him to see what he’s doing.

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Q. Tied for third position takes you around 50th in the world. Will depend on results in America tonight, but certainly you’re closer to the dream of playing potentially in the Masters in April. Is that a particular goal?
TOM LEWIS: Top-50?

Q. You’ll be around Top-50?
TOM LEWIS: Well, that holds me up a little bit. I don’t know. I really don’t know how the World Rankings work. I just know that it would be lovely to go to the Masters. To keep missing out on that every year, especially with the start of the career I’ve had, I’ve never been there, and hopefully I can keep playing well, play well next week and see what happens over in America, try to get into some events, maybe they will let me play a few, and maybe I can get in the Masters.

January 26, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team UK

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood Speaks on Huge Bounce Back Second Round at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 24: Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his third shot on the third hole during Day Two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood speaks with the media following round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in which he shot a score of 65 to rebound from his first round 75 to make it inside the cutline.

European Tour: Tommy Fleetwood speaks with the media following round two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. 75 yesterday, 65 today. Just tell us about that from your point of view. 10 shots in one day.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it’s a good change. Yesterday was disappointing, I actually felt like I played okay, I had a real shocker on the greens. At the end of the day those bad days have to get better. But the positive is we practiced for a bit yesterday, I came out this morning, practiced my putting again, felt like I had a better idea of what I was doing. And that just — it doesn’t always work out like that, but just lucky that the bit of work that I did put in paid off today. Really felt like I, at times, I didn’t need hit it that great, but at times I did hit it really well today, and I just made putts, made up-and-downs and that makes a big big difference when you’re playing golf.

Q. Putting itself obviously improved significantly. Once you were out there and you sort of got your self through the cut line in terms of, I’m probably safe now, is it then about narrowing the gap to the top and does that change your mindset?
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I think you never really want to think about the cut, but obviously when you start off at 3-over the first priority is to make sure that you made the cut and play for the weekend. I think that’s, I mean that is the first priority every time you peg it up week-to-week as professional golfers is to make cuts and make money. So, yeah, like that, first and foremost is try and get your self in the cut line. I feel like I navigated the front nine really well and the course has played so much harder this so you can’t take anything for granted, but I felt like once I got through the front nine, the back nine with three par-5s, feels like there was more chances on the back nine. So I felt very comfortable walking to the 10th tee. And just — but at no point was it trying get your self up the leaderboard, try and make the cut, it was just about doing my best, really. I’m not going to go through all the process stuff, but it was all that and at the end of the day it was a very, very good day and I was just happy that I got some momentum building. And like you say, not out of it yet.

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Q. There was some attention obviously because you’ve got this record cut run going, people are discussing it saying 2018 43 tournaments, now makes 44. Even you must be impressed with that, it’s pretty darn good stuff.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, it’s something that I’m very proud of. I think that — I said before, I would like some more wins possibly as well, but to play week-in week-out and there’s always, it’s so easy to I think make excuses that, I wasn’t putting well this week or, like yesterday, I could have easily said, I’m putting terrible this week, just put it down to that and let’s get on with next week. And yeah, to have played that consistently over that course of time is something that I’m proud of and I think it shows a lot about how I go about things, about the people that I work with and the preparation that we put in, because I’m not going to have played well all those weeks and the standard of golf’s getting higher and higher, so something I’m very proud of, I’m sure it’s going to come to an end at some point, but for now just happy that I’m still here for the weekend.

January 24,2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team Ireland

European Tour: Padraig Harrington Speaks on Long Absence From Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 24: Padraig Harrington of Ireland plays his second shot on the sixteenth hole during Day Two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European tour professional and major championship Padraig Harrington speaks with the media following round 1 of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

European Tour: Padraig Harrington speaks to the media following opening round of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Just how good is 71, 1-under par, feel in those conditions?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah I’m happy because I finished strong. I 4-putted second hole today, my 11th, so at that stage, I had thrown away a few shots. I did the same at the par 5, 13th. I took four shots from nowhere. I was feeling bad. But it really got windy on that last nine holes and I made a couple of really good up-and-downs. I’m pleased with the finish.

Q. Give us your opinion on the way the golf course is playing. Some players are coming in saying it’s too firm to be this narrow and you can’t get it on the fairway.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Well, I’m happy with my driving. It is tough to hit the fairways. But it’s not playing long with the heat.

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If you want to sort all the professional golfers out, just give us firm greens. The chip on the last hole, probably had 40 feet of green and all I’m worried about is chipping it in the water on the far side. Firm greens really sort us out and we find it difficult. If you do miss the fairways, coming into firm greens, it’s very difficult. Firm, fast greens, I could see guys, if you get on the wrong side of things today, you would be moaning. If you’re on the right side, you’d think this is the way golf should be.

Q. You’ve played this championship seven times before but not since 2004. Is it Ryder Cup Captaincy that’s brought you back?
PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I’d normally play farmers in the States at this time of the year, but I want to be around the European players. And these are the big events on The European Tour; they always have been in the Middle East. As Ryder Cup Captain, I felt I should come.

I’m delighted to be here, as well. I think they are important events, but they are also some of our best events in Europe; the quality of the golf courses and the conditions, they are good events to play in for sure.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team USA

European Tour: Bryson DeChambeau Recaps Difficult Opening Round at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 23: Bryson Dechambeau of United States plays his second shot on the seventeenth hole during Day One of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 23, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour professional and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau speaks to the media following an opening round 71 at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic. DeChambeau speaks on the differences between the previous edition of the tournament and this year’s tournament.

European Tour: Bryson DeChambeau talks with media following the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. You just closed out a round of 70 with the only birdie of the day on the difficult ninth. Give us an assessment of your play today?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It was great, actually. Iron play was great out of the rough and the fairway, and my wedge game around the greens was impeccable. Stuff I’m doing there is awesome. I’m putting still really well. I feel like I’m rolling it on my line except one putt on 6 today. Other than that, it was pretty much smooth sailing and still working on the driver. That’s a work-in-progress, but it will be a work-in-progress until I get the right stuff in my hands.

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Q. It’s a very difficult golf course, one you shot 21 under par last year. Give us your assessment of the way it’s set up?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: It’s playing at least four shots harder a day if it was to stay like this, no doubt. The fairways are tightened up. It’s almost impossible to hit the fairway on 18. I hit hybrid and it’s got 45 spin on that and it was a little downwind and landed middle of the fairway and rolled all the way into the rough. It’s a very, very good test of golf and you have to make sure your wedge game is on and your iron play is on.

Q. Second shot on the 15th, out of the deep rough, describe that one?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I didn’t hit that great of a drive. I hit it off the heel, kind of floated with the wind and it went pretty far still, and I had a 9-iron in my hand, a little downhill slope. Was able to munch it out of there, all that thick grass. We were trying to land it about ten yards short, which I did beautifully.

It came out perfectly. We calculated for the rough density, we played about like ten percent on that shot just based on the way it looked and that number worked out really well and rolled up really close.

Q. The tee shot on 2 where you landed it on the green on the short par 4, is that evidence of the new power and strength you possess?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, the shot I hit even 5, it was off line but it was still so far up I had a wedge in my hand.

6 I hit 350 into the first cut. Caught a jumper on that one. I hit it really far. Now it’s just about controlling it and if I can control it, it’s going to be a scary combo.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team USA

European Tour: David Lipsky Talks Difficult Setup and Equipment Change at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 24: David Lipsky of United States plays his second shot on the ninth hole during Day Two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

European Tour professional David Lipsky speaks to the media following his opening round 68 at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic about the difficult conditions and his recent change of equipment.

European Tour: David Lipsky speaks to the media following the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Wonderful opening round of 68 in difficult conditions. What did you do well today?
DAVID LIPSKY: I hit a lot of fairways and greens, and out here with the way the rough is, and how firm the greens are, you’ve got hit fairways to attack pins. Greens are so firm that coming into the greens from the rough is really tough.

Q. What about the mind-set teeing off when you know it’s going to be difficult because the course setup is obviously difficult and then the wind got up?
DAVID LIPSKY: I was fortunate. I was first off so the wind died down my first six, seven holes. Took advantage of those. But the rest of the round was a grind. Just trying to plot my way around the course and give myself as many putts as I could for birdie.

Q. What is the most difficult part of the challenge out there?
DAVID LIPSKY: Definitely the wind. With how tight the fairways are and how they are always at angles, finding the fairways is tough out here and that’s key.

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Q. New equipment, tell us about that.
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, switched pretty much everything. No club contract. I can use whatever I want. So I like the freedom, and it’s ended up working out for me.

Q. How about the testing? How did you decide what suits you?
DAVID LIPSKY: I had a manufacture send me a bunch out to my home in the US, and I was practicing and playing with everything for the last month and a half.

Q. Must have felt a couple shots better than that, the way the course is playing at the moment?
DAVID LIPSKY: It’s hard to get close to these pins and I just tried to give myself as many birdie putts as possible today, easy two-putts for par, very stress-free.

Q. New season, new year, and you have change in the bag. How much comfort do you take from not being tied down? I know Sergio is going through a similar scenario and we’ve seen Brooks go that way. Are you getting overwhelmed with a lot of options?
DAVID LIPSKY: A little bit. I just use what I like and how it performs. That really helps give me confidence, so I don’t need to try to fit into any one particular manufacturer. I can just use what I’d like, and it puts my mind at ease out there.

Q. Starting on the 10th today, looks like the back nine might be playing a little bit easier, but the birdie at 12 was probably one of the ones you’re most proud of, I think in the top 5 last year, not a single player birdied that hole all week.
DAVID LIPSKY: I made like a 30-, 40-footer there. That pin is tucked really close to the left downwind, it’s like almost impossible to hit close. You’ve just got to give yourself an opportunity like I did and just hope you make the putt.

Q. Do you have your eyes on any targets, goals this year? We know last season wasn’t where we’ve seen you play before. What do you really want to get to this year?
DAVID LIPSKY: I just want to put myself in contention more often, a little bit more consistency to my game. I worked really hard in the off-season with my swing coach and I’m seeing it play dividends right now.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team South Africa

European Tour: Louis Oosthuizen Talks Long History at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 23: Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa plays his shot from the sixteenth tee during Day One of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 23, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour and major champion Louis Oosthuizen speaks to the media following a first round score of -1 under par at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Oosthuizen has a long history at the event, participating yearly since 2004.

European Tour: Louis Oosthuizen speaks to the media following round one of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. 71, 1-under. What pleased you most about your play?
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Yeah, it was solid. Just one hole I messed up with hit are four or five bad shots on the par 5. Just made double-bogey out of nowhere, really and missed a few fairways on the front nine, and it’s brutal. You can’t miss fairways around this golf course the way it’s set up. You know, the greens are getting really crispy. I think the boys this afternoon are going to have a tough time on the greens.

Q. You’ve been coming here since 2004. Ever known it to play this difficult?
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: No. This is by far the toughest I’ve ever seen it. The fairways are tight. The rough is close to U.S. Open standards, and the greens is rock hard and really crispy. I would think they would water it tonight.

Q. Five top-six finishes for you in your last six starts, either side of Christmas. What’s clicked in your game?
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN: Just a lot of things that I’ve been working on is sort of coming together, and rolling it nicely. Making a few putts here and there. Just need to keep on doing what I’m doing.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team UK

European Tour: Eddie Pepperell Talks Opening Round 69 at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 23: Eddie Pepperell of England plays his third shot on the sixteenth hole from a bunker during Day One of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 23, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

European Tour professional Eddie Pepperell speaks to the media following the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic about early week hole in one, changes in putter stroke and other changes

European Tour: Eddie Pepperell speaks with media following round one of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. An opening round of 69, 3-under par. Sum it up for us?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: That was good. It was the toughest I’ve ever seen this course play, and I watched the coverage earlier on. I watched you speak to Joost, actually, earlier on, and it’s a difficult day. Rough is very, very thick and greens are firm and fast, and you’ve just got to, frankly, flush it, and if you don’t, you’re in trouble. I did a pretty good job of that after a start. It was a bit ropey to begin with. I wasn’t surprised at that because I made a few changes this week.

Q. One of the changes, going to the claw grip. Tell us about that?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: Yeah, inspired a little from Lee. I must say, I’ve been struggling with the greens. I’ve never been a good putter on Tour, but for me, it’s about not being a terrible putter. My good results tend to come when I’m just not horrific on the greens, especially inside five feet.

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So I was watching the golf last Sunday and I couldn’t believe how comfortable Lee looked on the short putts, especially. I thought, I might as well give this a try. I was very good today inside six, eight feet. So I’m optimistic. Best I’ve putted for a while.

Q. Other changes?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: Last year was a funny year for me. I’ve gone back to doing the drill that I did for a couple of years, and I’ve done probably a couple of thousand since Friday in Abu Dhabi, and it’s given me a strong swing feel. When I’ve played well in the past, I’ve had that same swing feel.

I think knowing that and the putter today was good for me, considering I’m usually horrific on Thursdays, as well. I hope we get better from here.

Q. It’s been an interesting day to watch that scoreboard, people going up-and-down. How have you found it out there with your opening 69?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: Yeah, I’m really happy with that. It was clear early on it was going to be very, very challenging. It’s the toughest I’ve ever seen this course play by a long way. The rough is brutally thick and the greens are very firm and fast. If you’re not in the fairways, you’ve got probably no chance.

I drove the ball pretty well for the most part and I did a lot of things really well and I holed a lot of nice par putts to begin with and holed out nicely for my birdie coming in. I played a good round of golf today and proud of that, if you know my record on Thursday, but it was I imagine fun to watch. The course has gone from being a 5-under cut to, I suspect, being a couple-over cut.

Q. Beginning of the season, a lot of guys are trying to find momentum and rhythm back and you have some new sticks in the bag, coming through the way you did today, obviously something you’d be very happy with?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: Yeah, listen, really, since I’ve tested with them, I’ve loved them. I think that if I start swing the club well, I think they will be really, really good for me. I have just haven’t been swinging it well. The last couple of events, end of last year have been poor. At least I didn’t run out of balls today.

Q. Congratulations for your hole-in-one early in the week. Unfortunately we didn’t get it on camera, and of course a happy belated birthday to you. These things come in threes. Did you get a chance to celebrate yesterday?
EDDIE PEPPERELL: Yeah, me and my girlfriend had a nice kiss.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Professionals

European Tour: Thomas Pieters Talks Posting 65 in Tough Conditions at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 23: Thomas Pieters of Belgium putting on the 9th green during the first round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 23, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

European Tour professional Thomas Pieters speaks to the media following his opening round of -5 under par at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic about results last week and expectations this week.

European Tour: Thomas Pieters talks with the media following round 1 of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. A terrific round of 5-under par. Let’s talk about the first nine. You started from 10, out in 5-under. Tell us about that, terrific scoring in those conditions?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, it was. My drives and 3-woods weren’t very good today, but somehow I found the greens and if I did hit a fairway, I took advantage of it. Played the par 3s very well. So that means I’m hitting my irons pretty good as I did last week and I just rolled in a few putts, which was nice.

Q. Having gone out in 5-under, you double-bogey the first and bogey the second, obviously frustrating, but how pleased with the way you bounced back, birdies at 5, 6 and 7?
THOMAS PIETERS: It was a lovely putt on 5, about six feet of break on it, and 6 and 7 were good iron shots and good putts from eight, nine feet.

Very happy, and made two pars on eight, always a bonus, as well.

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Q. Played the first time last week in Abu Dhabi and finished 30th. What were your expectations coming into this week?
THOMAS PIETERS: I don’t know, I’ve been working on my putting real hard, and I just hope to see some progress. I saw that today. Hopefully we can keep it up. I know I’m hitting the ball quite nice, and you know, I’m just looking forward to the next three days.

Q. You’ve told me in the past that you like tough golf courses. How tough is that one?
THOMAS PIETERS: That was pretty tough with the rough being that thick, it was definitely a challenge.

Q. A lot of guys having very sporadic scoring, and you seemed to find it easy. What did you find easier today?
THOMAS PIETERS: Well, there’s nothing easy about today, but I found 14 greens, which is always nice in these kind of conditions. Yeah, I thought putting was quite tough because the greens are rock hard. I gave myself plenty of chances and luckily made a few.

Q. Is putting an area of your game you’ve been focused on? How much has that been a focus on you?
THOMAS PIETERS: I’ve been working real hard on it. Obviously the last couple years, I think was because of lack of making putts. My scores didn’t match — the ball swing has been there and the ball-striking, but if you don’t make putts, you can’t score. That’s the last thing that needs to improve and today was progress.

Q. You started the season last week in Abu Dhabi. What were your anticipations going into that week after the big break?
THOMAS PIETERS: It’s always a bit scary starting out. You don’t know what to expect, even though you’ve put the work in; that competitive mind-set sometimes takes awhile to kick in. But today was I think one of my better rounds of the year, really.

Q. We’ve heard so much about the rough and how much tighter the fairways are, and of course the greens are running pretty fast. How much can you tell us it’s changed from years gone by?
THOMAS PIETERS: A lot, actually. Still, there’s some really tough holes. For myself, if I fade the ball, it’s never nice to have 90-degree doglegs to the left, but the rough has been really juicy, I don’t know why. Maybe they don’t want to see the 24-, 25-under winning the golf tournament.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Professionals

European Tour: Henrik Stenson Talks Difficult Conditions at Omega Dubai Desert Classic

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 24: Henrik Stenson of Sweden lines up a putt on the third green during Day Two of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 24, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour professional Henrik Stenson speaks to the media following an opening round of even par at the 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic and about late December victor in terms of confidence building for the rest of the season.

European Tour: Henrick Stenson speaks to the media following opening round of Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Level par 72. Just give us your verdict on that one?
HENRIK STENSON: I think overall, it’s certainly not a bad score out there. It’s one of the tougher mornings in later years we’ve had to play here at Emirates Golf Club. It’s blowing pretty hard, and the course setup is certainly tougher this year. I think Bryson put everyone off last year with 24-under or something. They won’t have that one more time.

So thick rough, firm fairways, breezy conditions. As you know, a lot of doglegs on this golf course and you’re coming in sideways from the fairway. A lot of good shots ended up in the rough and I think a lot of players will play from the rough today.

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Q. How important is the right attitude when the golf course is this difficult and conditions are that testing?
HENRIK STENSON: Yeah, you’ve got to dig deep, no question. Other than a little bit of a mishap here on the third-last hole, I was staying patient. I was doing my things, and grinding it out when I needed to and made a couple of good birdies in between. I just kept on fighting. Pleased with the day’s performance overall.

Q. Your first win in a little while, just before Christmas in December. How valuable in terms of belief and confidence was that victory?
HENRIK STENSON: That was huge. I didn’t really have any great chances or any chances at all to win tournaments last year. To be in the mix and when you’re up against players like Jon and Tiger and Justin Thomas and Gary Woodland, it’s pretty hard to win any tournament, but when you have four or five of those guys right around you, it’s never easy. So I was super happy with that and it was a great way to finish the season and go on a break, and yeah, we still need to pick up some pace. We couldn’t quite start up the year where we left it last year, but still early doors. I’ve got patience; you know that.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

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Team UK

European Tour: Robert Macintyre Speaks With Media About Late Start to 2020 Season

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 22: Robert Macintyre of Scotland in action during the pro-am event prior to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 22, 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

European Tour professional Robert Macintyre speaks with the media ahead of the 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic regarding struggles with injury and his late start to the European Tour Season.

European Tour: Robert Macintyre talks to the media prior to season debut at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

CLARE BODEL: Welcome to Dubai. The season, a slightly delayed start for you. How are you feeling now? Are you looking forward to this week?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I’m feeling good. I’ve had a bit took of rest I think, to say the least. I was hoping it was going to be last week to start, but things happen for a reason and it’s good to get going this week.

CLARE BODEL: You didn’t play this tournament last year during that fantastic rookie season, but what have you made of it so far? How is the course looking?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It’s an absolute brutal test. You’ve got to keep the ball in the fairway. If you don’t, you’ll probably be home early.

It’s a pretty fair test. If you drive it well, if you play well, you score well. I see that like any golf course, but this week there’s a premium on driving the golf ball, and that’s hopefully where my game’s at.

Q. How is it this morning, and how is the wrist, the hand, and the 18 holes today?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, it was good. I just needed more time. I felt last week my speed was down, hitting bad shots I wouldn’t normally hit, and this week, I’m hitting some — I feel my speed’s back. Like even the week when I was trying to prepare for Abu Dhabi, I was sluggish. Whereas this week, I feel like the speed’s back, and if I’ve got the speed back, I’m using my driving to my advantage.

Q. I saw that when you hit that drive on 18. Did that convince you everything was good to go this week, 325 yards?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: That was one of the good ones. But no, my big test was hitting shots that were hurting me. I had done that on Tuesday, Monday night, Tuesday morning. Hit the shots that were hurting me on the chipping green, and the real test was going to go in the rough. I had to test it. If it hurt, I wasn’t going to play, and I just had to accept it. I just had to go for it. So I went in the deep end, just hit it and if it hurt; but no, it’s been grand.

Q. Were you able to hit it full throttle?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: If I can’t play my — if I can’t compete, I won’t play. There’s no point. I’m not here just to make up the numbers. If I played last week, I was there, I was going to finish close to last. It’s just as simple as that. I couldn’t compete.

Whereas this week, I feel that I can go out there and give it enough go.

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Q. Will you be able to practice as much as you would want to, or will you be taking it slightly easy?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Slightly easier. I just don’t want the same problem. But I’m going to go — after here, I’m going to go out there and get my TrakMan numbers. So back to normal.

Q. Is David still here?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: He’s here. He goes home after this week. We’ll be doing some good work in the last few days.

Q. It’s good to see you again. I know you sound very optimistic, but you had an MRI back in September, and you had an MRI last week. What was the indication from the MRI, and if there’s nothing sort of diagnosed as a problem there, does it still worry you, first time you pick up a club, and there’s pain and you’re on painkillers and have your wrist strapped; does the bigger picture concern you?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: It is in the back of the head. I’ve been taking painkillers since The Open, before the first round of The Open. So the reason I took six weeks off — I could have taken longer and come back and had the same problem.

But I think I done the right thing by not playing. I’m not worried about — if the pain comes back, then we’ve got a problem. We’ve got to go and look into it deeper, and still looking into it deeper, whether it’s technique or whatnot.

But no, I can’t worry about if I go here this week and worry about a sore hand, which could happen, then I’m as well back home in Oban and sit on the couch. I’m just going out there, playing golf full throttles as a normally do and see how we’re going.

Q. You talked about this being a brutal test, and it looks as though your day buy in the event is coinciding with the course being toughened up. Can you talk more about that?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: It’s just there’s a lot of doglegs, not so much with trees, but the fairways kind of — they kink it where the driver is landing. I hit a few good drives today that ran through the fairway, not into the deep stuff, but through the first cut into the second cut, and even then, you can’t hit anything more than 7-, 8-iron. It’s as thick of rough as I’ve played in since probably U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills. That rough out there, if there’s not a ball-spotter spotting the ball and you’re 300 yards away, you’re struggling to find it.

Q. Rory made some comments at the end of last season that he felt some of the courses have been getting a little bit too easy. Your first year last year is maybe too difficult but how do you find the courses in general?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: I found them all right. I drove the ball well last year, so a lot of golf courses weren’t — I was making them easier than they probably were. But I thought they were good tests for my first year out.

Challenge Tour was a wee bit more generous. I turned up in Abu Dhabi at the start of last year, and I was — I played the first two rounds with Richie and I came off on the Friday and I go, “Richie, is that how hard the golf courses are out here?”

He goes, “Well, you have to drive it well here.” That made me realise, I’ve got to improve the driving, and that’s what I’ve done.

Q. Last time you were in Dubai, you won Rookie of the Year, a title you can only win once. What are your aspirations going into the new year? What sort of goals are you set, maybe trying to qualify the Masters, but in the sort of bigger 2020 picture?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: I’ve not looked further than April if I’m being honest with you. I’ve just got one goal, Top-50 in the world by April, and if I do that, then I think my start of the season would have been as good as the end of last.

I’m just going out there, play aggressive, play free and hopefully pain-free.

Q. You still got it strapped up?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah. Again, I don’t know if it’s doing me any good. I’m just doing it because —

Q. Psychologically?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: — in my head, I’m saying, this is strapped up, it’s strong just now, just give it a go.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you.

January 22, 2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports