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European Tour: Lee Westwood Speaks Following 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Victory

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 19: Lee Westwood of England poses with the trophy after the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 19, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour and European Tour professional Lee Westwood speaks with the media following his 25th European Tour victory and 44th victory overall coming at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

European Tour: Lee Westwood talks to the media following Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

CLARE BODEL: Lee, second Rolex Series win, your 25th European Tour win; 40-something worldwide; you’ve won in four decades —

LEE WESTWOOD: That’s the one.

CLARE BODEL: That’s the one. Pretty good day?

LEE WESTWOOD: Very good. I felt pretty comfortable all week, and not sort of wanting to say how good I felt, I’ve been swinging, but more trying to keep a lid on how good I felt I’ve been putting.

I don’t know why it is, I put in a lot of hard work with Phil Kenyon and I’ve been working with Ben Davis on the psychological part of it, but I really felt quite calm on the greens this week and rolled a lot of good putts. That was the key to winning, really. You’ve got to putt well to win any tournament, but especially these in the desert because the greens are so immaculate, you know that everybody is going to hole their putts.

It was great, and like you say, four different decades. Feel really old when somebody says that, don’t you. Luckily most of you have been here throughout, so I know you’ve all aged, as well. Looking at hair, for starters.

CLARE BODEL: Talking about being one of the more experienced gentlemen on Tour, you said that one of your ambitions now is to make The Ryder Cup Team again. Is that something that’s now at the forefront of your mind, as you beat three young pups who were also amongst it to second place?

Full Leaderboard: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

LEE WESTWOOD: It’s not only an ambition, it’s only come to the forefront of my mind, that now I’ve got a chance to make The Ryder Cup Team. I thought I was done in The Ryder Cup to be honest as a player. I’ve played ten, and I really enjoyed watching everybody else suffer in the last one.

You know, now I give myself a chance to play, so yeah, I’ll just play week-in, week-out, just to see. I’m not going to increase my schedule or anything like that. I’m just going to play week-in, week-out and see where that takes me. But I’ll be playing in all the big tournaments again. The World Golf Championships are all on the calendar now and obviously every major, so who knows.

CLARE BODEL: And just a bit about this tournament, a place that you’ve played quite a few times over the years. How special is it to win here in Abu Dhabi?

LEE WESTWOOD: It’s great to win. I’ve played well here in the past. Obviously a couple of years ago, Helen caddied for me, the first time she caddied and we finished Top-10, and the first time I ever came, I finished second I think to Martin Kaymer, tied with Henrik.

So it’s a golf course I’ve always felt like, yeah, it suits me, but you know, just never really quite putted well enough, but this week certainly did. What did I make, four bogeys all week? That’s pretty good golf.

CLARE BODEL: Certainly a good week.

Q. The four decades thing, you’re the first to do that. You think of the names who haven’t done it, Ernie —
LEE WESTWOOD: I can’t see it being five (laughter) but you never know, do you.

Q. How much pride does that give you?
LEE WESTWOOD: It gives me a lot of pride to set new sort of targets for everybody. That’s what sport’s about, isn’t it. I’m surprised I’m the first one to do it.

But you know, I’ve been out here a long time, this is my 28th season. So yeah, I’d like to add a few more to that. But I think it just shows the level I’ve played at for such a long time, longevity in sport is difficult to achieve.

And obviously I kept myself supremely fit a finally tuned athlete over all those years and paying off now. I feel as healthy now as I ever have playing golf. Don’t groan too much when I get out of bed in the morning to put my socks on; you know what that’s like.

I’ve got like a new commitment to the gym. I was in there this morning and I did 40 minutes’ cardio, trying to get a bit of weight off, just so my body functions a bit better in the golf swing.

If I’ve got that kind of drive, then I feel like I can continue to move on like this.

Q. And the tears, you’re not really known for your emotion but they were obviously flowing on the 18th.
LEE WESTWOOD: It’s Tim Barter; every time I talk to him, he makes me want to cry.

No, I think it’s to do with handling my emotions really well on the golf course, and when it’s all over, that’s the time it just releases and I can let myself go. It just happens to be that Tim’s always there (laughing.)

CLARE BODEL: Quickly, hate to tell you, but you’re not the first, but you’re in a very elite group along with Des Smyth and Mark McNulty.

Q. On the Senior Tour or European Tour only?
CLARE BODEL: We’ll work it out.

Q. You’ve talked to us a lot in the last couple of years about just going out there, and there is still a massive competitive drive that is still coursing in your veins.
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, Ben has instilled in me the fact that I’m playing the game I love for a living, and I should enjoy it, and sometimes it gets to the point where you don’t enjoy it enough.

You know, we’re lucky to be doing what we’re doing, and a lot of people are far less fortunate. I’ve tried to go out, if things are going wrong, I don’t really lose my temper anymore. I’ve never been a club breaker, but I don’t really get wound up too much. I’ve become much more analytical and less emotional on the golf course.

He’s tried to impart that on me, and I think that’s just spreading through my whole game and my putting everything, and I’m on a very even keel; and if the ball doesn’t go in, the ball doesn’t go in. The only thing I can control are the movement and the actions I’m doing to roll it on line to the hole. It might hit something or I might misread it, but I brush it off and move on to the next, and it’s served me well.

Yeah, that’s kind of the way I’m trying to play it now.

Q. You’ve shown you’re just a big softy, really.
LEE WESTWOOD: Sorry?

Q. You’ve shown you’re a big softy, really.
LEE WESTWOOD: I’ve always known I’ve been a big softy.

Q. Is that why it means more to you, maybe you thought these days were gone? And even before Sun City, because it had been a few years, hadn’t it.
LEE WESTWOOD: I certainly wasn’t playing well enough and hitting the ball well enough and putting well enough to win golf tournaments.

Yeah, ’98, ’99, 2000, ’98 I think I won eight tournaments in one year, and 2000 I won eight tournaments and year and ’99 I won seven or something stupid like that, and they were coming along like taxis, and I didn’t appreciate it enough, I don’t think, and now I appreciate it and I appreciate all the hard work that has to go into it.

I was working hard back then, but winning was coming easy, and I think that’s just because I was a young man and I was rolling with the momentum of it all.

Q. I think Tim mentioned you’re up to 29th in the World Rankings and that gets you in all the majors and WGCs. What’s that mean to qualify so early in the new season and have the assurance of being in those events?
LEE WESTWOOD: Well, you can make a plan, can’t you. You can schedule a little bit better. I was going to play this week, Dubai and Saudi and then I wasn’t sure when I was going to play again. I know I’m going to play at the Honda in Palm Beach Gardens, but I didn’t know whether I would be going into Mexico the week before and I didn’t know whether I would be in the Match Play.

So I probably — well, I’ll definitely go to Mexico and I’ll play the Honda, and then I might try to get a tournament in between then and the Match Play. I’m playing the week before the Masters in Texas; they have been good enough to give me an invite, and then obviously the Masters.

But I won’t play a massive amount more. I’ll still probably only play 24, 25 times a year. That’s just the way I feel like I’ve got to play now to turn up to a tournament and be in the best possible shape to compete.

I think gone are my days of playing 30, 30 events a year. I am 47 in April and body and mind just won’t take that quite as well.

Q. How do you think about Francesco Laporta? I’m an Italian journalist.
LEE WESTWOOD: I was very impressed with his game. He got a couple of brutal breaks out there in bunkers. He got a plug lie on 13, which is probably the worst lie I’ve ever seen in a bunker. And then he plugged it again under the lip on 14.

But yeah, I thought he’ll learn a lot from today I think. He needs to work on his game a little bit, but I think there’s definitely the makings of a tournament winner there.

Lee Westwood Talks Landmark Victory on European Tour

Q. This is a landmark 25th win for you on The European Tour and 44 professional wins. You had an off-season in Thailand and you tested clubs. How are you going to celebrate this now?
LEE WESTWOOD: I didn’t take my clubs to Thailand. I had no intention of playing golf there. I was just there to relax and a lot of sleeping, and I did have a couple of glasses of rosé and a couple of beers.

After Thailand, I decided to do Dry January, which right now seems a massive mistake (laughter) and I’ll do really well to get through tonight without a drink. Everybody’s offering me one, but I’ve held out so far. Normally you’d see me with a glass of champagne or Corona in hand, but I’ve managed not to have a drink so far.

I’ll give you an update tomorrow whether I’m still committed to the cause. But I would like to. I would like to get right through the next two weeks and then we’ll see. I’m trying to lose a bit of weight, so I can’t really drink.

Q. As impressive as your putting was throughout this week, even your driving was outstanding. I thought it was one of the best exhibition of driving from anyone in the field this week. Just talk to us about the driving aspect.
LEE WESTWOOD: I’ll tell you a little story — my driving was very good this week,, but it’s down to the work I’ve done with Robert Rock.

He sent me a text last night and he said, “Don’t tell me that I’ve actually won something that you’ve never won.”

And I said, “Give me a day.” So I can’t wait to text him (laughter). So now he’s not won something I haven’t won. I’ve got my name on there, as well.

But yeah, obviously the key to playing good golf is getting in the fairways, especially on a golf course like this. You know, work the ball right-to-left and left-to-right whenever I wanted to and I hit a lot of fairways. I think I hit the most out of everybody before the final round. Golf courses like this play easier if you can play from the fairway.

Lee Westwood previews next week’s Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Next week, Dubai Desert Classic, is now the only tournament in the UAE that you have not won. You’ve even won The Race to Dubai. It’s like the UAE quadruple waiting for you to happen over there. How are you looking forward to that now?
LEE WESTWOOD: I’m just looking forward to Dubai Desert Classic, anyway, because I think it’s one of the best tournaments on The European Tour calendar.

I love playing the Emirates Golf Club. Hence, I played well in the past. I finished second a couple of times. A bit unlucky to lose to Miguel in a playoff a few years back.

So I’m looking forward to going back there with some form and you’ll see me on the range tomorrow afternoon working on my swing and preparing properly for Thursday to try and hit that first shot down the fairway and go on from there. Carry the form in from this week.

Q. When you walk on the range next week and all the young guys congratulate you and shake your hand —
LEE WESTWOOD: I’ll have no idea —

Q. What will you say —
LEE WESTWOOD: I’ll have no idea who most of them are. I suddenly realized a few months ago why everyone has their name on their golf bags; it’s for people on me; you walk along there, who is that lad on the range hitting it 330 yards.

I’m always open to people coming and asking questions, yeah.

Q. If you were asked, in a short sentence, what’s the key to winning over four decades?
LEE WESTWOOD: Hard work. Yeah, you’ve got to be dedicated and you’ve got to love it and you’ve got to love practicing. Because there’s no shortcuts. It’s just hard work. You know, when you think about leaving the range in one afternoon, going and sitting by the pool or having a beer or something like that (shaking head) stay on the range another hour.

A few years back, there was Tiger, myself and Vijay were the last three on the range, and it wasn’t a coincidence that the best players are the hardest workers.

Q. Your amazing Ryder Cup career, and then it seemed to end on that jarring note in Hazeltine last time. Just wonder how much you’d relish the chance to put that right in Wisconsin?
LEE WESTWOOD: Yeah, I didn’t really feel that jarred by Hazeltine. You know, I’ve been on losing Ryder Cup teams, and I’ve been on seven winning ones. It’s a big honor to represent Europe in The Ryder Cup.

I was joking when I said, you know, I would love to play another Ryder Cup as long as I’m good enough. I wouldn’t want a pick, but if I qualified, I would definitely play.

So you know, I’ll be trying my hardest, there’s no doubt about that, but you can’t control qualifying for a Ryder Cup Team. You can only control what you do that particular week, and obviously like this week, you win lots of points and it moves you up the list. I’ll just be trying to do the small things right and it will lead on to the big things, like qualifying for The Ryder Cup Team and other things like that.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you, everyone. Congratulations again, Lee.

January 19, 2020

Abu Dhabi, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Team USA

European Tour: Brooks Koepka Recaps Opening Round 66 At The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 16: Brooks Koepka of The United States tees off on the ninth during Day One of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 16, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and 4 time major champion Brooks Koepka speaks with the media following the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, his first competitive round in nearly three months.

PGA Tour: Brooks Koepka talks first competitive round following knee surgery

Q. Your first competitive round in nearly three months resulted in a bogey-free 66. I imagine it feels good, but tell us from your point of view?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It does. It’s good to be back. Missed the competition obviously. Played really solid. Missed a few putts early if I really want to pick it apart. Drove the ball well. Controlled ball flight and controlled distances really well and that’s what you have to do out here.

Q. What’s your sense of how the golf course played today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Pretty good. Usually in the afternoon the wind picks up, and you know that going in, so when you have a morning tee time, you have to take advantage of it. I did that today. Hopefully tomorrow the wind stays down a little bit because this golf course into the wind, or with the wind, can be very difficult.

Full Leaderboard: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

Q. When we chatted on Tuesday, you said you were particularly targeting an improvement in short game and touch around the greens. 17 from back of the green, horrible lie, very difficult and needed a great touch. How pleased were you with the short game today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it was, it was really good. To chip one in there, I wasn’t expecting that, but short game was really good. The strike was really good. I worked hard with Pete in trying to make sure that I know what I’m doing, and understand what I’m doing and can make it repeatable.

Q. A new driver in the bag. How did it feel today?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It works. When they hand it to me and it works; we had a long session on Tuesday trying to figure out — we couldn’t get it quite right but we got it dialed in and it worked, so I’m very pleased with it.

Q. How did the knee feel in competition?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It feels fine. It was a little sore last night. Just did some treatment on it. That’s expected. This is a first week I’ve walked 18 holes and I’ve done it three times already. It’s a little tired.

Q. 66. Your analysis of how today went for you?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I played really solid. Controlled distances. Controlled flights. Controlled spin. Everything that’s exactly what you want to do. Felt good to be back out playing, just feeling the competition again. I’m pretty pleased with it.

Q. We’ve heard from a lot of players leading up to this week how key it is to stay on the fairway, on a day which probably wasn’t your strongest off the tee as far as accuracy. Not a bogey on the card?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, some of these fairways are like 12 yards wide, so I’m not really expecting to hit them. When you put it in the rough — you just have to position. You know where the pins are at. When you know the pins are at, you can kind of play the hole backwards and figure out if you can be aggressive off the tee and hit driver, and then sometimes it pays off to have that lob wedge, even when it’s in the rough, and other times you’ve just got to lay it back. You’ve got to understand the golf course and really how to play it.

Q. You’re often noted and praised for how strong you are and how long off the tee. Your short game has always been impeccable. Do you feel like you don’t get enough credit in that area?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t know. I feel like I’m doing just fine. I’m not really worried. I’m worried about what Pete tells me to do in the short game and that’s about it.

Q. 17, incredible chip and Tommy nearly matched it, and a giggle we didn’t pick up on the feed. What happened?
BROOKS KOEPKA: We were just laughing. My caddie wasn’t exactly helping out. He was too focused on talking and Shane had to face his caddie with Tommy there for a half-second because Bo was in the bunker with Shane. Then I was just grabbing the pin, and Rickie was just — it’s his first week back, put it that way.

Q. The pace of play policy rolled out, this is an area you’ve been outspoken in the past. You must be delighted things are moving in this direction?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, the game is evolving. You see it with the technology and the way the golf courses are build. The rules are starting to change a little bit with it, and I think it’s a good thing. We’re moving forward, moving in the right direction. I’m sure in ten years’ time, there will be a lot more things have changed.

Brooks Koepka speaks on return from injury:

Q. After an injury layoff to come back in that manner must be very satisfying?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, solid. I like the way I’ve played. I’ve kind of known I’ve been hitting it really well, putting it really well for a couple weeks. I think the first day I picked up the club, same thing. Felt like I hadn’t left. I’ve done it for years and years. You don’t forget how to swing the golf club.

Q. When you are in the midst of an injury layoff, do you ever worry that you might not be able to pick it up as quickly when you are able to get back?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No, not really. The only thing is if the injury actually prevents from you swinging the golf club and I wasn’t going to swing a golf club until I knew I was able to do that. I got the green light from everybody to be able to start hitting balls and I did, and it’s fine.

Q. It’s one thing to do it in practice, but then under the gun of competition. To go bogey-free as you did today, and have the moments that you did must be very, very pleasing?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’m very pleased with how I played today. I’m excited and it will be nice to be able to practice again. I haven’t been able to practice; last year, I just couldn’t practice. It was too painful and wasn’t being able to do the things I wanted to do.

I told my team in the last year, I was just going to really rededicate myself for the next five, six years, and we’ll see where we are. From there, you know, who knows, other things might be a priority.

Q. And physically, how do you feel about your first round in competition back?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I feel fine physically. I’m out of shape but —

Q. You don’t look out of shape.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Well, it takes a little bit to get in golfing shape. You stand on the putting green for 30 minutes and putt and your back starts to ache. Just little things like that. But it will be fine. Only take a couple more weeks.

Q. And you’ve given yourself a great platform for the week.
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, hopefully just keep it the rest of the week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Abu Dhabi, UAE

January 16, 2020

Categories
Team Spain

European Tour: Sergio Garcia Talks Round 1 of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 16: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his second shot on the 18th hole during Day 1 of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 16, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

PGA Tour professional and Masters champion Sergio Garcia speaks to the media following the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship about playing in the dessert and his recent equipment change

PGA Tour: Sergio Garcia recaps opening round of Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Q. Slight disappointment, the only bogey you make on last hole, but overall a round of 67, how pleased with your day’s work?
SERGIO GARCIA: I’m very pleased. Obviously putted nicely. Felt like I hit the ball quite well. So drove the ball fairly well for the most part. Yeah, just a little unfortunate on the last that that pitch bounced on that pitchmark and just died.

Other than that, I thought I did well. I made a couple really good saves here and there when I needed them, and you know, made some birdies where I had to.

Sergio Garcia talks equipment change:

Full Leaderboard: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

Q. Tell us about the new equipment, why you made the change and how it feels?
SERGIO GARCIA: Well, it’s quite simple. Obviously we were with Callaway. Unfortunately I wasn’t comfortable enough with the golf ball, and they needed me to play it. You know, we decided to kind of part ways. Nicely, though, so there was no bad feelings from any part or any side which was great, and then I just started playing whatever I tested this Christmas, what kind of felt best for me.

It was quite good today, so I’m happy with it.

Q. You have a wonderful record in the desert; what is it about this style of golf that seems to bring out the best in you?
SERGIO GARCIA: I don’t know. I can’t put my hand on it or I can’t tell you exactly why, but I’ve always enjoyed the desert. It feels like you can hit different kind of shots. Usually I’m fairly good in the wind, and usually it gets a little breezy here, so that kind of helps me game a little bit, and I was happy to see a nice start for the year.

Q. 5-under, what’s your analysis on today’s performance?
SERGIO GARCIA: It was a very solid day. Obviously I would love to par the last but unfortunately that didn’t happen. Other than that, I felt like I played pretty solid. Hit a good amount of shots, good, solid shots, a couple here and there that I didn’t quite commit as well as I should have. But other than that, you know, putted nicely. Chipped quite nicely other than the bad bounce on the last but it was a good day.

Q. With the new sticks, everything will feel different. How comfortable are you at the moment?
SERGIO GARCIA: I’m fairly comfortable. I had some good practice sessions throughout Christmas and New Year’s. So you know, it’s been feeling quite well. It’s just a matter of kind of getting a bit more used to it as the year goes on, but for the most part, you know, it feels quite good and I’m happy the way it went today.

Q. Conditions as you would have teed off, as you made the turn, things would have changed more with the climate and sun coming up. How much did you have to accommodate for that?
SERGIO GARCIA: Well, a little bit. The ball started going a little bit farther as we made the turn and everything started getting drier and a little bit of a breeze coming up. You had to pay attention to that but nothing that we are not used to and we haven’t done before. It was a pretty nice day.

Abu Dhabi, UAE

January 16, 2020

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Categories
Team USA

European Tour: Patrick Cantlay Speaks About His First Start European Tour Start at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 15: Patrick Cantlay of The United states looks on during the Pro-Am ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 15, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

European Tour and PGA Tour professional Patrick Cantlay speaks about his first start in the Middle East at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and about expanding his schedule to become more of an international player.

European Tour: Patrick Cantlay speaks to the media prior to making his first European Tour start at the 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Q. Why don’t we start with your first visit to the Middle East. Just give us your impressions on the place and how have you adjusted so far?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I’ve only been here a couple days, but everything seems great. I played nine holes on the golf course, and I’ll play nine more this afternoon. Golf course seems good. So excited for Thursday to come around and start off my first European Tour event.

Q. Is this kind of a plan to become a more global player and play outside the United States more often?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I think it’s important to play all over the world, not only just for growing-the-game purposes, but I think it’s good as a golfer to see different places and get comfortable playing all over. I think that’s part of it.

I think both The European Tour and the PGA TOUR play more of a global schedule, especially in the last decade. I don’t think that’s going to change. I think it will continue to be more of a global game, and we see that with the World Golf Championships. I think it’s all good, and it’s good to play in different places and experience different cultures and see what the world is like.

Q. And I know when you guys come for a tournament, you don’t have much time apart from just seeing the golf course, but do you have something in mind that you want to experience in this region?
PATRICK CANTLAY: You know, for me, it’s pretty hotel, golf course. I’m here first and foremost to win the golf tournament, prepare my best to do. So.

So on a long travel week like this, it’s hard to get enough sleep. So my priority is really there. But there are definitely some times where I’ll be at a place for a golf tournament and hear or see something that I may want to go see, and book it into the time the next time I’m back, or maybe earmark it for if I want to take a vacation some day.

Q. Can I ask you, I’m not going to mention the Presidents Cup, because you ended 2019 on a pretty good note, but looking ahead to 2020, I mentioned to Bryson when he came in, it’s a jam-packed year in terms of golf, four majors, WGCs and Olympics and Ryder Cup. Is there one sort of thing, here we are now in the second week of January, that you really would love to be in, or is it all the package of the year?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Sure, well, I’m into everything except Ryder Cup and Olympics. Olympics is going to be even more of a difficult tournament to qualify for even than Ryder Cup.

I’d love to be in both those events, especially after having my experience at the Presidents Cup. I really enjoyed the team golf. I’ve only done it twice with Walker Cup and Presidents Cup and I love that atmosphere. I love being able to pull for the other guys that are on my team and feel like it’s a team event, especially when in golf we never get those team events.

So that would be great to see, and also, Presidents Cup was away, so I would love to see what it’s like at a home event when I have guys pulling for me. Walker Cup was away, as well. Those I would like to qualify for.

But for me the emphasis is on the majors. I love major championship golf and I had some success in the majors last year. That’s where my emphasis is, and that’s what I’m going to prep for, and if I take care of business there, I should qualify for Ryder Cup and Olympics.

Q. This is your first European Tour event. What made you come here? Did anyone twist your arm? Obviously other Americans have come here and played well. Did anyone say anything specific to you?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, I talked to Rickie. He said he enjoyed his time here. Obviously he won; he told me how great a list of champions this place had, kind of needling me a little bit.

Yeah, it’s kind of desert golf, which I think it’s a good way to start kind of the year back in January, playing some desert golf, which is more target golf. It just fit in a good part of the schedule. I’ve heard a lot of great things about the event, and played nine holes on the golf course. Seems good so far, so all good.

Full Leaderboard Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship 2020

Q. How familiar are you with some of the competition, obviously there’s a good deal of European Tour players. You play on the PGA and the majors, but obviously there are another 50 or 60 that play week-in and week-out. Would you remember any from the Walker Cup days like Andy Sullivan?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I think Tom Lewis might have been the only guy on the Walker Cup Team that I played against. I don’t know all that many European Tour players, but I do know the guys that play WGCs and everything. I’ve seen some friendly faces out here the last couple days.

Q. And what are your initial impressions of the course so far? Have you managed to get out there?
PATRICK CANTLAY: I just played nine, but it’s in good shape and looks like the fairways are narrow, which I like. So should be all good, yeah. Seems good. I still have to see the front side.

Q. Given your history because of the injury and then obviously the tragic death of your friend in front of your own eyes and you missing so many years of competitive golf at that time, has that made you more hungry or what kind of perspective has it given to you when you come to play events like this?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Well, I don’t think I ever wasn’t hungry; so that’s still there. I still really enjoy competing and I really enjoy playing tournament golf. It’s one of my most — one of the things I enjoy most doing is playing any type of competitive sport, but especially golf.

And so that’s always been there. The perspective is more on — the perspective gained was more of a life experience, stuff that translates not just to the golf course but throughout your life.

It’s really that you have to enjoy whatever experiences you’re having with those that you really love and those that you want to spend time with. That’s the most important thing, regardless of winning golf tournaments or losing golf tournaments, but being able to, for example, win a golf tournament and then celebrate with those that are really close to you, whether that’s — for me that’s winning golf tournaments, but for somebody else it could be a variety of different things.

Spending time with those that you love and those you want to spend time with is by far the most important thing, and going through all that, being out for a long time, and the death of my friend, Chris, it’s something that really — I don’t know if I was expecting to learn it, but it’s something that I definitely learned and hit me in the face after some time reflecting on it that that really is what life is all about.

Q. And do you find — given the number of injuries we see in the sport now, do you find people coming up to you, seeking your health guidance, because you went through a pretty bad phase, also, and then came back like this.
PATRICK CANTLAY: I haven’t had too many people — everyone is dealing with so many different injuries and it is becoming more common, and I think with guys trying to swing the golf club faster and playing so many events, that’s going it continue to be the norm.

No, I haven’t had too many people come up to me asking me for advice. Everyone’s got their own issues.

Q. You’re world No. 6 today. Did you expect to be in the Top-10 at the beginning of last year, and basically, what are your goals for this year in terms of World Ranking?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Obviously the goal is to be No. 1, and I’m doing everything in my power to prep for events to win, which is the way to get there.

I don’t know about if I expected — I don’t know if I expected to be there. I don’t really think of it in terms of that, but I definitely prepared like I was going there. That’s the plan, and that’s going to be how I continue to prepare for all the events. I think if you show up to every event ready to win and prepared to win, it’s as good as you can do.

Q. I need to ask you about that little storm that was created in Hawai’i. What do you think of the whole situation? Do you think that kind of — some talk that is going on between two players, being heard all around the world, what were your own thoughts when everything happened?
PATRICK CANTLAY: Well, I didn’t hear until after the round and still I was unsure what they were talking about. I obviously didn’t know that I was on camera, or on camera and mic’d up. Now that I know that it’s happening more often, I’ll definitely be more aware of it, yeah.

CLARE BODEL: Thanks, everyone.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

January 14, 2020

Categories
Team USA

European Tour: Bryson DeChambeau Previews his Return to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 15: Bryson DeChambeau of The United States in action during the Pro-Am ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 15, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

PGA Tour and European Tour professional Bryson DeChambeau speaks with the media prior to the start of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship about 2020 goals and new pace of play standards.

European Tour: Bryson DeChambeau speaks with media at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

BRIONY CARLYON: Delighted to welcome back Bryson DeChambeau to the. Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship Presented by EGA.

Bryson, you’re back in Abu Dhabi. You’ve been here a couple of times. Give us a sense of what you’ve been up to over the Christmas break because you’ve obviously taken a little bit of time after the Presidents Cup.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, I’ve taken quite a bit of time off. That’s mainly to get healthier for the most part and get stronger I think. Those are my goals. I made some comments after Shriners that I wanted to be a different person coming back. I feel like I am and I certainly am swinging faster and doing things in a better way I feel like.

This year is set up to be a great year. It’s always fun to start back here in the UAE. They have always been awesome to me and the people have been incredible, and I enjoy coming back here because of that. They make it special for me and they make me feel special, and that certainly warrants me coming back for three years to come I feel like, and it’s much appreciated.

This golf course is an incredible layout. It’s a very good test of golf. The fairways are tight, and the greens are pure. So they just do a great job here personally and I love coming back to golf courses that are maintained really well, and they are fun to play.

BRIONY CARLYON: So obviously a Rolex Series Event this week with a world-class field. Lots of the top players. What are your expectations that you set for yourself for the year? Do you have goals or how are you looking ahead?

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I’m looking — well, every tournament I’m going to, to pretty much win, right. You’re not going to a tournament to go, oh, I’m preparing for this win.

For me, having be a Rolex Series Event and having it be this important, it’s fantastic. But every tournament I play in, I still go in with the mind-set that I’m going to win and do my absolute best to win.

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For me, it’s a great preparation for the rest of the year. It’s going to tell me what’s going right and what’s going wrong, and I’m going to try to bring my A Game to every single event that I play.

Q. You spent a lot of time on the range in the Bahamas working hard on your game. Did you find what you were looking for that week after the Presidents Cup, etc.?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I actually found it on Sunday — yeah, it was Sunday of the Presidents Cup. Found something nice and played pretty well there. Unfortunately didn’t get the full point, but was able to do nicely there.

I came back with the mind-set of, okay, I’ve got to solidify what worked for me in 2018 and what was going right there so I can bring it into 2020. I felt like 2019 was a growing year for me. A lot happened, a lot of good things.

And moving into 2020, I feel like I know twice as much as what I knew in 2018. For me, that’s certainly a positive benefit that will only help me for the rest of my career.

But considering what the question was, in the Bahamas, I’m always still trying to work hard no matter what. You’re always going to see me on the range working hard, trying to figure stuff out, trying to get better. That’s usually only when things are kind of not going 100 per cent the way I want it to. It doesn’t mean I’m playing bad. It means it’s not where I want it to be, not my A+ game. I didn’t feel like any point in 2019 I was playing my A+ game. And trying to get it ready for this year and I feel like I’m very close to that right now, very, very close.

Q. This week is the introduction of the new regulations on The European Tour, the four-point plan to tackle slow play.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Considering how far I’m hitting, I don’t think that will be an issue anymore.

Q. Do you welcome something like that?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I love it. I love it. I told you guys, even back at — on the PGA TOUR, when stuff was happening, I told you guys, I welcome it. I was playing under the rules and there was no rhyme or reason to be called out, other than the fact that it looked like it was a really, really long time that it took, and it was, absolutely. I’m not saying it wasn’t.

But I was playing under the rules at that point in time, and there’s no reason or why I should have been given so much heat, considering other things that had occurred that day and previous days of other people that I played with and other things that occurred. It’s just .01 per cent of the time that that happens on Tour, which it happens literally with everybody out there. They just caught it on camera at that specific moment in time.

You know there, was no time assessed, there was nothing that occurred and I played under the rules. To be called out like that was kind of weird, but it is what it is and I take it and I understand it.

All I’m doing is my absolute best to be better, and that’s what I look forward to this year is, again, like I said, a new me, a new person, and a way that’s going to represent all tours, all golf in general in a positive way to help grow the game.

That’s what I’ve always been about is trying to shine a light on the game of golf and not push people away, with developing the one-length irons, having a new way of swinging the golf club and doing all these different things that look weird, but have been a massive benefit to the game, that’s what I’m about. So when considering change like that, I welcome it.

Q. There’s been a revision now from the original plan, two bad times in a tournament and a one-shot penalty. Is that a good thing, as well?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Absolutely. Look, I don’t want to be out there for six hours, nor does anybody, right. And there’s numerous times out there, more than not, I’m waiting — our group is waiting for people to go, and so I certainly don’t want to be waiting on players. It’s going to hurt my momentum. Every time it happens, I feel like I get cold.

So yeah, absolutely. I don’t want that to happen to people behind me or in front of me. There’s a lot of things that happen during the course of a golf round. People don’t just hit in the middle of the fairway or on the green all the time. You have situations that occur.

Taking that into account, which I think they have done beautifully, it is a good thing. Having the, hey, can I get 40 more seconds because this is a weird shot, the wind came up, or something happened, I think that’s great. I think what they did there is awesome.

Q. You’ve been playing all over the world, and not many Americans come to Europe or to the UAE. What is your motivation to actually come and play in those countries, and different continents? Is it part of your goal to make golf more —
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Global.

Q. Global? And then also, it’s been really nice to see you engage on Instagram and on Twitter because of all, I would say, the bad words about slow play involving you and defending yourself. How much impact did this have on you as a player, but also on your willingness to become a global player worldwide and be a likable player?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, I want people to know who I truly am and I don’t to be a guy behind closed doors and he’s protected and everything. There’s points in time where you need, that obviously, but I want people to realise who I am as a person.

So playing globally, being a part of global golf, is definitely on my list. I want to be able to say that I can win worldwide, which I’ve done. Now I won last year in Dubai. I want to win multiple times, and I also want to grow the game globally.

We need to show how positive of an impact the game of golf is on communities, on people’s lives. Every week, someone’s life is affected in a positive way because of the game of golf. What we’re doing here, what Abu Dhabi is doing, is incredible. We’re literally trying to grow the game and that’s what I want to be a part of.

Just like building the one-length clubs like I said before. I keep going back to it, but I made it at age 18. It wasn’t in college or some scheme or anything like that. It was literally to help grow the game. Obviously benefit me, but help grow the game in general. I thought it would be a great way for people to play the game. As you talk about the game globally, that’s absolutely one of my top priorities.

And the second thing, engaging with fans, again, I want people to know who I truly am. I don’t want people to think who I am. I don’t want anyone else to write my own legacy. I want to control that and let everybody know who I truly am.

Bryson DeChambeau speaks on his recent physical transformation ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Q. Can you tell us a little bit more about your physical transformation, where you started weight-wise? A few years ago, people were saying it was crazy to get big.
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, so I started out right after Shriners at 208, and as I sit right here right now, I’m 225 pounds. Last year, I was 195 pounds at the end of the Hero World Challenge.

So 2018 [sic] Hero World Challenge, and I felt brittle. I felt like a gust of wind could push me over if I wasn’t careful. I’m not super light at 195, right, but I still didn’t feel like I was solid.

I just made it a goal of mine this year after I figured out my — some of the stuff in my golf swing that wasn’t going right at Shriners, after I figured that out, I said, okay, now I feel like I have good control of my game and I feel like I can add mass and size and strength and speed to those principles, and so it was kind of a test for me. It wasn’t that I was bored or anything. It was just I wanted to see if I could do it, and quite honestly, it’s been a massive benefit.

And it’s made me excited for the game again because I get to go back out and play a game that is completely different than what I knew it to be. I mean, I went out yesterday and hit shots and hit drives. I’m like, I’m hitting — two years ago, I was hitting driver, 5-iron — driver almost 4-iron into 16 yesterday, or, well, two years ago. But yesterday, I hit driver — I could have hit 9-iron into it but I hit a chip 8-iron into that hole and it was the same into the wind, 10, 15 miles an hour, I flew a driver 315 yards into a 15-mile-an-hour wind. I’ve never been able to do that before.

So it’s really a new game for me. It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out. The direction hasn’t really changed that much. I just feel like I’ve got more control and more stable.

So this transformation, I’ve literally been working out twice a day. At least after Shriners, I pretty much worked out twice a day for a good month and a half, month, somewhere around there. I just kept going to the gym, and luckily I have a gym at home, so I just go in there probably for 30 minutes and then I go back out and then I go back in for another 30 minutes and accumulated like about 3 1/2 hours of working out a day. It was a lot. It was ridiculous. But I said I’m going to do it. I’m going to do it right.

It was funny, when I got to Australia to The Presidents Cup, I ate about 6,000 calories. It was a ridiculous amount of food, just because I felt like I needed it to sustain that amount of weight and with travel, I didn’t really have the food I wanted on the plane. Just needed to eat, eat, eat, eat, and just kind of maintained that since.

But it’s been a long, tough process. I have a lot of days where I’m lying, I just don’t want even to get up out of bed and then I go work out and swing it really fast and then go work out.

The thing is, people normally say, well, you’re going to get injured doing this; you’re going to get hurt doing this. And yeah, there are going to be some things that pop up. But I’m luckily to know a guy like Greg Roskopf, MAT, and any time that something has occurred, I’ve been able to get fixed immediately. I hurt myself doing a back extension there probably two, three weeks before the Hero, and within the next three, four days, I was swinging it 185 ball speed, and that was after pretty much throwing out my back. So what he’s able to is incredible.

So I’m able to fix myself when things go bad in the gym, if they do. I go to the gym with a mindset to fix myself, never to break myself down.

Q. Are you the sort of person that sets yourself New Year’s resolutions, goals?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I used to. Not anymore, though. It’s all about progress for me. So I look at every day is going to be better than the last day. So let today’s garbage be better than yesterday’s.

Q. On the back of that question, in a jam-packed sort of golfing season, with the Olympics, Ryder Cup and four majors, is there one particular thing, and in this second week of January, that you really look forward to this in new year and this new decade?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Well, this new decade —

Q. Is there one thing in one year, we’re going to have a jam-packed golfing year that you’re really looking forward to?
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: I feel like — and this is related to golf, but it’s an overall macroscopic view of it. I think my health is the No. 1 thing I’m looking at; looking at getting stronger and bigger than ever before. Hoping to go to places that no golfer has ever gone to in a way that’s going to hopefully show people that with a lot of hard work and dedication, you can change yourself.

I came here two years ago, nowhere near the body mass, size that I am today. It just shows progress and growth. I used to feel like I could hurt myself and injure myself every time going on the golf course. Now I feel like I could withstand a lot more than just golf.

BRIONY CARLYON: Thank you, Bryson, for your time. All the best this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

January 14, 2020

Categories
Professionals

European Tour: Brooks Koepka Previews Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 14: Brooks Koepka of United States speaks to the media ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on January 14, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

PGA Tour: Major Champion Brooks Koepka speaks with the media ahead of the 2020 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship about his recent struggles with injury and playing practice round with 15 year old Josh Hill.

European Tour: Brooks Koepka talks HSBC Championship, injury, and his golf game at 15 years old

CLARE BODEL: Brooks, welcome back to Abu Dhabi. How does it feel to be here?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I love this place. I always fun to get back to. Kind of reminds me of when I first came over here to The Challenge Tour and spent a bunch of time here in Dubai. I love this place. The golf course is really good. It’s in great shape, even after all the rain that they have had here. It’s just a place I like coming to. I felt comfortable here and hopefully play well this week.

CLARE BODEL: A few of your compatriots are here, but you prayed a practise round with young, up-and-coming Josh Hill. Do you enjoy it?

BROOKS KOEPKA: I enjoyed it. Josh is a good player. Hopefully learned something. He beat me in an eight-hole match yesterday, so he got the better of me, which I’m sure enjoyed, as he should.

It’s cool. It’s always fun to get to play with these young kids, and you really see in ten years when I’m close to being on my way out, all these kids that will be up and winning a bunch. It’s cool to see. You know, it will be cool to see in the next five, ten years how much he progresses.

CLARE BODEL: This is a big tournament this week, the first event in the Rolex Series. What would it mean to get this tournament on your resume? You have a pretty impressive resume as it stands.

BROOKS KOEPKA: Obviously it would be nice. These Rolex Series Events are what you have more emphasis on winning. It’s what you want to win. The players that are playing in this event are obviously really good, some of the best players in the world. That’s why I think everyone’s here. You want to play in the top events. You want to play in the best events you can, and win them.

Q. A little bit of comparison from two years ago when you were out for almost 17 weeks with a wrist injury at the start of the year. This was towards the end of the year, almost 14 weeks out, and then you came back in 2018 and did all that that you did, does this injury and the layoff give you more motivation, and how did you prepare for 2020 in these 14 weeks?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t know if it gives me more motivation. I don’t think it does. I think it — when you have something you love and it’s taken away from you, I think it makes you appreciate it more and really enjoy being out here.

I mean, I miss competition. I’ve missed showing up to an event preparing for something, because I haven’t had anything to prepare for. When you have three months off, it’s not fun, I know that. But it makes me appreciate the game more every time and hopefully I don’t have anymore of those situations.

But I’m excited. I’m just excited to hit balls. When I started hitting, it’s the same thing. It’s exciting and it’s enthusiasm to get out there and go play. It’s been, last year, there wasn’t much practise. I just couldn’t do it with my knee. I think everybody saw it on my team towards the end of the year. I couldn’t get on my left side. I couldn’t do things. Couldn’t squat down in a bunker. I struggled to get down and read a putt. You know, thankfully that’s in the past now.

Q. Josh is from our region and we are very looking forward to a great career with him. You played with him. Was there something he was eager to find out from you, and what kind of advice do you give when you play with someone as young as Josh and you see him play alongside you? What kind of advice do you tend to give to such youngsters?
BROOKS KOEPKA: He asked good questions. I thought that was important. I think being so young, I would — if I was in his shoes, I would have been afraid to ask. He wasn’t afraid to ask, which I think is very important and very mature for his age. He’s a good player. Putts it really well. Short game is really good. Strikes it really well.

But the questions he was asking, and how to handle the week, how to go about being aggressive, his aggressiveness, how — when to attack things, when to not, and give him some advice on how to play a little bit and how I go about things. Not saying that it’s the right way for everybody, but just a little bit of insight.

You always want to pick a good player’s mind. Doesn’t matter if you’re doing it today. You try to pick all the guys that have been around, played a long time, and pick their brains. I think it’s important, and the fact that he’s doing it at 15, if he keeps doing that and keeps progressing as he should, you know, he’ll be out here very shortly.

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Q. What were you doing when you were 15?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Causing trouble (laughter). I’m sure if you ask my parents that, they would be shaking their heads.

Q. Where was your golf at that stage?
BROOKS KOEPKA: It wasn’t as far along as Josh’s, I know that. I didn’t get too play many tournaments. When I grew up, we didn’t have any — we didn’t have much money, so we couldn’t afford to travel and go play golf. I was working. I tried to practise, you know, I was working, but I was trying to practise, too. I’d go to the range and kind of stop the picker in the back, hit a couple balls in the back and then go pick them up. It wasn’t anything to brag about.

Brooks Koepka touches on recent struggle with injury

Q. Can you just talk about the timeline of your injury and what procedure you had and the exact nature of it?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, I’ve had problems with it since March. Dealt with it the whole year, all the way till — I had stem cell done on my knee and it felt fine all the way through Vegas, all the way to Korea. Everything felt good. And then in Korea, just slipped, and you know re-tore it and the kneecap had moved into the fat pad, which, that’s excruciating. It’s a lot of pain. It’s not fun. It’s been — I mean, we flew back, I think Saturday. I got in Saturday night and I started rehab on Monday.

So I was very, you know, all the way through, still doing it now. Still doing a lot of rehab. Before gym, after the gym, getting in there. Been trying to make sure everything feels right, and it does not feel like my right knee, I’ll be honest with you. It doesn’t feel the same as my right. It probably won’t for a while. But it does feel stable, which leaving Korea and all the way up to about a month and a half ago, it just doesn’t feel stable. It felt like it could go either way. It could go left, out, back, it could go anyway.

Q. Were you operating 100 percent last year through the major season?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No. No. But I don’t think anybody’s ever operating at 100 percent. I think that’s a rarity in sports. I mean, especially with how much — everybody’s dinged up a little bit. Nobody wants to hear an excuse. So.

I’m not going to come out and tell you I’ve got the sniffles or tell you my knee hurts. Just get on with it and go play. I mean, I won with it, so I don’t see any issue with it.

Q. This year promises to be a very exciting year with many players at their best. Justin Thomas just won recently. Rory McIlroy has had a very good end of season. Tiger Woods, as well. So I have two questions for you. First of all, how much do you see Tiger as a threat this year in the majors, and which event are you looking forward to the most? Is it the Olympics, The Ryder Cup or any major in particular?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I think we know all four tournaments that I’m looking forward to. I think that’s pretty obvious. That’s what everybody gears their year around.

You’re trying to get in the swing of things to start it off, obviously. Those are — to me, the way I see it, that’s what everybody is remembered by. You guys are better at stats, but we can all sit here and tell you how many Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, how many majors they won, but I don’t know how many tournaments they won.

But I think other than Tiger, because he’s close to the record, but majority of the guys, you can’t tell me how many PGA TOUR tour events or events they won. You’re remembered by your majors. That’s where my focus is, trying to play well there.

And what was — Tiger? All depends on his health and how he’s feeling. I’m not in his body. So if he feels good, I think he showed us all he can still play and still compete at a high level. If he’s healthy, yeah, he’ll be there. If he’s not healthy, hopefully he does get healthy.

Q. How much of the Presidents Cup did you catch and how badly do you miss it? Does it motivate you for The Ryder Cup better?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it does. Obviously it’s not fun to miss a team competition, because I think those are some of the most fun events we play all year. Being in the team room with everybody, you feel the camaraderie, the bond that you make with those guys, it kind of lasts forever. It’s a special thing to be in these team rooms. I enjoy it. It’s so much fun.

I watched more on Saturday and Sunday. I was in — I was doing rehab in San Diego, and stopped into a restaurant and had them change a channel to the golf so I could watch it, and then watched the guys come back and win. That was pretty cool.

Q. How much does it motivate you for The Ryder Cup?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I mean, I hope I’m on the team. I think that would be — that’s everybody’s goal. It doesn’t matter starting the year, I think that’s something that’s on every American and European’s goal list. I think that’s what they are looking forward to. Especially because we just lost the last one, and I think it’s in the United States, so I know we are looking forward to and hopefully we come out and do what we’re supposed to do.

Q. On the back of your comments about the four majors, of the other venues, what do you like about them and what do you know about them?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Not much. I think the Match Play was out at Harding Park in 2015, something like that. I don’t know much about the other ones.

Q. Have you played Royal St. George’s?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Never played there. Watched it the year Ben Curtis won there. I was at that Open. I watched it. I watched him win. But I mean, I can’t remember much of the holes.

So I mean, I’ll probably to make a trip out to New York before and go check it out, but don’t know much about them to be honest with you. But that’s what the prep’s for. Go in there early, Monday to Wednesday, figure out all the info you need. My caddie, Rickie, might have been there. I don’t know. I haven’t asked him. We’ll see.

Q. This week marks the introduction of The European Tour’s new regulations aimed at targeting slow play and it’s just been announced there’s a revision, immediate one-shot penalty for two bad times in a tournament. Do you think that’s a good thing and how important is it for golf that this regulation is coming in?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I think it’s a good thing. I think the game’s changing and I think the rules need to kind of change with it. I think that’s why you’ve seen so many different rule changes, equipment changes, things like that going on. You know, it’s got to evolve as we evolve, the courses evolve and technology, everything like that.

They are trying to make the game a lot simpler, and I think making these changes is, you know, we’re on our way to making it easier to understand for the fans at home, the players. It’s very clear-cut what’s going to happen and very clear-cut what you need to do.

I think when everybody knows the rules, it’s a lot easier.

Q. Did I understand you to say that you were at St. George’s when Ben Curtis won?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yes. I was there.

Q. You were very young?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, I was. I remember I went with my mom and my brother. We were over on a trip all over the U.K., Scotland. Spent a few days down in London. We got to go, I think — I can’t remember if it was Saturday or Sunday, but we definitely were there Sunday watching him.

I remember it was actually kind of funny, my brother shouted at Tiger and he shouted back at my brother, something like, “Thanks, Bud,” or whatever it was. We thought it was the coolest thing ever. I was 12, maybe, something like that.

It’s been a while since then. I mean, I don’t remember much of it. I just remember Ben won coming down the stretch there.

Q. Was that the first time you had been to Britain?
BROOKS KOEPKA: Yeah, it was, actually. First time.

Q. Any other impressions?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I mean, I was 12 years old. I really couldn’t experience too much. Whatever my mom wanted to do, I was kind of following.

Q. In these weeks leading up to Augusta, how important is it for you to remain as world No. 1, and is there any psychological significance standing on the first tee at Augusta holding that position?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t think so. I don’t think it matters. It doesn’t matter to me — yeah, it’s nice to be world No. 1. I think there is a little bit of — a little bit of everybody that wants to be world No. 1. Otherwise, why is it a competition, you know.

But the only thing I’m looking forward to it the prep leading up to it is, okay, am I playing good, am I trending in the right direction going to Augusta, and that’s — you know, usually, I haven’t played very much over the break. Kind of come in trying to play my way into it, where I feel like now, I’ve had a few weeks of practise where I feel good because usually I’m over here trying to find it.

You know, Hawai’i is usually where I start, and trying to get the practise in there and try to build up to it. But now, having a little bit of practise feels good, and hopefully, out of competition for three months, so just try to get back in the swing of competition.

I think that’s important, and build your way up to Augusta. I think that’s pretty much what every player tries to do. You hear guys talking about it from when the year ends, how they are trying to build up to Augusta and I think that’s the way everybody goes about it.

Q. Not sure if you saw it, but on the PGA TOUR website last week, Rory was talking about the season, and he says that he believes he’s the best player in the world on his day. What do you make of that?
BROOKS KOEPKA: He should. He should believe that. Everybody playing should think that. I mean, if you don’t think you’re the best player, what’s the point. Everybody comes here trying to win. That’s the goal. If you don’t believe you’re the best deep down, then there’s something wrong with you. You might as well quick.

Q. And the Olympics, where is that on your priority list?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I’ve been trying to do my knee. I’ve been worried about my knee. I haven’t thought about it. Just honestly thinking about trying to play, trying to get over here for this. I don’t want to say this was kind of up in the air, but it was — we weren’t 100 percent on it too long ago.

Q. You mentioned about watching the Presidents Cup. How much golf did you consume during the off-period? Were you checking leaderboards? Were you watching golf on Instagram, Golf Channel? How much was your consumption?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I watched the Presidents Cup and that was it. That was the only golf I watched. Usually during that time, it’s kind of my off time, anyway. There’s a lot of other sport going on, football, basketball. I’ll watch those.

Q. When did you get the green light to come here and how worried were you that it wasn’t going to happen?
BROOKS KOEPKA: I don’t know if I wasn’t — I wasn’t too worried it wasn’t going to happen. I just didn’t — I just didn’t know when it was — or even if I came back, right. Even if I got the green light, whether it was going to feel right, whether you’re going to be the same, how is it going to feel.

I started hitting balls, I think just before Christmas, was about the first time I hit balls. Everything felt good. Speed was the same. We were hitting on TrakMan and my numbers were exactly what they were the day I left. So it’s always nice, and then from there, you’re just practising.

Then I think from that moment on, after a couple days of hitting balls and not feeling pain, it was, okay, I could get back here and do this and finally play.

Q. Do you have any worries with what’s happening in the world at the moment?
BROOKS KOEPKA: No.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
January 14, 2020