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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROLEXJuly 23, 2014Ian WoosnamBRIDGEND, WALES STEVE TODD: Many thanks for joining us. Welcome back to Wales. With the week upon us, give us your thoughts on being here in Wales this week and Royal Porthcawl. IAN WOOSNAM: Well, I think, first of all, look at the weather, looks like we are going to be blessed for the week, looks fantastic. I had a practise round yesterday and I think it's the best shape I've seen the golf course in the best shape ever. I was speaking to the R&A about Royal Porthcawl, and everybody who has been involved has done a fantastic job. It's a great showcase and what a great job they have done up on the practise ground, as well. It's a tribute to everybody how they do it, so, so far, so good. STEVE TODD: Slightly different conditions but it would be nice to give the Welsh fans another good performance this week. IAN WOOSNAM: Obviously there would be nothing better than to be able to win this tournament this week. But got to say, it's very difficult because I'm not playing too much competitive golf, and if you want to win a major or contend in tournaments, you've got to be playing more golf. Unfortunately we are just starting to get into our flow of golf tournament. Pity we haven't had more tournaments to get a run and get some practise in and feel like you're more competitive. At the moment, I feel that I'm under‑golfed and I just hope and pray that I have a good run this week. Q. Tom Watson praised the golf course and said it would be a great Open course. You probably know that better than anyone. Do you think that could be a possibility in the future? IAN WOOSNAM: Well, it's going to be a great test this week if we can get the crowds out. Unfortunately over the last few years, the weather has been pretty bad and the crowds haven't turned up. If the weather stays like this, it's going to be a great example to see how many crowds we can get around and see how they work around the golf course. I presume that's what the R&A want to see. Q. How do you get more golf? You told me at Augusta you were under‑golfed and now you've said it again. So how do you get more golf? How do you get more competitive golf? IAN WOOSNAM: We've had this crisis and hopefully The European Tour can get more to play for the seniors. Just lacking in sponsorships at the moment. For me to get into America, I have to rely on invites and sometimes that's difficult to get them, especially when I go over there and I forget to turn up for the Pro‑Am and get disqualified after being there for ten days. That was great. Old age. (Laughter). Anyway, all we can hope is that The European Tour Senior Tour grows back to where it was five, six years ago. When I came back to play the Seniors, it was 20, 25 tournaments and it's down to about 12 now. So it is difficult to compete. Q. I presume you've played this course many, many times. There were two here‑‑ IAN WOOSNAM: I think it was maybe longer than that. I think they had, I know it was '82 and '81 or something like that. Yes, I did play in one or maybe two of them I played in, not 100 percent sure. I know I did play. Didn't play very well. Q. Is it your favourite course in Wales? IAN WOOSNAM: It's difficult to say. You know I've always played at Aberdovey in Wales. But as I said yesterday, I really enjoyed playing the golf course yesterday. I think sometimes you play this golf course, you get battered and you feel like you don't enjoy it. But when you get to see the views as it was yesterday on the golf course, how it set up, I think that changes your mind a lot. It's great to hear someone like Tom Watson say how great the golf course is. We all know it's a great golf course. Let's see if we can get the crowds around and everybody thinks the same, as well. Q. A sad occasion in Scotland tomorrow; a man that had a big influence on you, is it a sadness for you this week that you can't be there tomorrow? IAN WOOSNAM: I rung up and found out when the day was. I was a bit surprised it was going to be so soon, but situations like that, definitely wanted to obviously gone to the funeral because he was such a big part of my life, Bob Torrance. He showed me a lot of things in the golf swing and one of the best teachers in the world and he'll be sadly missed. Q. Any stories you remember‑‑ IAN WOOSNAM: Well, there's stories of Bob‑‑ haven't drunk for many years and I asked him to come out to New Orleans. I wasn't playing very well, and I got a message I think from the airlines, can someone come pick up this guy, he can't walk. He had had a few drinks and I think he had taken some sleeping pills, as well. Never mind, brilliant. Brilliant teacher, brilliant guy and he'll be sadly missed. Q. I've got to ask the predicted score. Let's assume that we have reasonably good weather? IAN WOOSNAM: Well, if we carry on like this, I don't know, let's see‑‑ what won the seniors last year, 7‑ or 8‑under par, something like that, wasn't it? That was bad conditions. Let's go for something like 3‑under a round; 12‑under. That would be good. If I can do that, I would be very happy win or lose. It just all depends on the weather. Last year in the Pro‑Am, it was just impossible, and then the next day it was pretty calm and I shot 65 I think. So it all depends on the weather with what's going on. If it's not going to blow too much, I think it will be that number I think. But if it blows a little bit, it could come down to 4‑under. STEVE TODD: Thanks for joining us, Ian. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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