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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROLEXJuly 24, 2014Bernhard LangerBRIDGEND, WALES Q. You've played some terrific rounds in this championship over the years. How good was that one? BERNHARD LANGER: It was really good. We had obviously the best part of the day, which helps, when the wind plays down the last sort of six or seven holes, it really makes a difference. It was pretty solid. I didn't do a lot of things wrong. I hit the wrong club on 16 when I got a bit of a flyer and went over the green but otherwise, it was pretty solid. Q. Monty was telling us this morning that the course was too bouncy, basically and you couldn't predict how far the ball was going and it was really guesswork. How did you approach it this afternoon? BERNHARD LANGER: It is some of that, yeah. There's certain parts of the course where you literally, if you drop a ball, it could run 40 yards or disappear somewhere off down the hill. So that's all part of links golf. It's very, very firm right now and I don't think it's going to change the next three days. Q. Tell us about that right arm, heavily strapped up. Is it an issue on your play? BERNHARD LANGER: Not really. I'm not thinking about it. It's something I've had on and off for years now. Sometimes it goes for six or eight months in a row and it disappears for no reason and it comes back. So a lot of golfers have that. You see a lot of guys with that bandage on it, and my guy that takes care of me just thinks this will help a little bit, so I'm going to do it. Q. Thoughts on the day? BERNHARD LANGER: Whenever you're under par on a course like this, it's a good round, and to be 6‑under, as you say, is very satisfying. I played smart. I played pretty good. Not everything was great but a lot of good and some great in it and didn't make too many mistakes and that's what it comes down to at the end. Q. But by and large, were you as controlled as you appeared? BERNHARD LANGER: I don't know if I was‑‑ I don't know what I appeared, so it's whatever you see. But you know, as I said, I kept the ball in play. Kept it out of the pot bunkers, out of the hay, and gave myself some opportunities and I was very pleased with a birdie finish. Q. Looking down the leaderboard, not many are bettering par? BERNHARD LANGER: That's true, and some of that is down to a pretty strong wind earlier on. We had probably 12 to 18‑mile‑an‑hour winds earlier, and now it's laying down to about three miles an hour. So that was a nice change to have at least about an hour of that, finishing the last five or six holes with a little bit of breeze, which always makes it easier. Q. Prior to the tournament, you were saying what a gem Royal Porthcawl. Is it the same now? BERNHARD LANGER: It certainly is. I've played three practice rounds and this is my fourth round this week. The more you play it, the more you see what challenge there is, and you just know you're not going to hit some fairways. So you just take a chance and hope for a reasonable lie, and then you have to guess whether it's going to be a flyer or not. So there's a lot of that happening, but if you hit good shots, most of the time you get rewarded. Q. You must be delighted with that round? BERNHARD LANGER: I am, thank you. It's a great start to the week, and obviously I was fortunate with the wind laying down the last hour or so, hour and a half. But overall, I shot 4‑under in the front nine which was in the wind and just stayed out of trouble for the most part and made some decent putts and a lot of solid shots. Q. With a clubhouse lead at 4‑under, many thought that couldn't be bettered, and you've gone to six. How did you plot your way around when others couldn't put such a good score together? BERNHARD LANGER: Well, I don't know what others did. I just try to hit fairways and greens and give myself opportunities. Fortunately I had a bunch close, almost gimmie range, and birdied all the par 5s, which is key, and didn't make many bogeys. I made one bogey on 16 when I drove it into the rough and a bit of an iffy lie, it jumped on me, so I had the wrong club. It went through the green and just didn't get it up‑and‑down. But otherwise, there was a lot of good in it. Q. Is it key not to get frustrated on a course like that, because sometimes you hit a good shot and you're not rewarded. BERNHARD LANGER: Always. You just have to try and stay calm. We all get frustrated when we hit decent shots and they don't turn out to be where you think they should be. Other times you hit a so‑so shot and you get a good bounce, so hopefully it all equals out somewhere. Q. Weather is probably not going to be as good as today going out early in the morning, do you think about that, or just go out and post another score tomorrow?  BERNHARD LANGER: No, it doesn't matter. You just have to face whatever conditions come your way and make the best of it. Q. And seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard? BERNHARD LANGER: That's the goal is to be amongst the leaders and the further up the better. Q. Can you go wire‑to‑wire? BERNHARD LANGER: I hope so. It's been done before. I've done it before, so hopefully I can do it again. Q. What did you hit on 3? BERNHARD LANGER: 3 was a 3‑wood off the tee and a 9‑iron, and then about a 20‑foot putt or something like that. 4 goes the same direction. I think that was a driver, don't know what club I hit in there. It was sand wedge I think and then‑‑ did I hit driver, sand wedge on 4? Right. Then holed a putt from about 18 feet, something like that. Had a good opportunity on the par3 which I missed. Hit a really good 3‑wood there to about ten feet and missed the putt. Par 5, I hit a real good drive, 3‑wood, pitched it up to about just left of the green and then hit in. Pitched it up to about five feet. Q. How close were you to the wall? BERNHARD LANGER: About two feet. It comes right up. Q. Did you have a ruling there? BERNHARD LANGER: No, I made a practice swing and hit another ball. So I didn't know‑‑ I figured nothing would happen. Feels funny. Q. Next hole? BERNHARD LANGER: Hit a sand wedge to two feet. Q. 13? BERNHARD LANGER: The par5, driver, 3‑wood on to the green, and two putts from 50 feet, 60 feet, something like that. Then 16, I hit 3‑wood off the tee, which was okay, and then in the left rough. 6‑iron, went over the green, left. Took a putter from the other tee box where I ended up and putted to about ten feet and missed a 10‑footer for par. Then it was 3‑iron, 4‑iron to six feet. Then driver, 5‑iron just to the right of the green, putted from there and almost made it to about two inches or whatever. Q. It is getting very, very dry, isn't it? BERNHARD LANGER: It's been dry, yes, since I've been here since Monday. Q. You're not concerned about that? Some people are. BERNHARD LANGER: It is what it is. Why would I be concerned? The green keeper might be concerned. I'm just going to play whatever conditions we'll find. That's what you're supposed to do, right. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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