|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
WGC HSBC CHAMPIONSNovember 5, 2014Zecheng DouSHANGHAI, CHINA CALVIN KOH: Welcome to HSBC Champions. You must be excited to be here this week. ZECHENG DOU: I'm very excited to talk about my first opportunity to be in the WGC HSBC Champions. It's a great chance for me to learn from a lot of world‑class golfers, and, yes, I thank the China Golf Association for giving me an opportunity to be on this big stage. And hopefully I can do well and gain more ground in this week's tournament in order to play well and to compete with some of the greatest in the golf world. CALVIN KOH: You are 17 this year. When you step up to the tee tomorrow, I'm sure a lot of media attention will all be focusing on you. Are you ready to handle the pressure on a bigger stage? ZECHENG DOU: Once again, I emphasise this is a learning opportunity for me. I don't even think about the result that I'm going to get in this week's tournament, so I'm not giving myself a lot of pressure because I'm not demanding a lot from myself. But maybe in the future when I have the skills and ability to really make the tournament, not from a wild card, maybe at that time I will be a lot more worried and stressed about how to gain and how to win the trophy. Q. Who are your heros out here? ZECHENG DOU: Westwood, Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter. Because of my previous experience in the HSBC Youth Championship, to be able to have a chance to play with these great golfers, Westwood, Poulter and Stenson are my heros. Q. And what do they say to you? ZECHENG DOU: Well, I'm kind of shy so I don't talk much with the golfers, but I remember Rory McIlroy talked to me when I got a chance to play with him for one hole. I don't feel that tense to talk to him. We talk about swing and work, but I understand now that I'm more mature, and next time I get a chance, I will definitely be more talkative with the golfers. Q. Talk about the HSBC Youth. Can you share a little bit more thoughts on your take on the WGC HSBC Champions and your recent approach to turn pro from amateur status? ZECHENG DOU: WGC HSBC Champions is one of the top events outside of the four majors, and it's a great opportunity for me this time to learn and play for my recent move from amateur to pro. Basically I was not forced to turn pro, I felt right now with the PGA China Tour, a lot of Chinese golfers, particularly for young golfers, they will gain more opportunity if they turn pro to be one of the elite golfers in the country. So there's a better chance to learn, and right now, starting next year, I will be officially in pro status to handle the whole season. It would be a very key point for me because I feel that these two years will be key for me not just on the golf course. But also since I'm advancing to college very soon, once I'm been able to gain some funds I might actually move to the U.S. and study in university. Or I could also take university here in China to continue with my academics. But obviously these two years will be very key for me in terms of the growth in both golf and academically. Q. Is there any particular players that you want to be in the same group with this week? ZECHENG DOU: Whoever is going to be in the same group with me, I'll be very appreciative, because 40 out of the Top‑50 in the world's elite golfers are right here gathered in Shanghai and it will be a really good learning opportunity for me. Q. In this week's tournament, is there any particular players that you like about their style of play? ZECHENG DOU: Since I haven't been playing with any of those golfers before, I might answer that question better after I play this week. But usually I don't really come to live rounds to watch tournaments. Usually I just watch it on television. So I can answer you after the tournament. Q. Can you talk about your plans after HSBC? ZECHENG DOU: I'm going to fly back to Beijing and then I have to fly to Los Angeles immediately for the next tournament, and hopefully in the upcoming PGA China Tour I'll be able to gain more opportunities and wins to ultimately help many any upcoming career. Q. Since you just turned pro, you would be gaining a minimum of 40,000 U.S. dollars prize money, and that would be your first prize money you're going to get after turning pro. So have you thought about how to handle that money? ZECHENG DOU: I've never thought about any sort of questions about the money because like all the other players, I just want to focus on the game, not playing for the money, but really playing for the game of golf. Obviously I'm well trained right now and I want to focus on the tournament. In terms of money, I'll just direct those issues to my parents. Q. Right now you have become a pro player and there are going to be a lot of sponsors getting close to you and approaching you. I just spoke to your father that you have your own approach in terms of sponsorship. What is your take on sponsorship? ZECHENG DOU: Well, I just wear any brands that I like only for now, and I really haven't any firm ground in terms of sponsors and which sponsors I might want to go after. Right now I just want to focus on the game at the moment. Q. Since you've turned pro, a lot of pro players have to take care of their own expenses entering tournaments and to be financially independent and show that young players have become more mature. How are you going to handle this case? ZECHENG DOU: I don't think about it. Right now it's all upon my father, so when my father thinks that I have to be financially independent, then I will be financially independent. Q. I spoke with Liang Wen‑Chong, one of the veteran Chinese golfers this morning and he had a chance to play with you this morning. He talked about the focus that you put into game but from the other sources, saying that you're kind of naughty, as well, on the golf course, since you just turned pro, do you feel that you're ready? ZECHENG DOU: I have emphasised that the reason for turning pro, the priority is for learning. But it's great that you mentioned guys like Liang Wen‑Chong and the veteran players in China, they really focus on youth golf development in China. We played nine holes this morning. I felt that Liang Wen‑Chong taught me a lot and showed me the path in a lot of things he has experienced in the past tournaments, and it's great to have these kind of veterans to be there and support me and show me the way. But if you ask if I'm ready or not, I think it's better for you to look at the results I get in this week's tournament, and then you will see that I'm ready or not. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|