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SALTIRE ENERGY PAUL LAWRIE MATCH PLAY

July 29, 2015

Marc Warren

Aberdeen, Scotland

SCOTT CROCKETT: Thanks, as always, for coming in and joining us and welcome to Murcar. Give us your thoughts on the Match Play this week and your thoughts on the week ahead.

MARC WARREN: Yeah, I think it's nice to have kind of a change in the schedule, not as a regular four-round tournament and obviously major play is a very different style of golf. And on this type of golf course, as well, which is shorter than what we are used to. But narrow off the tee, tricky golf course, which I think lends perfectly to the format.

SCOTT CROCKETT: Your thoughts on your first round opponent, Richard Bland.

MARC WARREN: No thoughts at all. Just going to ignore him. (Laughing). Richard has been a good player a long time. The last couple years have probably been the best years he's had on Tour. He's a good guy. He's always been good to me and will be a tough opponent, first round. He's a very steady golfer and generally a good putter. That's what makes, I would say, a good match-play player, someone that's solid and good on the greens.

SCOTT CROCKETT: Decent week at Gullane, decent week at St. Andrews. Give us your thoughts on your own form.

MARC WARREN: Yeah, it was two good weeks. I haven't touched a club since St. Andrews. Hit a couple balls yesterday but it was more, mentally tired after those two weeks. The last round at Gullane was obviously really good, kind of coming through the field there. And St. Andrews, I think for everyone was a long week. Obviously being in second last group after the Friday and then kind of having all day Saturday, which felt like a really long day, got to the golf course 6 o'clock at night, hit a few balls. Just felt like a really long week and last week felt like a really short week at home. Didn't really do too much practise. But I think the conditions this week, it's going to be a lot of feel stuff, anyway.

Q. Your match-play record in events like the Seve Trophy, do you go in with a different strategy, a different game plan?
MARC WARREN: I tend to play quite a aggressive anyway at times, I would say so. I find it quite easy to get into that sort of mentality. Even the world Match Play earlier on this year, I felt I left a couple of games in the slot there. But for the most part, I felt like I was doing quite well against players that were kind of top 20, top 30 in the world. Even that little bit of experience I have, hopefully I can use that to my benefit this week.

Q. Plenty of links golf at the moment, it will be three in a row. Have you played here before?
MARC WARREN: I played the Scottish Boys' here, I think it was my last year it was here. Steven O'Hara might have won it. I think I got beat the first round to be honest. I didn't really remember much about it to be honest.

Q. The course here will be a challenge especially with these conditions. How much are you looking forward to getting out there and battling the elements?
MARC WARREN: Yeah, I think it's pretty much the prevailing wind, as well. I do remember that actually the last time I was here on the range -- so be good to see the golf course. Obviously a tough test today -- inaudible -- tomorrow, if they can do some good golf in what is an exciting format.

Q. And still a brand new event and hopefully it can go from strength-to-strength?
MARC WARREN: Yeah, exactly. Paul was saying last night that the tournament has been signed by Saltire and the Tour for the next two years. So it's a great start for the event. I think obviously it's got a very good field this week. There's been a lot of big events and lots of guys have turned up. Part of that is due to the change of format. Everyone is kind of buzzing about it. Everyone is excited, seeing the format. Everybody knows pressure is on them to get through the first round, and I think. Paul has done a great job. It's incredible what he's doing for golf and the whole of Scotland, not just up here, and then adding tournaments like this to it is pretty incredible.

Q. What did you first think when you heard that Paul was planning something like this? Had it gone to his head --
MARC WARREN: I remember having lunch with him in Ireland last year, just the week of the tournament, The Irish Open, he mentioned it was pretty much signed and he had been working on it for a while. It was kind of -- you could see how excited he was about it, kind of a little project for him. There was obviously -- with the tournaments and how successful he's been, he has that mentality, when he gets his teeth into something, he's not going to back down. Once he kind of got his name attached to it, nothing was going to be done by half. It was going to be done properly and getting guys like John Daly and stuff to turn up is all great for the event.

Q. Like The Irish Open this year with Rory, do you think that is something you think the Tour should be looking at going forward -- could you see Marc Warren Scottish Open?
MARC WARREN: Maybe get a couple of majors first. Yeah, it's a great thing the Tour are doing. I think it adds what the guys are doing, as well, I think it adds a little bit to the event when it has a title name like that. Obviously being a Scottish Major Champion, Paul Lawrie; and Rory McIlroy, world No. 1. So I think it can only help the tournaments. You still have your title sponsors, obviously Saltire this week. But I think adding the name to it, as well, makes it special.

Q. Paul said yesterday he was impressed you were Scottish No. 1 -- pretty pleased that he's thinking of you in those terms?
MARC WARREN: Yeah, sent him a nice text. I wasn't sure if I was going to play until last week -- I was supposed to play in Switzerland last week and decided not to play there. So basically confirmed I was going to play here. Paul text me straightaway, announced it on Twitter, Paul said it was great to have me playing. Whether he means it or not, I don't know. But any time you can have the highest-ranked players, the Scottish players is a badge of honour I suppose. Obviously Stevie Gallacher has been carrying that title for the last couple of years and Paul before that. The success they have had over five, six years, hopefully I can continue that strong form and push on into the Top-50 in the world.

SCOTT CROCKETT: Thanks for your time, as always. Good luck this week.
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