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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

October 20, 2015

Ben Martin

Las Vegas, Nevada

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome the defending champion of the Shriners Hospital for Children Open, Ben Martin, into the interview room. Ben, first of all, let's go back to last year and just take us through that win and what that meant for the rest of your season.

BEN MARTIN: Yeah, last year, second event of the year, it doesn't feel like that long ago. It's hard to believe it's already been a year. But came in here shooting 78, 79 at the Frys.com the week before, so not a whole lot of confidence, but I was trying to remember my rounds. I know I got off to a pretty good start Thursday and Friday, but Saturday's round was really the one that propelled me into the lead. Going into Sunday I think I shot 9-under par or something, the lowest round for me on TOUR maybe, 62. And then going into Sunday, I knew that this is not a course where you can just get by making a lot of pars, so most of the day I was hovering around even par on Sunday, and then had a big finish, 15, 16, 17, 18, finishing those four holes 4-under. So it set me up for a good season.

I kind of hovered in the top 20 in the FedExCup for most of the year, and then didn't have the greatest playoff run and got knocked out at the BMW. But I think it just goes to show when you can get off to a good start early, it kind of puts you ahead of the game and takes a little bit of the pressure off of trying to move up in the FedExCup.

JOHN BUSH: You just missed, finishing 35th in the FedExCup. How much is that a motivating factor for you this year to try to get to East Lake?

BEN MARTIN: Yeah, that was one of my goals last year, to get in the TOUR Championship. Obviously that opens up your schedule for the next season and all the majors and kind of pick your schedule to start the year. I was a little disappointed not to capitalize making it to Atlanta.

But that's another goal for this year, so getting off to another good start would certainly help the cause.

Q. From a player's perspective if there was no FedExCup points at this tournament, had it remained a Fall Series event under the old format, would guys like you still even consider playing it, or has that changed everything for guys that may adjust their schedules just because of what you said, you want to get off to a fast start?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I think without a doubt. I'm a guy who I enjoy having a lot of time off in big chunks, so if there was no incentive to play in these fall events, then I don't think you would see the field that you have here this week. I'm trying to remember the guys I've seen around, but Sneds and Rickie and Keegan. I'm sure there's a bunch of other -- some of the top guys here.

Jimmy Walker has kind of shown in the past -- he's won the Frys, he's won in Hawai'i, he's won early a lot, and it just helps the season out when you can get off to a good start.

I think having these fall events being full FedExCup events, there's no doubt that it increases the field strength tremendously.

Q. For you to be back, obviously you remember your first one and vividly probably shot by shot the back nine on Sunday. As the defending champ what does it feel like when you step foot on property and have the flood of positive memories?
BEN MARTIN: It's a little bit weird seeing your picture everywhere, but it's something I'll have to get used to more. It does bring back a lot of good memories, a lot of good vibes.

I think certainly what I remember most is just that finishing stretch in the last four holes, rolling in a long eagle putt on 16 and then capping it of, making a 20-footer for birdie on 18.

I had three weeks off at home, didn't play a whole lot of golf, so last week I was kind of getting back in the swing of things, in tournament mode. Kind of similar to last year, came into the Frys last year a little rusty, and it showed with my scores. But I'm excited to be back for sure. Like I said, it's hard to believe it's already been a year.

I think being the defending champ maybe adds a little bit of pressure, all right, I've had success here in the past, but hopefully I can put that aside and just go out and compete like I did last year.

Q. What is it about this golf course that you like?
BEN MARTIN: This will be my fourth time playing here, and I think I actually missed the cut the first two years, so I didn't really come in here with a good track records, but I think what I did well last year was I was just kind of solid in all phases of the game. I don't think you have to hit it long here to have success, and I'm not one of the longest hitters out here, so I can still get home on 15 and some of the other par-5s. So putting it in play off the tee, and then of course you've got to make a whole lot of birdies, so I think I had a good day putting last week on Thursday, not so good on Friday, but I feel like the putter is coming around. I think that's two of the keys, just putting it in the fairways and making putts.

Q. How much did your mindset and your confidence change after your win last year? Obviously winning for the first time is a big deal, but how much did it change you kind of going throughout the rest of the year?
BEN MARTIN: I think one of the biggest things for me to have success out here is just comfort level and feeling a little bit like you belonged out here, and I guess you never know until you get that win, if you can win. Being up against -- it was a good field last year, and beating those guys and just kind of showing myself that, hey, when my game is on that I'm good enough to get it done.

I think -- I always feel like if I can give myself a chance going into Sunday, if I'm hovering around the top 10, then that's -- you kind of plug along the first three days, put yourself in position and then get it done on Sunday on the back nine.

When it came to crunch time, kind of gave the lead away early last year, but to finish the way I did certainly gave me a lot of confidence that I could do it again and that if I can continue just getting a little bit better every year, then I would have more chances some Sunday in the future.

Q. We've got the World Long Drive Championships this week, and you're not one of the longer drivers on TOUR out here. I'm wondering, do you have like an envious feeling about guys who can crush the ball 300, 320, 350?
BEN MARTIN: Yeah, I think length is kind of the way the game is moving. You look at a lot of the guys who are playing well in the majors, Dustin and Jason Day and I guess Jordan is kind of the anomaly in there, that he doesn't bomb it, but he gets it in the hole. But that's one reason I think I enjoy coming to courses like this, playing the Colonials, the Hilton Heads, where it doesn't -- you don't necessarily have to hit it a long way.

But it is an advantage, and the toughest part I think is to know your strengths and say, hey, I'm not one of the guys who hits it a long way, so how am I going to be able to beat those guys that are hitting it 30, 40 yards past me. You know, whether that's wedging it well or scrambling or putting, because it certainly is an advantage if somebody is hitting a wedge and you're hitting a 7-iron. Being able to know what you do well and know how you score is important.

JOHN BUSH: Ben Martin, best of luck this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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