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TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN

November 1, 2015

Victor Dubuisson

Antalya, Turkey

SARAH GWYNN: Victor, the Turkish Airlines Open Champion. That sounds nice, doesn't it. Emotional scenes there. Just sum up for us if you will what this win means for you.

VICTOR DUBUISSON: It means a lot because I haven't had a great season so far and to win here, put me back in the Top-10 of The Race to Dubai. It's really great.

SARAH GWYNN: And what was going through your head on the 18th hole standing over that second shot?

VICTOR DUBUISSON: I was a little surprised with where my drive ended because I feel like I hit a really big drive but it had a great bounce, and it's always a difficult shot, this one on 18. Because if you don't hit the perfect shot, it's very difficult to be close to the hole. And I knew that I had a chance to make an eagle and that's what I wanted to do. I mean, Jaco made par and I just had a putt to win and I was feeling so good.

SARAH GWYNN: What is it you like so much about this place, having won here two years ago, as well?

VICTOR DUBUISSON: The course is very similar to the courses I practise on in Spain and in the south of France. The quality of the greens, it's the same, and I don't know, I just like the course and this week, this was definitely my week on the greens.

Q. Can you just tell us about the shot that you played on the 10th hole from the trees, and then the chip-in for an eagle on 11; which did you think was more important, and can you just describe the two shots that you had to play over there.
VICTOR DUBUISSON: On No. 10, it was almost an impossible situation. I knew I could use the break after the hole to make it come back a little bit. And I realise, a great chip and a very important putt; at this time of the tournament, every shot is very, very important.

And on No. 11, we have three par 5s on the back nine, and I was really counting on those. And you know, chip it in was really the bonus (smiling) of today. The ball arrived really softly in the hole. I would have made birdie. But this eagle was just amazing and it arrived at the best time, yeah.

Q. Can you give us the details of the length of your tee shot and the second shot on 18, please, to start with?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: On 18, I was under the presumption that Jaco would make birdie. He hit the ball so straight that 18 wouldn't be a problem for him. I just try to hit a big drive, because this week -- I mean, last week and this week, I was driving okay but not very long. So on this hole, I was like, okay, I had to take my chance.

I hit a really big drive that -- I took the advantage of the good bounce, and then I had 193 yards, a 175-metre shot to the hole. The wind was helping a little bit and it would normally be a good 7 or a little 6. I decided to hit an 8-iron because of the pressure and I knew I had to land just on the beginning of the left side of the green to keep it on. This was just the perfect shot.

Q. And if I could also ask, you said on the TV interview with Wayne Riley that you were so emotional because there were a lot of personal reasons why you had not played so well this season. Can you tell us a little bit more about those, please?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: No, I just keep it for me. But yeah, for personal reasons, I didn't play a lot, and not very great. My season, I was still 50 in The Race to Dubai, but I was expecting more compared to 2014 and 2013 season. Winning this week, I couldn't dream of something better.

Q. A couple things, on the fifth hole, where it looked like you put yourself behind the 8-ball and you lost the ball; were you surprised when you hit the shot that you could not find the ball?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, I was surprised because it was 196 meters to the back of the green on the middle of the green line. I felt like I hit an okay shot. But I think I had a very bad bounce, because I saw the ball bounce on the edge of the green, but I think I really had a bad bounce. I was very surprised to see the ball in the bush, in the forest. I mean, this was like, I was feeling so bad, because I was feeling like the trophy was going away.

Q. You had mentioned it earlier, but you decided to take your card on the PGA Tour this year and then decided to not take it for next year. Can you just talk about the issues in regards to why you decided not to keep your card on the PGA Tour and will that still stay the same after this win?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: I played a few events at the beginning of the year, and for personal reasons at home, I was just feeling not good to be far away from my family. And, I don't know, I was just not feeling good on the PGA TOUR, because I was struggling going back, and going back (indicating back and forth).

I decided I will come back to the PGA Tour in a few years, but probably just buy a place there. If I play the PGA, I will play the full season. Now, for the next three or four years, I will just stay in Europe 100 per cent.

Q. You said to Wayne Riley that you had completely lost your confidence. Was that mainly -- this was after The Ryder Cup, and you played so well with Graeme McDowell at The Ryder Cup. Was this mainly because of putting that you had lost your confidence?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, because of putting. Putting was really bad this year and short game, as well. But it's because I didn't really have time to practise a lot. You know, when you start to putt really bad on the greens, then you lose your confidence. And I decided to change my putter two months ago, and now, it worked pretty well this week.

Q. Your win two years ago got you into The Ryder Cup Team, or certainly helped get you on The Ryder Cup Team. Can this be the same again hopefully?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, hopefully. I mean, yeah, I put myself now in a good position for the next Ryder Cup. But it's still a lot of work to do. I will play -- I will definitely play more, more tournaments, to give myself a really good chance to be a part of it.

Q. Despite the victory, I think you are not in the Shanghai field for the HSBC Champions. Is that a disappointment, because you're playing so well, you would like to continue to the next week. Can you talk about whether you are okay with taking a week off, or is it a bit of a disappointment that you are not there?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, it's a big disappointment because it's a big, big tournament. But, you know, the rules, they always change the rules. You don't even receive an e-mail, you know, saying that the rules have changed.

So actually, I discovered half an hour ago that I was not playing next week. When I holed my putt next week, I was under the presumption to play next week. That's one of the reasons why I was so happy was that I could play the four events, but apparently the rules have changed and you know, when you win a big event like this one, go back to Top-50 in the world, Top-10 in The Race to Dubai, it's not normal that I cannot play next week.

Q. And can I just ask you about not the personal reasons, but did I read somewhere that you said that you had a stomach surgery?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: No, this was at the beginning of the year. Just the week before Abu Dhabi. But no, no, it was -- it's fine. It was just during Abu Dhabi and Qatar and Dubai, I was not feeling good. But after a few weeks, it was okay.

Q. You said this was a dream. Was this bigger for you, this win, than the one two years ago?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, yeah, this -- the first win, you don't really realise what's happening. I mean, the first win is always very important. But to win for the second time here, I don't know, I felt a little more pressure today.

Because as I said, my season was not really good, and on the last few holes, I knew that winning this week would really give me a great chance to be back on the Top-20 or top 30 of the World Ranking. And as I said, I was very surprised to not be in the tournament next week after this week.

Q. I don't know how you look at your 2014 season, but there was obviously the Match Play, but it didn't seem like outside of that you got accomplished maybe as much as you wanted to. Do you feel this gives you a chance to build now, knowing what you know after the first win, to be able to build better after the second win in 2016?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: Yeah, now I will play many more events than I used to do. Especially next year, and I will change a few things probably in my game and my physical preparation.

I mean, if I want to win this kind of event more, I need to improve a few things and to be a more consistent player.

Q. Do you think you took the win in 2013 for granted?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: I don't know what it means.

Q. Did you maybe not understand what it required to win, because you won so early on?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: No, no, I knew what required -- you need to hold every putt during the week. I mean, for me, my long game is always really, really good in terms of greens in regulation. But for me, it's all about the putting. So I know that if I have a great week on the greens, I have a very good chance to win.

Q. How was your mind-set at the beginning of this week?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: It was like every week. I was just -- I was just trying to do my best. And as I said, I was just playing and if I would feel good on the greens, I knew I had a good chance. But I mean, it didn't happen for such a long time. I was a little bit surprised to hold so many putts this week.

Q. What is sweeter, beating Tiger Woods or beating Rory McIlroy?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: I mean, I didn't beat McIlroy today. I beat the course and me (laughing) because my biggest enemy on the course, it's me (smiles).

Q. Looking to 2018, do you think there will be a special responsibility on you as a leading French player in that situation; what will be expected of you, do you think?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: I just play golf for myself and my family. I don't play golf for -- I don't know how to explain. I mean, of course people will expect me to be on the team. But I mean, it's in two years, two years and a half time. So it's a long way to go.

Q. You had a great partnership with Graeme McDowell in The Ryder Cup, and he's had quite a difficult year himself. I'm just wondering, have you managed to talk to him a little bit about your own year and his year and experiences like that?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: No, we didn't really talk about it. I spoke a lot with my coach and when I was not feeling great, and he just told me that golf career is very long and you always have some difficult years. But you've got to stay focused and if you do things right, you keep trusting yourself, it will come back.

Q. The Olympics, obviously Ryder Cup in France is a long way away, but the Olympics is not and you're clearly going to be -- right now, the top Frenchman. How do you feel about playing in the Olympics for France?
VICTOR DUBUISSON: I feel great. It's the Olympic Games. For a golf player, I mean, I don't know what it feels to play the Olympics. But I'm sure I will have a big surprise when I get there, because I think as a golf player, we don't realise how important it is and how you can feel -- how you can feel to play for your country. I think we will have a big surprise.

SARAH GWYNN: Victor, congratulations once again.

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