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DIAMOND RESORTS INVITATIONAL BENEFITING FLORIDA HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN

January 16, 2016

Mardy Fish

WINDERMERE, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on one great round of golf and one great tournament.
MARDY FISH: Thank you. Yeah, it was a blast. It's been an awesome event. Diamond Resorts puts on an amazing event, first class all the way around. It's been really fun for the players, families, all together.
THE MODERATOR: What was your mindset going into today? You had a big lead. You had guys talking about the only way they were going to try to win is if you backed up a little bit. You didn't back up.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I've never been in this position. So you're not really sure how it's going to go, or if nine points is a big‑‑ you know, a lot of points or not or a big lead.
I was able to get a birdie right away on the 1st hole, made kind of a long putt there. So that kind of took the pressure off a little bit. But he got it to four points after six holes, I was only up. And then his tee shot on 7 was a big one to kind of turn the momentum back my way.
THE MODERATOR: Were you nervous before you teed off? There's always a little bit of nerves, but did you feel anything extra?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, for sure. It kind of felt like I was in the finals of a tennis tournament again. It's been a while, but I do remember and recall. I played 20 of those. So I do remember that. It was fun. I mean, it's fun to compete like that.
THE MODERATOR: Did you feel like there was any gamesmanship? You were going up against a guy who's won a lot of these tournaments in Rick Rhoden. So on the driving range, guys seemed to be pretty friendly, but did you notice anything out there?
MARDY FISH: I didn't notice any, and I'm sure there wasn't. These guys are really nice. Everybody's rooting for everyone.
Obviously, it's a prestigious title to have, and it will be fun to tell everyone back at the country club. But, no, everyone's great. Everyone's super nice out here. So it's a lot of fun.
THE MODERATOR: Any extra incentive growing up down the road from here in Vero Beach?
MARDY FISH: No, not extra. I wanted to win just as bad in Tahoe as well, and I didn't grow up down there. But it was nice to have family and friends here. My dad was my caddie. So it was fun to have him around and have him be a part of it.
THE MODERATOR: Did you get a little nervous out on 6? Rhoden had put together back‑to‑back birdies. You had bogeyed 6, and he was within four. After starting off nine back, he cut the lead pretty quick.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, you kind of equate it to, when I played my sport and a guy was playing really well, you kind of have to feel like you got to kind of weather the storm a little bit and maybe wait for a mistake or two from that end and keep playing your game.
He made the mistake on 7, and I was able to birdie 8, and that was a huge swing.
THE MODERATOR: So you felt more comfortable at that point. At any point did you say to yourself, hey, I've got this if I just play consistent?
MARDY FISH: Probably after 9. I birdied 9 as well. Going into‑‑ I think going into the last nine holes, I was up 12 points. So I kind of felt like that was maybe a little too far. So it was a fun back nine.
THE MODERATOR: As far as playing with celebrities, we heard that you might have played with some of your old tennis buddies on the golf course a few times.
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I play with Andy Roddick and James Blake all the time. Pete Sampras is a member of our club as well, Belleair. Our Davis Cup Captain, Jim Courier, is a really good golfer too, and he lives down the road, Lake Nona. So there's a lot of good tennis player golfers for sure.
THE MODERATOR: Do you give them any strokes when you play?
MARDY FISH: I don't have to. I'll have to give them more now. They watched on TV. I tried to sandbag as much as I can.

Q. Mardy, what kind of adjustments do you have to make to play on a day like yesterday versus today?
MARDY FISH: Just concentrate a little bit more yesterday, take more club, obviously, into the wind. You've got to just think a little bit more around the course, think about each shot.
There was a little bit of wind today as well, but nothing like yesterday. So it was nice to score so well yesterday. I scored 30 points on such a tough day.

Q. Rick Rhoden talked about your effortless power. He says he moves it out there and looks like he's not even swinging. Where does that come from? Are you self taught? Are you taking a lot of lessons?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, self taught. I grew up playing golf. Never took a lesson until a year ago, just to figure out kind of what I was doing with my swing. But it was just one or two lessons. It wasn't a big deal.
Yeah, I kind of feel like it's a pretty natural swing for me. It's a backhand really for me. So it's fairly natural.
THE MODERATOR: Mardy, this is your first Celebrity Tournament victory, and it's the inaugural event. Anything extra special there?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, this is an awesome event. There were a lot of great players here. First class event all the way around. I'd love to be invited back next year. Hopefully, the event was a success behind the scenes. It certainly felt like it for us.
THE MODERATOR: We'll be calling you about showing up to media day next year.

Q. Mardy, talk about the anxiety thing that was documented in Players' Tribune. What role did golf play in helping you with that?
MARDY FISH: It was actually huge. I wasn't able to play in 2014, play tennis at all, and I needed something to get my competitive juices going. I didn't have anything else. There was nothing else I was good at. Golf was something that I could escape from everything.
I played some mini tour events and played some golf tournaments and tried to‑‑ not tried. I just played Q School just to have fun with it. I played the U.S. Open qualifier, stuff like that, just for fun. And it was a major, major help to be able to get the competitive fires going when I couldn't in tennis.

Q. Clinically speaking, was it a factor? Again, I don't know how to relate to it, but was golf clinically a help in overcoming the anxiety?
MARDY FISH: I don't think so in that aspect, but it certainly‑‑ I don't know if it works for anyone else, but it certainly worked for me.

Q. One more thing. The mental toughness of excelling in an individual sport, did that play a role in your ability to sustain today?
MARDY FISH: Yeah, I mean, just in general, just golf in general, I think it's relatively relatable to both sports. You're kind of out there by yourself. In tennis, it's the only major sport where, when we leave the locker room, we're literally all by ourselves trying to problem solve and figure out how to beat the other guy. In golf, you're trying to beat the course and trying to figure out the course and figure out your game and not get in the way.
So, yeah, I think it's an advantage, but it doesn't mean that a team sport athlete couldn't excel in an individual sport as well. It just so happens that they're good in a team sport. So it certainly helps me, but it will help a lot of guys, a lot of athletes for sure.
THE MODERATOR: Mardy, is this the first time you had your dad on the bag in one of these events, a celebrity event?
MARDY FISH: Yes, first time. First and last (laughter). I'm kidding.
THE MODERATOR: The next question is does he get the 10 percent?
MARDY FISH: He's not going to get 10 percent, but I'll buy him dinner.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Mardy. The inaugural winner of the Diamond Resorts Invitational.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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