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WGC DELL MATCH PLAY

March 22, 2016

Thomas Pieters

Austin, Texas

MODERATOR: Thanks very much for joining us. Quite shocking circumstances this morning. If you wouldn't mind telling us when you first heard about the terrible events in your home country.

THOMAS PIETERS: I woke up at like 6:00 a.m. and my phone was just buzzing. Everybody was telling me, is your family okay. And I kind of knew what was going on, so I opened the news sites and it was just one of the worst days to wake up. Even when it happened in Paris, it's close, but it's not right near your people. And then now it happens to somewhere I go almost every time I fly out. That's where I go. It's shocking to see the images and the videos. It's a sad day.

MODERATOR: It must really put this golf tournament in perspective for you.

THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, I'm not going to moan this week, that's for sure. Yeah, it's just tough to just understand. I just don't get it. So many innocent people, it's frustrating.

MODERATOR: If anyone has any questions?

Q. How many family members do you have there?
THOMAS PIETERS: Oh, everybody. I'm from Antwerp.

Q. An hour away from Brussels?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, about an hour. I have a lot of friends that live in Brussels. I either texted or called them. I do have a friend that -- a friend that was in the Metro, and he hasn't been in contact. So it's still a nervous time. But we've heard that there's still a lot of people just stuck in the Metro, because there was only one exit to get out. And hopefully he just comes out there.

Q. How much of a concern is it? Obviously you said France and what happened in Paris, but how much of a concern is it traveling where you travel and how much do you think about this? And now does this change how you will travel?
THOMAS PIETERS: Definitely the last couple of years -- I'm not scared to fly, but it does cross your mind sometimes. But I think you can't live with fear, that's what they tried to do. So I'm not going to change the way I fly or anywhere I go. If you're at the bad place at the bad time, then those guys win. But I don't think you should change the way you travel. It's just the way it is.

Q. Have you talked to anyone at home?
THOMAS PIETERS: We talked to our parents. And my friend that lives in Brussels, I talked to him. But just over texts just to see if everybody is okay. And luckily most of my close friends and family are fine.

Q. How does this change Belgium?
THOMAS PIETERS: We'll have to wait and see, but it's a shock. We knew it was going to happen, that's what they all say. Obviously we had a lot of those guys in Belgium. And with the arrest a couple of days ago of that important guy that was behind the attacks in Paris, just apparently we have a lot living in Belgium, and it is scary, yeah. I kind of avoid going to Brussels, but I think the danger is everywhere in Europe.

Q. When was the last time you were home, Tom?
THOMAS PIETERS: Two and a half weeks ago now. I'm happy to be here. I feel safe here.

Q. Were you planning to go back anytime soon?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, after this week, I'm flying into London.

Q. Even as much as you said that maybe there's a big cell in Belgium, is there a random quality about this terrorism, that nobody feels like they're safe in the world anymore?
THOMAS PIETERS: I don't know how to answer that. It's just what they tried to do, they tried to make you feel unsafe and install fear in you, and I don't think you can -- we should think like that. Everybody, all the governments are kind of doing their best to figure this thing out. But I can't do anything about it, so I'm not going to change my lifestyle.

Q. What have you done this morning since finding out the news, finding out about the news?
THOMAS PIETERS: Just watching the news, scroll down to see if there's new articles every five minutes. But we had breakfast, we talked about it a little bit. And I was happy none of my friends and family were in Brussels at that time.

Q. What have you done (inaudible)?
THOMAS PIETERS: Nothing. I just got to the course.

Q. You talk about the perspective of life and golf, on the other hand this is a fairly important week for you?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yes, but it's just golf, isn't it? It's just a job. If I want, I can go home and be with my friends right now. But I like golf and I'm very happy to be here. But at the end of the day it's just golf.

Q. Less importance, less pressure, does it change anything as relates to the week?
THOMAS PIETERS: Like I said, I'm not going to moan this week, it's not going to change anything. I try not to do it any week, but especially this week. Yeah, I'll be thinking a lot about people back home and trying to show my support a little bit.

Q. You're paired with Adam Scott. Your thoughts on that?
THOMAS PIETERS: I'm happy. I knew I was going to play one of the top guys. I've never met Adam. And we all know he's one of the top players in the world. I'm just going to play my game and see who wins.

Q. Have you had many players come to you?
THOMAS PIETERS: I just got to the golf course.

Q. Thomas, when you woke up and you said your phone was pinging or blowing up, what's the first thing that goes through your mind? Did you have a sense, an instinct, maybe, that something had happened or did you think it was a family matter?
THOMAS PIETERS: No, I kind of knew because it was friends from different countries that were getting to me, and a lot of my American friends, as well. I kind of knew what was going on. When I opened it I couldn't actually believe it was at the airport, which is just somewhere I've been a million times. So that was a scary thing, there.

Q. You said you don't go to Brussels as much. The reasoning is because of --
THOMAS PIETERS: Well, there's some parts in Brussels that are just dangerous at night. And if I go out to dinner with my friends, most of them live in Brussels, then I try to not go or have them come to Antwerp, I feel a little safer there. Yeah, I guess nowhere is safe right now. If they can do that at an airport and a Metro station, it's tough to just stay inside all day.

Q. When these things happen, things like France, does your philosophy or how you feel change about how things should be handled going forward?
THOMAS PIETERS: Can you explain that a little?

Q. Obviously we're in the middle of a political debate about handling different things here, immigration, things of that nature. Do you think there's an issue that should be addressed more in Brussels or Belgium, itself?
THOMAS PIETERS: I don't have an opinion on that. I read a lot. I'm not going to maybe share my opinions. And I think they're just trying to do their best and trying to handle it the right way.

MODERATOR: Thomas, thank you very much.

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