	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

PORTUGAL MASTERS

October 19, 2016

Thomas Pieters

Vilamoura, Portugal

Q. What were your goals starting the season?
THOMAS PIETERS: A goal of mine is to win each season. I think that just shows that you're getting better and that you keep putting yourself in that position to actually win, and I haven't put myself in position as many times as I'd like. I've had maybe four or five chances.

I've had a lot of health issues when I first started the season but now I'm doing good and obviously I'd like to have a nice end to the season and hopefully finish in the Top-10 to The Race to Dubai, that would be nice.

Q. What sort of health issue?
THOMAS PIETERS: I get sick quite easy. I don't know why. I've done a lot of tests and my immune system seems to be good. I think somehow I have a lot of allergies, as well, and that kind of works on your system, as well. You get tired really easy. It not a good feeling.

Q. Allergic reaction at the KLM Open?
THOMAS PIETERS: No, it wasn't an allergic reaction. It was just being tired from after Denmark.

Q. If you look back, just a few days, has something changed in your life?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, more people watch me. More people come up to me, even when I was home, last week, nobody really recognizes me in Belgium, but now people start to do. I'm not sure if I like it.

Q. Where are you living?
THOMAS PIETERS: In Antwerp. In Belgium.

Q. Do people stop you in the street?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, it's really odd.

Q. So golf will be very popular again in Belgium?
THOMAS PIETERS: It's getting a lot better, yeah. When people start to recognise a golfer on the street -- yeah, I think we've had a nice rise in people starting to play, pick up the game and hopefully we get some more courses.

Q. And of course public television, broadcast of The Ryder Cup?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah.

Q. How was The Ryder Cup?
THOMAS PIETERS: It was nice. Unbelievable experience. Something you never want to miss again if you play it.

Q. Did you imagine it was that good, because you've known about it, seen about it, you've heard about it?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, kind of like the Olympics. I didn't want to go in it with any expectations. I've never done it before, and it just exceeded my expectations, just like the Olympics.

Q. You cannot choose, but the Olympics and The Ryder Cup?
THOMAS PIETERS: It's different. As a professional athlete, the Olympics is the best thing ever, but as a golfer, The Ryder Cup would be.

Q. Did you stay in the Olympic Village?
THOMAS PIETERS: Of course.

Q. And how about the atmosphere?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, I met a lot of the Belgian athletes. I wasn't there for a long time. I was only there from Tuesday to Sunday because I played the week before and after. Looking back, I would have liked to maybe take the week off before and do the Opening Ceremony. Hopefully I'll play one more, or two.

Q. You won again this season, and it was a nice grind the last few holes. You knew where you were on the leaderboard?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, everybody was making a lot of birdies. I finished on 17 -- I think if I had finished on 16, I would have a great chance. And I actually missed an easy one on 15, and I told myself, I really need to make two birdies these last three. Hit a great shot on 16. 17 is always a birdie hole but 18 is a great shot, to pull that off under that pressure, it gives you confidence.

Q. Back to the Olympics. There were a lot of players who said, well, we're not going for the Zika virus or whatever. That never crossed your mind to not go?
THOMAS PIETERS: I'm not trying to make kids here, you know. I'm 24.

Q. After your successful season, do you want to play in Europe or do you want to go to America?
THOMAS PIETERS: I plan on playing some in America next year, but mostly in Europe. I love playing here. Obviously I'll play majors and WGCs, but I'll try and play a couple more regular tour events. I'd love to play at Riviera next year in L.A. I've won there before. It's just a special place. Maybe a couple more. We'll see.

Q. Where has your game grown this year?
THOMAS PIETERS: I'm controlling the ball very well and just being more mature in taking the correct decisions. Sometimes not going for a flag where I used to be a bit maybe too fearless, hitting at every flag and see what happens.

Yeah, just taking the smart decisions sometimes.

Q. What's the worst thing in your game?
THOMAS PIETERS: Fairway bunkers. I'm terrible.

Q. Are you going to be going at a not of flags this week? What you do you make of the course?
THOMAS PIETERS: It's wide open. There's no rough. But then you have to get careful because you know there's no rough. So you might get really -- you might lose your focus and start hitting it everywhere.

Q. As a long hitter, do you prefer it when there's a bit more rough to make it trickier for guys coming in further away?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah, I'd prefer -- I love an open course, but there's literally no rough out here. It's going to make it easier for everybody, and yeah, some rough would be nice.

Q. If you play the Pro-Ams, what in your opinion is the difference between the pros and amateurs?
THOMAS PIETERS: Everything. I don't know how to answer that one. Everything, yeah. You can't compare it.

Q. What's the key this week, pitching or putting?
THOMAS PIETERS: The course has been in better shape the last few years, and everybody knows this but to make putts on these greens, you're going to have to have a lot of patience because you will hit some pitchmarks and some bumps, and so that's going to be key this week I think to stay patient. You're going to have bad breaks but that's going to happen to everybody.

Q. So just being patient and knowing when to go for the flags?
THOMAS PIETERS: Exactly.

Q. How many more tournaments will you play?
THOMAS PIETERS: I'll play next week in China and then three more after that. So South Africa, Dubai and the World Cup and then I'm done.

Q. And then you'll start in Abu Dhabi?
THOMAS PIETERS: Yeah.

Q. Do you have an idol in a human sense?
THOMAS PIETERS: Of course, Tiger Woods when I was growing up. Nowadays I'm just trying to do my own thing.

Q. Do you think he will come back?
THOMAS PIETERS: No comment. I don't know. He's with the same agency, so I can't say anything.

Q. Do you know any Portuguese players?
THOMAS PIETERS: I know Pedro Figueiredo. I've known him since we were 13, 14. I'd like to see him do a bit better but it's a struggle. When you're not playing well on those mini-tours, it's all about confidence and I'm sure he's not very confident at the moment. I hope he does well this week and maybe gets his card through Q-School.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297