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DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN HOSTED BY THE RORY FOUNDATION

July 6, 2017

Daniel Im

Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Q. 6-under for your first eight holes. Any particular aspect of your game responsible or was everything clicking?
DANIEL IM: I have to say I got a bit lucky the first few holes. I pulled it off the tee on the first hole, decent lie. Got up-and-down for par.

And then second hole, I just hit a really good second shot, approach shot, and it hit the pin. Just stayed about a foot away from the hole.

And then chipped it in on 3.

A little bit of a missed shot off the tee on 4, which was fine. Got it out to the fairway. Hit it close and made birdie.

And then the putts were dropping. So you know, I just kind of kept myself going.

Q. Out in 30, magnificent, home in 34 and you ended it in style. Describe that final putt for us.
DANIEL IM: Just before that, the last three putts were just touching the edge of the hole. I was like, maybe this one will drop. Just stuck to my routine and just hit my putt and it went in the hole.

Q. You're a new name to some of our viewers. Tell us about the strengths of your game normally.
DANIEL IM: I guess I'm pretty decent overall. I'm not overly long off the tee. I'm just a medium hitter I guess. I like to be quite a aggressive with my second shot, so I guess that's where my confidence comes from, and just try to make putts.

Q. You finished 109th on The Race to Dubai last year. What's the goals that you've set yourself this season?
DANIEL IM: This season my goal is to get to obviously Dubai at the end of the year. I was fortunate to keep my card last year, and then that's just my goal.

Q. Tee-to-green, some great scrambling coming in. What was the key to the 64 today?
DANIEL IM: I think it was a bit of luck. I think the big man was definitely watching out for me today. And then I striped the ball quite well at the end. I putted really well through the round. I made some good par saves and I made some good birdie putts to keep it going. And then just kind of -- I'm just cruising.

Q. Earlier this week you called the golf course pure. How much did you have a good sense that this could be a special place for you?
DANIEL IM: I mean, you just get up to the first tee and you just look at the surroundings, the dunes and everything, you just can't complain.

I'm very happy to be here, to be able to play this type of golf course in Europe. It's my pleasure.

Q. Quick turnaround for you before round two. What's your focus going into Friday?
DANIEL IM: Just go back to my house and just a bit of a barbeque and just hang out for a little bit and go to bed.

Q. Fantastic start to The Irish Open. How did you do it?
DANIEL IM: First few holes, started really well. I made six birdies on my front nine, and then just kind of kept it going. Made a couple birdies on the back and then made some good up-and-downs. So ended up with 64.

Q. Do you have much experience of links golf?
DANIEL IM: You know, I've been in Europe now for about five years, including Challenge Tour and European Tour. I experienced it a little bit last year, playing Dunhill, St. Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie and it was great. That's the only links golf course I can think of right now -- Walton Heath for qualifying and stuff. I'm getting there.

Q. Obviously a fantastically strong Irish Open field and you may well end the day top of the leaderboard.
DANIEL IM: Yeah, you know, I wasn't thinking about it too much. I was out there just enjoying my time with my caddie. Look around a little bit, see the view and everything. It was great.

Q. You could probably hardly believe the start you made out there.
DANIEL IM: I hit the pin on the second hole and then I was about a foot away, and then I chipped it in on 3, which kind of kept it going.

And then good putt on 4, 5, you know.

And then 7 was playing a little bit easier today if you hit the fairway.

And then I made a really good putt on 8. Just kind of kept it going.

Q. It was a fascinating round to watch, particularly on the back nine. You could have had at least three more shots picked up and you could have been 11-under par. And you made some a fantastic par saves, as well.
DANIEL IM: I hit a lot of good putts today. They were just kind of hanging on the edge and just passing, just lip-out, and then making the par putt on the last hole definitely saved my day.

Q. 64, that equals your lowest round on The European Tour. Did you see a 64 when you stood on the first tee this afternoon?
DANIEL IM: After I hit my drive, I was just trying to make par.

Q. Where does links golf rank for you? What's it like playing this kind of course?
DANIEL IM: This is magnificent. There's dunes, there's a bit of links and everything. I'm quite new to this, but I've been enjoying more and more, and it's been five years since I've been on The European and Challenge Tour, and just slowly getting used to it I guess.

Q. Mindful that conditions can change, literally every day on this kind of golf course.
DANIEL IM: Yes, I thought we were going to get rained out, and then it was fine, and it was a little bit more rain coming and then it was okay. The wind was switching and it was all over the place. But when things are working, you're going to enjoy it.

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