	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

BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 25, 2018

Alex Noren

Surrey, England

Q. A 68, no dropped shots?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I scrambled very well. I hit a lot of kind of off-shots, but then I got it together, played better on the back nine. I hit more fairways, hit more greens, and kind of calmed down a bit. Was just, yeah, not good enough but really good scrambling.

Q. The three of you, no dropped shots between you. Rory, back to his best today, as well. Do you feed off that when a player like that is playing well? Can you draw from that energy?
ALEX NOREN: No. No. That's the best round I've ever seen. I'm about to quit golf I think.

But that's like -- it's hard to draw off of it when it's that good, you know what I mean. So I really wanted to be the first on the tee to make a birdie, to get the honor and then you don't have to hit after that 330 driver or 300-yard 3-wood.

Q. But if anybody knows what it's like to shoot low, that 62 last year, looks like you're going to have to come-from-behind again if you want to win this thing but you have two days to do it still?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, it's a lot better on the back nine, like I said, and if I get some nice -- because my putting has been great this week. If I get it going on the range and get a better feel over the ball, you know, but you don't have to hit perfect shots all the time, but just a bit more consistent and then kind of calms you down and you can get more out of your round.

Q. As we said yesterday as a defending champion, nice to be in the mix going into the weekend, playing for that trophy again?
ALEX NOREN: 7-under, I would have taken that any day, first two rounds, especially on this golf course.

I'm really happy about 7-under but not so happy about my long game on some of the holes I played and not the greatest shots out there. 12 holes I played good and the rest I scrambled I think.

It's tough around here if you're not really on, and then you're playing with Rory; it's the best round I've ever seen I think. It's tough because it's almost like you're trying to play better than you need to when you see that. I didn't feel good over the ball today and it's tough.

So I'm really pleased with 4-under in the end.

Q. Better than your 62 last year?
ALEX NOREN: No, I mean, that was -- I played steady there. I didn't miss many shots. Today, it feels like I need to go to the range.

Q. You do have time to prepare before you go out tomorrow. Will there be practise?
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I'm going to practise. Just really trying to get into the tournament shots. I came off a practise week. I tried to hit more draws off the tees and that kind of messes my swing up a little bit. I kind of miss both ways, which is not very good. It's easier if you miss one side.

So I'm just trying to get back into that and get in a good rhythm like I felt earlier this year.

Q. You do know what it takes to win around here. When you come back as defending champion, do you put a little bit of extra pressure on yourself with the 7-under par? Most people would be quite happy with that.
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I'm really happy with 7-under, if somebody would have given me 7-under the first two rounds, I would have taken it.

But it's just, you know, you need the game to be there, especially when Rory is playing good and a lot of the other guys are playing good. You need your game to be there. You can't just rely on the chipping and the putting. It's tough to win that way. You can get a good finish if you have a good short game but I need to step up and play better.

Q. Expecting the weather to be a little bit warmer. What do you think that will do to the course over the weekend?
ALEX NOREN: I'm hoping the greens will be a bit firmer. They were firm coming in or firm-ish. If they get the SubAir system blowing all night, it will be a little bit firmer or a little bit trickier. It won't help the short game but I'm hoping for a little bit trickier so it's manageable to maybe kind of come-from-behind.

I'm super happy about 7-under. If somebody would have given me 7-under the first two rounds, I would have taken it. Then my short game and putting was on today. Maybe I played 11, 12 decent holes and then a few very bad ones, but you know, my chipping kept me in play, kept me in the game.

So I'm happy and just need to improve my long game and maybe visit the driving range.

Q. (On playing with Rory today).
ALEX NOREN: I don't think I've ever seen anything like that. It's just shot after shot after shot. It's impressive. I'm really happy for him. It's good to play with a guy like that because he keeps you on your toes and you might play better.

Maybe that helped me today but also, it's almost like you put more pressure on yourself when he just hits before you or something like that. Obviously you shouldn't think about that but it's tough not to.

Q. You said you didn't feel necessarily quite on it but some good moves out there.
ALEX NOREN: Yeah, I played definitely better when I changed my feeling a little bit. I've been working all last week to maybe straighten the ball out. Hit a bit more of a draw off the tee, because I know you need it around here.

But then after a few holes, it just goes both ways. I miss both ways and I decided I'm going to try to aim a little left and kind of push-fade it out there, and it's a lot better kind of move for me when I'm a little bit off.

I think the back nine, I played a lot better.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297