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THE RYDER CUP

September 27, 2018

Thorbjørn Olesen

Guyancourt, France

TOM CARLISLE: ThorbjÃ¸rn, welcome to the Media Centre. The last man to qualify for Team Europe just a few short weeks ago. Can you just describe your emotions after being in Denmark?

THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, it was a tough couple of weeks. I would say especially in Denmark, just a different kind of pressure I haven't tried before, really. I was trying just to think about winning the tournament and making a good result, but with the media and stuff, it was very difficult for me not to think about The Ryder Cup, and I found myself in that first round just too many thoughts in my head, and it was very difficult to play, but then it got slowly better and better.

I think it was nice to know how I react in those situations. I think it was a good learning experience, and obviously come Sunday afternoon and seeing that I actually qualified, was, yeah, very, very -- firstly, relief, and then just very exciting.

Yeah, really happy, and obviously Thomas was there, also, to congratulate me. Yeah, just a really special feeling.

TOM CARLISLE: And now that you're here at Le Golf National as part of Team Europe, what's it like in that team room as a rookie?

THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: It's been great. Obviously we are a few rookies, so that's maybe made it a bit easier for me, but I think all the experienced guys has been great. So far, we've had so much fun. It's been pretty easy to get into the team, I feel like.

Q. What's your first memories of The Ryder Cup, and what exactly does it mean to you to be playing in a Ryder Cup?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I think when I got here on Monday, and I just saw all the guys and we met up in the team room for the first time, I think that's probably when I realised, I'm here. Before that, I felt like I was very relaxed. Didn't think too much about it.

But then it hit me when I got here Monday.

Q. First memory?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, that was my first memory of The Ryder Cup. Yeah, obviously it's very special to be a part of. It's something I've watched since I was seven, eight years old.

So standing here now and being part of the team, yeah, it's just a special feeling and I guess a very proud moment for myself.

Q. You know Thomas better than anyone in the team. You guys have a really great friendship that goes back a long way. Can you talk to us a little bit about that, and can you tell us how much you wanted to make this team for your first Ryder Cup, once he was announced as captain?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, so ever since I got on The European Tour, Thomas sort of took me under his wing and was a little bit of a mentor for me. Then, yeah, we got really close friends ever since. Done a lot of different stuff together, and just, yeah, spent a lot of time off the golf course, not about golf, but just, yeah, being really good friends.

So obviously two years ago, when he got an announced captain, and also being in Paris and stuff, it was definitely a big goal for me to try to achieve this and be a part of this team. That's why I feel like it's a really proud -- I'm really proud of myself of the way I handled things this summer and kept on going, and yeah, just been really proud of that.

Q. It seemed like you were a pretty popular guy last night in the picture with all of the ladies. Can you explain the genesis and how that picture came about last night?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, I didn't know. Obviously here on my own this week. The guys said it's a tradition. Obviously I had to jump in there and take that beautiful picture.

So I was a pretty happy man for a few minutes.

Q. You were in Hazeltine driving Thomas's buggy. What can you sort of tell us from that, any secrets you learned, or just what you learned from that experience that might help you this week?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Well, first of all, it's the toughest job I've ever had, for sure. Driving Thomas's buggy was difficult. He was very demanding, so I was running around.

No, it was a great experience for me. You know, seeing behind the scenes, seeing what the captains do, vice captains, realise how tough of a job they actually have to pick the teams. You know, standing on the first tee, seeing all that, I think is a good experience, and I think it can only help me for this week.

Q. You mentioned Hazeltine helping you for the first tee nerves. Is there any sense that Himmerland Hill will help you?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I think definitely this year at Silkeborg, I think that will help me because, like I said, there was a different kind of pressure and I think I learned a lot about myself under that pressure. So I think that helps me.

But yeah, playing in front of your home crowd and you know there's a lot of pressure on you, I think that will help, but again, I think it's going to be very, very different standing there on the first tee tomorrow, I'm sure. I'm definitely going to be very nervous, no doubt about it.

I will try to just embrace the moment and do my best. I enjoy being nervous, so I think that's a great feeling to have, so I'm looking forward whenever I'm standing on that first tee.

Q. You've had less time than almost anybody else to get used to the idea that you're playing this week. How do you find yourself reacting to the environment? Are you less nervous than you thought you would be? More nervous? How do you find yourself reacting?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Well, the last two weeks, I was sort of preparing myself for being like very nervous and being a part of this. I think Tuesday may be the first practise round on the 10th tee, we started on.

Yeah, I was nervous. As soon as I hit that first shot, I was quite relaxed. Like I said before, I think that the experienced guys that's been here a lot has helped a lot, and the vice captains and captain has made it easy to come into the team.

So far, I've been, yeah, pretty relaxed.

Q. Have you ever been nervous on a practise round before?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, I think when I played my first major, probably The Open and I think at Masters, also, Augusta, when I played my first practise round.

I think when you get on the first tee, you always have that little bit of nerves, and I think that's a good feeling to have. Every tournament you tee it up in the first round on the first hole, I always get that nerve. I know it's going to be -- I'm sure it's going to be very, very different this week, but like I said, I enjoy being nervous. I think that's a great feeling.

Q. You mentioned earlier that you are close friends with Thomas. Could you expand on the sort of things you do off the course with him? Could you go into a bit of detail about what you do? Is it football or any of the other things?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, everything. We both live in London. Go watch football. You know, dinners, everything, really.

Q. I think Jim's question before was like what's your first memory of The Ryder Cup as a youngster, off TV or something. I think that's what he was getting at.
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Okay, sorry. That's my English (laughing).

First memory, I think the K Club is probably one I remember the best. I was a little bit older, also. I've seen a few before that, but I remember watching The K Club very clearly and it was very emotional, and from what I saw, I feel like the crowds were amazing, also.

Yeah, for me, it was a special Ryder Cup.

Q. What was the most menial errand that Thomas sent you on when you were his cart driver two years ago?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Say that again.

Q. What was the strangest errand Thomas sent you on when you were his cart driver?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I don't know what the strangest thing was, but I definitely had to go into the clubhouse to get coffees a few times, and more than a few times. And it was really, really difficult to get from the course into the clubhouse, especially in a European cart. I think it didn't make it easier to drive back and forth, and with quite a lot of people, also.

Yeah, that was probably the toughest about it. I'm not sure about the strangest. Yeah, don't know.

Q. Secondly, because you have such a good friendship with Thomas, was it important for you to qualify in your own right so that there could be no accusation that he was picking you as a pal?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, 100 per cent. It meant the world that I could qualify straight in, and it would have been a really tough decision for Thomas if it wasn't, because there was so many great players being outside.

Yeah, I wouldn't know if I wouldn't have qualified if I would have got the pick or not. I think it makes me feel better, also, being here as a rookie, making the team. I think I feel more confident. Yeah, I think it made it easier.

Q. We heard a lot about jokes going around in the team environment. Has anyone played a joke on you?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: There's been a few good videos, yeah. There's been some -- yeah, there's been quite a few jokes. Obviously, also, I'm on my own, so there's been a few jokes about that. Yeah, it's been a great atmosphere. It's been a lot of fun.

Q. Can you tell us more about it?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I don't think I want to go into too much details about it, but yeah, it was funny.

Q. Is there one piece of advice that you've had this week that's been particularly helpful, and is there any senior player in particular that sort of played a leading role in helping you get ready for what's about to come?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I think the best thing is stick to your own routines and keep doing what you've done to make this team. That's what I've been trying to do these few days. Don't try to do anything differently and don't try to overdo it.

I spoke to a few different people about that. I had a nice conversation with Nicolas Colsaerts last week in Portugal, and yeah, just don't be afraid to ask questions, either. He was talking a lot about that. I think that's probably the two best advice.

Q. I'm sure Thomas has Plan A, B, C, D, for what's going to happen this week, but if Plan A worked, have you already been told how many times he expects you to play before the singles?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I'm sure he has, yeah, a lot of different plans. No, I don't know 100 per cent sure how many times I'm going to play. I don't.

TOM CARLISLE: And we'll leave it there. Thank you for your time.

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