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NEDBANK GOLF CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY GARY PLAYER

November 10, 2018

Ross Fisher

Sun City, South Africa

Q. Many people would have been crushed after your finish yesterday, you dropped eight shots in the last four holes but you bounced back by going out and shooting an incredible 67. How did you muster the strength?
ROSS FISHER: Thanks for reminding me, Tim. As you know, golf can bite you at any moment.

Felt like I had it on a string for 14 holes, played flawless golf and then one bad shot and a couple of drops here and there added up to a nine and I thought, come on, just suck it up and try to play the last three solid. Felt like I hit good shots but bogeys were the best I could do.

It was a disappointing end to what started off being a great day. Like Woody said to me, you can kind of think about, it cry about it or you can just get over it and take positives from your great play over 14 holes. That's how I looked at it today. Came out with a positive mind-set and went out there and pleased to shoot 67.

Q. Good memories in the past, second place in 2014. How much do you draw on that, and how much do you enjoy coming back to this particular course?
ROSS FISHER: Definitely, I love this place, I love playing the SA. Obviously inning the Tshwane back in '14 and playing here when it was a 12-man field, I think in 2008 was my first time here and just absolutely love the course.

The way I play golf, I hit the ball high. Love the ball the way the ball sits up on the fairway. Finishing so close that year to Danny, finishing second, it's a tournament I'm always looking forward to. A few behind but a good score today, have a nice rest and try and do the same tomorrow.

Q. You've made eight of your last nine cuts with a best finish of 17. Have you felt this coming, a big one is going to turn up eventually?
ROSS FISHER: It's funny because at home working with Denis and working with Ken on the putting, and Denis often takes me saying, what happened, and just golf. I feel like I swung it great all year, and just the scores haven't really reflected how I've played.

So I've just had to be thoroughly, thoroughly patient this year. There's been some good scores but just haven't managed to close out four rounds. So you know, after the disaster yesterday, it was nice to put myself back into position today and then just going to go out there and try and do the same tomorrow and see where that puts me come tomorrow afternoon.

Q. Thoughts on the round overall?
ROSS FISHER: Obviously pleased. Played flawless golf for 14 holes, felt like it was on a string and just unfortunate one, very, very loose tee shot cost me a 9 and had to suck it up because I still had three holes to play and didn't feel like I hit a bat shot but unfortunately bogeyed the last three. It was a bitter way to shoot level par yesterday.

Sat down with Lee and Woody, my caddie and said, you know, you can either look at it and cry about what ifs and this and that, or you can take the positives from how you played the first 14 holes.

So that's how I looked at it. I had a good rest yesterday. Just chilled out, came out, refreshed the mind-set and went out there with the same mind-set as I did yesterday, just attack the golf course and see what it would give me. Very, very pleased to come back the way I did and shoot 67 was really, really pleasing.

Q. What was it like out there, conditions tricky? How did it play?
ROSS FISHER: It's always tricky here. I mean, the wind, it just plays with you. You tee off on the last there. For instance, tee shot was pretty much straight downwind. Hit a nice 5-wood there. And then you are looking up at the grandstand and the flags are blowing left-to-right in and you look back in the fairway and you see the ones on 10 are blowing downwind off the right. You look across 17 and they are blowing across the left.

It plays tricks with yourself and your caddie but it's hard work out there. We felt like for the most part we got the wind pretty much spot on. Hit a lot of quality shots. Putts were pretty solid again today.

You know, maybe left a couple of putts out there but you know, I'm not going to talk to you and grumble. Shot 67 after what happened yesterday, I think showed my character, I suppose, sucking it up after such a disappointing way to finish yesterday. I was two behind playing with four holes to go, and to see myself obviously eight back starting today, so it was all about going out and shooting a good score and giving myself a chance for birdie tomorrow.

Q. You've been in the mix and this is a course you've had multiple good finishes on. What is it about this place?
ROSS FISHER: Just love it. It's weird, I mean, I like playing in the heat, I suppose. The grass, like the way the ball sits up in the fairway, just love it here. Feels like you can just hit driver off the fairways; it sits up so well. Chipping around the greens, I love chipping from this type of grass because it always sits up and gives you a nice, juicy lie that you can spin shots.

I think ever since I came here, I think it was 2008 when it was a 12-man field, finished fourth and just really enjoyed the challenge of the golf course. I've watched it many, many times on TV, the great battles down the years and seeing the likes of Ernie shoot 25-under and to finally get the chance to play this kind of iconic golf course is amazing.

Now that it's a Rolex Series Event, it's jumped up in elevation and it's a tournament I always look forward to coming and playing and it's one I would dearly love to try and win. Got to go out and shoot another low one tomorrow and see what happens.

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