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ABU DHABI HSBC CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 16, 2019Martin KaymerAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Q. You've played some terrific rounds of golf on this golf course over your years here, obviously winning three times. How good was today's? MARTIN KAYMER: Well, today was good. I didn't make many mistakes. A couple of loose shots here and there, but it was still okay, in decent positions. Made a few nice putts early in the round in the first six, seven holes that got me under par quickly, and then I just created more chances, but the putts didn't go in. But overall it was a very satisfying, solid and controlled round. Q. How is the golf course playing this year compared to previous years? MARTIN KAYMER: I thought when I played yesterday, it played a little bit more difficult because they cut the fairways and made them a bit tighter. But the ball was flying a long ways today, so we could cut a lot of corners, which made the golf course fairly short. But again, I played really well, so I didn't see that much danger, at least so far. Q. You haven't been at your brilliant best for a little while. Are there signs that it's coming around and could this be the year that we see Martin Kaymer come back to what we know you're capable of? MARTIN KAYMER: Well, at the end of the day, you just try to do the right thing. If you keep doing the right thing, then it's just a matter of time if you play well or not. If you're good enough and the others are not beating you, then it's time. But I'm just trying to reflect on what I've done the last couple years, what I can improve, and then just thinking what can I do right now in that moment to play good golf the next couple months, and trying to do the right thing sometimes is quite obvious, but at the same time it's quite difficult. Q. 6-under through 11 holes today; how pleasing was it to get off to such a good start? MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, very good because it's been a while. The last few tournaments I played in, I didn't get into a good momentum, so it was nice today. To be 6-under par after 11 holes is always good, it doesn't matter what golf course. Q. This golf course can throw lots of challenges at you. How have you found the setup this year compared to previous years? MARTIN KAYMER: Well, yeah, the fairways are a little bit tighter, the rough is a little bit thicker, so you do feel it, and I can imagine especially in the mornings when the grass is wet. Today the ball flew a very long ways, so even if you hit it in the rough, you still had only maybe nine 9-iron or pitching wedge into the greens on the par-4s. It's definitely more tricky, but it's still playable. Q. When you've won on a golf course three times like you have, does that breed a little more confidence into your game because you know you can play well around here? MARTIN KAYMER: You would think so, but I think the expectations are quite high, not only by getting asked those questions, also from yourself, knowing what you've done in the past, that you normally are 3- or 4-under par after nine or ten holes, so you need to lower your expectations and just see every day for what it is. Q. Talking about expectations, what sort of aims and targets have you set yourself for 2019? MARTIN KAYMER: I've thought more like 24 months. Next year I would like to be prepared again and gain enough confidence this year that I can make the Ryder Cup team and I can compete in the majors, play in Japan, the Olympic Games. I see more like a two-year preparation. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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