OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 28, 2021

Richard Sterne

Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q Brilliant start to the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic, 64, one bogey on the card. Give us your assessment of how it went out there today?

RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, pretty happy. When I was in trouble, I got out of it and made some good par putts and kept the round going and I hit a lot golf shots, as well. Made quite a few birdies.

Q You did save a couple of shots, especially on 7. Talk us through that shot.

RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it was just a disaster of a 7-iron off the tee, really, and found really thick rough there. Almost couldn't see the ball. Just tried to get it on the green and give myself a 20-footer, and fortunately left it in a good place and up the hill and made the putt.

Q A couple of highlight, especially 15 the tee shot, almost a hole-in-one. What did that look like off the tee?

RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, I hit it really good. I was hoping that it was going to have a chance and when I got up there and saw it was quite close -- I've only had one hole-in-one my whole life, so I'm not exactly prone to hitting a lot of hole-in-ones but a 2 on that hole is really good.

Q You're a man that's won on The European Tour before. How important is it to get off to a quick start?

RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it's always good to get off to a good start. It helps you for the rest of the week I think. I've come close here before. So it would be nice to have a chance going into the weekend. I haven't had much chances going into weeks for a long time, so it would be nice to get through tomorrow and place myself well and see how the weekend goes.

Q You had a quiet season last year, obviously COVID affected it, as well. You started the season last week quite well, 25th in Abu Dhabi. Do you feel like the game is coming along nicely?

RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, I had a wrist operation in March last year, so I was out basically for the whole of last year. Played the last few events, which I sully played pretty decently considering I had not played for so long.

And then last week gave me a lot of confidence. I struggled the first few days, and played really nicely on Saturday. But finishing 25th there has given me confidence. I'm just trying to watch my back, so I haven't put much preparation into this week. Just got nine holes in Tuesday yesterday and I didn't even come to the course yesterday. So today, I was pretty happy with the performance.