BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

September 11, 2021

Jamie Donaldson

Wentworth Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. 12-under par with an incredible finish, but the front nine, 1-under through six and then three bogeys in a row. What was the experience at that stage?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, just trying to stay patient and think positive and just keep thinking one shot at a time and make the best of opportunities that I can. Yeah, I got off to a great start. I've done the hard thing well. I had a good chance at the first, good pars. 1-under four after great. 2-under is fantastic. Could be 1-over quite easily, too.

Made a great par save on 6 and didn't hit bad shots really. I hit a great shot at 7 straight done the flag. Two very hard up-and-downs and I made a great par save on 10, the par 3. And then got going after that.

Q. Tell us about 18.

JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, it was awesome. It was a pretty straight putt, really. I knew it was going to come to the left a tiny bit. It was just a matter of getting the pace right. That was the most important thing. It was on a hanging lie. Great to see it come out in the air. Was going to struggle to carry.

Q. I guess there's only one place to start. Talk about the finish and the buzz you got out of that.

JAMIE DONALDSON: It was great. I hit a good shot on 17 down the right side. Hit a good shot just short. Managed to chip it close on 17 for a tap-in from a couple of feet for birdie.

Hit a good tee shot on 18. Thought it was going to be shorter than it was and it went further than we thought and it was on a bit of a hanging lie. I said to my caddie that I don't want it lay up and let's take it on anyway. Chances are it could have gone in the drink. We took it on. I hit too much club and tried to chop-cut it in there and it came out perfect. I don't know how much it carried the water by, but it wasn't a lot.

The putt, more importantly, trying to get the pace right and got the line right as well, so that was a really nice way to finish.

Q. How much did you enjoy that Wentworth roar?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Mental. Rosey got a massive roar on 14 on the par 3 when he made a birdie there. Everybody went mental. To match him on last was great. When you hole a birdie putt here, the crowds are so big, it is electric.

Q. What about your reaction?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, I was buzzing. I was really buzzing. It was the second shot holing the putt. The second shot was literally inches from carrying and I hit it and it came out lovely. That's what we were more happy about; the fact I thought it could go in the drink but gave it a go and it came out perfect. Could have gone anywhere really.

I made a great par save on 6 and 7 and 8, straight down the flag, thought it was perfect and it's going to be close, and got the wind -- the wind dropped a little bit and went long and then it's dead. It's a near impossible up-and-down. Played a chip close and didn't manage to make it. Hit a good shot into 8 as well. Just caught the wrong side of the slope. It was a yard from being really good and impossible to get up-and-down, not impossible but very difficult. Didn't manage to make up-and-down.

Pushed my tee shot slightly on 9 to make a bogey. These things happen around here. It's easily done. The important thing is staying patient and try to hit good shots after that.

Made a great par save on 10 and that's what got me going really. Was able to hit a good shot into 11 and made a few birdies coming in.

Q. The challenge of tomorrow, how much will you enjoy that bearing in mind what's on the line?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, for me, I'll just try and do the same. I need to play slightly better than I did today but I wasn't bad today overall. Great finish which kept me in the tournament. I need to do more of the same, take it all on and see what happens.

Q. What a way to sign off your third round, another eagle 4-under par for the last three holes. You must be bouncing off 18?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, it was really pleasing. I made a good birdie on 17 and then we had a bit of a, very difficult shot into the last. It was all-or-nothing and managed to come off. We were right on the lip it with what I was trying to do. The ball was a lot below my feet so I was really chopped down on it and came out beautifully to 25 feet.

The putt, I was trying to get the line, the speed right and I got the line right as well. It was nice to see it go in.

Q. And to bounce back from the three holes heading into the turn, it's such a game of patience, golf, isn't it, but to bounce back from that, you must be delighted to still be up where you are.

JAMIE DONALDSON: I made three bogeys in a row but didn't hit bad shots. Hit a great shot into 7 straight down the flag. Thought it was going to be close. Goes along, very difficult to get up-and-down from there.

8, draw it in nicely, a yard from being very good. Catches the wrong side of the slope, nearly impossible up-and-down. So I missed it in the wrong places really on those two holes but the shots weren't bad so anything can happen around here. It's a difficult golf course. You've got to hit the shots in the right places.

Q. Contending into going into the final day of an event such as this, are you excited?

JAMIE DONALDSON: Oh, yeah, it will be great. Really good. Weather is going to be pretty much the same as it was today so the golf will be similar. Pins will be more difficult I would imagine but the crowds are electric here. They are incredible. Like on the putt on the last, you make something like that, the roar is just awesome.

Rosey holed a big one on 14 and everybody went mad. It's great. You want to hit good shots in front of this many people. It's the best.