SLYNC.IO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 29, 2022

Erik Van Rooyen

Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Tougher day out there?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: Greens are getting crusty. Pins are tucked. It was tough.

Q. A lot of players have said that about the setup this week?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: I'm sorry, they are what, upset about the setup.

Q. No, that they have tricked the players this week?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: Obviously they have added a bit of length to the golf course, which when the pins are tucked, coming in with a 6-iron instead of a 9-iron, can't quite go at it.

One that comes to mind is 16. I hit it just in the left rough. Felt like I was going to have 3-wood in there. Wasn't 3-wood for me but just adds that extra sort of high to it, and today it showed.

Q. One of the highlights, the par save at 4. What was the thought hanging over that one?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: Make par. Yeah, I didn't get off to a great start I guess. The whole day, really, I wasn't hitting it great, and I guess you just really want to hang in to have a chance for tomorrow and I did a great job.

But 4 specifically, I pulled a 9-iron like 20 yards left, really poor shot in about the worst space you can be, and I really wasn't thinking I was going to walk off with 3 on that hole.

Q. Hang in there to give yourself a chance heading into tomorrow; you're firmly in the mix heading into Sunday. What will be the approach tomorrow?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: I don't know. Don't know what the conditions are going to be like. Like I said, the greens are getting firm and crusty.

I think in a setup like this, if you can just hang in with nine holes to go, 17, anything can happen, 18, anything can happen, there's three par 5s on the back and make sure you're in the mix with nine to go and you're right in it.

Q. Supporting Pink Saturday here at the Dubai Desert Classic, nice to see all the fellow competitors and fans and spectators supporting in pink?

ERIK VAN ROOYEN: Yeah, it's fantastic. I was praying that I had a pink short. I've worn two of them already this week, so luckily this one was clean. I think it's fantastic. We've had a new initiatives this week, this being one of them, and it's really cool to see everyone in pink.