SLYNC.IO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 29, 2022

Paul Casey

Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Let's talk about the front nine, bookend-ed by a few mistakes, but overall, get around in a decent score.

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, I'm not going to be hard on myself. It's a difficult golf course. The wind is swirling, and these greens, they are great, they are brand new but they are difficult to get -- the ball is just not checking up on these greens, and the people are watching it here or on TV just see these balls release. So it's difficult to get it close so your proximity to the hole is usually closer than it is today, so mistakes happen. I proved that on the front nine.

But happy with my play overall and I think it's highlighting the fact that nobody has really run away with it today. It's a very, very difficult golf course.

Q. Often the title of defending champion can be a burden on players, and you're now firmly in the mix to defend this title. How happy are you in chase of doing it?

PAUL CASEY: I'm very happy because I mean, I played last week, probably a bit rusty. I didn't play quite as much as I would have liked to leading up to the start of this season. It's trying to get that rust; so I came in here, and so maybe the expectations weren't that high, and started off slow. But I like tough golf courses, and I know this golf course well. It suits my game, and I feel like I can get sharper and sharper.

Yes, I know I had mistakes, but I feel like I'm eliminating the mistakes and my golf craft is coming around. I'm really happy. Start of the week, I wasn't sure where I would be and just wanted to play well, and now with an outside chance. I'm going to need some help tomorrow. I'm going to need guys to make mistakes, but I'd love to shoot 4- or 5-under and see what happens.

Q. You had a solid final round last year, what will you take from that experience that might help tomorrow?

PAUL CASEY: That I know I can win around here. And I want to win again. So I mean, I've got the motivation. I think that's the big thing. I know how to play the golf course. There are a lot of guys that know how to play the golf course. Driving it well. Weather is perfect here in Dubai. We have the crowd back, energy is there and we've got all the ingredients for a stellar event.

Q. Supporting Pink Saturday; happy to see fellow players supporting?

PAUL CASEY: Yeah, it is pink, it's more like salmon, I know, but it's the best. Look, golf is always the vehicle that seems to be used to do so many amazing things around the world. Yeah, the Pink Saturday that's been going for quite a while,.

I love the fact that it's not just the players that try to embrace it. Remember, they pack for a long time sometimes on the road so they don't always have a pink shirt in the bag but they usually find one and then to see waves and waves of people as well in the crowd supporting it, I'm very proud to say I'm part of the DP World Tour.