PIF SAUDI INTERNATIONAL POWERED BY SOFTBANK INVESTMENT ADVISERS

February 5, 2023

Abraham Ancer

Royal Greens Golf and Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us this afternoon. Welcome, Abraham. Congratulations, an incredible victory. Let's get your initial thoughts.

ABRAHAM ANCER: Well, it was a lot of fun. First time that I've been able to win wire-to-wire, so that was a lot of fun, being able to play good every single day. I just kept telling myself that I was in 20th place. Didn't really look at the leaderboard that much, and was able to convert some nice putts throughout the week. I felt pretty much in control of my golf game.

THE MODERATOR: After last week, you missed the cut by one, how did you manage to turn things around?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, I just know from previous years that the first tournament after the break is usually not very solid, especially that first round. Maybe a little bit just rusty. Even though back home I felt like I was playing some really good golf, but obviously tournament golf is different.

The second round I played well. Just one short of making the cut. But I felt like my game was back and mentally I felt in a good spot.

We've got to have a really short memory as golfers. Got here, saw the golf course was in phenomenal shape, I got excited, and we got to do it again.

Q. In terms of 72 holes, is that the best you've ever played?

ABRAHAM ANCER: I believe that's the best or the more in control of the golf ball that I've been, I believe. Off the tee, iron play, putting was really solid, as well. I mean, I made two bogeys all week, and the two bogeys I really -- I don't regret any shot that I hit. It was just a little bounce here and there.

No, I believe it's one of the best ball-striking tournaments I've had for sure.

Q. Is there anything in particular that you think led to that, or did it all just click?

ABRAHAM ANCER: I think just the work that I've been putting in back home, having an off-season and getting my body right, and mentally, as well, I feel like I was in a really good spot, too. Yeah, I think it's just a combination of things that just led to this week, for everything to just work out.

Q. Very interesting thing that you said just now about thinking you are in 20th position. Was that every day that you went and you thought that you were in 20th position?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Well, I feel like if you're just thinking of I've just got to hold on, then it's probably not going to be a good result. I just kept telling myself, like don't look at the leaderboard. Even though I still looked quite a bit, I tried not to. I kept telling myself, you've got to hit the shots. You can't play it safe. I've got to play just the same as I've been playing, try to make some birdies, attack the golf course whenever I've got an opportunity, and whenever a tough hole came up, had to obviously play very smart and hit the right shot.

Yeah, just kept telling myself that I need to step up and make some birdies coming in. Although the back nine played pretty tough today.

Q. Is that the first time you've been doing this, or have you tried this technique before, as well?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Well, I think you get better with the years or maybe if you're in that situation I think you get a little bit better every single time. I'm not going to say that I've tried this or I've done it like this since I turned pro, but yeah, I never want to feel comfortable out there knowing I can just par in. You don't want to be thinking that.

You never know; you stay comfortable, you make a double bogey, and then the guy next to you makes a birdie, and it's a two-shot swing and it catches up quickly. I'd say that I'm just really, really focused on being in the moment.

Q. The back nine, were you worried at all at any time that it might just get away from you, especially considering how well Cameron was playing?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, Cameron was playing, played unbelievable golf. We were tied at one point on the front nine. He came out guns blazing, made quite a bit of birdies on the front nine, as well.

I think the par save that I had on 7 was huge, after hitting a little bit of an aggressive shot. Then my second shot being short-sided in the rough, getting that up-and-down and then making a long putt for birdie on 8, that really set the tone. I think that really calmed me down a little bit.

Then the back nine, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. It was going to get a little bit windier, and the pin positions weren't very easy, either. I knew I just needed to have looks at birdie and not make any mistakes, and I was able to do that.

Q. Have you ever felt bad for a competitive rival? This was the fourth or fifth time he's actually finishing second and to some great golf all the time.

ABRAHAM ANCER: He's an unbelievable player, and I have no doubt he's going to have many, many victories. I finished second a bunch of times, too, and I don't think they felt bad for me. No, he's going to be fine. He's a great guy, too. He's fun to play with. Bombs it, hits it really nice, putts it well. He's definitely got a bright future in front of him.

Q. You told us earlier in the week that you were looking forward to Mexico and being with your family and friends. Are things going to be even a little bit more special now? What do you have planned when you get to Mexico?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, definitely anytime I get to play in front of my family, friends in my home country it's a lot of fun. I feel like golf is starting to kind of take off in Mexico a little bit, and obviously bringing a LIV event there is huge. I'm really excited. I'm pumped. Mayakoba is an unbelievable place to just -- even if you don't like golf, it's an unbelievable place to just hang out, and I think it's going to be a great week.

Q. You've won four times in your career, and they've been on four different tours. What does it say about your golf that you can win on the world stage?

ABRAHAM ANCER: I was obviously talking to my agent, early in my career I told him I definitely wanted to just not stick in one place. I told him if I had the opportunity to play all over the world that I would definitely want to take that opportunity and just do it.

I feel like you can get comfortable just playing the same tournaments, and I wanted to travel the world and play on different golf courses and different cultures and get to know how to play all over and travel the world and be able to get adjusted to time zones quickly and all that.

I feel like, although I don't have a ton of wins, I find it really cool that I've been able to win in different tours. I really, really enjoy that.

Q. I notice here that those three prior wins have all been in the later half of the year. I know you're going to the LIV series later this month, but having won so early in the season, what does that do for you when your next stroke-play event will probably be the Masters?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, it definitely gives me a lot of confidence. I feel like before it kind of took a little bit of time for me to kind of get into the year. I usually didn't play my best at the beginning of the year. But I feel like having an off-season and getting my body right really helped me. Yeah, I think it just gives me confidence. I haven't really thought too much about that aspect, but just want to -- I'm going to go home back and keep grinding and then I'll be ready for LIV Mexico.

Q. Just yesterday you were asked if you regret to change to be with the Asian Tour. You see a result quickly now.

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, zero regrets about anything in my decision, so I'm really happy where I'm at inside the golf course and outside the golf course. I'm pumped for what's coming here this year.

Q. There was this guy who was hitting it about 25, 30 yards past you throughout yesterday and today, and then there was a third guy who joined you guys who was hitting another 50 yards past you.

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah.

Q. What's your thinking at that time? Do you ever look at these things, and what are the kind of message that you would like to give to the regular club golfers who don't hit it as far?

ABRAHAM ANCER: There's hope for us short guys for sure. No, I've played with long hitters my whole life, ever since I was a little kid. I just know I've got to make more putts and hit it closer from farther away. It is sometimes a little bit frustrating hitting a tee ball and hitting it really good and having a 6-iron and then you walk 50 yards in front of you and they're hitting a wedge. It can get a little frustrating. But if you get caught up in that, then you're probably going to be hitting it all over the place trying to come anywhere close. I know I'm not going to be anywhere close to where Matthew Wolff hits his driver.

I've just got to be accurate. I have to hit the fairway. If I can't reach the green on a par-5, I'm going to lay up and make sure I'm going to hit a really good wedge shot and then make the putt.

That's just the way I see it. Like I said, I've dealt with it my whole life, so it's nothing new.

Q. You told us yesterday that you stay in the moment, you don't go future or the past. When you saw yourself tied with Cameron Young, how was your mindset today?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, definitely you can start thinking to the future, like oh, God, how can I -- but I was playing good golf. I really wasn't making any mistakes, and the mistakes I made, I was able to save par.

I can't beat myself up if Cameron made three birdies. I was still under par, I was playing good, and I just told myself to be patient. The only thing I can control is the next shot that I have. It's the only thing I can do. If I keep thinking of any other stuff, then it's probably not going to be helping me whatsoever. So stay patient, and I waited for moments if I can attack or not, but I knew a lot of pars coming in were going to go a long way.

Q. I would like to ask you about that certain time of the round when you were tied with Cameron. What were your feelings, and what did you actually do in order for you to stay in control?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, I was just talking about this in the previous question. Pretty much just knowing that I was playing good golf. I can't control what Cameron was doing. I can just control what I've got in front of me, and just staying in the moment was the biggest factor of this for sure.

Q. The four days, was there any certain moment in particular that you felt was the toughest? And the point about playing on different tours and going to different places, how does Saudi rank in all these places?

ABRAHAM ANCER: Yeah, well, definitely the front nine, the middle of the front nine I had a couple of holes that I -- one of them I hit my driveway right, was grinding for par, was able to save par, and then the next one I missed my driver left, had to get up-and-down from the bunker, was able to do that.

Then the next hole on 7 I hit it over the green short sided and was able to get that up-and-down. Those three holes were very stressful. I think those were key up-and-downs for the round to keep on going the right way.

Yeah, I definitely love traveling the world. I love learning about different cultures, and being here in Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City is no different. I like to learn the food; I'm huge foodie, so you have no idea how much I've been eating this week. It's been a lot of fun, and I know it's a place that's going to keep on growing and bringing in more people.