THE SENIOR OPEN PRESENTED BY ROLEX

July 30, 2023

Alex Cejka

Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. It's been a long week, I know, but you've earned the title of the 2023 Senior Open champion. What's it mean to you?

ALEX CEJKA: Wow, I still can't believe it. It was a really, really long week, really, really long weekend, and really, really long day today, playing those two extra holes. But I'm just delighted. I didn't really make great shots down the stretch but I somehow made incredible pars.

Going into the playoff, I really thought if I pull a couple good swings off, I might have a chance against Pádraig. It's really difficult but it's one on one. I'm so pleased. I still can't believe it.

Q. Talk us through the tough conditions, because watching it from the outside, we had no idea where this day was going to lead to. It must have felt grueling out there at times.

ALEX CEJKA: It's brutal. You can't hold a balance, even when you're putting, and you're trying to punch drivers. You have wet hands, wet grips. You have a 40-mile-an-hour crosswind, so it wasn't easy as you can see on the scores. They were brutal the last two days.

I'm just so glad it's over and I'm glad I have the trophy.

Q. This, of course, means that this is your third major title. Where does this rank for you? Where does it rate?

ALEX CEJKA: You know, the first one is special. When you turn 50, the first one is special. Then obviously the senior pa, beating a lot, a lot of great guys in a big field on a beautiful golf course.

But then coming to Europe, I was born in Europe. I grew up here in Europe. I'm not familiar with those conditions like links course but I played on The European Tour for many, many, many years over here, and you know, but I forgot how difficult and how different the golf game is, being 20 years in the States and playing in sunshine and on easy courses when it's perfect weather. Then you come here, everybody's struggling.

I'm just glad -- I think we all are glad that it's over. It was a brutal week. Even the caddies, everybody is drained. Everybody is sore. But I'm glad it's over and I'm here.

Q. How are you going to celebrate the success?

ALEX CEJKA: I'm going to wait until I get home. I'm playing next week, the JCB, so I'm going to be one more week over here. All my family is at home, so I can't wait to fly home after five, six more days and then celebrate it with the family.