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DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

February 4, 2007

Ross Fisher

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Q. How was playing with Tiger down the stretch on a Sunday?
ROSS FISHER: Obviously fantastic. I mean, I thought I was going to be a lot more nervous than I actually was. I don't know, for some reason, I just felt so calm and relaxed out there. You know, he was just a perfect gentleman. We had a number of chats and a few laughs out there.
It was a complete honour and a privilege to see him up close and person. For 15 holes I was toe-to-toe with him, and if anything, slightly had the better of him. Just hit a couple of bad shots at the wrong time, and obviously came down the stretch and shown why he is the world No. 1: The chip-in; probably should have birdied 16. He left quite a few out there. But you could see he wasn't quite on his game. But I'm sure when he's on his game, he's just absolutely phenomenal.

Q. The dream was alive for a long time; what did you learn from today that you can take into the future?
ROSS FISHER: I think Adam probably summed it up when he said, you've only just got to look at the leaderboard: Els, Stenson, Woods, Fasth, Fisher. You're playing with the world's best players, you're playing with the world No. 1, and I think you can walk away from here with your head held high.
Obviously gutted that I'm not going to win. Felt like I played really, really solid, but for 15 holes had a really good chance. If it wasn't for a few putts could, have been a different story. Overall, I'm really, real willy pleased and at the same time a little disappointed. But I'm not going to kick myself too hard. .

Q. What a day, and what a week.
ROSS FISHER: It's been an absolutely awesome week. Like I said a number of times, just when I first arrived, just felt so comfortable with the golf course. Felt like it really suited me. Had a good week off, did a lot of good practise, and felt like I was coming here with, you know, high expectations. I felt like I could challenge, and obviously getting off to a dream start, two 65s and looking down on the rest of the field was, you know, a bit of an eye-opener, almost had to pinch myself to believe I was about six or so shots ahead of the world No. 1, which was, you know, totally unbelievable.
Probably in all fairness, I was pretty nervous yesterday. Obviously leading such a strong field. Felt like I played pretty solid. But wasn't quite on the same form as I was for the past two days. And then believe it or not, just felt really calm and relaxed out there today, even playing in front of Tiger. He was a perfect gentleman. We had a lot of good chats and a couple of good laughs out there. He was so helpful and so encouraging to talk to and to play with. He said some really kind words walking up 18, so I think I can take a lot from it.

Q. What did he say on 18, do you remember some of the words he said to you?
ROSS FISHER: I think it was just the second shot into 18, he said, "What did you hit, 3?" And I sort of showed him my club and said five. He said: Pretty impressive, probably isn't your best, but keep going through, it you're young, you're strong, just keep plugging away. So for a guy like Tiger to say something like that me was a massive honour and privilege to hear those kind words.

Q. A real lift at a time when you're probably feeling a little down.
ROSS FISHER: Obviously after two bogeys at completely the wrong time, just two bad swings I guess. Just missing the fairway on 16 was really penal because I just felt like I couldn't probably, unless I mustered it up, couldn't get on the green. Thought I hit a decent chip but just didn't run out, and probably one of the worst putts I hit all week. But, hey, that's golf and you have to suck it up and carry on.
And unfortunately premium on 17 is hitting the fairway, and I didn't manage to do that and left myself a horrible sort of 50-footer. And I just sort of degreened it, which wasn't great, but sort of sucked it up and go onto 18. They both hit 3-wood and I thought, no, I really want to go for this and finish in style. Probably hit the best drive of the week, and sort of really turned the driver over and had 208 to the flag, tried to hit a really hard 5-iron it, was into off the right and just hit it left of the flag and just went left. So I probably looked a bit disgusted with it.
I hit a fantastic putt, thought I holed it. Obviously to finish with a four, fifth on my own, I can walk away feeling really proud of myself.

Q. What did you learn about yourself today?
ROSS FISHER: I think Adam summed it up when he said, you know, you've only got to look at the leaderboard: Stenson, Els, Fasth, Woods, Fisher, you're playing with the world No. 1 and the best players in the world. I think you can go away from this, you know with, your head held high. You've competed for four rounds and even the two 65s on the first day, you still left shots out there.
So still encouraging, and to mix it up with guys like Ernie and Henrik yesterday and Niclas and Tiger today, fell like I went toe-to-toe with hem and at times I was two or three clear of him. I felt really calm and relaxed, and it wasn't for a couple of bad tee shots on the last three holes and a few putts here and there, could have been a different story. I could have been, you know, standing here as a champion. But I'll take a lot from this.

Q. Tiger's chip-in on 14?
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, you almost sensed that he was going to do that. He's the best player in the world and you've got to expect everything with him because he's that good. To be honest when he hit it, it always looked good and when he started walking, I thought, he's holed it, and obviously the cheer said it all and just sort of had a good smile to myself I thought that's why he's No. 1 is because he can play those shots at those times. Sort of knew that he was going to hole it because he always holes those.
Like I say, I can walk away feeling proud of myself.

Q. The joke you shared on the ninth green when you were waiting, you were laughing and joking?
ROSS FISHER: Niclas just wanted to make sure of the ruling. And he's like, you know, he's been at it for 20 years, surely he should know the ruling, just joking about it. I said, I'm still quite young and insurance experienced out here. I've only been out here, what, this is my second year, if I'm ever unsure of a ruling, I always ask playing partners. You should really know the rules. I guess Niclas was making sure of it because the last day you don't want to do anything silly. Yeah, we were just having a laugh and a joke, nothing against Niclas obviously. He was doing it for the right reasons. Last day, you want to make sure you do everything right. He just said, get a drop off the path and he's like, you know, nearest in two, or one; he did say one, actually.

Q. Said on Friday night that you felt you belonged out here and you're ready to win. Is what happened on the weekend convinced you of that even more?
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, obviously to shoot two 65s the first few days, maybe that was a bit of pressure on me you know to go out there and try to do as good as I could and I don't feel like I've disgraced myself. I've broken par every day and four rounds under par is very, very pleasing and like I say, I can walk away feeling really pleased, really proud of myself and deep down I know that I can compete with the best players and the best player, the world No. 1.

Q. You were still in it after 69 holes.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, standing on 16, I was, what, 17-under and still right in there. You know, unfortunately it wasn't a bad swing. It just didn't draw for me and just went in the rough and unfortunately couldn't get to the green because it was such a bad lie.
But tried to suck it up and try and finish positively. Just like come on, you've finished strong before, you can do it again. 17 tried to put two on in the fairway and unfortunately missed the fairway. It was going to be a struggle from 50-odd feet and like I say, maybe just a bit of adrenaline or rush of blood and three putts later was another bogey.
But obviously pleasing to hit probably the best drive of the week up 18, to walk up there, see it the middle of the fairway with a good yardage and just smash 5-iron on to the green and take two putts and show the hands and say thanks very much for a great week.

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