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BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIPMay 26, 2007Richard SterneSURREY, ENGLAND MICHAEL GIBBONS: Richard, welcome. Thanks for joining us. Started the day tied 16th I think and now second after a 66. Tell us about the round. RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, I played very well actually today. I've been struggling actually last week, first two rounds. Everything was good today. I think I only missed one or two greens and that kind of helps around here. It's a tricky track, and I made a few good putts which kind of helps, so pretty happy. Q. You said you've been struggling; what have you been struggling with? RICHARD STERNE: Just doesn't feel that comfortable. Today everything felt pretty comfortable and was a lot more confident getting through, hitting the right shots. I find a lot of these tee shots are quite nerve-wracking on some of them, so you need to be confident out there. Q. How would you compare this course with what you experienced last week? I know the conditions are very different. How would you compare it? RICHARD STERNE: Last week as a lot tougher and the rough was much more severe and a longer course as well. Obviously the wind made a difference. The rough's up in some places here, but not that bad. Q. Do you generally like the changes that Ernie's made to the course? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, he's made some good changes. You know, he's lengthened it quite a bit on some of the holes, especially 17. I don't know about 12 so much with the hazard coming in now on the left. Not my favourite change but makes you think off the tee box. So, yeah, pretty good actually. Q. So you're uncomfortable recently, was this because of changes you were making? RICHARD STERNE: Subtle changes. Just a bit in the posture. You know, you go through stages with golf. You feel comfortable sometimes and sometimes you don't. Hopefully you start feeling comfortable when the big ones come around. Q. You come from a sporting family? RICHARD STERNE: Pretty much. Q. Do you follow rugby, too? RICHARD STERNE: What's the score? Q. Something like 58-10. RICHARD STERNE: South Africa's up? (Laughter) Tough luck. Q. Compared to the previous two days, why do you think you felt a lot more comfortable today? RICHARD STERNE: I've been working quite a bit during the week. I don't normally stay after the round and hit a lot of balls. I haven't been feeling comfortable and just everything came together today. I actually quite like it when it's overcast. Makes me feel a bit more comfortable for some strange reason. So I was quite happy. Q. You're one of a group of very strong, young South African players. How much do you help each other? Do you work together? Do you travel together, that sort of thing? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, we're quite close friends. You know, we travel quite a lot together. But we don't really help each other. There's more competition. But, know, it's good competition. The guys have been playing really well, Louis (Oosthuizen), Charl, myself, I've had a pretty decent start to the year. We sort of, I suppose, push each other on and it's nice to see some young South Africans coming up in the game. Q. Who are you close with? RICHARD STERNE: Louis and Charl Schwartzel. Q. Did you play other sports including rugby? RICHARD STERNE: I used to but obviously golf took over from the of 14, I played squash and a lot of correct. Q. Not rugby? RICHARD STERNE: Not rugby. I'm not quite big enough for that game. Q. Pretty excited about what lays ahead tomorrow? RICHARD STERNE: Sorry? Q. Pretty excited about what lays ahead tomorrow? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it's always difficult going home on a Saturday because you can think a lot about what can happen and stuff. I've been up there a few times. I'm quite comfortable with it and, you know, whatever happens, happens. You've got to be ready to accept whatever happens on a Sunday. Q. Can you tell us what these positions have been in the past and what you've learned form them that you will take into tomorrow? RICHARD STERNE: Johnnie Walker this year, I was in the last group and I lost in a playoff there. I've won Madrid 2004 and I won two events in South Africa, I won The Players championship now in February, Vodacom Championship. You know, any time you're in contention to win a tournament, you learn a lot. I'm not 100% comfortable with it, but you know, I don't think anybody really is. Q. You come from the Sunshine Tour where the sun is always on your back; why do you like these overcast conditions? RICHARD STERNE: I have no idea. Just seem to swing a lot more -- I feel more rhythm during overcast conditions and when you feel good, you swing a lot better strange. Q. Is there a fine balancing act between wanting to hit it a long way and knowing it's not always the best thing to do? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, a lot of tee shots here are actually 3-wood and 2-iron. 15 is an example. I don't feel comfortable with a driver, so I hit 2-iron, 2-iron there today. It not exactly ideal, but it's what I feel I can do, you know, standing on the tee box. And actually I made par there for the first time all week. And 12, as well, that hazard, you've got to hit 3-wood off that pretty much every day. It's too far to fly and it quite narrow. You don't hit a good tee shot and end up in the hazard. Q. Did you lipout in the playoff in Johnnie Walker? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it hit the edge. I had a couple good chances but wasn't meant to be. Q. What did you hit for your second on 12 if you hit 3-wood off the tee? RICHARD STERNE: On the 12th I hit 3-wood again. Q. Have you told Ernie about the change? RICHARD STERNE: No, I haven't really seen him. He's hiding. I don't know where he is. I don't think he's happy. Q. Has Anton bought you dinner since Phuket? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, he's bought me dinner and we had a few drinks afterward. Yeah, it's nice for him. It's a big break and hopefully he can -- he's been struggling lately but I think he's still young, good talent, but it takes quite a lot to do it week-in and week-out on this tour and takes a few years to get that right. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Well played, good luck tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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