	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 16, 2007

Luke Donald

CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND

BERNIE MCGUIRE: Thank you for joining us in the media centre. Congratulations on your 64 yesterday at the Scottish Open. You shot a course record at Panmure in 1999 as an amateur. Can you tell us what your memories are and then we'll take some questions.
LUKE DONALD: Yes, this was the first Open Championship I qualified for as an amateur, back in '99. I think I shot a 65 at Panmure, which was the course record then and went on to be paired with Paul Lawrie in the first two rounds. So obviously a great experience as an amateur to be a part of an Open Championship for the first time. I missed the cut by two shots, unfortunately I struggled on the last few holes. But still it was a memorable week for me.

Q. Did you think about the year you were playing with the future Open champion the first two rounds?
LUKE DONALD: I remember him playing very steadily, having good control. It was quite windy that week. And he didn't get himself into too much trouble, just seemed to play very consistently. Again, he seemed to know what he was doing in the windy conditions and played very, very nicely. I think at the halfway stage he was four or five off the lead, but he wasn't really challenging for the tournament, but still you could obviously tell he was happy with his game and he was playing very well.

Q. Seve Ballesteros was here earlier and officially announced his retirement. I don't know how young you might have been during his heyday, but how much of an influence has he been on you and also the strength of the European Tour these days?
LUKE DONALD: Seve was definitely someone I watched a lot growing up. I think between him and Nick Faldo, those were the two golfers that were really at the height of their career just as I was starting to play golf. In the mid '80s was when Seve was really at his prime and then kind of Faldo took over. I think those were the two golfers that I watched a lot on TV. I've modeled my game a little bit on Faldo's, I tried to stay away from Seve's, trying to keep it straighter than he did. Obviously both players were tremendous players and the two players I definitely watched.

Q. Do you think the way the game is played now that there will ever be another Seve?
LUKE DONALD: It's tougher. I think the courses are obviously getting longer and longer and especially out in the U.S. Tour. Most courses are set up where you have fairway and then pretty deep rough. It's hard to be very creative out of deep rough, like Seve was. But still I think even though Seve was able to score because of his short game, he probably had maybe the best short game in the world. When he was competing he was the best. And that was how he was able to score. I'm sure there's a few players out there that are similar to that, but probably don't have the charisma that he had getting to the green.
I think the way courses are set up these days it's hard for someone to be that off line off the tee and get away with it so much.

Q. The modern generation of European players who weren't around when Seve was at his peak wouldn't be able to appreciate what he did for European Tour and European golf, could you talk about that comment?
LUKE DONALD: Yes, I might be the one person -- I probably couldn't comment on that, because I've only been on the European Tour for a few years. But just hearing some of the stories about how he influenced a lot of people and he kind of brought an awareness to how the European -- there was a strong European Tour with strong players. I think just at that period when he was starting to play well we were beginning to win Ryder Cups. We were beginning to dominate The Masters tournament during that time. And I think through his good golf the European Tour got a lot of respect.

Q. Can I ask how you assess your chances this week?
LUKE DONALD: Well, strong 35th position last year, so I'm trying to build on that (laughter). Obviously this hasn't been my best major performance. But every year I come here, especially the last few years coming here to play well, the week before at Loch Lomond. And still feeling good about my game. I had a nice three-week break, I was on my honeymoon. And I think that made me a little bit more refreshed and a little bit more ready to go. And I just went out to play a few holes, just pitched and putted around a few holes. I really like the way the course looks. I think it's a very good links course where you just have to hit good, solid shots. It's not going to be too bouncy. The shots aren't really going to get away from you too much. So hopefully with my -- if I play like I did yesterday with good precision iron shots then I should have a good chance this week.

Q. Do you sense that there's a bit of impatience with your generation, British players now, people are wanting one of you to really maybe step up?
LUKE DONALD: I think we all do. It's who is going to get there first. I definitely feel like I should be doing better than I should, especially at this championship. I'd like to be winning more tournaments around the world. Golf does take a little bit of time sometimes. You just have to learn not to press, not to get too impatient and hopefully things will come to you. But in terms of winners for this tournament I think Europeans have as good a chance as anyone.

Q. Who of your peers, amongst the Brits or Europeans, do you think this course offers the best chance to?
LUKE DONALD: I think it's a course where if you're in form anyone can win. It's a good, solid golf course. It's going to play a little bit longer, so maybe someone that is hitting it further and straighter might have a little bit more of a chance, I don't know. I'm just going to concentrate on my own game and hopefully I'll be at the top of that list.

Q. This question has been coming up quite a bit the last four or five years. We've seen the strength of Europe in the World Ranking now, and certainly in the Ryder Cup, too much for some of our taste. But do you need to win a Major to validate how strong European golf is?
LUKE DONALD: Well, there are other ways. Obviously you look in the Ryder Cups and stuff, that validates that we have a core of very strong players. We've really dominated it in the last 10 to 15 years. Somehow we've got to transition that to individual players. Look at rankings, and we obviously are talented enough to win major championships, but we just haven't done it yet. But I think it's only a matter of time. When we do, that will definitely validate the Europeans as a bunch of great players.

Q. I assume that the players from the UK have an advantage on courses like this, but does your generation play a lot more links golf than before?
LUKE DONALD: I don't think any of us really play that much links golf. Look at the European Tour schedule, there might be a couple of courses which are links style. I think the French Open is a links style course and the Dutch Open, but there's not too many where it's real links golf. So whether it really favors us, I don't know if that's really valid or not. But I think growing up, as amateurs we played a lot of links golf on our links golf courses for amateur tournaments. But once you get to the professional ranks you kind of go away from it. That's why I think this tournament is so unique. We don't really play this golf that much and who can come to a new situation and figure out the best way.

Q. Looking at the Open, you were keeping exalted company with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Did that affect your opening round?
LUKE DONALD: Two years ago?

Q. Two years at St. Andrews. If this year was an amateur, as you once were yourself and Charles Howell, do you think that might make a difference to you?
LUKE DONALD: I haven't seen the pairings. Are they out?

Q. Yes, Charles Howell and an amateur Llewellyn Matthews.
LUKE DONALD: Well, that's quite different to Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus playing in his last major, it's a different kind of pressure. It will be a different kind of atmosphere. I think playing with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, there is more pressure, there's a lot more eyes on you. But sometimes having that big crowd and that kind of atmosphere does get you concentrating and gets you pumped up a little bit more, sometimes that can go in your favor. But also being paired in a smaller, I guess more insignificant group with Charles Howell and whoever the Amateur is, kind of can go about your business, not really many people are noticing you, kind of get into a flow of things that way. It's different. I would never take away having that pairing with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. It was quite an honor. But at the same time it was quite testing, especially the last few holes. I think we took about 40 minutes to play the 18th hole, and it was a pretty straight forward hole at St. Andrews. Luckily I wasn't really on the cut bubble or anything. I had a few shots to spare, so it didn't really matter.

Q. It was the highest of your four rounds that year, 74?
LUKE DONALD: Where?

Q. At St. Andrews?
LUKE DONALD: My third round, I shot 68, 73, with Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, and 76 the next day, so maybe I enjoyed the crowds.

Q. Can I ask how you account for your slightly sort of disappointing Open record and ask if you've done anything different this year to change your approach to it?
LUKE DONALD: Only thing I've done different is take time off, which I wouldn't usually do. But I did get married this year, so that was the reason why. How do I account for it? Hard to tell. I think I just got on a bit of a run where I didn't have much success my first couple of years, even as an amateur in The Open Championship and maybe that -- let that affect me mentally. But I'm feeling better now. I think I feel better, more confident player, someone that can deal with all kinds of situations and different course types. I think just growing as a player I'm able to learn from I guess those bad performances and try and get better.

Q. Given where you grew up, what was the first taste of links golf you had?
LUKE DONALD: Playing in amateur events.

Q. Do you remember how old you were, for example?
LUKE DONALD: I was probably 14, playing courses like Saunton down in Cornwall and Royal North Devon and stuff like that, playing some England Internationals. I played at St. Andrews links, I think, maybe a Lytham Trophy.

Q. Was it an eye opener for you?
LUKE DONALD: I'm not sure if it was an eye opener. Just don't really think about those things as an amateur. You just go out there and know it's a different challenge. But it had its fun parts and obviously it was quite challenging.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297