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OMEGA MISSION HILLS WORLD CUPNovember 24, 2007Gregory HavretRaphael JacquelinHONG KONG, CHINA GORDON SIMPSON: We are joined by France, the team that Scotland can beat at football all the time. (Laughter) anyway, we will done, well played today, Grégory Havret and Raphaël Jacquelin, 62 and you've put yourself right into contention for Sunday. Gregory, take us through today. GRÉGORY HAVRET: Yeah, it was obviously a very good day. The first eight holes were pretty good but just average, we were 2-under, but the last ten holes was very good. We played 8-under the last ten, so we had a beautiful eagle at the ninth, a few good birdies, one chip, also, and that was fine. RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: The plan at the beginning of the week was to stay in contention and just to give us a chance for Sunday to win the trophy. So we did our best today to stay in contention and we are up there, so it's going to be good to play tomorrow. That's what we are looking for, and yeah, we are really happy to play together, so we've got a chance tomorrow, that's all we wanted to have at the beginning of the week. GORDON SIMPSON: You played really well at the Seve Trophy, the two of you, did you feel at that point that that was good preparation for coming here to try and win this title? GRÉGORY HAVRET: Yeah, I think so. It was a very good experience playing the Seve Trophy. Yeah, we definitely played well together, we lost one game, with you won three. Yeah, we thought it was a good thing because we knew at that time that the team was us at the World Cup together. So we had a little talk about it and we thought it was a good thing to play as good as the Seve Trophy, it was probably a good thing for the World Cup and we have a nice order for the fourballs and I am very comfortable to go first. Raphaël is very consistent and I am happy to play second. These little things make probably the difference and that's probably why we did well at the Seve and the two four-balls here. Q. You've managed to put up, each of you, five points today, that was to avoid any problem tonight at dinner? And if you're left tomorrow with the USA kids, do you have already a strategy versus them? RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: Not really a strategy. We're going to keep the same order as Friday, so Greg is going to start on the first. Going to have a lot of iron shots -- well, he's pretty consistent with the irons. I'm normally pretty consistent with the driver to putt the ball in play, and then he can go for the greens. I'm going to putt more than him I think, if we are in regulation, so that's going to be the strategy. But really, just put the ball in play on the greens, just give us a chance for birdie as much as we can and then we can shoot low in foursomes, as well. So that's the strategy for tomorrow. Q. After three days of playing this competition, you seem to have a very good chemistry between the two of you. Would you prefer to play in the four-ball or the foursome? RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: He's going to play on his own tomorrow. (Laughing.) GRÉGORY HAVRET: No, I don't have a preference. I think we definitely quite play well in four-balls. In the foursomes, it's probably tougher -- it's not probably; it's a lot tougher. Because you can't -- you can't expect the other one to do something maybe better than you, and if not, it doesn't matter. You really have to be consistent in every shot, very strategic, and it's definitely tougher, and that's why it's the last format for Sunday. There's going to be some moves, probably. Things will happen, like happened for China yesterday; they were on top of the thing and then they had a bad hole, and this can't happen in four balls. So it's probably tougher, and it's a great format, yeah. Q. We saw a lot of you in the media room in Shanghai earlier this year; there's clearly something about China that you enjoy playing here. Can you tell us a little bit about that? And secondly, if you two guys do win tomorrow, will there be a champagne shower on the 18th green and who will bring the champagne? RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: Yeah, I don't know what's happening with China. Maybe somebody knows about something, so just let me know. But I've had a good feeling here, I don't know why. We play quite a lot in Asia now, so we have to be ready to play in different countries, and I'm getting used to putting on the grainy greens maybe. So I'm doing pretty well, sure. And if we win tomorrow, it's going to be great, great for Greg because it's his birthday tomorrow, so I'm going to do my best. Q. Yesterday I spoke to a journalist belonging to a famous sport newspaper in France, and that guy doesn't seem to see the importance of this event. Do you think he might change his idea now? GRÉGORY HAVRET: Well, L'Équipe is obviously the main sport newspaper in France, by far; there is only one. Well, the World Cup of Golf is very important for us because it's an international name. You know, if you win Italy or Spain or whatever the tournament, it's just The Open of the country. World Cup means a lot in any sport. If you stop anybody in the street and say, oh, France means the World Cup, that means something very important. And we are really into it. I think even L'Équipe probably -- but for sure, golf is -- we have some kind of problems sometimes with them, and we want them to be more behind us and this kind of results can definitely change things probably in France, also. So that's all we hope and that's all we try. We do our best, of course, for us and if it can help a little bit the golf to grow more and more in France, it's exactly what we want. Q. I'd like to know if there are any differences playing in Asia and in Europe, is there any difference between atmosphere and the golf courses, is there any difference that makes you feel very different and comfortable or something like that? RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: Like I said at the beginning when we came to play in Asia, it's quite difficult to putt on the grainy greens. But these kind of greens are pretty good -- are really good, they are just grainy and we are getting used to putting on this now. So the difference, the weather is a lot better. Well, that's not difficult because in Europe it can be really bad sometimes. No, I think we are getting used to play everywhere in the world now. That's why the Europe team during The Ryder Cup is pretty strong, because all of the top players play everywhere in the world and are getting used to playing in different crowds, different conditions, with the wind, without the wind. The top players in Europe are the top in the world, so there you go. Q. I've been told that if you win the title tomorrow, you've decided to get bald like your partner. Is that correct? RAPHAËL JACQUELIN: No way. No, definitely. GRÉGORY HAVRET: I have some hair. (Laughter). GORDON SIMPSON: Well, let's wait and see tomorrow. Thanks very much. End of FastScripts |
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