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BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIPMay 23, 2008Oliver WilsonVIRGINIA WATER, ENGLAND RODDY WILLIAMS: Very well played out there, bogey-free round of 66, could you give us your thoughts and sum up an impressive day. OLIVER WILSON: Exactly, 6-under around here is pretty good. I was pleased with how I played. Obviously no bogeys which was the big thing really, if you can try and eliminate mistakes out there, you can do pretty well and that's what I did. Putted nicely and just played pretty solid, really. RODDY WILLIAMS: Got off to a nice start with that eagle on the fourth. Was that the highlight of the day. OLIVER WILSON: It was, really. The first three holes, pretty tough, even the second, it's playing pretty hard. The green is pretty hard to hit, so it was nice to get off to three solid pars. And then obviously 4, if you can get a good drive, which I've done both days, it gives you a good chance to hit a great shot in stone dead really. And hit the flag on the next. So I just started to get going really. I started putting some really nice swings on it around there and played pretty solid all the way. I missed a couple greens in the middle there but chipped on reasonably close. Again, the par 5 sort of kick started me going again on the back nine, No. 12 and hit two shots on 13 to about eight-foot and made a good putt. Coming in gave myself a few chances, sort of half-chances. Made a good five on 17. I hit a bad drive again there and got reasonably lucky. Had a shot and gave myself a chance at birdie, which I thought I made but just missed the hole. And up 18, hit a great drive again up there and just a 2-putt birdie. So I played the par 5s pretty good today. I hit them all in two I think, so just 2-putt birdies sort of stress-free really. Doesn't make it too hard on you, which is nice. RODDY WILLIAMS: You're now in a very nice position going into the weekend. OLIVER WILSON: Yeah, great position. I just wanted to try and get into contention as soon as possible really out here. I need to start contending in these bigger tournaments. I feel like I'm good enough to now. So it's nice to actually produce that today and get right in there. I don't know what the weather is going to be like this afternoon but I've heard it's not great. Hopefully I won't be too far off the lead going into the weekend and if I keep playing like that, I shouldn't be too far away on Sunday. Q. Was there a moment at which you decided that you were ready to start contending in events like this? OLIVER WILSON: It's just been gradual, really. I've had three seconds this year, which is good. Obviously I'm getting myself into the positions. They have just not been the big tournaments. I think up to now really, it always seems like the big tournaments, I'm coming into not playing that well. Obviously it would be nice to come back to Europe with some form and feel like I know what's going on with my game. So it's just sort of -- I guess it's just sort of lucky, as well, that I'm coming into these weeks playing pretty good, pretty confident. You know, you've just got to play. It's just another tournament. Just because the field is good doesn't make it any harder. You're still against the course. Just keep doing what I'm doing really and should be in contention in the bigger tournaments. Q. When you have been as close as you have as often in the past few years, does it knock you back a bit? OLIVER WILSON: It doesn't knock me back, no. I think if I was leading coming down the last and thrown tournaments away, then maybe so then. But apart from the very first tournament that I finished second in, that would be my first year on Tour, I haven't really given any away. You know, I keep putting myself in positions to win. I'm just not producing anything miraculous on the last few holes to sort of take it and make it mine. You know, I'm just putting myself in position. I've come from quite a long way back on I think three or four times now and second is a good position there from where I was going into the last round. It's good to keep getting into contention and I felt like obviously my second in China was good. It was a rough last day, but it was nice to be in that position. But coming to Italy and finishing second in Italy, it seemed to be -- that seemed to be a bit more of a landmark for me. Obviously second again a few weeks later in Italy, it sort of made me feel a lot more comfortable; and I played awful last week in Ireland and finished 35th. So that was actually quite a good result. I was quite pleased with that, and I felt so much more at ease on the course than I ever have before. And I think that's something, that if I can keep getting into contention, getting more and more confidence, that's really all that's holding me back. If I can get at ease as I was in Italy and as I was in Ireland and as I was in Portugal at times, I think that's where I need to be, and then there will be no stopping me hopefully. Q. I think you might well have just answered this, but was there a week where you felt you really belonged out there? OLIVER WILSON: I've felt like I belonged for a while, but I think until you start contending in these tournaments, it's nice -- this year has really made me feel more comfortable. I feel I was in the Top-10 of the Order of Merit; I'm just on the edge. I feel comfortable being there. I believe I should be there. And there's only one thing missing from my resume, really, and it's just the win. So it's only a matter of time. But I feel like I belong, and the more and more I'm in contention, the more I keep playing like this, you know, you're just going to get more at ease and comfortable out here. Q. You said yesterday that you were just beginning to get used to this course or getting to know how to play it; what's been the biggest thing that's changed it around for you? OLIVER WILSON: It's just experience, really. It's such a funny course. Every time you play, you learn something new, whether it be a line on the green, a place not to hit it; which I found a few of those yesterday. But it just plays so different all the time. I played it three weeks ago, and it's a completely different course. I played it on Wednesday in the Pro-Am and it was so firm and fast. Like on the third I hit 7-iron in the other day and three weeks ago I hit 3-wood in. It just plays so different. The more you play it, the more different conditions you play it in, the more you get used to it. But I'm starting to remember lines on the greens that do some strange things out there, and you've got to be patient, because no matter how well you putt, you're not going to make all your putts out there. They do some strange things and you just have to trust yourself and know that it's the greens and not you. And that's really all I meant by that, just the odd hole you learn where not to hit it, and when it plays firm and fast, you really can't miss it on certain sides, where when it's soft, you can sometimes get away with it. But the way it's playing now, you can't, and I think that's why it's proving so tricky out there. Q. Was it Italy where you shot 65-64? OLIVER WILSON: Yes. Q. Where were you after two rounds? OLIVER WILSON: I was actually not that far way. I was in the top 20. I was maybe 15th or something, and I think moved up into like maybe sixth or seventh going into the last day. Although I was up there, I think I was six shots back going into the Sunday. So obviously second from there is all that I could really ask for with Hennie, I think he had a three- or four-shot lead. I managed to do what I wanted to, but I didn't actually think would I get that close but it was nice to get in contention and put a bit of pressure on him coming down the stretch. Q. You're only three off the pace at the moment; have you set your sights on trying to win the tournament? OLIVER WILSON: It's early days yet. 36 holes to go around here is a long way. Obviously I'd love to. I have good feelings coming into the tournament. I have confidence and I've been playing well, and I feel like this could be the week. It is only a matter of time. If I can get myself into contention on Sunday afternoon, that's all I can ask for really. If I can be there coming down the last few, with that finish, the two par 5s, I feel reasonably comfortable on the finishing stretch. So if you can be somewhere roundabout, you never know what can happen. You can finish 3-3 reasonably easy -- well, not easy, but it's doable, so you can come from quite a few back on last few. So the goal really is just to get into contention coming into the last few and we'll see what happens. Q. Would you say the greens are fair or just too quirky, and would you do anything about them? OLIVER WILSON: Long term maybe do something about them. They are tough. They play so different all the time. Yesterday played late, and on the back nine, the seed heads come up and they start to do all kind of strange things. When they get a bit of moisture out there, they just hold sort of footprints and they become very uneven and holing out is just brutal. You're just trying to lag everything to the hole so if it does miss you have a tap-in because a two -foot putt when it's wet out there is hard work and it grinds on you. But when they are firm, you know, they roll a lot better. They are pretty good. They still do the odd funky things, but I think if they can keep them firm, then they are fine. But it's just when they get wet, which obviously the course does suffer with being wet and holding moisture. Even last night on No. 9, I don't know if they watered the green a lot or what, but obviously every green has been playing firm and having one bounce and releasing, and on No. 9, me and Graeme Storm spun a wedge back 15 foot. You know, it just doesn't happen out there. I don't know if that was due to moisture or if they watered excessively. It just plays tricky. I think the firmness is the key. But when they are firm, they are also very tough with the undulations. So I guess it's up to the guys who have the power of what they want it to do. So I wouldn't like to comment too much, but I guess I have already. (Laughing). Q. How much do you think you've benefitted from your experience at the Seve Trophy last year? OLIVER WILSON: Yeah, I guess a little bit. It's more so the confidence in feeling like you fit in and mixing with Nick, obviously to be in his company for a week is fantastic. You learn things, and to play a professional match-play event is fantastic and it's something we don't get to play very often. I used to love match play as an amateur. I was pretty good at it and getting into the Seve Trophy for me last year was quite a big step. I felt like where I was climbing and getting to where I want to be, and although it's not The Ryder Cup, you know, it is a little taster. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing like it but it is a little taster and it makes you hungry for it. It's good experience and gives you a bit of confidence. I played well in the Seve Trophy, although my results were not quite as good as I'd like to have done but I played pretty good and I was pleased with my performance and obviously winning team. Q. Experience must be nice, as well? OLIVER WILSON: I think so. I think I have to play my way on to the team. It's not like I'm going to get a pick, which fair enough. I think picks, obviously see what happens with the team, but in my eyes I need to play my way on to the team. And really, I need to be in contention, weeks like this, weeks in the majors, before I even think about The Ryder Cup. So it's not really a thought. It's something that might happen this year; it might not. But either way, if I can just keep getting in contention in the big tournaments, in the majors, then it's a progression. My career has been a progression and that's what I like and I just want to keep doing that really so we'll see how quick it progresses this year. Q. Can you tell us what you were saying, playing under Faldo was very instructive; what did you learn from him? OLIVER WILSON: Specifically, I guess just a few stories. He told a few stories, makes you feel a bit more comfortable. Gives you a few words of advice here and there when you're out on the course. There was a few times out there where he would suggest a shot to play, that kind of thing. You know, he's been there in circumstances so much tougher than what the Seve Trophy was producing that he's somebody you need to listen to. It was quite a good finish at the Seve Trophy the last few holes, and just to have him there and sort of maybe agreeing with the choices of shot you were playing, agreeing with them or maybe mentioning something else, it all adds to it. Just little bits here and there you just pick up from him throughout the week really. RODDY WILLIAMS: Very well played, good luck. End of FastScripts |
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