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HSBC CHAMPIONS

November 9, 2008

Oliver Wilson

SHANGHAI, CHINA

CALVIN KOH: Oliver, thank you for coming down today. 67, 68, 69, and I'm sure you're enjoying the position you're in right now to finish in the outright lead today.
OLIVER WILSON: Yeah, obviously I'm very pleased with the position I'm in. Any time you're leading, it's got to be the best place to be. I'd like a few more shots, but happy to be there, playing really nicely, playing solid and hopefully I can keep that going onto this afternoon.
CALVIN KOH: Some of the players were talking about the windy conditions, it was affecting their play. How was it for you?
OLIVER WILSON: It was tough today. Definitely the toughest day we've had so far. It was cold this morning. The wind, some of the longer par 4s all played into the wind today, so they were tough, and the pin positions today were pretty tough as well. They were tucked away on some slopes and it left you a lot of -- you had a lot of holing out to do today, 2- and 3-footers. And if you missed the green, it was tough to get it close. You definitely had to putt well today.
It's the type of course you've just got to keep it in play and hit fairways and greens. And if you can do that, it takes a lot of the stress away, obviously on any course it does, but this one particularly. With the wind added to that, it makes it all the more harder.

Q. You hit a good putt on 12, that was a long one, and you hit a good shot on 16; what was your best shot of the day?
OLIVER WILSON: Probably a few early on. Into the fourth, that was a tricky little pin today on the left, wind off the right. Hit a great 4-iron in there. Was a little lucky it stayed on top of the hill, had it gone down to eight feet -- the shot I hit was perfect, exactly what I wanted to do, so that was one of the best. And I hit a great 3-iron into the fifth, I think it was, as well. That's a tough hole. It's a very tricky green to hit. I hit a good 3-iron in there to 25 feet left of the flag, and so those two were probably the best shots of the day.

Q. You came so close to that maiden victory so many times, how does this position now compare to those other times?
OLIVER WILSON: Pretty similar really. The only difference is it's Sunday afternoon. So I'm getting closer and at least I'm leading after Sunday afternoon. I just have to get a tournament that finishes on Sunday, as well.
I feel good and I feel pretty comfortable in the situation I'm in. Looking forward to going back out. You know, this is one of those funny things, you don't get too much of, finishing on a Monday. I don't know how many holes we'll get in this afternoon, so it's quite important. If I can go out there and get a off to a good start, pick one or two up, I'm thinking four, five, six holes, something like that. If I can just go out there and do those holes pretty well, then I'll be in really good position, a better position than I'm in now. That's the key thing from here on in.

Q. Your victory over Stenson and Mickelson in The Ryder Cup, what did that do for your confidence?
OLIVER WILSON: It's the highlight of my career so far. It gave me a lot of confidence. It's definitely the best moments so far in my career. To do it and to play that well, and the way it worked out, holing the putt on 17 in that kind of situation was just phenomenal. I can't say enough about it. I had so much fun that day.
So, you know, it has done a lot. It was a shame that it happened there in The Ryder Cup and that I didn't get to play that well shortly after it. Obviously being a bit distracted with The Ryder Cup and a bit tired. If I could have got playing well straight after that into some tournaments, I think if I had got into this situation before, I think it would have helped me a lot. It's been a while now, but it's definitely helped. It's proven to me and to anyone else that I can do it when it really matters.
So I don't think there's any question there. Just looking back on it, everybody has got things to look back on in their career, and to me that's what I look back on, not just the putt on 17 that I holed, but some of the shots I hit in certain situations. Everyone has tricky shots they don't like as well, and I had a few of those that day and played them all great. It's always something to look back on and take confidence from when you're out on the course.

Q. Would you say that that day has done more than anything in your career to make you feel comfortable in this company?
OLIVER WILSON: Yeah, definitely. I felt comfortable before that. Obviously I was a rookie not Ryder Cup and I felt pretty comfortable that week, which was good for me, at that time, anyway, before that.
But getting into the tournament and then playing like I did, and then beating Mickelson and Kim, it was great for me and it was great to play with Henrik. Just knowing when you're playing with those guys, they are the best players in the world, and when you can play with them and perform how I did, there's nothing I can't do in golf I feel like. So it's just up to me to go out and do that now.

Q. You played with the same teammate in the third round, but the final round will definitely be a regrouping, and you will play with much tougher contenders in this event. Will that affect your situation or your form?
OLIVER WILSON: I don't think so, no. I'm not playing against my playing partners out here. I'm playing against the course, and it will be great to play with -- I don't know who I'm going to be playing with, but whoever it is, it's going to be great.
I still haven't played with the top guys, the top ten players in the world that much, so every round I can get going out with them, it's good experience. I might pick up a few things and might give me a bit more confidence to know I'm good enough to be up there. The way I'm playing, I feel like I can go out and definitely hold my own and hopefully pull off a victory.

Q. Talk about your feelings about hanging on until Monday morning.
OLIVER WILSON: Before Monday morning, I have another however many holes. So there's a long way to go. 18 holes, a lot can happen. I've been in this situation a lot now, so you know, I'm fine and feel comfortable being in it. But yeah, you know, like I say, Sunday afternoon, there's a long way to go. I'm in a good position. Can't be a bad position to be in. Hopefully I'll be in there tomorrow.

Q. Have you ever played a final round on a Monday morning before?
OLIVER WILSON: No, I don't think I've ever played in a tournament that's finished on Monday to be honest. We've had a few close calls, but we've always managed to sneak it in on Sunday, so it will be a new experience for me.

Q. Just wondering whether the financial crisis has affected the mood of the players in the tournament. What's the buzz in the locker room?
OLIVER WILSON: I don't think it's really affected us on the course too much. Obviously it affects everybody, but when you come out here, money is the last thing you're thinking about. Obviously we're very blessed to be in the position we're in to come and play in events like this that we're playing for so much money, it's a fabulous opportunity for us.
But I think when we all get on the course, that's the last thing we are thinking about. All we are trying to do is hit good shots, try to play as good as we can and try and win or finish as high up as you possibly can. I don't think anyone's really too worried about the financial crisis at the moment. In the locker room there's obviously a few guys that have investments and that kind of thing. Everyone has a little chat about it here and there, but it's not too big of a conversation point, I don't think.
CALVIN KOH: Good luck with your final round.

End of FastScripts

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