|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
THE ABU DHABI GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 17, 2009Martin KaymerABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES MARTIN KAYMER: I made a birdie on 11 and 12, and finally on 17 and 18, so I think it's a pretty good round. It didn't really look like it, but I'll take it. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Slight change from last year to when you were ahead and now you're chasing tomorrow. MARTIN KAYMER: I think it's going to be a totally different situation for me tomorrow. I was in the lead by six shots last year when I went out on Sunday, and it was a similar situation. It's going to be very new for me -- Q. Details? MARTIN KAYMER: My eagle, hit a pretty good drive from the middle of the fairway. 45 metres left of the flag and I was 12, 15 metres short of the flag and made the putt. Q. Are you playing better or worse than last year or where is your game in comparison to this time last year? MARTIN KAYMER: I think it's very similar. My ball-striking is very similar to last year but putting is a little worse. I don't want to say it's bad but last year it was pretty good. It's still okay. It's not as good as last year but it's still okay. I think in general, I'm playing very similar to last year. Q. What do you think you're going to have to shoot tomorrow to win the game here? MARTIN KAYMER: It looks like 7-under. Paul is still three shots ahead and has 18 to play. It depends on the weather, as well, but I think the forecast is very similar today. 5-, or 6-under should be fine. Q. You clearly are playing well enough to win, but do you expect to do it again? MARTIN KAYMER: Why not? I'm hitting the ball well, and if I make a few more putts, I'll be fine. Q. I just wonder, will you be that little bit more aggressive? Do you have to change your game going into the final round when you're chasing someone? MARTIN KAYMER: Well, tough question, I don't know. Probably. But it also depends how you hit the ball, if you're able to go for the flag. If you don't hit the ball good, it will be hard to go for the flag if you're in a bad position. All depends on my ball-striking. Today I hit the ball very well and I was aggressive with my irons. So it all depends on tomorrow and how I start the round and how Casey starts the round and then we will see. Q. Today you said you had quite a slow start, wonder how that builds up as a mental block maybe tomorrow, or is it something that you can overcome? MARTIN KAYMER: I'm hitting the ball well. I had a good birdie chance today on the first five holes. It was a little kind of a frustration, because you see the other guys making birdies, birdies, birdies and you are struggling. Finally I make a birdie and an eagle which gave me the motivation for the back nine. Q. You seem to be mentioning Casey a lot. Is he the only player that you feel that you have to beat tomorrow? MARTIN KAYMER: No, I mean, Graeme Storm, as well, of course. But I saw Casey practising in Arizona. We were practising at the same golf club. Yeah, a few weeks, he was looking very, very solid and obviously he plays very solid. I think he shot 7-under today after 17 holes and he still has a par 5 left. So it looks like he's a really, really strong player this week. I mean, in general, he's a strong player but especially this week. And then Graeme Storm, he's dangerous. And Anthony Wall; there are a few guys who can win the tournament. I just mention Casey because he's up there right now. Q. The first six holes, did you have your birdie chances, or was it that you were just struggling to make pars or just making regulation pars? What did you do on the 7th? MARTIN KAYMER: The first six holes, I had really good birdie chances. For example on the first, from like three metres for birdie. And on the second I was just in front of the green for a short chip and too long and missed that birdie putt. No. 3, had a-four-metre birdie putt and missed that. No. 6, I had a five-metre birdie putt and missed that. So there were a few chances. 7, I hit a good 6-iron just behind the flag. It was kind of a sneaky putt, a little downhill left-to-right, but it was a good stroke in the hole. Q. What was the length of the putt? MARTIN KAYMER: Four metres, downhill. Q. Given obviously you won last year, Paul won the year before, you're the top two players this time, and you both sort of practice at the same place in the United States, is there any kind of link between the practise facilities in Scottsdale, Arizona with playing golf in Abu Dhabi? MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, it's in the desert. It's very similar. I feel really comfortable to play in the desert. I love to be out in Arizona and practise. It's very similar weather like here. It's very similar golf courses. So it feels a little bit like home. Q. How long were you out there and do you have a place out there? MARTIN KAYMER: I have a place there. I was there for four or five weeks. I went there straight after the World Cup, so until the 6th or 7th of January. So for four or five weeks. Q. And do you see much of Casey when you're out there in a social sense at all or did you just happen to practise? MARTIN KAYMER: I didn't see him -- I saw him every day, but I saw him a few times and he looked very, very well. So no wonder why he's up there. Q. When you won this tournament last year, it was the first win of an exciting career and new goals for The Ryder Cup; if you were sitting here tomorrow night, how does this change the new year for? MARTIN KAYMER: Sorry, I didn't understand that. Q. When you won this tournament last year, it was your first win and start of an exciting career for you and gave you new goals, like The Ryder Cup; and if you were sitting here tomorrow night as the winner what, does that do for this new year? MARTIN KAYMER: That's a tough one. I think it will give me the same motivation the win last year gave me. So actually my goal for the end of the year is to finish Top-20 in the World Rankings. That would be nice. I finished Top-25 last year and that would put me I think in a really good position if I will win tomorrow. It will be a little easier to finish Top-20 and it would be a good move up there. Q. You mentioned your goal for the year being to finish in the top 20. Why such modest goals? Why not Top-10 or something? MARTIN KAYMER: You have to do it step-by-step. I was not expecting that I would finish Top-25 last year, so it was a big surprise for me, as well and I think that you have to go step-by-step, and I will be fine. Q. Too short a step, Martin (laughter). MARTIN KAYMER: That's up to you guys. I think I need a few years to get up there. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Martin, good luck with it tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|