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JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

February 20, 2009

Andre Stolz

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Q. You're a reborn man, totally!
ANDRE STOLZ: I don't know what's going on to be honest, I've obviously been playing alright lately. We've had a really easy side of the draw so far. I don't know what's happening this afternoon but one of the guys I am staying with was out early yesterday and when we dropped him down here it was blowing its butt off. We had a really good afternoon I don't think I have ever seen it like that before.
I actually played alright yesterday, just had an untidy finish. I was four under with three to go and really should have been looking at finishing five under at least there and I didn't play that badly, it just didn't happen, so I was a bit disappointed.
This morning I felt horrible actually. We have been doing our own cooking this week, actually I cooked so it's probably not a good sign.
I got lucky and made a few birdies early and had a good finish. I still hit my irons well but there were a lot of three woods there and I have been unhappy with my three wood all week. I tried to get new one but they didn't have anything there that looked appealing so I sort if stuck to my old one which has been a bit frustrating because today it just seemed like it was a three wood every hole.

Q. T6 at the Open, T6 at the PGA, a win at the Vic PGA a couple of weeks ago, you're right back in it now. ( refers here to wrist injury that has kept him out of the game for three years).
ANDRE STOLZ: The main thing for me is working hard on trying to keep my swing as short as I can. I probably had about three of four today where I could feel it getting a bit sloppy. The ball still came out alright but I know it's going to hurt. I actually couldn't hit any bunker shots yesterday at practice. I went to hit a few and I just had to stop.
It was alright when I was hitting balls on the range then I went to hit a few bunker shots and because I sort if hinging it really quick, I it one shot and just went oh! I stood there for about five minutes trying to work out whether I should hit another one so I am still in that position - I just have to keep working hard on my action.

Q. If you win this week you would have a two-year exemption to Europe as well as this year, are you prepared to pick up and go?
ANDRE STOLZ: My wife already said if you win the Johnnie Walker, she said this a month ago, if you win we're not going to Europe.
I just feel everything is just a bonus after not playing for so long, I 'm on a bit of a roll at the moment, obviously I'm playing pretty well. I've made a couple of bombs this week although I had two three putts today but...

Q. Do you feel unfulfilled?
ANDRE STOLZ: No. I don't.
You might call them low goals or whatever but if you had seen me playing as a kid I didn't play any amateur golf, I didn't even play in my club championship. I did a traineeship and just got to where I did by backing myself with hard work.
I'm thrilled to be out playing still and just enjoying it.

Q. Do you have any driving ambition to go anywhere?
ANDRE STOLZ: To be honest with you everyone is asking me that and to be honest, I am speaking straight out here, I feel like I am lucky to be out playing again. After sitting around for a couple of years watching everyone else I'm actually really enjoying just being out here.

Q. To be playing out here with the likes of Villegas and Poulter, knocking over a field like that you'd have to wonder wouldn't you?
ANDRE STOLZ: You know it's just the way I am if I play well, I feel like I could beat just about anyone, maybe not Tiger but I have proved I can beat some great players so if I play well that'll happen. If it happens great! I certainly believe if I play well I can do it - sure.

Q. Do you think people find it hard to accept after your past success that you can settle for being happy playing golf and just enjoying it?
ANDRE STOLZ: To be honest, my whole life I was driven by just running away from the zero bank balance that was my goal. I have been broke twice as a pro, so it was all about running in the other direction. I didn't know where it was ending but I was just trying to get away from zero.
I'm now totally different to what I was before. I was under a lot of stress from being broke like a lot of pros in Australia so for me everything was black and white then too.
Now that I have sat around and seen the other side of life, sitting around for a few years and seeing how normal people operate and live it's pretty scary. I'm pretty different to alot the other guys. Not too many of them have had to sit out for as long as I have and see the other side of life.
To be honest with you for me the person, finishing up at 35 I was financially secure, I felt I was going ok, but you go stale as a person and you start to sit around wondering what the hell you're going to do with the rest of your life...and you have to have something.
I sat there thinking what am I going to do for three years and feeling pretty lousy. The good side of it was being around the kids, I had four kids there which keeps you busy but in the end you still need something for yourself.

Q. You suffered severely from depression didn't you?
ANDRE STOLZ: Well, I think that's too harsh a word, I think it was more like, all of a sudden everyday I got out of bed and I was doing something, I had a goal about what I was trying to do which was to get better but all of a sudden that's taken away and it was sort of like...well what do you do?
I think depression is way too strong a word - but I was certainly down in the dumps and definitely unsure of what was happening.

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