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JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSICFebruary 21, 2009John BickertonPERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA CHUAH CHOO CHIANG: Let's get started. John Bickerton, here with us, tied for the lead at 14-under. You must be pleased with where you are. JOHN BICKERTON: So far, so good. Obviously after last week, or the last few weeks, been a bit of a struggle after taking time off in the winter and then to come back last week was the first sign of actually playing decent. This week the difference is the putts are going in, and sometimes that's what makes a difference. The putt I had on the last hole, very difficult to get it on-line but managed to make the 2-putt and walk off happy. CHUAH CHOO CHIANG: You seem to be rolling it real nicely? JOHN BICKERTON: I'm actually feeling pretty good today. I work with a guy called Jamil Qureshi. Had a good chat with him last night, not giving any secrets away, but today I was quite focused and concentrated on playing the golf course and not the scoreboard. Q. Is there anything technically you've changed, you've missed four cuts in a row? JOHN BICKERTON: To be honest I haven't taken much notice of the four cuts in a row because the last time I played before this year was the HSBC Champions (in Shanghai) in November. I finished November 3 or 4. So it was nice to take a break. Went to see my father in Peru and had a good holiday down there, and had some good time with my son over Christmas, and sometimes that's more important than hitting a golf ball on a golf course. Although I was a bit rusty coming out, the signs were there that it was not too far from being okay. Hopefully get some decent greens, or some greens I can read, it's a help. Q. Is this your best play since the French Open? JOHN BICKERTON: That's a good question. I would think it is. I finished third in BMW last year. I had quite a few Top-10s last year, and the win at Leopard Creek, that was last season. Q. Did it come as a bit of a surprise to find yourself so far up the leaderboard? JOHN BICKERTON: I haven't really thought about it. At the end of the day you're out there playing golf and that's what you're trying to do to the best of your ability. So, you know, until someone asks me, I haven't really thought about it. Just concentrate on playing the golf course and doing my best out there, and hopefully, you know, might be good. Q. Do you look forward to going out with another Englishman tomorrow? JOHN BICKERTON: Ross, isn't it? Yeah, he's doing well, and funny enough, the last time I won, I played with Ross at Leopard Creek. So might be his turn, but you never know. (Laughter). Q. Could we get the name of the psychologist you work with? JOHN BICKERTON: Jamil Qureshi. CHUAH CHOO CHIANG: What will be the key for you tomorrow? JOHN BICKERTON: Fairways and greens. That's what I've been concentrating on all week. It not just about hitting the greens, because you get the wrong side of the flag you can have a 50,60 -foot putt and it's tricky. Just put them in the right place. I've hit driver everywhere this week in all fairness and I've just committed to doing that, and I'll try and do the same tomorrow. Q. What type of things has the psychologist been getting to you work on? JOHN BICKERTON: I said I wouldn't tell you. (Laughter). Q. Is there anything technical you've worked on? JOHN BICKERTON: Technically, no. Mind-wise, yeah. You do get nervous out there, there's no doubt about it. But today I was very calm and I actually enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy the heat much, but I enjoyed the competition, and actually being up there again. And when you're do get things going like that, it's only afterwards you realise it a nice feeling; at the time it's quite nerve-wracking. But at the end of the day, it's nice to be up there again. It's quite a contradiction, I was still calm. Q. Greg Norman described it as a defensive golf course and you've attacked it all week; how would you describe it? JOHN BICKERTON: I've played The Vines many times, the Heineken we used to play here and you could not be that aggressive because the greens were so hard. And this week because the greens are much softer, they are taking the ball and the ball is stopping whereas before you would be bouncing off the greens. I think because of the heat they have had and the heat they are having, they are giving them water. So every credit to the guys preparing the course. You do what you can do but it's not The Vines we've played in previous years in, many opinion. Q. Is that a good or a bad thing? JOHN BICKERTON: So far, great. Q. Jamil is also a magician, what kind of magic do you need to win? JOHN BICKERTON: Just talking about focusing on what you're doing and concentration, in that heat, especially; I hate to be overweight in this heat, you know, and unfit. Concentration level is the hard bit. You've only got to concentrate for a few seconds at a time and when you're walking in between the ball and the green or whatever it is, I think you've just got to try and relax and not use up all your mental energy. It's bloody hard work out there. Q. Supposed to be cooler tomorrow. JOHN BICKERTON: Brilliant; it will be only 35 tomorrow. Q. With regards to the greens, they have very large ones here at The Vines, how does that suit your game? Do you prefer the large ones or the small ones? JOHN BICKERTON: Every course is different. I think that you have to accept whatever you come to as being the thing of the week. You have to take what you're playing otherwise you're really beating yourself up all the time. Large greens, you're going to have good feel around the greens. You have a lot of long putts, and all of you have probably played St. Andrews and sometimes you can hit the greens and still be 60 yards away. At the end of the day, it's about having a good pace on the greens, and if you can read them, that helps. Q. If you look at the leaderboard, you see the big names pretty much are not up there, is that more of an opportunity? JOHN BICKERTON: I suppose it is, but then again, the Tour is so strong these days, anybody is capable. You see the category three winners, so many of them, they have to change the system this year because of that. These guys wouldn't be here unless they were capable of winning. It's a strong, strong tour nowadays. It's not like it used to be. And they are all young, as well, which really peeves me off. Q. Apart from the psychology, did you draw on the French Open experience at all? JOHN BICKERTON: Possibly. Possibly. You never know, being in that position, it's nice to have been there before and succeeded. But at the end of the day, golf is a funny game. It can jump up and bite and you it can make you the happiest man in the world. So take what it gives and you try and enjoy it. Q. You parred the first 16 holes -- is the front nine harder? JOHN BICKERTON: No, I think I just played a bit better and holed a couple of good putts. I missed one on 16 from about four feet for birdie, as well. There was a few more chances but I played some good golf on the back nine there and hit it close. It's not just hitting it close but it's holing six and seven footers. Not always easy. CHUAH CHOO CHIANG: John, thanks again and all the best tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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