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MAYAKOBA GOLF CLASSIC AT RIVIERA MAYA - CANCUNFebruary 25, 2009Brian GayRIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO NELSON SILVERIO: How does it feel to come back and defend your title? BRIAN GAY: Yeah, it's great to be back. Lots of good memories, obviously. The course is beautiful again, in great shape. I look forward to the tournament. Q. Seems like the field is a little bit stronger this year. I guess this tournament continues to get good words spoken about it back home. BRIAN GAY: Yeah, we tried to spread the word the last two years. It's gonna get better and better every year. It's such a great place to come play and stay. I think it'll only get better. Q. Did you find guys coming up to you asking about it, or did you have become and active recruiter and ambassador? BRIAN GAY: Yeah, a little of both. My wife talked to other wives and told them what a great place it is for kids and kids. I got a lot of questions from other players wanting to know about it. Q. Anything new out there, different challenges, or to changes every day because of the wind anyway? BRIAN GAY: Yeah, the course is the same. The wind is a little bit maybe out of north instead of east or southeast, but just a fraction different. I think it'll probably be the same later in the week. Q. (Translated from Spanish) Following your win, you had a pretty good rest of the year. How does it feel to come back to this place that you have good experiences with, and how will that carry you forward for the rest of the year? BRIAN GAY: Obviously last year this was a big springboard. I had my best year ever. Gave me a lot of confidence for the rest of the year, and continued to play well. I'm off to a good start this year, and hopefully it'll just be better after this week. Q. (Translated from Spanish) You've been out on tour for a while, and you cinched your first victory. How did that change not only your professional life, but personally how did it affect your overall life last year? BRIAN GAY: I think, like I said, it just made me more confident and believe in myself more after finally getting a win. Off the course, not really any different. Maybe a little bit more recognizable here and there, especially down here. But not much different off the course. Q. (Translated from Spanish) How do you feel the competition will be this year, especially with the stronger field? BRIAN GAY: Yeah, it'll be great. You know, the course is in great condition. Looks like we're going to have great weather again. I haven't really studied the field. I know they got some bigger names this year, which is good. It should be great. Q. (Translated from Spanish) Do you feel that the field is stronger? Does that give you more motivation to play, or is it the same? BRIAN GAY: Really doesn't make a difference. I mean, the field is the field. I mean, you got to go play great golf and make a lot birdies any week we play. All the players are so good, it doesn't really make a difference. It's still going to be about the same score probably to win, regardless of who's playing. Q. (Translated from Spanish) As a champion on the PGA TOUR, what can you tell the youth of Mexico and the world that they should focus on and work on in becoming a PGA champion? BRIAN GAY: For young kids, for me, I spent a lot time chipping, putting, and hitting a lot of wedge shots, which is where you're gonna make your score around the greens. Nowadays it's more of a power game. When I was growing up it was all about hitting it straight and chipping and putting well. Now I tell a kid to hit it as hard as you can and work on your short game. Q. You've been playing well coming in. Now if you keep it up and have a good year, maybe next year it's the Match Play and you might not get to come back here. Talk about the difficulty of this being an opposite-field event. Is there a sense this is the consolation prize of the week? BRIAN GAY: No. It's a FedEx, full-field event. It's not a consolation. It's a win-lose. I'd love to move up and be in the Match Play, but we love coming here. I think either way it's good for me. Eventually though, hopefully if a date opens up this tournament might move to a better date so it's not opposite. Q. As you said, this tournament is the first one of its kind in Mexico. In the previous weeks, your name has been sounding everywhere. You're a celebrity in Mexico. How do you feel about being a celebrity here? BRIAN GAY: It's great. We were down in November and saw some billboards on the streets. My family had to embarrass me in the taxi stopping to take a picture of me on the wall. But it feels good. It's nice to get some exposure and be out there in the public. Q. Maybe you know that pink color is called "Mexican Pink." Was that on purpose, or was that a lucky charm? BRIAN GAY: It is one of my favorite colors. I was not aware of Mexican Pink. My clothing company calls it Vegas Pink, we can call it Mexican Pink. (Laughter.) Q. You were saying about the advice that you give to younger kids. We know that it takes a lot concentration and practice. How would you combine passion and being professional? BRIAN GAY: Well, as a kid you do it more for fun because you love to do it. I still love to do it, but it's more like work now obviously because it's my business. I don't think you can push them. If they want to go to play, let them play as much as they want and work at it. If they want to do other things, I think it's good to do other sports as well. End of FastScripts |
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