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THE CELTIC MANOR WALES OPEN

June 5, 2009

Ross Fisher

NEWPORT, WALES

Q. Four shots better than yesterday, what was the difference?
ROSS FISHER: Just holed some putts to be fair. Played pretty good yesterday, just was a little bit boring really on the front nine. Just couldn't hole a putt. Had a really good one on 9 and then made a couple of birdies, a few silly mistakes, and it was an average score. Felt like the way I played, I should have shot maybe 4-under, something like that. Silly double-bogey on 15, and then today, just a bit up and down. Eight birdies, three bogeys, and to be fair, three silly bogeys. 1 was probably wrong club airmail. The par 5, missed it left where you can't miss it. Eight birdies and 66, pretty pleased.

Q. Great performance at Wentworth, missed the cut last week; what was the story there, because of Wentworth taking a lot out of you?
ROSS FISHER: I think so, yeah. You know, like you said, Wentworth was such a great week, but you know, after almost winning, home club, all that sort of stuff, I was pretty shattered after it. But you can't really pull out of a tournament that you're going back to defend. Felt like I played all right, but just didn't feel like the course really suited me this year; whereas previous year it was quite firm and bouncy whereas this year it was very, very soft. The rough was really, really penal, and the green, didn't actually feel like I played that bad. But unfortunately doubled the last, missed the cut.
But if I'm being honest, it probably did me the world of good. I had a nice weekend off, watched a bit of the golf, had Monday and Tuesday, drove up Tuesday and feel fresh as a daisy and obviously 6-under, playing some good golf, similar to Wentworth.

Q. So another good day at the office. They are coming pretty frequently at the moment, if you sort of ignore last week a little bit.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, I suppose so. Ireland was pretty -- it was okay, I suppose. Wentworth was reasonable. Obviously last week was disappointing to go back to a place where I had done so well the year before. Always nice to go back and defend a tournament. It was disappointing. I wanted to try and make the cut and put in a good show.
But from the moment I got there and played the Pro-Am, I just didn't really feel like the course set up for me this year. It was totally different. It wasn't firm and fast like the previous year. And unfortunately when guys go out and shoot ridiculously low scores, I think, you know, the answer is to change the course and lengthen it, which is a shame, because I thought it was a great golf course. You know, you take my score off it, and what, 13-under was second, and Top-10, you know, was 5- , 6-under. So take me out of the equation, it was quite good scoring.
So it's nice to have a weekend off after Wentworth. Obviously disappointing, but if I'm being honest, I probably needed it. I was pretty tired after Wentworth, the whole week, and especially Sunday, playing with Rory and shooting that and giving myself a chance in front of home fans and stuff.
So rested up on the weekend and travelled down Tuesday, and thought the course was in really good shape in the Pro-Am. I played pretty decent. Just feel revitalised, lots of energy, and obviously there's not too many big-name players here this week. So I figured, why not try and go out there, play this week, try and put in a good performance and consolidate my position on the Order of Merit and if not, try and jump up a few more spots.

Q. When tournaments come thick and fast as they have done over the last four weeks, how difficult is it actually to manage yourself in terms of keeping yourself in top form, because it takes a lot out of you, doesn't it, when you start defending as you did at Wentworth.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, definitely. I made the mistake of saying to Adam, come on, we'll go and play Wales, four in a row. And he's like, "No, actually, Fish, this is like six in a row," because we had done sixth in the States.
Quail Hollow I was sixth going into the last round and that was my first sort of big taste of being in contention in America, and obviously played the players as well, and I've come over, and Ireland was just brutal. It was a really, really long week. Then to obviously play my home club, home course, in front of home fans and do the way I did, it does take a lot out of you, and you need to have rest.
Christian CÃ©vaÃ«r obviously won last week and could only manage 12 holes. It takes a lot out of you, if you win or if you contend. Physically and mentally it's really, really draining. That's where gym work is very, very important, and eating the right foods, drinking plenty of water whilst you're out there. It's very, very difficult.
But I'm not an old boy. I'm only 28, so I think I can manage four, five, six tournaments in a row. I'm looking forward to the weekend here. But it would be nice to have a full week off before the U.S. Open.

Q. I guess that gives you carte blanche to really go for it over the weekend, which of course you would do, and no doubt you're going to relish the prospect of going into the weekend in a nice, elevated position on the leaderboard.
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, definitely. I said to Adam, it probably wasn't on the schedule at the start of the year, but because of Accenture Match Play and doing well in a few tournaments, you see your name on The Race to Dubai, you know, 12, and then got all the way up at Wentworth to fourth, you made the decision before the end, it's not too much to do Ireland and Wentworth, European and Wales. Obviously guys like Rory and Casey Angel, they are not here.
So it's a great opportunity for me. Karlsson, Stenson, Harrington, those guys are not here. So don't get me wrong, there are still some great players up there. Obviously Rocky is playing tremendously well and good to see Dougherty back in form, and obviously Mr. Ryder Cup Captain obviously.
So, it's going to be difficult. There are still some good players out there to fend off on the weekend, but I'm feeling confident in my own game and my own ability and like my chances. Obviously last year, I felt like I didn't play great and I finished 10th. So I'm playing well this year, and you know, there's a long way to go yet.

Q. As a final thought, I'm sure you've got your eyes set on qualifying for the next Ryder Cup Team, but it can do no harm at all, can it, to do well on The Ryder Cup course.
ROSS FISHER: No, yeah, I mean, hopefully Colin will see that. It's a shame that some of the other guys have not come to play, but you know, everybody is different. Everyone's got different schedules and stuff, so for me, I wasn't going to play at the start, but I felt it was a good opportunity for me. I didn't play great last year, and I finished 10th. So I had a good weekend.
So got off to a great start, and if I can have two good rounds on the weekends, put myself into position come Sunday afternoon, give myself a chance, and you know, obviously I'll be going out there trying to win. If I can win or second, third, you know, that should boost me up the Order of Merit, which is great for me. But I'll be definitely going out for the title on Sunday.

End of FastScripts

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