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WGC BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL

August 9, 2009

Robert Allenby

AKRON, OHIO

Q. Four rounds in the 60s, including 66 today. Great playing.
ROBERT ALLENBY: Thanks. No, it was nice. I played well today. You know, I left some out there. I made a disappointing bogey at 17, just hit the wrong club into the green there, and then got a really gnarly lie at the back of the green. It was a pretty tough shot going back towards that flag. But it was a nice way to finish with a birdie at the last.

Q. I know we talked to you earlier in the week about your putting, that you had gone to the different grip with the right hand, and obviously you've had success this week.
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, Vijay Singh was the one that told me to try it, and that was at AT&T at Congressional this year on the Thursday night. And I tried it on the Friday there, and it felt pretty good. Didn't hit the ball great, but missed the cut by a shot there.
And then went to Loch Lomond and I didn't trust it for the first round so I putted normal, and had I been putting good there I would have shot 5-under the first round. So I tried it the second round, and it felt good. Then I thought, well, the British Open might as well just go all the way. I putted great at the British Open all four rounds with it. Now I've had a couple weeks off and I've been working pretty hard the last week with it and just trying to gain some trust with it.
And then I thought, well, we'll see what happens this week. It's definitely rejuvenated my game, that's for sure. I wouldn't say I was on the down and out, but it just didn't feel good and hasn't felt good for quite a while. It's funny, when you feel good with the putter, the rest of your game starts clicking. My short game was great all week, my chipping was great, and that's been a bit of a downfall, as well. And now I've got some confidence. It was great to finish with a birdie at the last there, made a good stroke. So it can only be good things coming up.

Q. Obviously this place is a good warmup for next week. What are your memories from Hazeltine from last time?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Well, I played with Rich Beem the first two days when he won. I remember the way he played it. I played it okay, but not quite as good as him.
You know, like all majors, you've got to drive it well and you've got to hit your irons well. From my memory of it, you've got to -- there's a lot of long -- I think there's a lot of mid to long irons into some of the greens. Well, back then it seemed like a pretty long course. Obviously technology changes from year to year and we get stronger and stronger.

Q. They've made it longer, too.
ROBERT ALLENBY: That's the other thing, they've made it even longer. But yeah, I mean, I'm looking forward to it. I liked the golf course last time. I haven't been to play it since, but I figure, you know, I'll get out there tomorrow and maybe play nine holes, just see what it looks like and get familiar with it. Because I've been there before, it's not going to take me long to pick it back up again. It should be -- I'm looking forward to it, especially after the way I played this week.

Q. They've talked about this is a good warm-up course for next week. Would you agree with that, and how do you feel?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, this golf course you have to drive it well. If you're not driving the ball well here, it's tough to get the ball close coming out of the rough all the time. You know, today I drove the ball well, so -- I drove it better than yesterday.
But yeah, this golf course has similar style to -- this is a major course. I mean, you could hold a U.S. Open here, no problem at all, or even a PGA. You grow the rough up just a little bit longer and harden the greens up at the right time of the year, and you've got it. You know, you've got a major right here.

Q. Was there any point today where you looked at the board and thought, I could win this, or were you always too far back?
ROBERT ALLENBY: No, it always like I was too far back, but I was trying hard. I missed a really good chance from about ten feet on 3 and 5. I hit good putts, I just misread them.
I tried. I tried to make everything I looked at. And I made a lot. You know, it's just one of those golf courses, if you're just slightly on the wrong side of the fairway or in the rough, it's hard to get to some of the flags. Obviously they've tucked the flags a bit.
But look, it's just one of those golf courses that you've got to do everything right.

Q. When was the last time you had such a good week on the greens?
ROBERT ALLENBY: It's been a while. '05, 2005, Aussie Open, Aussie PGA, Aussie Masters. At least it's still there, that's a good thing.
And then the other thing is I should be in the Presidents Cup now.

Q. I was just going to bring that up. Is that important to you?
ROBERT ALLENBY: You know what, I thought about it, and I thought, maybe it's not important. But I think this time around maybe it is because Greg Norman is the captain. Greg Norman is the type of character that wants to settle for a win. And I think that's always been my demeanor is to try and win and not settle for anything less, really.
So you know, I just want -- and more importantly, I want to play my way onto the team. I didn't want to be relying on a pick. So I guess I had a lot of determination this week, and that's why, also, I took two weeks off. I probably should have played last week at the Buick, but my game just wasn't up to it. I needed to get away for a couple of weeks, and it's been good for me.

Q. Why do you think you were thinking to yourself maybe it's not that big a deal?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Well, I've missed out the last couple, and it didn't hurt me when I missed. I caught a lot of fish in that week when I was fishing.
In all fairness, this one and the next one are the two that -- they probably -- I'm not going to say my last two chances because I'm still only 38, I've got a long way to go. But obviously this one with Greg Norman being the captain, and I'm sure he'll stay on to be the captain for down in Australia, as well, which I hope he is because he deserves it. Yeah.

Q. The way you're putting now, is it a question of when, not if, you win again?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think there's no ifs in it. It's just when. You know, it feels good, feels great.

Q. Next week?
ROBERT ALLENBY: I hope so. That would be nice, wouldn't it.

Q. Just in saying that, you could almost look at this event as a bit of a turning point for this year then?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Yeah, definitely. A hundred percent. As I said, I haven't putted that good for a long time, but also I matched everything else up with it. You know, you're going to make them and you're going to miss them, and I think more importantly my demeanor all week was pretty good.

Q. People have said that you put way too much pressure on yourself in the majors in the past. Is that fair?
ROBERT ALLENBY: Probably. Yeah, I mean, you can try too hard. I don't know, it's just one of those things. I haven't played that well in them, and yeah, sure. I've always said that I probably try too hard. You know, hopefully I can take what I have from here this week and just carry on to next week.

Q. Or has it been more of a case that without the putter, it doesn't matter how hard you try?
ROBERT ALLENBY: You know what, it is a bit of both. I've hit it really well at a lot of majors and I've missed a lot of putts. If I putt the way I'm putting right now, then yeah, I definitely have a chance for next week, there's no doubt about it.
I'm hitting the ball well, but the putter feels fantastic, it really does. I've got a lot of confidence with it, and I'm just -- now I'm excited to get out there and play, so that's a good thing.

End of FastScripts

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