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THE CELTIC MANOR WALES OPEN

June 3, 2010

Chris Wood

NEWPORT, WALES

GORDON SIMPSON: Chris, we are becoming familiar with seeing you in the media centre. You have had some great finishes recently, in the Top-10 three times, and today you equalled the course record of 65. So a real purple patch for you, isn't it.
CHRIS WOOD: Yeah, that proves exactly what I needed really, just a run of tournaments to get me going into my season after a difficult start.
So, yeah, I just love getting on a run of tournaments, playing three, four, five in a row, and proves it's good for my golf.
GORDON SIMPSON: What's clicked into place the last few weeks?
CHRIS WOOD: Just the scoring really. I actually played -- felt look I played okay the first half of the year and just haven't score, just been so rusty. Like you can't quite see the shots that you need to hit but you've hit a pretty decent shot but you're two or three yards out and it's just scoring I've been lacking, but playing a lot of golf takes care of that.
GORDON SIMPSON: So close to Bristol, enjoying being at home?
CHRIS WOOD: Yeah, it's nice. Makes a change really to be staying at home. I was lucky it's so close.

Q. (Regarding change in hair-style).
CHRIS WOOD: No, it's a little bit colder but it's a relief to have it all gone, especially after the photos I've seen recently. (Laughter).
GORDON SIMPSON: Somebody said like you looked like an upturned mop.
CHRIS WOOD: Quite a few things. (Laughter).

Q. How disappointing was the final round at Wentworth?
CHRIS WOOD: Really disappointed, but you know, I didn't really -- I felt like I did everything I could really. I played with Padraig on the Saturday and I just wanted to go out with the same attitude that he had done on the Saturday for me on the Sunday and I felt like I did that and just didn't work out for me.

Q. What did you learn from Wentworth, being in the lead on the Sunday?
CHRIS WOOD: Well, the learning from Wentworth for me was being in the lead going into the last day in pretty much the biggest event on The European Tour all season against one of the best fields all season, leading by two shots going into the last round. Having to deal with two different things and the pressure, obviously the pressure of leading and certainly going into the last day, and I've never had that.
So going through that experience, even though it didn't work out very well, is certainly going to help me the next it time it happens.

Q. You had some bad lies early on that made it seem it wasn't going to be your day?
CHRIS WOOD: Well, you've just got to keep trying. I hit a lovely tee shot on the fifth, as well, and ended up in a tiny little divot, as well. Bogeyed three in a row and I just kept going. I felt like I played okay. Just didn't score very well, and really never got any momentum and the rest of the day was just a really hard day.

Q. Is there extra motivation because of where we are?
CHRIS WOOD: No, not really. It's just another sort of normal European Tour event. Only because The Ryder Cup is here in a few months, that's not -- it's not really been a massive goal of mine. But I know my game is capable enough of playing that sort of level, but obviously I need to play some really good golf the last half of the year. You know, I would say it's completely in the back of my mind, that sort of thing.

Q. How much are you anticipating The Open this year?
CHRIS WOOD: Well, yeah, I've been looking forward to it already. I think The Open at St. Andrews is about as good golf gets I would say. The atmosphere will be awesome and it's the home of golf, it's everything with it really. I remember sort of watching it over the years and the atmosphere looks great walking up the 18th. Been looking forward it all year.
GORDON SIMPSON: Did you play it as an amateur?
CHRIS WOOD: Yeah, I played the Links a couple of times and I've played it enough.

Q. Have you played here often?
CHRIS WOOD: Only in last year's tournament. That was my first time. I never really play much at home. I just practise a lot and maybe play the odd nine holes. I never really get away for many games really.
You know, this year, I think the course is in such good condition, every player said it, and I think it's grown on a lot of players and everyone seems to like it. It's in great condition.

Q. No problems getting here this morning?
CHRIS WOOD: Well, I managed to do it in half an hour on a good run - less today (laughter).

Q. Are you just looking to consolidate on the Tour this year?
CHRIS WOOD: I'm not, no. I'm just looking to win now. Obviously I put myself in the position a little bit and started to get myself in contention more often, so the more I do it, the more likely it is it's going to happen. Just got to stay patient and play good golf and hopefully it will happen.

Q. Did you have high expectations after last year and that was the reason for some poor early results?
CHRIS WOOD: No, I don't think so. After last season, I played a real lot of golf. Obviously I had to get my card through TOUR School at the start of the year and I played years of amateur golf and felt like I needed a little break. I took seven weeks off after The Race to Dubai and did a bit of work on my game with my coach, changed a few things, went away for a couple of weeks and just really, it took a while for me to get back into sort of tournament competitive mode really.

Q. Highlights of today?
CHRIS WOOD: Made a lovely birdie on 8. Drove it into the fairway trap and hit a 9-iron to about five feet out of there. That was really nice.
11 is always nice to start with a birdie, nice drive and a 2-iron and a couple of putts. Yeah, I just felt like I gave myself quite a lot of chances, but the birdies I made, I felt like they were all close-range putts.
GORDON SIMPSON: Thank you very much and well played again today. Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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