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THE RYDER CUP

September 30, 2010

Peter Hanson

NEWPORT, WALES

GORDON SIMPSON: Well, sorry for getting you out of bed so early, but thank you for joining us. Ryder Cup rookie and disappointing last week that you could not play in the Vivendi Cup because of illness, so first of all you'd better give us a check on the chest complaint.
PETER HANSON: A lot better. Like you said, I rested last week and spoke to the doctor on Saturday, and The European Tour doctor last Wednesday, and he kind of recommended me not to play. I had like a bad cold that went a little bit down close to the lungs and into there. So it was a good decision to rest.
Came here Monday, and still not feeling great, but I have to say from Tuesday morning to now, it feels good.
GORDON SIMPSON: Was it more precautionary than anything? If you had not been coming here, would you have tried to play last week?
PETER HANSON: I think if last week had been a really, really big week like a major or something, I would have tried to play.
GORDON SIMPSON: And your first experience of The Ryder Cup Team room, a few of your Swedish colleagues I'm sure have told you about it. How have you found the atmosphere in general?
PETER HANSON: We have a great team and we have a great captain, so a lot of fun in the evenings and a lot of fun on the golf course. It's just a thrill being here and playing my first Ryder Cup. Can't wait for it to start tomorrow morning.
GORDON SIMPSON: I take it there's a sense of growing excitement now that we are here on Thursday, we have the Opening Ceremony and the pairings; you can sense it's getting closer.
PETER HANSON: It's been good. I have to say I enjoyed the practise round, yesterday, I was surprised how many people showed up and followed us around. It's just good fun being out with the boys and of course we know each other very well since before, all of us, so it's good fun being out there.

Q. What has impressed you most so far about Monty's captaincy, and is there anything he said in particular that you feel will help you this week?
PETER HANSON: Impressed me most, I mean, there's so many things. He's giving his hundred per cent, and I have to say in the start, when I played under Colin as a captain in the Royal Trophy over in Asia first time this year, that really helped me, motivated me even more to make this team. He puts himself to the side which might be a hard thing in an individual sport like this. It's all about the team, building the team spirit and making us feel good.
We are quite a few rookies on the team and I have to say we get a lot of support from not only Colin, maybe other vice captains, as well.

Q. Is there something that he said to you in particular that you might feel will help you?
PETER HANSON: I don't think anything particular. I think it's more the way he acts and everything he does. It's 100 per cent, a 110 per cent, he gives everything. So we are very well prepared. It comes even in the evenings and on the golf course and feels like he really knows what he's doing.

Q. Curious, a, what you've been told to expect about the opening tee shot, especially before a grandstand like that, and along with that, what's the most nervous to date that you've ever been on the golf course?
PETER HANSON: Yeah, it looks spectacular. I have to say, when I got up there, we started on 11 Tuesday, but when we got to the first, you see that kind of stadium-like feel, and it looks absolutely amazing. I can't wait to stand on that tee I have to say. Really looking forward to that.
Like you said, I'm going to be nervous. I think everybody is going to be nervous getting up for it. It's hard as a rookie because you don't really know what to expect, but we have all been in positions. Every time you get put in a new situation, I think you get that extra bit of nerve.
I remember the first European Tour event I played on home soil in Sweden, I played as an amateur, and the feel walking onto that first tee pretty close to where I live with packed grandstand all the way down; I think that feel is going to be something similar to this.

Q. How did you hit that shot?
PETER HANSON: I was a 4-iron and it probably went about 250 yards. (Laughter).

Q. This is your first Ryder Cup, as such, I wonder what you felt when you heard from Seve on Tuesday night, and I wonder if you would just talk briefly about what sort of influence he's had on you?
PETER HANSON: Yeah, a bit. I've played three Seve Trophys and met Seve quite a lot and played with him sometimes towards the end of his game.
That phone call we had in the team room the other day, I was impressed with how positive and how much energy there was still in that voice. He said a few things that we maybe shouldn't say here, but still a lot of energy and a lot of charisma and a lot of dedication, which was very nice to hear.

Q. You had the phone call with Seve the other night, Monty seems a different surprise for you each night in the team room; what did he have last night?
PETER HANSON: Yeah, last night was a bit different. We went this dinner and we went to the pre-Opening Ceremony at the Cardiff Castle. We didn't really have a team meeting yesterday. A bit different. Today, the Opening Ceremony and spoke to Colin just now and we are going to have a meeting before dinner last night.
GORDON SIMPSON: And you all met Prince Charles, as well.
PETER HANSON: We all met Prince Charles. That was nice.
GORDON SIMPSON: Did he have much to say?
PETER HANSON: He asked everyone a little bit, and of course it was more where we are from and trying to get a feel for the golf and for this week.

Q. There's been a lot of talk this week about which players on The European Team would like to meet Tiger Woods sometime over The Ryder Cup and who wouldn't. Your first time here, what would you like? Would you be up for the challenge if your name was drawn alongside his?
PETER HANSON: It's always hard to say, but playing Tiger Woods in a Ryder Cup match would be a dream.
He's the No. 1 player in the world. So it would be great, and I think in a case like mine, when you're coming in maybe a little further back in our team, if I play Tiger, I feel that I have everything to win. Nobody would expect me to win, but we all know, over 18-hole match play, a lot of things can happen.

Q. What's the balance when you play with a teammate where you're normally in an event, you're with a caddie and deciding if you want to go for it; but what's the balance you strike between asking that person you're playing with, if you don't mind, I'm going to do this, or you just do it?
PETER HANSON: I think it helps you, if you have a good relationship and you know your partner very well, you're going to discuss, especially like you said, when it comes down to maybe one shot or two shots that could change the outcome of the game; definitely I think on our side, we are going to try to help each other, and if you have a decision like that, maybe on the last hole or whatever, taking it on or going for it in two, whatever, it might be a tough course. As a rookie, if you play with someone with a little bit more experience, might ask you.

Q. Curious what some of your favourite highlights or memories are of watching on TV.
PETER HANSON: Favourite highlights, which one am I going to take -- I remember one, typical Ryder Cup scenario, at The Belfry, I think it was Westwood and Garcia were playing in a fourball. This must have been 2002 if I'm not mistaken. They both got up on the 10th tee there, and I think Sergio started hitting driver, and then knocked it to about 20 feet and Lee got up right after him and knocked it to 22 feet. It was one of those things that only happens in The Ryder Cup.
I have to say, last time, as well, it feels like everybody raised himself. You play to your absolute maximum potential, so it feels like Ryder Cup brings out the best of you.

Q. There appears to be a strong possibility of you being paired with Miguel Angel JimÃ©nez --
PETER HANSON: Really?

Q. Give us your thoughts on that and the sort of character Miguel is in the team room?
PETER HANSON: We haven't decided anything, and I think that's what our meeting is going to be about tonight, doing those last preparations. But if I got paired with Miguel, I think it would be a good thing. I mean, we played a lot of golf together over the last two or three years in Europe. He's been playing a lot in Europe and I've been playing most of my golf here, as well.
I think it would be a good combination. He's got experience. He's played, I think this is his fourth Ryder Cup and I think it would be good.

Q. And the team room, the sort of character he is in the team room?
PETER HANSON: Yeah, Miguel is Miguel (laughing). He is only one; he's good fun. He drinks his wine and he has his cigar and he's very relaxed.
GORDON SIMPSON: Peter, go out and enjoy today and have a great week.

End of FastScripts

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