	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY DP WORLD

November 26, 2010

Ross Fisher

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Second Round 64. 9-Under. 135

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Ross, thanks for joining us. Course record-equalling 64, give us your assessment of that before anything else.
ROSS FISHER: Obviously delighted, yeah. Wasn't actually too sure what the course record was, it would have been disappointing not to birdie the last.
So I was trying very hard to hole that for 8-under, and yeah, you know, just a very good day. I played pretty flawless golf. Drove the ball lovely. Didn't miss many fairways, and I don't know how many greens I missed, if I did at all. Just feel a lot more comfortable this year on the greens. I feel like I'm reading them a lot better and I've got my line and pace very well. Obviously today's 64 kind of proved that.
MICHAEL GIBBONS: Finishing fourth in The Race to Dubai last year, confident coming here you could do another good result?
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, it's funny, the course kind of suits me because it's a longer -- just last year, I really struggled on the course. It's a real tough, demanding golf course. You know, there's a lot of approach shots you play uphill, and you can't see three quarters of the pins.
So it's very tough to determine where the pins are located on the greens, so I really struggled last year.
This year, maybe just having the whole family here, just feel a little bit more relaxed, not so much pressure as last year; obviously I had a chance to win last year, albeit it was going to be very difficult; whereas this year, obviously 14th going in, that's been a slightly disappointing year after being fourth coming in last year. Maybe coming in with less expectations and trying to enjoy the week as it's my penultimate week competitively of the year. And it seems to be working so far.
MICHAEL GIBBONS: And here we are. Take some questions.

Q. Obviously last year, you were not very happy with the golf course. What did you change this year when you came over here? Did you prepare yourself differently for the golf course this year?
ROSS FISHER: No. I wouldn't say I prepared any differently. I think if anything, just came in a lot more relaxed. Like I say, you know, not feeling under any pressure because I haven't really got a realistic chance of winning it; whereas, last year I did. I feel a lot more relaxed.
And kind of, I suppose because I didn't feel like the course really suited me last year, kind of came in with less expectation. Just, you know, trying to go out there and just enjoy it and see what golf I produce in the day, and just take each day as it comes. You know, if I play well, great. And if I don't, it's no disappointment.
But obviously after the first two days, very pleased, very excited for the weekend of golf coming up.

Q. When you say family, what family have you got out here?
ROSS FISHER: I've got my wife and daughter, and then my wife's Mum and dad, sister and brother with his girlfriend. So it's a real family affair. It's just a nice, nice week. They can all come away from the cold of England and get some sunshine and you know, just relax.

Q. How annoyed were you by the finish in Shanghai, and is part of the job just being able to dismiss that and get on?
ROSS FISHER: That's part and parcel of golf. You win some, you lose some. Like you say, Shanghai was disappointing. I got myself into a great position after ten holes, and just unfortunately, you know, three kind of misjudged shots, and then after those, I kind of felt like I lost the speed of the greens.
And like you say, yeah, just very disappointing, because there was big money, big World Ranking points, so it was disappointing, but that's golf and you try and learn from your mistakes and you've got to forget about it, because golf, it's only one week at time. As soon as that was over with, I had to think about the next tournament. Had a bit of time off, a bit of practise and looking forward to this week.

Q. Are you better at handling situations like that or were you always good at dismissing it from your mind?
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, I feel like I'm pretty good. The way I responded after shooting, what, 84 at Wentworth after leading going into the last day, I think I'm a pretty strong guy mentally, and just managed to just get on with the job at hand.
You know, if I have a great week, then that's fantastic. But like you say, Shanghai was disappointing, but it was nice to know that I was getting on a flight to go home and see my wife and my baby girl.
Golf is now not my be all and end you will; it's my job and my living but there's more to life than playing golf.

Q. Do all of these family members trail around after you, or do they get out of the heat?
ROSS FISHER: No, they haven't actually come up to the course yet. It is just a bit of a mission to get to, you know, from where we're staying. So I think they are just enjoying a bit of sunshine by the pool, just relaxing and who knows, after this round, they might come up and wander around in the heat on the weekend.

Q. What worked for you today? Was it the fact that you were hitting your irons well or was it you were putting well?
ROSS FISHER: Everything. No, like I say, everything. I drove the ball fantastically well. I don't think I missed many fairways. 18 springs to mind, and perhaps maybe the 2nd, but drove it nicely and feel like I hit my iron shots lovely. Might have hit maybe three poor shots, four poor shots, but they weren't off the green. I'm not sure how many greens I hit but I certainly don't remember missing any greens where I had to chip-and-putt.
The long game is very, very solid, and obviously to shoot a good score, you need to hole putts. I was fortunate that I saw the lines well and my speed was good. Eight birdies, and obviously to walk off this golf course without making a bogey is very, very pleasing.

Q. How would you describe this year?
ROSS FISHER: After last year, a little bit disappointing. I only made one out of the four Majors for the weekend. So that was obviously a big goal of mine after my performances last year.
But, you know, I was chatting to someone the other day, and sort of giving him my feedback saying, "How do you think the year has gone."
I said what I thought and he kind of reiterated a few things. He said, "You've had quite a big year. First year of having a child, a lot of changes, buying a house in the States." So looking at it from other aspects, then it's kind of been I'd say a below par season compared to last year, but maybe it's not been as disastrous as I'm making out. I'm quite hard on myself. I've set my expectations high.
And if I don't achieve them, obviously it's been a little bit disappointing.

Q. What could this do to it if you won here? It could turn into a good --
ROSS FISHER: It would cap off a decent year. Obviously that would be a huge jump on The Race to Dubai. I'm not sure what it would put me to, but World Ranking points would be huge. They were a couple of my goals that I set at the start of the year. I achieved two of them, and the other two were obviously to finish high on The Race to Dubai and World Ranking positioning.
So a win here would certainly cap off what's been a below-par season to being all of the sudden a pretty good season.

Q. Was the house in the States with the view of joining the PGA Tour?
ROSS FISHER: No, just to have a base in a slightly warmer climate, shall we say.

Q. You never considered going for a card?
ROSS FISHER: Not at the moment. Not with just starting a family. Maybe down the line, I might perhaps take my card up. But at the moment, myself and Jo and Eve, we are happy in Europe and that's where I see my future for a long time, playing in Europe.
MICHAEL GIBBONS: Ross, thanks very much, well done again.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297