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WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

February 25, 2011

Martin Kaymer

MARANA, ARIZONA

PAUL SYMES: Martin, you said you had to dig pretty deep against Justin yesterday, and I guess it was the same story today.
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, today was even harder, to be honest.
I mean, yesterday against Justin, we played both great golf, and he dragged me out until the 20th hole.
And today it was a fantastic match. It was all about birdies and not making bogeys and giving holes away. I mean, he played good golf. He made some really long, good birdie putts when I thought, you know, maybe I'll get one back, here, but all of a sudden he holed it.
But I knew that from Valhalla on that 17th hole, he made that putt against Casey, it was always possible. But it was a difficult day.
PAUL SYMES: Could be a difficult tomorrow, forecast is for strong winds.
MARTIN KAYMER: Hopefully it's going to be a long day, that I can play two matches. But if it's getting cold, it's fine for me, I'm European. I play against Europeans, but he's from Spain, I might have an advantage there. We play match play, if we were to play stroke play, you hope you get on the good side of the draw, whatever. But match play it doesn't really matter.
PAUL SYMES: Just your thoughts about going up against Miguel, a fellow Ryder Cup player, he's 20 years older than you.
MARTIN KAYMER: Yeah, he's older than me. But he's a very nice guy. I get along with him very well. He has lots of experience from the Ryder Cup. I don't know how many times he's played.
It will be difficult. He's a consistent player. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes. I need to be very patient and just play my game. Hopefully I can play the same way I played yesterday and today, and I think it will be difficult for him.

Q. You're the last No. 1 seed standing. When you see these other guys going down, does that make you kind of think that maybe -- look over your shoulder a little bit more or do you think about those things?
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, you don't really like to see other people going down, you know. Obviously, yes, it's good for me when we talk about the World Rankings. But I can just take care of my own. And I play good golf, and that's important for me that I play as good as possible.
Here at this tournament, obviously it's one of the biggest we have all year, and to start off like this, to reach the 4th round, it's obviously nice. I had a good start this year already, and if I can get up one more spot in the World Rankings, of course I wouldn't mind it. But I think I'll have a chance the next few weeks, months, as well.

Q. Talk about up the birdie on 16.
MARTIN KAYMER: I think the tee shot on 16, that was probably the key shot of the match. That was, I think, 250 yards, a little bit into the wind. I hit a great 3-iron to about, I think, 10, 12, feet. Those shots, making it in those situations, they make me feel very proud and gives me the motivation that I can do or that I can pull off those important shots when I have to.

Q. It looks as if Miguel has cruised here the last few days, and you've been more battle tested. Is there a strategic advantage one way or another? Would you have rather cruised or do you think this has helped you improve the last couple of days?
MARTIN KAYMER: No, I think it's a mistake that a few guys -- my record in match play is not great, so I can't really say anything. But I think that's a mistake that people do or guys -- players do, that they change their game, depending on who they are playing against. And I just play, you know, the last three days, I played exactly if I would have played a stroke play tournament. And I think if we would have played stroke play, I think I would do very well. And then it's just the outcome of those rounds and I won.

Q. You were 2 down after 2 holes and Hunter is the sort of guy who can get on a red hot run. Even though it was early in the match, what are your thoughts at that stage?
MARTIN KAYMER: I thought not good (laughter) if you're 2 down. But all of a sudden, I hit a putt on the 7th to go 1-up. Then I was 2 down again at the 11th. I made a couple of really bad golf shots on 11, I hit it twice out-of-bounds. But I thought there's nothing I can do. I can just try to hit good golf shots, wait for his mistakes. That was my plan. But he didn't make any mistakes, but my shots were even better that I could make birdie. Obviously if you start off the way I did with a bogey on the first, and he makes eagle on the second, there's not a lot you can do.
But Ernie proved it on the first day, I think he was 3-down after six or seven holes and he won the match. So those are just thoughts that went through my head.
PAUL SYMES: Thanks, again, Martin, play well tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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