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ALSTOM OPEN DE FRANCE

June 30, 2011

Richard Green

PARIS, FRANCE

Q. 6-under par, any particular aspect of your game responsible for the good scoring?
RICHARD GREEN: I think all aspects of it are pretty good. Been working hard on my driving lately and putting especially, all seems to coming to nicely. I played pretty solid golf last week in Germany and it's come through this week here, as well.

Q. 7-under par with those daunting final four to come, what are you thinking? What are you feeling?
RICHARD GREEN: Yeah, pretty nervous sort of finish to the golf course, a lot of water and intimidating golf holes that's for sure. But you've just got to try and stick to your routine and stick to the game plan and don't try and do anything extra. Just play the shots that are required. And you know, I did that a couple of times, left myself a couple of difficult putts and unfortunately on 17, came up a bit short, but I played 18 very nicely, and solid golf all day.

Q. Four of your last six times here, you finished in the top 7, a course you like; why?
RICHARD GREEN: I think usually have pretty good weather here and I like the layout of the golf course very much, I like the way it plays bouncy. I tend to sort of mentally like difficult golf holes, and I think I focus a little bit harder for that very reason.
This golf course offers a lot of difficult golf holes and you really need to focus.

Q. It's not easy to shoot under par around, but to be 6-under you must be absolutely delighted.
RICHARD GREEN: Even in the practise rounds, I felt that, you know, you shoot a couple under par every day around here and end up 8-under par at the end of the week, you're going to get very close to winning the tournament. So 6-under par for me today is a great score, and I'm very happy with the position I'm in, and you know, it's given me a lot of confidence to go into the rest of the week.

Q. You haven't played many events on The European Tour this year, is that on purpose? Have you got yourself so you're ready to go for the big events?
RICHARD GREEN: At start, I always play the run in Dubai. And I play early May around PGA time, and the way the schedule was this year, it's worked out I started my golf back at the PGA and play through the end of the year now. I need to obviously spend time at home in Australia as well and it's hard to be away for such a long period of time.
But there's a lot of good golf tournaments now that I enjoy playing, so that's the reason why I haven't been around, but the reason why I will be now.

Q. I understand your family is with you this week?
RICHARD GREEN: Yeah, parents are here, first time in a long time, and the daughter is here walking around with me as well, which is great to see. So hopefully there's plenty of spirit there for me, and good support, and it's nice to see them out here that's for sure.

Q. You've had so many good finishes here, is it time, do you think for you to maybe get into that winner's circle at The French Open?
RICHARD GREEN: Absolutely. I've had a lot of great results and a couple second places, so I know what the challenge is like and the test is like coming down the stretch. To win around here, you've got to be on your game that's for sure. So I'll just keep working away and hopefully everything goes right.

Q. Can you talk me through the stretch of holes on 9 and 10?
RICHARD GREEN: Yeah, 9 was a nice hole. I till actually hold a really nice putt down the tier, probably about 20 feet for birdie which was nice to sort of keep the round going.
And 10, I played beautiful, 3-wood off the tee, 9-iron in there to about four feet. Holed the putt.
12, again hit a great drive off the tee and set up a good birdie there and had 9-iron in and hit it close, four feet and knocked it in.
13, good 3-wood in the fairway, I hit 8-iron to about probably eight or ten feet and then rolled it in, really nice putt right-to-left.
And then 14, I played it okay. I miss-hit my second shot and didn't leave myself much of an option. But I hit a pretty good wedge shot on the green and left myself an opportunity from sort of 15 feet and made the putt, which was nice.
And 17 was the only sort of blemish for the day. Came up with my iron shot short of the green and the pin being close to the front there, I was hoping to just land it on and release it up to the flag, but unfortunately it was a yard and a half out and came back down the hill. Unfortunately didn't hit a very good chip and left myself a difficult putt. A shame, but all in all, it's a good round of golf.

Q. With the conditions today, what was your approach?
RICHARD GREEN: Well, obviously at the start of the round it was to go out there and play very sensible and percentage golf and keep the ball in play off the tee and let the opportunities come to me and fortunately they did. When I was able to get an opportunity, I took it. I just let the round progress more than anything and that's what I wanted to do from the word go, basically, and I'll do it the same again tomorrow. Just ease into it and let the round progress no a score.

Q. Martin Kaymer who finished before you said he struggled to find the fairway today; what was for you the key to success on this course today?
RICHARD GREEN: You know, I kept it in play. Like Martin said, you can't score around this golf course unless you're in play. The No. 1 priority is to putt is in play off the tee and that's what I did very well today, and when I had the opportunities, I was able to putt well. So two parts of your game that you need to be spot on this week is your driver and your putter, that's for sure.

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