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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 21, 2011Mark McNultySURREY, ENGLAND Q. ...to make your only bogey of the day at the last hole. But overall, how well did you play today? MARK McNULTY: I played pretty well. I believe what you need is a good test of golf. And I was asked at the beginning of the week what it would take, and I felt if you drove it well and you were sensible with your putting, you could have a good score. And that's what I did, pretty much did today. Hit a lot of good irons as well, as you when you hit it down the middle of the fairway. Obviously disappointed in the last hole. Made a mental error there. I discussed it with Rocky, wanted to give me a driver. As soon you get off the tee, it would only leave you with a 6-iron into the green, which is more than enough, especially when you've gone with five or six long irons in the previous five or six holes. Q. How strategic is this golf course? You're renowned for your course management, keeping your ball in play. MARK McNULTY: Could have fooled me in the last hole. I think, yes, very much. I think everybody's got to say that. Very much key: Get the ball into position so you can get it on to the green. Once you're there, it's still not over. So it is very much key off the tee. Get yourself in position and hopefully get some good putts in. Q. Around your career, what keeps you going; is the intensity still there? MARK McNULTY: Yes. Sometimes -- I read Darren's remarks about four months ago, three months ago, he was thinking about giving up. We all go through that from time to time. And I had a knee replacement last year, and it's been pretty good this year. But frustrating. Because it feels like I'm playing well but I make a few mental errors. Those things are what get you annoyed. But try not to be too impatient and keep on going. But to answer your question, really, I still think there's a lot left in the tank. So the Senior Tour is very obliging for us. So three more years, it will be good. Q. Today 4-under, 68, good day? MARK McNULTY: Absolutely. If you said: Will you take a 68 on the first tee? I would've went: Absolutely. No question about that. Because the weather has been dicy the last few days. And it was pretty much going to be that way today. But fortunately we caught a break and it's been very good. But I couldn't quite work out exactly what it would take to win this tournament. Three, four 69s would be really good. So I'm obviously delighted at 68. Annoyed with myself for making a stupid bogey on the last hole. Q. Is that the kind of thing that can sometimes spoil the evening meal, or will you get over it soon? MARK McNULTY: I'm sure I'll get over it soon. I'll just chew my caddie out a little bit more (chuckling). Q. You were very close at Sunnydale a couple of years. What would it mean to win a championship like this? MARK McNULTY: I think if you can't win the Open, then your next best shot at it is to win the Senior Open. I think everybody's in the same boat: They want to win the tournament. It's a great one to have in the closet. You go and ask Gary that, Player, he'll tell you that. Q. The fire is very much still in your belly? MARK McNULTY: Yeah, absolutely, when you're playing well, the fire's there. When you're playing poorly, it's to work out the impatience. And I've been struggling with a little bit of impatience lately, been playing well, but making some absolute ridiculous mistakes, which I've never been prone to do in the past. And I think that's maybe due to the fact I didn't play all last year. But a round like today, really, really helps mentally. And then it will taste nice tonight. Q. Was there a time during your time off where you thought perhaps I'm not ever going to be able to come back and play at the level I used to? MARK McNULTY: Well, you know, if you read between the lines, and you hear what the surgeons are saying and a lot of people, quite a few of us have had knee replacements now, they've really got it down to a fine art now. And if you can handle all the rehab that goes along with it, then I felt there was no reason why I shouldn't be able to perform well. And I have had a really handicapped leg in the last 10 years, and it really sort of played havoc with my back and everything. So it's still hard work. I've still got to work on it. And I think I still have a long ways of rehab. You never really stop. While I'm still playing competitively I think I'll have to do a lot of work on the body and the leg in particular. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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