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VIVENDI SEVE TROPHY

September 15, 2011

PARIS, FRANCE

Q. You seemed to dovetail really well today. You were knocking in birdies today.
ROBERT ROCK: Yeah seemed to find a bit of rhythm with the putter after a few holes, and we got around nicely.
IAN POULTER: It's always nice to play match-play format, team environment is great. You know, it was great to play with Rocky today. We got off to a nice start, and kind of saw the lines on the greens fairly early. Kind of opened us both up to just keep aggressive, keep attacking. Rocky holed a couple of lovely putts, and you know, what we both dovetailed pretty nicely for the whole day.

Q. Just the sort of start you want.
ROBERT ROCK: Well, Ian's good at this type of thing, so it was nice to get a win against a good pairing.

Q. First performance in the Seve Trophy and a winning one, you can imagine 6 & 4 was on the cards this morning, could you.
SCOTT JAMIESON: No, we saw who we were up against and knew it was going to be a tough game. To win by that margin was quite nice, yeah.

Q. And how would you describe your first experience of this format and team golf as a professional?
SCOTT JAMIESON: It's great fun. I miss playing as a team. It's a great feeling, being part of something like this. I had a great partner in Ross today. He played really well. So, yeah, very enjoyable.

Q. Was it a good blend, the fact that he's been through the course once before, he's been here and Ryder Cup, and it's all new to you?
SCOTT JAMIESON: Absolutely. Out of all of the guys that have a bit of experience behind them, I played with Ross a couple of times before, so was definitely very comfortable with him. It's a great partnership.

Q. What about your rookie partner here?
SIMON DYSON: Yeah, he played really well. He got off to a great start. Hit the fairway at the first, knocked it close. Hit the fairway at the second, knocked it close, knocked it in. I mean, that's the perfect start.
And yeah, we just played well together. We gelled really well, and we would have been very tough to beat by any group today I think.

Q. And Jamie, obviously you two have been great mates probably longer than any of us care to remember. How do you enjoy the experience?
JAMIE DONALDSON: We had great fun. We played really well and gelled really well. When it wasn't Dys birdieing it was me birdieing. We gelled perfectly in the end. Like Dys said we were very tough to beat. I think we were 9-under better-ball for no drops for the holes we played.
SIMON DYSON: Just constant pressure, isn't it. When you're doing that, they know there's no give, so they know they have to play well. And they did play well. They would have beaten a lot of groups today. But just happened to come up against a very tough one.

Q. Been a good day all around for the GB&I Team. Did you always feel that you would be a good partnership going into this?
SIMON DYSON: I did. We are both playing really good golf. JD just missed out in Switzerland, and I managed to nip one last week. We are both playing really good golf. And we know we are, as well; the confidence is high with both of us. And you can sense it when you come up against us I think, and we showed it today. Good golf.

Q. A word about your partner?
ROSS FISHER: Yeah, we gelled well. Paul said, you know, is there anyone you fancy playing with, and I said, I don't mind who I play with. When he mentioned Scott, I was really upbeat and excited because obviously I've seen how Scott can play firsthand at The Scottish Open. In the second round he really got it going.
So I knew he's a man that if you can get a couple of holes and birdies in, just let him do his own thing and that's what we kind of did today. He was there when I needed him to make clutch par putts, and he did so. You know, and came in when I was looking like I was out of the hole.

Q. So it was a case of dovetailing well.
ROSS FISHER: We dovetailed very well and Paul was harping on the two balls in play, two balls in play and that's what I said to Scott making the turn. I said we just have to keep two balls in play, try to give ourselves two birdie putts on every hole. You're not going to be far away and that's what we tried to do on the front side and I think we did it pretty well. It's always nice to win a game, because Jacquelin and Hanson are a formidable partnership. It's nice to get a point on the board early and especially to win in the fashion we did.

Q. Probably good for guys like Scott and Jamie who are knew to this Seve Trophy, which you were a part of. Did that definitely help you?
ROSS FISHER: Definitely. We don't play any team golf. We don't play any match-play golf. I think playing in the Seve Trophy two years ago really helped me in last year's Ryder Cup. Obviously on a different scale, because obviously this isn't anywhere near as big yet but still a very, very important tournament and obviously extra special tournament this year in Seve's memory.
We are really up for it, the GB&I guys and we know we have a big task on our hands because the Europeans are very, very strong and we know that we are massive underdogs. We just have to keep going out there and playing well.

Q. That was quite a battle, how about your rookie partner today?
DARREN CLARKE: He was fantastic. He was brilliant. He played really, really nicely. You know, it was great confidence having him as my partner on the greens. It was wonderful to watch.

Q. Your first time, you got off to a great start, how did that make you feel?
DAVID HORSEY: Settled me down a little bit. Wasn't that nervous to start with but it's always nice to start out birdie, birdie, and sort of get a good lead early on and managed to hold onto that. Enjoyed it.

Q. The two rookies you played against put up quite a battle.
DARREN CLARKE: They did. They are both very, very good players and they give themselves lots of chances and we both missed a few chances, but overall, it was a very good match.

Q. Overall, what would you say you're going to do tomorrow, do you think you'll be playing together again after that David?
DAVID HORSEY: That's up to the skipper. But yeah, I'm quite glad to play with Darren. He's great to have as a partner, to back me up whenever I don't quite get it, like on the last there, the experience showed there.
DARREN CLARKE: The old pro.

Q. Your performance over the day, 4-1 looks like a terrific performance.
DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, I think that's a great start for us. As Paul has said, we were the underdogs coming into this week and to be leading 4-1 is very flattering right now but there's an awful lot of points to play for yet. While it's a good start, and it's preferable to get off to a good start, there's a long way to go yet.

Q. How was the short stick today? You've done a lot of work on it this week.
DARREN CLARKE: I have. I missed it from two foot on the first just -- I had holed a couple of decent ones and what have you. It always helps when you watch one of the best putters on Tour, if not the best putter on Tour, as well.
It was all right. Could be better.

Q. Get those sort of competitive team juices flowing again?
DARREN CLARKE: Most definitely. The last hole even though we are 1-up we are still trying to protect our 1-up sort of lead. As straightforward and easy a hole as it is, you've still got to make the score, and we are 2-up with two to go and trying to close it out and 17 didn't happen and just had to be careful there on the last.

Q. I know it's not the intensity of The Ryder Cup, but for the young guys coming in for the first time, how good a dress rehearsal?
DARREN CLARKE: I think it's fantastic. I've really enjoyed today, I'm sure David is going to be a contender for making the next team as well, as everybody is here this week. I think you're better off asking him that question but the guys seemed to enjoy.
Albeit there is not the intensity, we are all friends and we all want to beat each other. That's what professional golf is all about. We do want to beat each other.

Q. Do you value it as sort of a dress rehearsal for possibly playing in The Ryder Cup?
DAVID HORSEY: Definitely, it's been a few years now since I've played team golf, Walker Cup being my last experience. To get the top players this week and to play against them is a good test as to what to expect in The Ryder Cup.

Q. You're learning at the feet of the master, aren't you; Ross Fisher said a few minutes ago he undoubtedly benefitted from being here in 2009 and it does have that feel to it, doesn't it.
DARREN CLARKE: Yeah, exactly. The rookies, they come along, and it's the team thing. Sometimes it's very easy to just maybe rely on your partner a little bit too much and sort of switch off a little bit. You know if your partner has hit a good shot in, to switch off. That's the thing that you learn, and he was brilliant at that today. If he did hit a good shot, I still try to hit a good shot and vice-versa, and that's what the secret to good fourball is.

Q. Paul was glad that you and Lee and Ian made it down, and on the last green, as you say the old pro -- a lot of that counts when you have youngsters on the side.
DARREN CLARKE: It's not that difficult a pin but if you miss it right you're going to struggle. We were one ahead -- he was going to hole the putt anyway. But we are one ahead. It's just sometimes you know, that's where to hit it and take it from 20-foot.

Q. Experience counts.
DARREN CLARKE: There's a little bit of that, but that's the thing with all of the rookies maybe will learn a little bit this week, as well. Wasn't trying to hit it there but just things, you watch what other guys do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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VIVENDI SEVE TROPHY

September 15, 2011

Darren Clarke

Simon Dyson

Ross Fisher

David Horsey

Scott Jamieson

Ian Poulter

Robert Rock