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BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

September 18, 2011

John Senden

LEMONT, ILLINOIS

MARK STEVENS: We'd like to welcome John Senden. You put up a great battle today, came up just a little short. If you want to talk about your round today and your thoughts and then we'll take some questions.
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, I felt really well all day. Are you know, I knew that I had to shoot something pretty good to catch Justin. He was obviously in control playing very, very well. Firstly, congratulations to Justin for winning the golf tournament. He certainly played great, not only just today down the stretch, all week he played great. And congratulations to him. So that was fantastic.
You know, in regards to my round, I was quite consistent. I really struck the ball well today. I've been putting well all week, and sometimes that's the difference between finishing high and finishing in the middle of the pack is when you putt well. So those good saves, those putts inside ten feet, my shots, like scrambling, and also inside 100 yards is important to me. So that's the difference this week, and that's how I felt like I did a good job.

Q. You were five back sort of midway through. Did your thoughts change to protect where you were?
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, I mean, he got off to a good start, as well. I mean, he bogeyed 2, but he bounced back pretty well the middle of the round. I wasn't really sort of focused on anyone else except what I was doing. I really felt like I was in control of my game, and even if I did hit it off line once or twice, it was about getting to -- playing a smart shot back in play or doing -- really focusing hard on putting well and getting it in the hole.
I needed to really sort of go for it rather than protect at that point during the middle of the round, and I knew that I really wanted to catch him and win the golf tournament.

Q. I know you're probably a little disappointed that you didn't win the big brass ring this week, but could you talk about the things that you have accomplished, getting into next week and getting the majors lined up for next year and all those good things?
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, that's right. The same thing happened here a couple years ago with finishing right on the nose to get in. This year is a little different where I was comfortably in but I was having to finish very high compared to last time. I'm excited about the major championships next year, and to be competitive in the majors, you've got to make sure that you're in all of them or getting the best experience in the big ones. So I believe that I can get in there and do a better job. Like I've been to Augusta twice now, and next year hopefully I'll have more experience playing the place and really feel good about myself when I'm out there, because getting more experience on the TOUR here and finishing higher every year puts me in a good frame of mind to go into the next year's tournaments.

Q. And I guess you've put some pressure on Greg in terms of being a pick for Melbourne?
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, I mean, if I was -- it would be lovely to get a surprise pick. There's a lot of good players that we look at, Australian players that are just outside the mark, as well, but Greg looks at -- I know he probably looked at the top 15. But I think guys like -- I know, is Geoff --

Q. He's in now.
JOHN SENDEN: He's in now, so you look at guys like Robert and Aaron, those two guys are from Melbourne, they've had very, very good success down in Melbourne. It's hard to sort of steer away from those guys. But you never know. I would be proud to represent The Presidents Cup team if I was in.

Q. You mentioned getting back to next week, and you've mentioned to me, too, about wanting to be on the biggest stage more often. This gives you that chance. You can set a different schedule next year?
JOHN SENDEN: Absolutely. I think that we can set the scene around the major championships and really work hard to get in there and do another good job like I did this week at the majors as well as every other event that I tee it up in. I think that we can go back home to Australia and feel confident about teeing it up at home again, and you know, I'm just excited that I went really well today and gave Justin a bit of a -- I guess you'd call it getting in there and giving him a bit of a hurry-up. But it was fun. I really enjoyed it, and again, congratulations to Justin.

Q. And just how pleasing was it that you putted as well as you did this week? I know you missed two short ones this week, but other than that you were way up on the list in putting this week.
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, I've been working hard on that, and I feel that has been a nice fresh -- feelings of looking down the line and feeling good rather than looking down the line and grinding and hoping. A quicker routine and letting the ball go gives me a better relaxation feel during the stroke, and I can actually feel the putts.

Q. Did they ask you to talk about the 17th and the chip-in that he had which sort of was the one that looked like it kind of nailed it down for him?
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, that was a beautiful shot that he hit. He left the ball in the correct spot if he did miss, and it was a straightforward chip shot, but with the circumstances it was a very, very great shot under pressure and looked like it just went straight in the middle without even looking like going anywhere else. You know, I just smiled at him and said, "That's a great shot."
But yeah, that definitely sort of hurt a little bit, I guess. But look, I putted my ball in straight after that, so I was happy with that. And at least that gave me a chance at the last hole. The 18th hole is the most difficult one, so anything can happen.

Q. Before Justin righted the ship on the last three holes, he had a series of a bit of loose shots, the one on 15 particularly. What was going through your mind when he seemed to just get off track a little bit there and it became a one-shot lead?
JOHN SENDEN: Yeah, well, I was sort of thinking I was trying not to distract myself from the -- that anything can happen on this hole for him, and I think that he did a good job making 6. I think that he was -- even though he hit a couple loose shots, I thought he looked like he was in control a lot. I thought that I really had to make a big run coming home the last few holes and tried to get a putt on 16, and not such a great shot on 17 for me, second shot, but he definitely -- that chip-in definitely turned things around for him, as well.
MARK STEVENS: Thanks a lot, John. Good luck next week in Atlanta.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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