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ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 26, 2012Richard FinchABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Q. Very tidy start. RICHARD FINCH: Yeah, delighted. It's a tournament in past years that's produced really low scoring, so you're going out feeling like you've got to get off to a good start. It's tough and difficult to get near the holes, the pins are tucked on the corners of the greens, and lucky to be a couple under early on, missed a couple of fairways and then a good finish aided by a few shots going in from off the green which was nice. Q. That finish included your 15th, so talk us through the eagle? RICHARD FINCH: Hit driver off the tee on the fairway and I was hoping to try and hit an 8‑iron so I could try and stop it because I didn't think I could get very close to the hole, but my caddie convinced me that wasn't going to work, hit the 7 anyway. Didn't know it had gone in until we had gone up on the green to be honest. It was just over the brow of the lip of the bunker sort of thing, and no crowds down here in a green; it's a bit like an island down there. It was a nice surprise to get down there. Q. And you consolidated the good fortune at the last? RICHARD FINCH: That's right, on the 8th hole, the par3, I hit my lay‑up into a fairway bunker, and then duffed it out of there basically and left myself 67 yards out of the rough and holed that as well, and that was nice. At the last a driver and 4‑iron and about an eight‑foot, nine‑foot putt that would be nice to go in as well. So 4‑under par for the last four holes was a real pleasing finish, because certainly the closing holes on that nine are probably the toughest stretch on the whole course from 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is a tough little spell. So delighted with the finish. Q. Whereas a lot of players are pretty much starting here or maybe just started last week, you've got a few under the belt and you're playing well already, aren't you. RICHARD FINCH: That was part of the plan really. I decided pretty much took December off and went out and played a couple of events in South Africa. So yeah, popped home for five days and back out here and I've got four in a row. So, yeah, enjoying it, and hopefully keep up the good work. Q. There has been some good work already this year? RICHARD FINCH: Yeah, that's right. I was in a pretty good position going into the last round in Johannesburg a couple of weeks ago. The last day I didn't play brilliant but I didn't play that bad. I putted poorly really, changed my putting green, put my right‑hand the other way around on the grip, shall we say. It was good today. Just like holing those couple of shots, I did miss quite a few chances but the greens are tough, you have the grain to contend with and the slopes and a bit of breeze, as well. It's not easy unless you get the ball really close to the hole. Q. I'm told I have to ask the infamous former Irish Open Champion about a watery incident? RICHARD FINCH: I did manage to get wet again, it's Tuesday. I popped into the adjoining Westin Hotel near the practice grounds to use the rest rooms and didn't really see the water feature, I thought it was normal black marble and stumbled down the step and finished up straight in the middle of it. So, yeah, a little bit embarrassing and there was enough people in there to have a good laugh at me. No one I knew, though, which is probably better. Could have been a lot worse. And then I was in the middle thinking, now where do I go, so just kept walking and plowed on through it. Yeah, I've been the butt of a few jokes on Facebook and other things, so never mind. Q. Have the golf shoes dried out? RICHARD FINCH: Yeah, they were all right. Doesn't take long out here. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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