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OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSICFebruary 9, 2012Richard SterneDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES RICHARD STERNE: It's nice to always get off to a good start on Thursday, and haven't played a hell of a lot of golf, so quite happy with 6‑under round here today. Q. It's the kind of course that's giving up plenty of birdies, but you've gotta be still on top of your game. RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it's looking the best I've seen it probably ever. The greens are fantastic, and it's set up beautifully, and the birdies are there. You've just gotta hit the right shots. Q. And this is a continuation of the form shown in that first event of the year for you? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, hopefully. I've been putting in quite a bit of work, so hopefully it starts paying off, which would be nice. Q. So the bigger question I have to ask, you said you've not been playing much. I know it's a long story, but tell us, break it down just a little bit what happened? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, I've just got some disk issues in my back and also some arthritis problems, but hopefully I'm into the right medication now and that's hopefully starting to help. Q. So this first came to light several years ago now, didn't it really? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, it's been a slow progress. It's not just something that happens overnight. I'd rather just take time away and just make sure I get over it 100 percent than play half injured. So that's the plan. Q. And that was what you did. Presumably initially you started to play on and try to see it through and it just didn't quite work? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah. I tried last year to play a few events and the pain was just too severe. It was just affecting my swing, so it's tough like that. So at the moment it's not doing that, so I just gotta keep it under control and hopefully get through a fairly full season. Q. It goes further than golf, though, doesn't it? It's your whole health that's at issue? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, I look it's not ideal, but if I wasn't a sportsman, it would be okay, but the fact that we travel a lot and it's long hours out here, so it kind of affected quite a lot. Q. So what is it that's worked to put you back on track? RICHARD STERNE: Just a lot of physio and the right medication for the arthritis problem, and just strengthening up the body in general and keep it moving. I find the more I move, the better. Q. How often will we see you? RICHARD STERNE: Well, hopefully a fairly full schedule, if possible. Probably about 80 percent of what I normally play for the year. Q. Because there are medical exemptions available, but essentially you've been away for far too long. RICHARD STERNE: Yeah. I've had a couple of medical exemptions already, and I think as long as I'm playing more than 11 in a year I get another one. So as I said, I don't want to play injured, so at the moment I feel I'm fit enough to play, so that's why I'm here. And the trick is to play well when I am here so I can sort of get good confidence going into each event, and obviously the better I play, I think my body will also feel a bit better as well. Q. In the time you've been away you've seen developments in south African golf, haven't you? RICHARD STERNE: Yeah, the guys have done unbelievably well and it's given me a bit of determination to also try and follow a couple of the guys and hopefully do something spectacular at some stage. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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