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BALLANTINE'S CHAMPIONSHIPApril 29, 2012Bernd WiesbergerICHEON, SOUTH KOREA STEVE TODD: Bernd, first of all, many congratulations. Fantastic performance out there today, five‑shot victory. What a way to finish, as well. Just tell us about the day. BERND WIESBERGER: Yeah, I can't say I wasn't nervous on the first tee box, but when I got the first shot out there on the fairway, it was a bit of a relief. Yeah, I was under a bit of pressure when I had to hang in there on 13 and 14, and I was able to make a couple of good shots, great putts, and pleased to finish the way I did. That long putt reflects the last four days which were awesome, and I really enjoyed it out there today. STEVE TODD: Twice a runner‑up on The European Tour last year. The lead got down to three shots at one point when Richie  birdied the 16th. Did you feel any pressure? You seemed to step it up another gear with birdies yourself on 16 and 18. BERND WIESBERGER: Yeah, I just heard after I made the putt on 15, my coach was out there. He flew from Jakarta last night to watch me play. And he told me that he made birdie somewhere out there to get within three. But at that point, I had birdied 15 already and made a great shot at 16, and just had two great putts there on the last two holes. Yeah, I felt comfortable out there. Just if I do what I did the last couple of days, hit those greens and make two putts, and make a couple of birdies, and it was key for me to do that and I hung in there. Very proud of how I finished the round up. STEVE TODD: Your first European Tour victory, I think it showed exactly what it meant to you on the last hole, but the victory is probably going to take you into the Top‑100 in the world, as well. What does the victory mean to you and your career? BERND WIESBERGER: Every sportsman dreams about winning, especially a tournament that was so well organised and has such great players in the field, as well. To play the way I did this week is very special. I actually wasn't thinking at all about the World Rankings so far. I just wanted to get my hands on the trophy and I did that pretty well. You know, I'll have a couple of weeks now before Wentworth and I can prepare better the next couple of weeks for a big tournament which will be nice, as well. It's a great step up in my career and hope it's not the last one. Q. If you have to describe the Ballantine's Championship in one word, what would it be and why? BERND WIESBERGER: Amazing, probably. Yeah, my first time in Korea, and yeah, a great week. It was fun out there and a great course. It was amazing. Q. So during the past four days, I think your game at the golf course could rival those of the top‑playing golfers out there, and except for that double‑bogey that you committed on the 13th hole during your first round, you recorded no bogeys. So looking at your game for the past four days, do you think your game exceeded your average game, or do you think you'll be able to repeat the game that you showed here on other golf courses? BERND WIESBERGER: Well, I think to win a tournament, you need to have your A Game at any tournament, and especially at a tournament here, the Ballantine's, where such a great field was present. It was a tricky day out there on the first day, and you know, big numbers could happen and I tried to stay positive and make few of those. But unfortunately I had a double‑bogey on the par3 when I kind of hooked my tee shot into the trees on the left. But apart from that, my game plan for the weekend was to not make mistakes, and whenever I was uncertain to try to hit the middle of the green and take two putts, because sometimes on these golf courses, pars are a very good score. I was able to do that; and the odd up‑and‑down was there, as well. But in general, I felt like I was in control of my game the last four days, and I managed to make a couple of big putts, and it was essential for me to win the tournament. Q. You said your coach flew from Jakarta. Can I ask your coach's name, first of all and how much of a help was that to you keeping you calm and having a face to turn to on the sidelines for a bit of inspiration? BERND WIESBERGER: I've been starting with my coach, he's originally from Belgium but his name is Philippe DeBusschere. Yeah, when we started working together, we have really good chemistry on and off the course, really fun, and I enjoy working with him. It paid off; we started just after Ireland last year, and I've had two runner‑ups, one fifth and now a win. So it's going really good, and we had a really good practice last week, as well, in Indonesia. He's based out of Jakarta now since the last couple of months. He told me whenever I was in a position to win a tournament, he will come and watch me win my first trophy. I got a text message yesterday, that we are on the way to the airport and see you tomorrow. I didn't see him a lot because it was such big crowds, but it was good to know that there was someone there waiting for me after the final putt. I really appreciate him coming out from Jakarta for this great occasion. Q. So at what hole did you feel that you were really going to win this tournament for sure? And when you go home, I'm sure you're going to have a big party to celebrate your victory. Do you like Ballantine's and if so, how much are you going to drink it at your party? BERND WIESBERGER: It's tough to say, because golf is a funny game, and everybody was out there. They know that things can happen and things have happened. So I was sure when my ball was on the green on 18, and I had a million putts to win the tournament, and that was kind of when I realised what happened. Yeah, I mean, I must lie if I say I'm not going to have a nice celebration when I get home. We are staying with a couple of friends, my girlfriend and my parents, probably have a lunch tomorrow in Vienna and then we'll see. I think I'm going to bring back a couple of bottles of Ballantine's so they will be opened, I'm sure. Q. So I think in your interview, you said you would win by a ten‑par difference, but in your actual game today, I think you played very steady and stably. So what you said yesterday, was that sort of an exaggeration because you were thinking about the other players? BERND WIESBERGER: Yeah, I mean, I've never been in this position, so I can't really say, how are you going to react on a five‑shot lead. But I talked with my caddie, who I'm lucky to have for the last 1 1/2 years, and he said, you know, we just try to play our game first and foremost and then try to be aggressive and make birdies, because the guys are going to come after us and they are not going to back down. So we want to make positive golf shots and keep on trying to make birdies, and kind of had a bad pace on the greens so a couple of them didn't drop, but I wasn't really close, either. It was nice to see them finally drop on the last four holes. So that was nice. But you know, just try to be positive and try to make birdies and not to kind of defend your lead too much. Q. You played today's game very well, but throughout the round, there must have been some crisis or moments of crisis for you. Was there a moment where you thought, if I don't make this my game might collapse? BERND WIESBERGER: Well, I wasn't thinking that my game would collapse. But there have been some moments where I knew I had to step up a little bit. Especially I thought that, as I said, I didn't have a great pace on my putts today, so I struggled a little bit on 3 and 4, where I left myself long par putts. So that was key to hole them early on; to keep being in a rhythm. But it was a tricky, tricky shot there on 12, I think it was, when I was in the cart path. I said to Shane before I was hitting it, "I think I need to do a little Bubba Watson there to hook it around the tree."  It came off nicely. But in a pressure situation, I just had good yardages on my clubs and hit good shots on the right side of the green, and yeah, it was kind of a smooth ride in. STEVE TODD: Well, I'm sure you want to go and sample some of the sponsor's product, congratulations. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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