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ISPS HANDA WALES OPENMay 29, 2012Rhys DaviesNEWPORT, WALES Q. So another Wales Open, I suppose it's always an enjoyable one for the Welsh players to take part in, and you must be looking forward to it. RHYS DAVIES: Yeah, of course. Yeah, it will be a great event this week. Back at the Celtic Manor, it's always a fantastic course, one I really enjoy playing. At the moment, sun is shining, even better and a really strong field. All in all, bodes well for a good tournament and hopefully a good showing. Q. It's sort of grown in stature from year‑to‑year, hasn't it? RHYS DAVIES: I think so, yeah. Obviously we had the Ryder Cup a couple of years ago that boosted the profile of the place and the event a little further, and that's great. It's great for Welsh golf. So, yeah, I think the tournament is growing. There's been some wonderful work down here at Celtic Manor and hopefully it can continue to grow from strength‑to‑strength. Q. I suppose all we need is a Welsh winner? RHYS DAVIES:  That would be great. I've come close a couple of years ago, and Bradley Dredge was very close a few years before me, and Woosie, as well. So we are knocking on the door, and I'm sure that it won't be too long hopefully until a Welshman picks up the trophy. Q. Some well known names here once again. RHYS DAVIES: That's right. It's a big tournament on The European Tour and it will always attract some of the top players, the guys in form, and some of the well known names and faces as well. So this week is no different, and yeah, it bodes well for an exciting tournament. Q. How are things going for you personally at the moment? With the U.S. Open Qualifying over the last few days, how are things going on that front? RHYS DAVIES: Yeah, didn't quite work out for me yesterday. Been working really hard on my game, and I feel like I'm progressing in many respects. Results haven't been quite what I was hoping for but I'm remaining patient and maybe I can turn things around this week. Q. A strong time for British golf at the moment, seeing all of these youngsters doing so well, and I guess you want to be a part of that. RHYS DAVIES: Yes, of course, you're right. There's a lot of really top British players doing well all over the golfing world. So it is an exceptional time for European and British golf, and, yeah, hopefully I can get myself into that mix in the not‑too‑distant future. Q. More pressure, expectations, playing in front of friends and family‑‑ or is that something you dread? RHYS DAVIES: As far as the expectations, I thrive on it. I would much rather play in an environment like this. It's great to have familiar faces watching and some home support. So, yeah, I don't dread it by any means. I really look forward to it. Q. Pressure is something you thrive on? RHYS DAVIES: I think so. Like I said, if you play in professional sport, you're used to dealing with pressures all the time, whether it's simple, first tee anxieties or coming down the stretch of a tournament or whatnot. So yeah, it's part of the job in a sense and something that I really enjoy. Q. You had the pressure of driving Monty two years ago. RHYS DAVIES: Yeah, it was a long week and an enjoyable one, nonetheless. Q. Obviously a venue that you enjoy? RHYS DAVIES: Yeah, I've had some good success on this course. I think I've put some good scores together in various rounds, and over a tournament. So yeah, I enjoy playing it. Like I said I've had some good rounds and hopefully I can continue this week. Q. Winning your own National Open is something you always want to do, isn't it? RHYS DAVIES: Yeah, of course. Doesn't matter, whenever you play your national tournament, you definitely have that little extra enthusiasm, you might say, a little bit more excitement about the place. So yeah, you're dead right. You want to win it, and you have to be careful of sometimes not trying to‑‑ wanting to win it too much. At the end of the day, you have to somewhat treat it like a normal event but you're definitely more excited and looking forward to it, yeah. Q. That few days you spent with Monty, did you learn anything golf‑wise? RHYS DAVIES: I think it was more team related and team orientated, and rightly so. I mean, I would imagine it was a more chaotic week than even normal Ryder Cups, simply because of all of the matches being close together. So it was more‑‑ a lot of it was more having a bit of banter between us and making sure, I don't know, that we were both on a fairly chilled out basis. Q. The 62 a couple of years ago, do you think that eyes are on you and people expect you to do well? RHYS DAVIES: Maybe. I always expect to do well. I go out there to play well and to produce some low scores. So in that respect, yes, I don't always expect to shoot 62, but you go out there and look to shoot some low scores. So, yeah, hopefully I can push that again this week. Q. You mention coming so close in 2010, how much did that hurt you or was that a big disappointment? RHYS DAVIES: I wouldn't say that. I came back a long way from behind the last day. I think I shot 9‑under on the last round and came from pretty much nowhere to right at the top. Really that was an exciting day, albeit a disappointing one. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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