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ALSTOM OPEN DE FRANCEJuly 8, 2012Marcel SiemPARIS, FRANCE STEVE TODD: Congratulations, I think we can all see what the victory means to you, but try to sum up winning The Open did he France, how big this is for you. MARCEL SIEM: It was unbelievable. First, after eight years it doesn't matter what kind of tournament you won, it's huge, because you've got the confidence again. And every time, I've played consistent golf this year and there were so many times up there and I couldn't make it. Stupid things happened the whole time. And then I come here, and I love the golf course always. I had a few good tournaments here already, and I screwed it up on last four holes, which are for me one of the toughest stretches we have on The European Tour anyhow. And to win this one, it means so much to me. It's such a tough golf course. It's testing and makes me so proud of myself that I managed to get around here and shoot 8‑under, which is‑‑ Jean VandeVelde, I think it's his fault that the course is tough all of a sudden. It was not as bouncy as the other years, but he got the rough and the pin positions were completely different than the other years we had, and you know, you come every week out there, and it's always the same usually. And this week, the flags were really different. And I think it's a good input of an ex‑player, or player, now you're a player and a businessman, and it's very nice. Such a great setup. I love this golf course. I always loved it and I love it even more, or even better now. And I'm super happy. STEVE TODD: As you said, eight years since your last victory and you've had a couple of opportunities already this year. What was the difference today? MARCEL SIEM: I said this to a few guys, you get so many‑‑ the press in Germany, they are always behind me actually in a way, but then you get those Facebook things these days and all of the people talking badly about you; he's not able to win; he's not even able to finish top five or top three; he's too nervous. And I'm not like that. I'm not afraid to do things. I think I just did stupid things, I was not concentrating enough. This morning I said to a few guys, it's different now and I just want to win. I just want to do it. I told myself all day long, you're a good player, you're a great player, nobody can beat you if you play your golf. Yesterday, my putter was not working, but it was only my self‑belief was not there. I was in the rain yesterday with my rain trousers and rain jacket for at least 45 minutes putting just trying to find my touch back. I love it. It's so good, it's such a good feeling. STEVE TODD: Obviously one of the9 biggest tournaments on our schedule and biggest prize funds, but also the bonus of getting into The Open Championship. MARCEL SIEM: Yeah, I didn't go to Sunningdale, because I had the belief, I've got to do it this week or next week. Obviously I missed out on Wentworth by one spot. Jbe' Kruger stepped ahead of me 30,000 one spot, so I didn't get into The Open. And after Cologne, it was a big week for me there and I 3‑putted the last. I had the putt for the playoff there and 3‑putted to finish sixth. I was pretty upset and depressed‑‑ not depressed really, but upset. I decided I want to stay with my family and didn't go to Sunningdale.  Qualifying like this, it's just perfect. I made the right decisions. Q. When you saw Francesco Molinari's score, did you know what you had to do? MARCEL SIEM: Yeah, that put a lot of pressure on all of us I think because this is what the golf tournament needs, somebody who puts the benchmark and then the pressure is on. Sometimes you see there's nobody putting pressure on the guy and he just goes with the flow, makes pars, one bogey, and still wins the tournament. Francesco, he has a lot of game. I've played I think three tournaments this year where I played with the winner, and I finished seventh or 10th or something. So, here we go again, Mr. Molinari. But I said, all right, at least we know what we have to beat now. I knew on 14 how important that birdie was, because 15, 16, 17, 18, it's so tough to make birdies there and then 15 all of the sudden I made another birdie. I don't know if it helped or put even more pressure on us, and I was just thinking about my daughter today just to stay calm. I think that helped a lot. Q. You have a nice present for your birthday next week. MARCEL SIEM: Yes, Sunday of Scotland next week is my birthday. Yeah, it's great. The week after is even better. Q. You have a good record in playoffs. MARCEL SIEM: I've never lost a playoff, all of the tournaments I won so far was against Grégory and Raphaël in South Africa and then I won with Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren. 18, anything can happen, and it's just‑‑ yeah, I'm really happy I won a tournament without a playoff, put it that way. It's nice. 16, 17, 18‑‑ 17, I hit it twice in the rough and I made double‑bogey and bogey the other days. And I feel after the drive on 17, I knew, okay, now you really have a chance. So two or three good shots, and you have it. Q. At 17, did you see your ball touch the flag? MARCEL SIEM: I heard it. I heard it. That was nice. I went‑‑ because the wind was changing quite a bit. When I came to the ball, it was into off the right, and then thought should be six‑iron with a hold up against the wind. But to the back age, it was 170 and this is how far my 6‑iron goes. I said to Guy: Do you really think it's into, and we double‑checked, and it was perfect yardage for my 7‑iron. It was 144 to the front edge, so it was a perfect 7‑iron for me, aiming ten metres right and just I'm so happy that my muscles and my swing is working so nicely now under pressure. It means a lot to me, and thanks to Günter Kessler and my physio. That's the most important thing that your swing works under pressure, and I was under pressure here; to win this golf tournament, you're shaking in between and your heart is pumping. Unbelievable. Q. You had good results this year so far, and with the win today is Ryder Cup on your mind? MARCEL SIEM: I haven't looked into those numbers. I would love to play Ryder Cup. This is one of the top, top things you can achieve in golf, as a golf pro, to play Ryder Cup. Olazábal as the captain, he is such a nice guy, and it would be great. I will do everything to get on to the team. I feel that's why I'm playing next week, as well. If I have a chance now to get in there, I will work so hard to get in that. And match play suits me. If I can play foursomes with Nicolas Colsaerts, it would be so much fun, I can't believe that (smiling). Yeah, we will see. Q. When you made a fist pump, on which hole was, that and do you often do that? MARCEL SIEM: Every hole (laughter). Q. When did you start believing that you could really win the title today? MARCEL SIEM: All day. I mean, like I said, this morning I woke up and I said, I want to win it now. I played very solid. On the first, that was the only bad golf shot I had today. I was a bit afraid, because the last six, seven years, I think I reckon I hit seven times in the water. It always happens once on that golf hole. There are so many holes where you have to be so careful. But 14 and 15 really helped. I had a very good touch for the greens. They are a little tricky this week, because they are shiny sometimes and very, very quick and then they are dark green and slow. I got used to that the last two days and figured that out and had a very good touch for the greens today. Like I said, I played 17, the drive, that was the key hole, the key drive. Q. You mentioned you came here with your fiancée; what's her name and what kind of support did she provide to help you against all of the criticism? MARCEL SIEM: She's great. Laura, she's a very sporty woman and soon‑to‑be wife. We are going to get married this year, as well. We have a wonderful daughter, 18 months now, her name is Laura. She is always behind me. She is such a positive person. If you see on television, I can be steamy, and I can be a little bit grumpy in the mornings, as well, and she's always smiling and she's a wonderful woman. You always have people which I think, that's not right girl for you. This is the first time we are on our own at a golf tournament since two years, and I won it; so all of the people that think she's not the right one, she is. She's the right one. Q. As you said, you just talk about your temper. Sometimes you can be very upset on the course. Does it help you that today you have a lot of fist pump when you make putts? Does it help you or is it something that you want to go against? MARCEL SIEM: Not anymore. Today, this morning, I said, I want to be myself. And is there something in between that‑‑ I screwed up a lot of golf tournaments because of my emotions, I was too negative. But it was only because I wanted to win so hard. Now I've got the win and it's going to make me relax a lot more now, because eight years, it's such a long time that you don't win and I just wanted to win, win, win. Then if something happens, it just drove me mad. I think it's very important for golf that you show emotions and show the people, it's a really cool sport. You can celebrate. It's not only with a tie and rich man's sport. It's not like that. It's such a nice sport. Q. When Martin won, you shoot I think 81. And you won, and he finished last today. MARCEL SIEM: Golf is like that. No, he will come back. Martin is such a great player and he's going through a few technical changes now, and he will be back, I promise that. STEVE TODD: Marcel, many thanks for joining us. You're a great champion and go ahead and celebrate. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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