|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 5, 2012Branden GraceCARNOUSTIE & KINGSBARNS, SCOTLAND Q. 67 a good effort, creating a good lead? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, it was nice. I think it helped to obviously play a different course today. You didn't know what to expect and what's going on. Yeah, I think it would have been a different situation if I had to play Kingsbarns again today, after yesterday, I think I would have May maybe pushed it a little bit on today but obviously get to go St. Andrews you don't know what to expect and things like that. I struggled a little bit in the beginning but then I have to go in with my birdie and things started settling down and the putter started getting hot again. I missed like a 3‑footer for par which I was a little disappointed, because my first bogey of the week so far and it was my only bogey so far this week as of now. But yeah, I missed that 3‑footer and then I managed‑‑ I hit a great rescue into the par5, and I thought it was going to be a decent little green, because I thought rather long than short and didn't get up there for some reason and managed to hit a good little pitch to a foot and that just settled the nerves and things like that and got it going from there. Q. The four birdies in a row? BRANDEN GRACE: On 7, I hit a drive but the wind was in off the left so hit a drive straight down the middle. I had 92 yards to be exact, which is just a nice little smooth gap wedge which is nice with a little bit of wind in. It just gets it up to literally a foot or two right behind the hole, so that was a nice tap‑in. Then I got to 8, I hit a wedge that went a little bit further than what I expected. Finished 30 foot right behind the hole and managed to roll that one in. Any time you make a putt like that, it's always a nice feeling. After I made that putt, the putter just got hot and I hit the green on 9, hit it to the middle of the green, I actually just lipped‑‑ just lipped or just missed it on the high side for eagle. So another birdie. And then on the 10th hole, didn't really hit a great drive but was in good position to get it on the green and hit a 9‑iron to‑‑ another 30‑footer behind the pin again and managed to roll that one in. Q. Is there a big difference between the two courses? BRANDEN GRACE: There is and there isn't. Links is a links. You're going to get a couple bounces you don't expect and a couple bounces in your favour. Yesterday I would have thought from the way I'm playing at the moment this week, I'm keeping things a lot lower than what I used to. So now I'm expecting things to bounce a little bit, and today was a little bit tougher obviously with the wind. So on a course like this, especially with the wind blowing the first six holes, it was key today, you get to the first six to level or under par, and then you know you can just relax and start enjoying it out there and just remember you're playing St. Andrews. Q. People don't win back‑to‑back very oftenbut that wonÂ’t phase you? BRANDEN GRACE: I've been fortunate to be honest, beginning of the season, first win and then following up with Volvo, I just don't really know what's going on. You know, I love the feeling of winning, and I know that's what I want. Any pro out here, if they have the winning feeling, I think it just motivated me more to keep pushing. I think last week's win back home just really gave me that edge of just really wanted to keep going this week. Q. Do you look back to where you were a year ago‑‑ BRANDEN GRACE: I do. It crosses my mind sometimes but people remind me of it, so I think that's a good thing. And so I really have to sit down and really think of what I've achieved and how fortunate I am that I am in this position in my career. Q. You spoke yesterday about how in a practice round on the Old Course, Louis had showed you the ropes. Was that useful today? BRANDEN GRACE: It definitely was. Especially on the first couple of holes, Louis gave me some lines off the tee in the practice round on Wednesday which was nice, especially with the wind off the left. The first six holes are not the easiest driving holes out there. Definitely on those holes and a couple coming in and obviously Zach is on the bag; so that was really a big help, the lines he's giving me. Q. Will you be pleased the big guns are not breathing down your neck at the moment? BRANDEN GRACE: I mean, we all look at leaderboards. I think if maybe the likes of Louis or Charl or something like that was close behind me, that would have been a different story, but it's just nice knowing that I've beaten them before and I can do it again. Always when I get to the situation now, I always think of beating Ernie and Retief in a playoff, and I think that's a nice mind‑set to have. Q. You won last week and certainly here your victory was under the radar as it were; but clearly if you won here this week, that's a very much bigger success, I guess; is that correct? BRANDEN GRACE: Yeah, definitely. This event speaks for itself, the history, the players, just what Mr.Rupert does for the Tour and things like that, and putting events like this‑‑ obviously the last week in my eyes, a win is a win, but it's nice to get a win like that, if you can take a smaller one and to get confidence and things going so you can come into an event like this with a fire in you, knowing that's what you want to go for. Q. The win last week? BRANDEN GRACE: It was a Sunshine Tour event, Vodacom Origins of Golf Final. They have, they call it a winter series, Retief Goosen, he was actually connected to all of the events. So it was one of those, a lot of smaller, limited fields, but pretty much the same format, you get to play with two amateurs as well the first to days, it's just a three‑round event. So it was nice, got me the feeling of this week, playing with the amateurs and things like that, and obviously playing on a links course last week has helped so far. Q. How many career wins is that? You've had three on The European Tour this year. BRANDEN GRACE: That's five. Q. When Louis won here, an absolute stunning victory, what were you doing that day? Did you watch all the holes? BRANDEN GRACE: I did watch. I was actually in Manchester. I was watching on TV. I was thinking of driving up, but I didn't want to drive all the way and then something happens and then he doesn't win, and then I'm known as the spoiler a little. But I was watching hole‑by‑hole, and we are good friends and I was speaking to his wife, on and off the golf course, obviously gets you on the tee because you don't really know what he does in between shots and things like that. He's a world‑class player, so it was bound to happen sooner or later. Q. What's your take on his swing? People think it's one of most perfect swings in the game; do you believe that? BRANDEN GRACE: I do as well, and I think the putting stroke, when I was in the States, I went and visited Louis for a little bit there. We spent some time playing some golf courses and practising together and things like that, and you know, just looking on his stroke, on those slick and quick greens down there has just helped me a lot getting the rhythm and things like that. I think when he won, he won the British Open and so close to winning the Masters, beginning of the season, stroke was just flawless. His swing just speaks for itself. Q. We met four or five years ago in Germany at the German Junior Masters. What do you remember, are you the same player or have you been the same player as you are now? BRANDEN GRACE: Obviously that's been a long time ago, seven years, I think it might have been eight. I think a lot changed from then to now. I think I'm a much better player than I was, physically, mentally, and things like that, and you know, it pushes you in the right direction. Obviously any win, whether it's amateur or junior pushes you in the right direction. I think it really helped me so far in my career knowing that a win is a win. I've improved and the way I'm playing now is just much better than what I was then. Q. What score will you take tomorrow with the weather expected? BRANDEN GRACE: Well, I've played Carnoustie on Tuesday and I quite enjoyed it. I thought the greens were really nice and things like that. But similar conditions to today, it's tough to say. You know the score is there and there's a couple of 5‑unders yesterday. So you know, if I get to 3‑under or so, I'll be happy around there. Obviously anything under par or level is not a bad score around that track. Q. The way your career is going, would the Presidents Cup be a possible target? BRANDEN GRACE: It is a target at the moment. You know, just trying to get to the Top‑50, and it was actually a target since the just before San Francisco at the U.S. Open, I had a week off with Louis like I mentioned and we had dinner at Nick Price's house one night and it was really the first time he said, you are in the running at the moment and the way things stand you're on the team. I really just started thinking about it and that's a new goal. Q. Can you still win the Race to Dubai? BRANDEN GRACE: At the moment my goal is just to get back into the Top‑10. That's one thing I just want to take weekly. If I win an event like this, I'll be right up there again. It's a nice feeling to have. I just want to get into the Top‑10 and then anything can happen at the end of the season. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Thanks for joining us. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|