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UBS HONG KONG OPENNovember 15, 2012Joel SjoholmFANLING, HONG KONG JOEL SJÖHOLM: I was actually 5‑under at one stage, and it's weird to be back playing golf again. I've been home for a month, and this is where I want to be, so I've been a little bit too excited today. So when I got to 5‑under, I started thinking, let's make a few more birdies and then we can just relax until The Race to Dubai. It was dumb. But then again, it's so much fun to be able to play. Minus three, I gave myself‑‑ it's so‑so; to make those three bogeys in a row coming down the stretch was not the best behavior or golf that I've played in a while. Q. From both sides, you've now seen what is possible out here. But yours is a good score in the conditions, because it's pretty breezy and swirly. JOEL SJÖHOLM: I was playing good until it started getting breezy. When it started picking up, I played one good hole really, and the rest was quite solid. As I said, it's good at minus three but I think we have one guy to beat this week and I think it's going to be that guy that we just heard in the background (as Rory McIlroy tees off). Q. Do you get a sense of what's possible? JOEL SJÖHOLM: I honestly don't think that we would have a chance if he is playing his normal golf at the moment. I heard that he shot 61 in the Pro‑Am and lipped‑out a few times, as well. I just hope that we can put in a good tournament against him all of us guys and hopefully someone will have a chance to beat him. Q. You mentioned five weeks off. That's a long time to have off, isn't it, at this time of year when you're chasing The Race to Dubai, as well. JOEL SJÖHOLM: That's the negative side of being 107 as I was last year. I honestly was stupid enough to think that I would get in some of the tournaments. So my expectations was a little bit too high I guess and I got a big smack at my face and just sat at home. It just felt horrendous. It was great to be home and see my family but it was also annoying to play really good at Alfred Dunhill Links, get sick in Portugal; I had to withdraw, be in bed for 2 1/2 weeks with some kind of an infection in my chest. I had to be in bed for nine days straight and could not really move. Q. Did they diagnose that and treat it properly? JOEL SJÖHOLM: Yeah, now I'm back and I'm fit, as you can see. But it's just a little bit boring because when you're sitting at home‑‑ I really never watch golf. But when I'm home, I start watching golf because I so badly want to have a chance to get into The Race to Dubai. That's one of the things that I put as a goal for this year and I just hope that I have a really good chance this week and just put a good number before the big man that tees off has a chance to take me down. That's what I'm going to have to do every day, just try to be a few under par every day and just give myself a chance for next week. Q. You were sitting there watching TV thinking, he could jump above me‑‑ JOEL SJÖHOLM: Not really sitting like that mathematical. It was more my friends just texting me: Yeah, you dropped five spots today; okay, great. You dropped four spots; okay, great. You dropped one spot today; okay, great. So I'm trying to stay away from it and trying not to be involved with anything because there's so many great guys out there and I honestly wish them all well. But of course I want to be in The Race to Dubai and sometimes we have to be a little bit egoistic and just think it would be nice for you to be the one taking spots instead of dropping some. So, of course, it is annoying to sit at home and see that happening, but then again, I know what it's all about, and if you get in the Top 60 this year, then that means I will probably be in more tournaments for next year, and someone else will be in my spot. You can turn it upside‑down how much you want and stand a bit negative about it, but I'm just so grateful to be back and playing and I honestly didn't think I would get into this tournament for a while then. And then I got in and saw there was 30 guys behind me, so it went very quickly for me not getting in to almost everybody getting in straight through the rankings. I almost think it's because a lot of guys like me were on the bubble and thinking, well, if I do my arrangement for South Africa, it will be a weaker field and have a slightly bigger chance to play better against those guys down there. But when you look at it now, it's almost as strong. Doesn't matter where you are, you still have to perform these two weeks; well, this week, two different tournaments. It's fun to be back, though. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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