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FARMERS INSURANCE OPENJanuary 22, 2013Nicolas ColsaertsLA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA MARK STEVENS: Nicolas, you're about to make your first start on the PGA TOUR as a full member. If you want to kind of talk about your thoughts coming into this week and this season, and then we'll take some questions. NICOLAS COLSAERTS: It's pretty exciting times. You know, I've been looking at playing on the PGA for a couple of years, and it hasn't really turned out the way I wanted, but it's pretty cool to have the possibility to do that in the right timing. I've been playing pretty good the last couple of years. Spending a lot more time over here. It's a big change for us Europeans, but at my stage of my life, we found out that it was the perfect timing to do so. Q. Can you talk a little bit about your expectations and what would make this year a success? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: I've never really set myself specific goals. I mean, we know that first time around when you look at the schedule and stuff like that, there's always going to be not bad decisions, but we're‑‑ we don't know every place. We don't know every tournament. We don't know every course. So having that in mind the first go, it's a pretty good start to know that you're going to make some mistakes. But goal‑wise, like I said, you discover new courses every week, so I just like to‑‑ I'm just very curious to see how I'm going to fit in, and how my game is going to evolve with the conditions of play over here, playing with probably the best players in the world week‑in and week‑out and on probably the best prepared courses there is ever. So this is going to be pretty easy to raise up your game, considering you're playing in these fantastic conditions every week against good guys. Q. So I guess the key to playing well on this course is to channel your inner Tiger Woods. I think he's won six times here. I was wondering how you would compare your game to the way Tiger has played it in his prime and now: Are you longer, just completely different, no comparison? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: Well, yeah, the first time I realized that he's won six times here is when I stepped on the putting green the other day. I didn't really know. I didn't really follow that much. I've not really seen the way he played this course in particular. But it's always a difficult one when you compare anyone to Tiger. It's a difficult one. But I'd like to think that this place suits my game pretty good. You know, it's a pretty long course, especially the South course. I guess the North probably needs a little bit more knowledge. Playing a few times the North would give you a pretty good chance to post a good number on it, especially knowing that you're only going to play it once this week. I think it's in fantastic shape. You come from Europe, you putt on these greens and lush fairways, and it's pretty cool to be honest. Q. You played in the '08 U.S. Open? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: No, I didn't. I played one round. I was here two years ago to visit the Callaway Test Center, and I just played a round like that on the South. So this was a pretty easy decision for me to start this year here because I knew the place, and I've been around this area quite a bit. So it made sense to us to start the season this week. Q. We're streaming live on PGATOUR.com. And we've got the 13th hole and the 10th hole. The 13th is that par‑5 heading back and the number 10. Just wondered if you could just walk us through what your strategy is on both of those holes, maybe starting with the 13th hole. NICOLAS COLSAERTS: Well, 13th, I didn't play that loop yet. I'm playing in the Pro‑Am tomorrow. But I played 10. I played today. I cut across back to 15 or 16. But 10 is reachable only just. For us long hitters, I think most of us are going to hit driver, 3‑wood, unless you get a good bounce off the driver. I remember the other one is the one with the big dip in front of the green, slight dogleg right or something as well. Q. Yes, really steep. NICOLAS COLSAERTS: I'm sorry, I can't really answer your question on 13. But 10 is a pretty solid hole. When you're off the very back, it's two good whacks to get to the green in two. I don't remember 13 that much. But if you ask me that tomorrow, I could have probably come up with a better answer. Sorry (laughing). Q. When did you get over here to start preparing? Did you come over early or anything like that? What are the biggest changes you've seen? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: Yeah, I came over last week. I was in West Palm for a couple of days because that's probably where I'm going to spend a bit of time in my weeks off. There are a lot of guys that I know that live there, and they have incredible practice facilities at certain courses there. Just got a membership there on a course as well. What was the rest of your question, I'm sorry? Q. What is the biggest change you've seen over here? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: I think from what I've seen so far playing a few weeks last year is the conditions of the course. I mean, the greens are pretty much the same pace every week. All the courses that I've seen are in fantastic conditions. When you play week‑in, week‑out in Europe, we have the odd week where the courses are definitely not the same as over here. And you play in fantastic weather all year which is pretty good. The way in general players are treated is quite phenomenal. The service that we can have, the access to a lot of different things so easily, certain times it's almost too much. But you really feel like you‑‑ yeah, the service is just incredible, I think. Q. You talked about scheduling. What does your schedule look like? How many events do you think you'll play here? Are you going back and forth? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: No, not really. I'm here in the U.S. until end of April. Well, at least until The Masters. So, yeah that's the only big change for me is I'm going to spend a big chunk of time in a row here which is something I've never done before. Then, no, I'm not going to base myself here yet.  I have other things on my plate. I don't really want to waste time on looking for a place or anything like that. I've lived out of a suitcase for the last ten years of my life, and I'm quite happy doing so. It might take a bit more time to look around. I mean, this country is so big and it has so much to offer, it's difficult for somebody like me who hasn't really been everywhere to find out where I want to live or‑‑ West Palm is a pretty good hangout place just for the golf facilities and everything there. That's just going to work out good for me now. Q. I was just curious what the reaction has been to your Ryder Cup performance against Tiger Woods, and how Americans, if they recognize you for that? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: Yeah, they do. Yeah. Everywhere I go or every tournament I go to there is always somebody that says something pretty nice about it. I always get reminded of what happened on that first year at the Ryder Cup. For me, it was just an incredible day. To do it in a tournament you always wanted to play so much and to come out in that stage in that fashion was just incredible. Every time I think about it or I talk about it with friends of mine and everything, it's almost like I've got to pinch myself to realize what I've done. But, yeah, people have been really, really nice about just bringing nice comments all the time. They mention it. It's pretty cool. Q. Was it a large factor in your deciding to come here, your performance in the Ryder Cup? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: It wasn't really, no. When you play golf professionally, you just want to play with the best. You want to play on the biggest division. Just as much as when you play basketball, you want to play in the NBA. That's what you see on TV. It's what's exciting about the sport, just the first divisions everywhere you go or any sport that you're into. Golf, especially, because the courses are just‑‑ the courses we play are incredible throughout the year. I've not seen many of them, but every one I've seen last year so far, yeah, I feel like I'm 15 years old again, which is pretty cool. Q. In playing against the best, do you think you'll have any nervousness when you step out there Thursday, and, if so, how do you keep yourself calm? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: I've played with much of them. There are only a few guys that I've not played with. It will be quite easy to say with the way I handled the Ryder Cup that you think you can handle anything. But, no, I've played with most of them now. I feel pretty comfortable. It's just a matter of believing you're part of that group that can pull it off any certain day. Q. A lot of people mentioned there are five or ten players they look at each time that could possibly win the tournament. But you have to kind of put yourself in that group if you want to compete, don't you? NICOLAS COLSAERTS: Oh, yeah. I definitely think that every time I tee it up I've got a fair chance to win it. The consistency I showed last year, I know it's not on this side of the world, but, yeah, I feel like I've got a game that fits most places, and it will probably week‑in, week‑out, probably fit even more here than it did back home. So I feel pretty good about playing out here to be honest, yeah. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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