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July 16, 2013
GULLANE, SCOTLAND
MIKE WOODCOCK: Good morning, everyone. I'd just like to
get us started this morning and welcome Hideki Matsuyama, two-time
Asian Pacific Amateur champion, and a three-time winner this year
on the Japan Golf Tour. Thank you for joining us this morning.
I'd like to start by asking you, I guess you're a
relative newcomer to links golf and the whole experience here at
Muirfield this week in The Open Championship, it must be something
you're looking forward to very much.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: First of all, I'm really happy to be
here. This is my first Open Championship. I'm looking forward to
it very much, especially the pairings the first, second round
pairings I'm very excited about, and looking forward to playing.
Q. I'd like to ask who you've been talking to to get advice
on how to play on links golf courses, which players have you been
talking to. And in particular, did you talk at all to Ryo
Ishikawa, who does have experience playing links golf?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I haven't spoken with Ryo Ishikawa,
but I did just meet with Shigeki Maruyama, who finished 5th here
in 2002. And he gave me a lot of advice not only on links
courses, but here on Muirfield.
Shigeki told me that the wind is usually strong here at
Muirfield, and I need to hit the ball low. And we talked a lot
about how to hit the low shots, and he helped me a lot there.
Q. Just wanted to ask about your great finish at the U.S.
Open. What's that done to your confidence and belief that you can
actually challenge in Majors?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: You're right, the finish at the U.S.
Open did a lot for my confidence, knowing that I can play on the
world stage.
As far as golf, though, golf is golf, and I just continue
on.
Q. You're really big in Japan now. You've won a couple of
times. Do you have any thoughts on coming and playing either on
the European Tour or the PGA Tour in the future?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I'm very looking forward to playing on
the European Tour and the U.S. PGA Tour. As soon as I can get
status, that's where I'm going to be playing.
MIKE WOODCOCK: Your thoughts on Muirfield? I believe
you've had the opportunity to play two practice rounds so far.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I played three rounds here at
Muirfield. I've never played on a course with harder fairways or
harder greens. So it's been an adventure and a great learning
experience for me.
MIKE WOODCOCK: Are there particular shots you'd say
you've had to pick up and practice to come into this week?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: Yeah, I've had to learn really how to
hit the low shot. The fairways are so hard and the running
approaches is something I've been working on.
Q. Do you have any family and friends that have traveled
over with you for the week? What are your expectations of how you
want to perform this week?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I didn't come with my family this
week, just came with myself, coach, trainer, caddie.
As far as looking forward to results, again, this is my
first Open Championship, and I'm going to do my very best.
Whether or not my confidence is going to translate into results,
I'm not sure, but I do know that I'll do my very best.
Q. Ryo has had to shoulder the burden of carrying Japanese
golf the last few years, and now he's gone down in the rankings
and you're on the top, how do you handle that pressure?
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA: I've only been a pro for really just a
couple of months. And as far as being the shouldering or taking
over for Ishikawa, I haven't even thought of that. All I'm doing
is trying to play the best golf that I can, gain the experience
that I need, and just go out and play golf.
MIKE WOODCOCK: Hideki, thank you very much, and we'd
like to wish you the best this week.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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