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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY ROLEXJuly 25, 2013Bernhard LangerSOUTHPORT, ENGLAND Q. Tidy start to this tournament? BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, I was very pleased with the finish. Not totally happy with my first, seven, eight holes, because I had a number of chances to make birdies and just didn't putt well. One 3‑putt from off the green which wasn't great and then a couple of missed opportunities early on. But it was very tight. It played very well off the tee and into the greens. Gave myself opportunities, kept it out of these pot bunkers, and out of the long grass. I had opportunities; was very pleased with my long game, and finally the putter started working at the end. Q. Elaborate on the finish, lovely approach. BERNHARD LANGER: Sure was, because 18 was not a simple hole. The wind switched on 17 on the second shot. I wish it had switched five minutes earlier because the drive would have been downwind and I could have reached but birdied anyways. To finish with a birdie on 18 was a bonus. Q. The weather switched, and the heavy rain overnight‑‑ BERNHARD LANGER: It's very pleasant. We are out in shirts, it's very comfortable, ideal golfing weather, not too much wind but some breeze to pay attention to and very comfortable. Just hope the rain stays away. Q. And the very nature of links, you can play all the preparation you want. BERNHARD LANGER: Yeah, just like now, we had kind of southeast wind all morning, just the last 15 minutes or so, it went to southwest, so the course will play quite a bit different. Q. How do you think the round will stand up? BERNHARD LANGER: I have no idea. I saw somebody, I think Minoza, he was 4‑over and now he's 2‑under. That's tremendous golf; to be 6‑under in a stretch of whatever, 12, 14 holes. So it's possible that you are going to make some putts. The greens are really, really pure and to putt well, you can make some birdies. We'll see what the rest of the field does today. There's a saying, you can't win the tournament the first day, but you can lose it. I haven't lost it and I'm hanging in there and hopefully I'm not too far away from the top of the leaderboard. I was very pleased with my finish. Not quite as happy with the first 12, 13 holes because the putter was a bit balky. But played very well. Pleased with the way I struck the ball today and my tee shots were excellent and my second shots were very good for the most part. Couldn't hole any putts early on but the last few holes I made a few, a very good one on 13 for par and then three more coming home for the three birdies, which was very nice. Q. How strategic is the golf course in these with this breeze blowing? BERNHARD LANGER: It's extremely strategic, the whole layout. You have options, you can hit hybrid, 3‑wood, driver, all depends how aggressive you want to go but you have to be precise. If you take on these pot bunkers in a lot of cross‑wind, which that's what we've had the last few days, you'd better keep it in the short grass, because the rough is very punishing and the bunkers are just sideway shots. Q. You came very close to winning this championship last time, have a good feeling this time around? BERNHARD LANGER: Been playing nicely for the most part. Had a fantastic start to the year and lately it's been some good and some not so good, but I feel pretty good, and had a lesson from Coach Willi a week ago and put me right again and hopefully the good ball‑striking will continue, and then it's just a matter of making putts. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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