|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
JOHNNIE WALKER CHAMPIONSHIP AT GLENEAGLESAugust 25, 2013Tommy FleetwoodGLENEAGLES, SCOTLAND MICHAEL GIBBONS: Many congratulations, Johnnie Walker champion, a bit late but we'll forgive you that. Start with talking about the playoff. TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, I got a bit lucky, the three guys, we all‑‑ stood on the tee thinking, I've got to hit a good one. I played the hole perfect‑‑ I didn't do anything wrong. That putt I had was lightning, as well. I couldn't believe it went that far past. The other two guys, a bit unlucky with their putts really, and before you know it, you've got a 4‑footer for the win, which God knows how I even made contact with it. I played it perfect. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Anything going through your mind when it was rolling in? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I putted really good all day. I haven't missed anything from short range, which‑‑ well, that gave me a bit of confidence, but still not enough. I mean, once I knew it was in ‑‑ but taking the putter back and hitting it was the problem; you have got to do it.  Once I knew what was happening, that was a big relief. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Try to sum up what it means, a massive day for you. TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Unbelievable. I've been out here a while and I haven't even had a Top‑5 the last two years. And then all of a sudden you come out with a win. You know, I don't know how it happened but it just seems to come a bit easier this week. I mean, I was nervous as hell on the first green today, and after that, I felt pretty calm and I felt fine within myself. It was so tight, you couldn't really do much; a bit claustrophobic on the leaderboard. Dropped one shot, moved down ten place, and birdie and move up ten places. To win is just absolutely amazing. You look at all the winners on TOUR, and I'll admit, I'm so jealous when somebody wins, but finally it's my turn. Q. You obviously knew what was going on in front of you, so put the pressure on you, eagles, etc. So on last, you knew what you had to do, the 72nd hole. TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I bogeyed 15 and that took me out of the least. The lead at the time was 16 and I think it had just gone to 17. But my bogey felt good because I duffed my way down the hole and I made a really good up‑and‑down, which you know, if I had a makeable bogey, I can't win, simple as that. I said on the 16th tee, I said let's just finish like I did on Friday where I finished birdie, birdie, birdie. 16, I made an eagle, which felt great and I thought, well, back in the lead, and then standing on the 17th green, a clap goes up, and I'm looking around to see what was going on. And Gallacher, I think he eagled the last, and all of a sudden I'm one behind again. Knowing what I had to do was better because I didn't really like that tee shot at all this week. I hit two cards into the trees standing up there knowing‑‑ it was in my head all day‑‑ if I can, but I didn't have the option so I had to stand up and hit driver. Obviously I hit two great shots, that 5‑iron was absolutely superb. It's hard enough to hit that green. So, yeah, knowing what I had to do was handy, really. It helped me. Q. You must have dreamt of winning; have you promised yourself anything? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: No, I'm probably the most unmaterialistic person in the world. Winning is enough for me. Winning is all I've ever wanted to do. I'm not really‑‑ the money that goes with it is obviously fantastic, but it doesn't really mean that much to me. It's all about winning, and that's what it was today. I just wanted to win, and once I win, what comes with it is absolutely fantastic what's going to follow. Winning is what we play for really. Everybody starts off with the same chance, and you see people winning, how happy they are, and I just had to wait a little longer than I wanted to before I win, but the feeling of winning is just what I want really. Q. Ryder Cup question, points race doesn't start till next week but Paul McGinley has already said 'horses for courses' and all that; what does this do for you in terms of confidence and are you already thinking about it? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I wish the points did start a week earlier, but like I said earlier, there's a lot of players that are a long way ahead of me in the runnings for a Ryder Cup spot. All I can do is keep trying to improve every week and keep playing as good as I can. I finished the season off well last year, and I like the couple of courses that are coming next. But The Ryder Cup is a long way off. It's obviously a lifetime goal and something way than the do, but whether that's next year or in three years' time or five years' time, it doesn't really matter as long as I can play and achieve a goal. Next year would be lovely, that's for sure. Q. You mentioned you're staying behind the 12th and your mom and dad are here as well; how important is it they are here to share this with you? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, they come away a lot. They came to everything that I played amateur, so my dad hates missing any events and it's always a sore point when I say I'm going on my own. It's great that they could watch me win my first one, definitely. I love spending time with them when they come here. It always feels a bit like home and we have the dog obviously. It's really good, very special for them. She comes to every one in Scotland because the dogs can do what they want in Scotland, can't they. Since she's been little, she's came to any amateur event I've played in Scotland; at County, she was always the one supporting, she came there. She's been an absolutely fantastic dog, really. She's absolutely brilliant. And she loves golf I think. I think she likes watching. It's nice that she was there and I won with her there and I won the Scottish Amateur ‑‑ and we always have a picture, and now with my first European Tour win, it's amazing. Q. Does she walk 18 with you? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: She's getting old, she can't walk 18‑‑ she's there (laughter). MICHAEL GIBBONS: She's in the room. TOMMY FLEETWOOD: Yeah, she walks from about the 11th onwards, so she brought me a bit of luck. Q. What kind of dog? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: She's a cross border collie. Q. What's your next tournaments coming up? TOMMY FLEETWOOD: I'm down to play Wales, Switzerland and then Holland. Those are‑‑ it's going to be quite a few in a row for me, but anything was better than what I normally played last year, but I played all right at those courses. Yeah, I'm looking forward to playing them. I was looking forward to this four‑week stretch before I came this week and now that I'm showing a bit of form, I'm more excited about it now. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Tommy, many congratulations, well done. 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
|