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CIMB CLASSICOctober 23, 2013Kiradech AphibarnratKUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us. Tomorrow will be a big day for you playing with Phil Mickelson and Nick Watney. What are your thoughts heading into the next four days? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I had a chance to play with Phil last year in Singapore. He was a top player and one of my favorite players, and also Nick Watney is one of the World Golf Championship and defending champion, as well. Look forward to playing with these two top players. THE MODERATOR: Must be nice playing with Phil the first few days. KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: Yeah, he was a really nice guy. We have had a chance to meet a couple of times in U.S. PGA Championships. He's come and said good luck to me and see you on Thursday. I feel really proud of myself, and I look forward to playing with him for two rounds. THE MODERATOR: You had a week off last week. What did you do? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I got my knee injury, my left knee, but now it's recovering. I have just not hit too many balls last week but just worked on short game and tried to keep my game on form. Q. Last time you were here you mentioned your thyroid problem. Is that cured now? Have you had surgery, or what's the status of that now? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I still have medicine, but right now I can say about 98‑‑ 85, 90 percent better. It takes, I think, about one and a half year already. It's going to be well really soon. Q. Six months ago when you were here, you won the Malaysian Open. How much confidence does that give you to come back to a golf course where you had a big win? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I still have a lot of confidence. Like I say, every time I've been in Malaysia I feel like I'm home because the fans, the weather, the golf course. The fans, they all support, and I really get used to the weather, and I love this golf course. I've played here a couple years, but the golf course this year is quite tough. The greens are a little bit firm and fast. But anyway, I still love to play this golf course. Q. How many times have you played around the course over the last few years? Must be 30 rounds? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I've played, I think, four years in a row, four or five years in a row. Yesterday was the toughest it's ever played. It was firm and fast, so it made the greens more tougher. It's a championship course right now. They have some big events coming up, so they make the greens tough. Q. Who is your main threat on the Order of Merit in the next three months? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I can say this: It's a challenge between me and Scott Hend, who won last week. But this week is the most important week of the year. Even Prayad Marksaeng, he just make seven or eight, if he won I can't guarantee he win the Order of Merit. So I forecast I try to do well this week and look forward to winning the Order of Merit. Q. You've got a top field here this week with the PGA TOUR, having a lot of players here. How do you think the Asian Tour players will stand up against the PGA TOUR players? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I think we've played Malaysian Open here many times. We know the course very well. But the weather, we get used to it, but the top players, the star players, I mean, the level was a little bit higher. The level was a little bit different. But I think our Asian players are important in that regard. It should be a good fight on the weekend. Q. Is there pressure playing in Thailand more than playing here in Malaysia when you're playing in front of a home crowd? And how do you find playing in Malaysia compared to other parts of Asia as opposed to in Europe? KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT: I don't know, I didn't feel any pressure, I just feel like‑‑ like I say, I feel like home. I've played like 20, 30 times in Malaysia as a kid, and many good friends in Malaysia, and every time I've been here I play very well. Maybe it's due to weather, and like I say, the golf fans support very well. That's why we play quite good golf in this country. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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