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ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPJanuary 15, 2014Jamie DonaldsonABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES STEVE TODD: Become to Abu Dhabi, just start by taking us back 12 months ago and your thoughts on the defence this week. JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, 12 months ago, I didn't play‑‑ I played fantastic coming in and then got off to a good start. Picked up the win on what is a very, very stern test of golf. So, yeah, ecstatic obviously with the win, and here we are 12 months later back here. It just seems to go so quick. You know, the course is playing similar to last year with the added difficulty of the rough's a bit thicker, so I'm thoroughly looking forward to it. Got a great draw tomorrow, and yeah, looking forward to teeing off in the morning. STEVE TODD: You had a run of good finishes at the end of last year and three pretty good rounds last week, as well, so game is in good shape coming into this week. JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, game is in good shape. Been playing well the last sort of, like I say, five, six tournaments. Yeah, looking forward to it. Q. Given the way things went after winning here, do you think there will be inspiration to get you across the line? JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, my best season I had was last year. After the tournament, I went to America, bits and bobs, playing over there, and the back end of the season, the back third was really strong, so you know, it has helped, definitely, with my form throughout the whole of last year from picking up the win early in the season.  It's definitely helped. And I'm in good form, so coming into the tournament again after the late run at the end of the season. So you know, it is harder this year, the golf course. It's not saying‑‑ I'm not saying that as a negative. I'm thoroughly looking forward to it. It's just there's more importance to hit fairways this year than last. It's an absolute monster. I played pretty nicely today, so, yeah, I'm thoroughly looking forward to depending my title. Q. How do you compare this time to 12 months ago? JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, my golf's come on a lot in the last season. I've played all four Majors last year, which is the first time I've done it, that sort of thing. My golf's been sort of getting really good later on in my career. I need to play more majors and more world events to get better again, but it's all progressed every year from the last sort of five or six years. So every year's got better, so I just need to keep progressing in that way to bigger and better things. Q. Just talk me through the experience 12 months ago, because you were in the clubhouse and Thorbjørn and Justin both had birdie opportunities to take you to a playoff. So what are your memories from 12 months ago? JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, I played really well the back nine. I played really well the last round in general. The back nine, in particular, played very well. You know, obviously my pitch shot came up short on the last which gave them an opportunity. They both missed the putts, which was enough to enable me to win, which was just very exciting time to win on this golf course. To do it again this year is a possibility. Obviously I'm here and I'm playing well. I've just got to play as well as I did last year, and anything's possible.  I went out today, the first time this week on the course, and I can just remember all the great memories from last year, so it's very exciting. Q. It was, as you said, a long time coming. You're now 25 in the world. Could you see that actually happening, or had you become pretty much resigned to the fact that you would have a profitable career but without hitting the heights that you have? JAMIE DONALDSON: I always knew I was capable. I just had sort of four or five years in the middle of my career that set things back and just took time to find my feet again after a pretty strong amateur career. So then obviously the progression from 2008 to now, every year was getting better, so I just had to keep getting better at the things I was doing well, and that's enabled me to win tournaments and compete in Majors occasionally. I finished seventh in the PGA a couple of years ago. Everything has been getting better every year, so I just need to progressing in the same way as I have done. Q. Perfect lead‑in to my question. Only good golfers win this tournament. What did it do for your confidence, and was that the break out win that you were sort of looking for and did it give you a sense of, okay, I can mix it with the big boys, and does it now give you the confident to think that you can take on Tiger and Augusta and the like? JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, it was great. It was massive for confidence. Afterwards, you know, I'm in the clubhouse and my caddie is absolutely tripping over the fact that I won on this golf course. I said to him, "If I can win here, win anywhere." That's what it felt like. You've got to be so careful. Great that I won, but you've got to just bring yourself back down to the ground, because I didn't play well the next couple of months after that, after winning on this golf course. But certainly thought, yeah, I could win anywhere and just played crap for two months sort of thing. (Laughter). It was great that it happened and I was ecstatic when it did happen. Still couldn't believe it, sort of that evening, until it sort of started to sink in the following day. But it's a case of, it's on the C.V., it's part of the learning curve, and you know, it definitely helped with last season. But you've just got to come back down to the ground and start again the following week where you left off the week before, and not think, oh, I can win anywhere now and then suddenly stop thinking of the processes that made you win in the first place, and then play like a dog for two months. But that's the way it goes, and it's like a big learning curve and I'm still learning all the time. Q. Just how do you feel about your group about being paired up with a couple of no‑hopers, a couple of duds who don't know how to play the game? How do you feel about it coming in as defending champion? I imagine there will be pressure and with who you're playing with, does it ratchet it up a bit more? JAMIE DONALDSON: No, it will be very exciting. I've played with Rory quite a lot. I haven't played with Phil before. Yeah, thoroughly looking forward to it. It's great to play with the absolute top players in the game because you normally learn from them, so I can only look forward to it. I enjoy playing with the top guys, because like I say, you learn from them and see what they do, see how they do things. But the end of the day, you're back down‑to‑earth and you just sort of are playing your game to the best of your ability. Q. Trying to get your thoughts on where you think you sit in The Ryder Cup picture, and is that a massive goal for you this year? JAMIE DONALDSON: Yeah, it's a massive goal. It always has been. But you know, we are in January. Doesn't get picked until the end of August. You know, it would be incredible to play in the team. But I have to play very well from now until the selection. So all I can do is get my head down and not focus on it; just focus on every week as it comes, as well as I can and try and get closer to hitting goals irrespective of getting in the team. I've just got to take every week as it counts, work hard and then work my way in. STEVE TODD: Thanks a lot, Jamie. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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