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TURKISH AIRLINES OPEN

November 6, 2016

Thorbjorn Olesen

Antalya, Turkey

THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: I knew on this golf course you could go out and shoot a really low score if you get it going and the greens are pure, so if you start making putts, you can really shoot a low one. Some of the guys did that on the front nine, and yeah, it got really close, put a lot of pressure on me.

It was difficult, but I felt like yesterday, I was very good to be patient. Mentally I was stronger in the middle of the round. Bad 3-putt there on 9 which was a bad timing, as well. At the end of that back nine or middle of the back nine, I made those few birdies, that was very important, especially that one on 12 was definitely a changing moment.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: You must be very proud of yourself, the way you handled it today.

THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, last four holes were tough, and I was not feeling my best and it was really difficult. But I managed to get it over line, and a little bit of luck on 17, and then took the shot on and hit a great shot from in the trees there.

But yeah, it was very difficult those last four holes. Before that, I felt like I played some really, really great golf this week and was very pleased with the way I did it. I was striking the ball a lot better, so that was good.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: And a quick word on what the overall victory means to you and Race to Dubai.

THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, it means a lot. Been a bad spell for me the last three or four months. Played well at the start of the season and felt like I had a good chance to actually make The Ryder Cup Team also, and in the summer there, just got into a bad spell and played bad in the big events.

Coming back here and then winning such a big tournament is huge, especially because I haven't been in contention for yeah, like four months. And then get over the line and winning this one.

Q. I asked yesterday if you were the type of player to watch leaderboards and you said you were. So what were you thinking when you kept seeing David getting closer and your lead getting smaller?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, I always watch leaderboards, and I saw it got down to two shots. I was trying to think about my own score, and before the day, I said to myself, if I can get to 22-under, it will be difficult for anyone to catch me and that was my goal. Today. Obviously the last few holes, I knew I was not getting to 22-under, but I knew 20 or 19 would probably do it.

Yeah, it got very interesting, like all my victories, I think I've had a two- or three-shot lead in those victories, and it's gotten really close in all three of them, as well, and I've gotten over line.

So that's what I kept saying to myself. I'll try to move forward and I know I can do it, and luckily enough I did.

Q. You're a Man-United fan, and the manager talked last week, to come over that, get over that, when it was getting a bit nervy up there, what will it do for your career going forward?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: It will do a lot. I would like to have played better the last four holes to be honest. It would have been a nice way to finish, to play great the last four holes, as well. But at the end of the day, it's just about winning and I did that.

Q. At the Dunhill Links, you missed a series of cuts there and then won, and same this year, missed a series of cuts and won here again. Can you explain that?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: No. I felt like start of this season, I changed a lot of things in my swing. Actually before Dunhill last year, the changes started. And then I felt like start of this season, I got more comfortable with all my changes. I felt like I was going into a strong season, and I did that; I played really well I think for a long spell. I had a lot of Top-10s and was in contention a lot of times.

Then I just had that -- yeah, I don't know what it is, and that's what I have to figure out. Something just changed, and maybe sometimes I need to take a little bit more time off and not play so many tournaments and go home and fix it instead of keep playing. Because a couple of weeks at home, three weeks at home, I really worked hard on my game and felt like I'm prepared when I come out here. Maybe that's one of the things I need to change in the summertimes next season.

Q. Your Ryder Cup trip, how did it come about and what motivation did that give you?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, Thomas gave me a phone call two or three weeks before The Ryder Cup and he talked to Darren about it and asked me to go. Yeah, it was difficult to be there when you know you've been really close to actually making the team, but I tried to learn as much as possible and take it as an experience.

And yeah, it gave me a lot of motivation, definitely, to make it in two years' time, but also it gave me motivation to just go home and work harder and try to win more tournaments and try to play better golf, because it's so special, Ryder Cup. It's a totally different event and the atmosphere there is so unique. As a golfer, that's where you want to be, and it's so different from TV.

It was great for me to actually be there and see it and stand on the first tee and get that experience, and I think if I'm there in two years' time, I'll be more prepared.

Q. The talk is Thomas obviously is odds-on favourite to be the next captain. That would be very special for your country.
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, I definitely hope he makes it. He deserves it. He's been so big in the game of golf and especially in Denmark, he's been huge. And Ryder Cup, he's played a lot and been vice captain. He should get it and I think he'll be very prepared to do a great job, and for me personally, it would be awesome to play under Thomas.

Q. I think it's safe to say that the two shots you hit on 17 have been pretty important. The one today, after the one on Friday, did that give you confidence to take it on again?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yes, two key shots, definitely. I would say the shot today, it suited me better. I needed to hit a high draw and that's what I've been doing all week. It was probably a little bit easier the shot today than the other day. But definitely two massive shots.

Q. The changes that you talked about, how extensive were they, and how difficult is it to implement them; is it the reason why you felt like you had a bad middle of the summer?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, it's quite really big changes I would say. I've had the same coach for 14 years, 15 years I think and I changed that last year in the middle of the season, a few weeks before Dunhill. And yeah, it's a different way of thinking of the golf swing I think from what I've had before, because I've been with the same guy for so long.

And yeah, it takes time to get used to but I felt like the start of the season that I've changed a lot and I felt like I was comfortable with the changes and felt like I was playing well. And then I got into that bad spell, and yeah, it's difficult to say why.

Q. Do you feel sometimes maybe you're a little bit too hard on yourself? We were speaking to Padraig Harrington earlier in the week, and he said that the Ryder Cup -- the best players in the world don't always hit the ball perfectly all the time; that if you have a game that's good enough to compete on any stage in the world -- do you think he's right in what he says?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, I feel like my game is good enough to compete in all the biggest tournaments and the majors and everywhere. I've showed that before, also, I think. It's obviously the goal to win a major at some point in my career.

Yeah, sometimes you get too hard on yourself but I think that's also what makes us really good at this game, because you need to be sort of a perfectionist to play this game. Your bad shots need to be decent to win tournaments, so that's probably where the biggest thing is.

Q. I wanted to ask you a question about the DP World Tour Championship. You've had a good relationship in the UAE and you've always played well over there. How are you looking forward, considering this win, two weeks now to the DP World Tour Championship, and what do you think of the golf course? Does it suit you?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, like you say, I always love coming to the UAE. I've spent a lot of time there after tournaments, also practice weeks, played a lot of different golf courses and been there a lot. I always enjoy coming there. It's great golf courses. I know the course very well, Jumeirah, I've played it a lot of times.

I feel like every time I come there, I feel like I'm really prepared and I feel like I'm comfortable on the course. I haven't had that top-top finish in a tournament yet, but I feel like it sort of suits my game and I feel comfortable there. So I hope this season is the season where I can be up in contention and play for the victory.

Q. I think you were sixth in the Masters on your debut. How keen are you to get back to those kind of events and contesting and competing in the majors?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Yeah, definitely. I want to be there every year at the Masters. I loved the first time and the second time I played there. It's just so special. All the majors are. I love The Open, as well.

And yeah, that's where I need to be. I need to play in all the majors every year to have that chance to win it. So that's definitely a goal.

Q. Who is your new coach?
THORBJÃ˜RN OLESEN: Hugh Marr.

MICHAEL GIBBONS: Many congratulations. Well done.

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