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DUBAI DUTY FREE IRISH OPEN


July 6, 2019


Rafa Cabrera Bello


County Clare, Republic of Ireland

Q. 63, and a lovely up-and-down at 18 to finish with birdie. How do you assess today?
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: Obviously great day. Great moving day, yeah. I felt I played really good, especially around the greens. I made myself -- I made some really, really nice up-and-downs, including the one on 18, and I think that's what really made the difference from a good round that it would have been to a really good one.

Q. You see the score as it is, obviously the golf course is pretty receptive but you have to go out there and do the job. How do you put that in your mind, that you know the opportunities are there but you've still got to go out and execute the shots.
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: Yeah, I think that we get used to every day, really, or particularly every Saturday, when you're chasing, you always want to go and have a good one, but you have to understand that it doesn't always happen and really, what I just tried to do today is just play one shot at a time and forget the score. I didn't know how many under I was until I signed my scorecard, so I'm very proud that I managed to do that. A lot of times you're looking more at the leaderboard and doing some silly math that means nothing, and get distracted.

But today, I just stayed calm. I stayed focused. Played one shot at a time. Still made some mistakes but my short game was very nice today.

Q. You've seen the leaderboard. What's in your head for tomorrow?
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: Just enjoy today and do my cool down practice, get my workout, get a good dinner, and then tomorrow, when we get here, just play one shot at a time again.

Q. You obviously won the Scottish a couple of years ago and you obviously this time of year, nice run up to The Open.
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: I love playing links golf. I really enjoy it; the fact that there's not one shot to hit and there's many different ways to play the hole and that it brings out your imagination as much as you can, especially around the greens, and hitting shots to the green. I really enjoy that challenge. I think that's why I've had a bit of success sometimes in links golf before.

Q. Fantastic 63 out there and played your way into the tournament. It was a bit tough in the beginning, but with the conditions softened you really took advantage. Seven birdies in the last 12 holes. What turned things around?
RAFA CABRERA-BELLO: I mean, I think this course, it has a pretty tough start and it's not easy to get birdies early on the scorecard. I do think the back nine is a bit more open and prone to opportunity. There's no par 5s on the front nine, so that makes it tougher. But today, even with the conditions, it wasn't miserable, but it was just a little wet, a little rain. To be fair, I don't mind it because we are in Ireland and I know how tricky it could get. But you know, it's tough for everyone. You just stick through. You just don't know what the rest of the day is going to be like, so stay patient, play your golf and try to do the best you can at every shot.

I really like links golf. I enjoy playing it, even with bad weather, also. I do embrace the challenge. The fact that golf was invented on links, that's special for me. Also, the fact that there's not just one way to play the course or every hole. You almost have like a new, different course every single day, and it brings out all your imagination around the greens. I really enjoy that, and maybe helps me focus more and perhaps that's why I play all right around here.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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