ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

January 22, 2023

Victor Perez

Yas Links

Quick Quotes

Q. Many, many congratulations, your third win on the DP World Tour, your first in a Rolex Series Event in a incredibly dramatic afternoon. Tell us how it feels to come out on top?

VICTOR PEREZ: I don't know, I think we just finished like ten minutes ago. I played unbelievable. It was so packed for the longest time. Like I got off to a good start, and I was just focusing on me and try to do the best I can because I knew you can't control what everybody else is doing, and I was just trying to plot along.

But Sed played fantastic and was right there and never gave me an opening. I'm delighted to finish object top. It was a crazy finish, but I feel like I'm used to that now. Hopefully I can make it a little easier for the next one.

Q. Let's talk about the crazy finish, there are always turning points in final rounds; the bunker shot on 17, describe that for us.

VICTOR PEREZ: Yeah, it wasn't actually as difficult as a bunker shot because it was downhill to the hole, flat at the hole and into the wind. So I was basically trying to try it all the way to the hole, and if I hit it a little bit heavy was maybe going to release.

But the back of my mind, I'm just thinking Sed is going to make 2. It's 3 1/2 from where I am pretty much. Hopefully I make 3 and maybe I make 4 and, then we are tied with the last hole to go. It came up maybe a little skinny, I'm not going to lie, and spun back and the fortune of the ball going in which is probably the greatest shot I've ever hit.

Q. Give us an insight as you were coming down 18, found a poor lie in the bunker and suddenly the tournament is on the line.

VICTOR PEREZ: The wind is off the left and they moved us up on 18. I hit the tee shot, ends up in the bunker and it was just a horrible lie. I thought, you know, I was going to hit it square and maybe chunk it and leave it pretty much where Grant was and had to hit a really long third.

But we thought we could make some sort of contact, maybe hit it thin and go all the way over the ridge which would make the third a lot easier and then not have the water to deal with. And it went left, and a giant fortune the ball doesn't bounce in the hazard. Because I would have to drop in the rough, you're playing 4, you catch a flyer and now the whole thing is back on the table.

So a bit of fortune, a great 7-iron in, and then there's nothing that an -- an eight-inch putt to finish.

Q. Top of The Race to Dubai, projected 60 in the World Rankings and second in the Ryder Cup standings where you missed out so narrowly last time; how excited for the potential ahead?

VICTOR PEREZ: It's a great year ahead. There's a lot of big things coming up. I've had a really good off-season. I've worked really hard -- sorry.

Q. Emotional time. You worked really hard for this win. It was a stressful one.

VICTOR PEREZ: Tell me about it. It's just great.