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JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

February 20, 2009

Anthony Kang

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

GORDON SIMPSON: Anthony, leader in the clubhouse at the moment, 10-under, two rounds of 67. One victory in one weekend is special, what would back-to-back wins mean to you?
ANTHONY KANG: You know, I'd be lying to you that if I didn't think about winning two in a row, but like I said, we've got a pretty stellar field over here and world-class players over here, and for me to do that, I think if you look at it statistically, against the odds, it would be pretty I am probable.
However, this is a sports competition, and that's the reason why we play.
But I'm not really looking forward to that. I just want to putt in a good round tomorrow and just continue what I've been doing. Like I said, I don't want to analyse. It I just want to enjoy what I'm doing and just continue on doing it.
GORDON SIMPSON: You said you were just a little bit fearful that you might fall flat on your face this week. Clearly you've done something right again.
ANTHONY KANG: You know, the formula for shooting a good score in golf basically is driving it in the fairway and putting it on the greens and holing a lot of putts. I've been doing that the last two rounds in Malaysia and the first rounds over here. If that continues onwards, it just a matter of whether the putts drop in or not. But I'm just basically having the time of my life right now.

Q. You make it sound easy.
ANTHONY KANG: When it happens like that, it's quite easy. But we professionals, we know that doesn't last forever.
It comes and goes in streaks, so when it does come, you've got to basically go ahead and take advantage of it.

Q. Have you done something in the last three rounds, or has it just happened?
ANTHONY KANG: Well, I think after the first round in Malaysia, I think I finished four bogeys in a row the last five holes, or whatever it was, 13, 14, 15 -- anyway, 14, 15, 16, 17, and went back to the hotel room and cried like a little girl, so maybe that helped out. (Laughter) Sorry to the lady in the front.
Actually I was quite disappointed with the first round and just kept telling myself and just stay in it, you never know what's going to happen in the future. It's been a nice past five rounds so far.

Q. You've obviously been playing for a considerable time. Would your form over the past two weeks be close to the best form of your career?
ANTHONY KANG: I would say. So I think I said last week, the last three rounds in the Malaysian Open was probably the best golf in my life so far. Hopefully there will be better golf in the future. Yes, definitely, I'm not making too many mistakes. I'm holing a lot of putts, so it feels great to be on the golf course right now.

Q. At this stage of your career, are you content to remain on the Asian Tour, where you've been for quite a number of years, or is it feasible that you might try Europe or the U.S.?
ANTHONY KANG: Prior to this year, I haven't done qualifying school for anywhere, in Japan, U.S. or Europe since 2001 and I made a plan that at the end of this year, I'm going to do all three of it, in Japan, Europe and the U.S. of the last week just kind of took care of that, so I'm going to definitely look to the challenges in Europe.
GORDON SIMPSON: Have you committed to a European Tour Membership?
ANTHONY KANG: I have.
GORDON SIMPSON: Have you seen the schedule?
ANTHONY KANG: I have. I think I have pretty much gotten to the point where I've memorised that handbook. (Laughter) Yes, I've taken a look at it.

Q. I understand you didn't arrive here until Wednesday morning, and that's quite an adjustment from playing Saujana last week and the conditions.
ANTHONY KANG: Yeah, the very first part, the speed of the greens, I think last week we were coming from putting, I don't know what it was on the Stimp, but it was very slow and then coming this week to very fast greens.
We all know that coming beforehand, that in Australia, you are going to have fast greens and just have to make sure that I got used to hitting downhill putts as softly as I can, and I've been doing pretty well on the golf course so far.

Q. Give us an idea what happened after you won on Sunday to actually arriving here on Wednesday; what did you do?
ANTHONY KANG: I was supposed to come in on Monday morning, but I just kind of decided to take some holiday, I guess, if you will, and just kind of savor it, if you will, and come in on Tuesday.
GORDON SIMPSON: Just to reflect on what you had achieved?
ANTHONY KANG: Sort of like that, I guess. More so, I think just -- well, I don't know. I don't know. I really don't know.

Q. What's the reaction been like back home?
ANTHONY KANG: It's been great. Let's see, my father was angry at me because he was getting phone calls at 3 o'clock in the morning, because my relatives in Korea, they got done with the telecast right about that time and the phone calls were ringing for them. My father-in-law, he decided he had to get away from his local club for a while, and same with my wife; she said that she's got people that she's hardly ever spoken to coming up and talking to her. But you know ...
GORDON SIMPSON: It comes with the territory.
ANTHONY KANG: It does. But when it's all over, you have this new tournament, and that's pretty much it. It's yesterday's news. Everybody is kind of looking forward to moving onwards and getting back to a regular routine.

Q. Can I just clarify, when did you join the Tour?
ANTHONY KANG: I submitted the form on Wednesday.

Q. And last week, you had a pretty weird dream on Saturday night coming into the final round.
ANTHONY KANG: Yeah, like I said, I dreamt that I won the tournament. However, when I won, I had to kiss a guy (laughter) on the cheek, that is. But the thing is, like I said, I have those dreams quite often. (Laughter) Not the kissing part, but winning tournaments.
But the thing is, the wins haven't happened, so I was tired of having those dreams. So I think the slogan is like, dreams do come true once in awhile.
GORDON SIMPSON: And you haven't had to kiss anybody yet, I take it.
ANTHONY KANG: No, and I don't want to, either. (Laughter).

Q. How frequently does your wife travel with you? Obviously in Asia it's tough without your family.
ANTHONY KANG: Ever since we had our kids, she has not travelled. But she has been out here. Her father used to live in Singapore for eight years, so she's familiar with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, all those areas. But ever since we had kids, we decided not to travel.
Because you know, you're at an age where you have some bad spots that you can go to, like India and stuff. It's not a bad -- I'm not saying anything bad about India, but living conditions are pretty poor over there.
But Europe, I think I may look into possibly traveling more as the kids get older and can tolerate longer flights.

Q. And travelling with your family, having the support around you?
ANTHONY KANG: For the Asian Tour, the prize money isn't that big and the travel expenses would be quite high for everybody to travel together.
My wife has been at home watching the kids. That's what she wants to do. I'm doing what I want to do, so we are both quite happy with that decision. She's very supportive and she just tells me she wants to be a full-time mom, so keep making birdies.

Q. How old are they?
ANTHONY KANG: Eight and six.

Q. What was their reaction when you won?
ANTHONY KANG: I think from what I understand, my daughter, at the end of the tournament, she looked at the tell he affidavit and said, "Wow, look at the size of that trophy. I want that trophy." And that was her main concern.
I think our son at the time, he was disinterested. He was busy playing computer games. So the only ones that were really excited were basically the girls.

Q. Have you been mistaken for Anthony Kim this week?
ANTHONY KANG: No, not yet. No, not at all. You know, actually, I wouldn't mind it if that was the case. I wouldn't mind if that was the case, because he's obviously a very good player, but the only thing I've got on him is I came on Tour before he did.
GORDON SIMPSON: Well, two more 67s, you might be here Sunday night again. Thanks very much.

End of FastScripts

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