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BALLANTINE'S CHAMPIONSHIP

April 29, 2011

Brett Rumford

INCHEON, KOREA

CALVIN KOH: Well played today. You started the round 1-under and finished the round with a 63; what made the difference between yesterday and today?
BRETT RUMFORD: Thank you. I think no wind helped yesterday afternoon, with the blustery condition that arose, I think that just made scoring a little bit difficult, with the greens getting so firm, as well, really made it difficult to get the ball close to the hole. So you're having a lot of 20-foot putts.
It was essential to leave the ball on the right tier. The greens are firm very tiery out there, but within the sections of the tiers, the greens are firm very, very flat so you could have three or four sections but if you get it on the right level where the pin is at, there's not too much break on these greens so you can get quite aggressive with your roll.
But I guess the difference, as I said today from yesterday, I just the wind there. It was a lot calmer. Obviously a lot easier to control the ball coming into these very firm greens, and putted very, very nicely.
THE MODERATOR: Last year, you came up short, finishing second, four shots behind Marcus Fraser, you are definitely in a better position considering where you are right now; do you feel you're in position to go one better this week?
BRETT RUMFORD: I'm in a position now to be thinking that, that's for sure. Beginning of the week, make not so. I haven't come into this week with that great of form technically but this is a funny game. It's a fickle game and it changes from week-to-week.
So I guess the last two weeks, not playing so well, I've just been really grinding every round out. And I guess it's striking a little better this week and rolling my putter nicely as I've done the last two weeks.
I guess, just the hard work over the last couple of weeks to grind and get myself into the scoring mentality rather than anything else has helped for this week. I just need to stay in the same frame of mind and see where it takes me over the weekend.

Q. It seems that you seem to perform well in Korean competitions. Do you think there's a reason for that?
BRETT RUMFORD: Not really, no. I guess -- maybe. Maybe. I guess I always come off a break just prior to these run of events, as I've done the previous years. This is the second year I've played in Korea now in this golf tournament, but I guess after the seven weeks generally when you come back, you are always just a little bit scratchy. So by the third or fourth week, you build momentum.
But coming off a break, I'm very fresh and just ready to go. So the last couple of week has been very, very scratchy, but I'm just starting to get into finding my game and getting some rhythm, once again, to starting the year back off again.

Q. So we've heard a lot about how there are a lot of contours and undulations on the golf course, on the fairways and on the greens. So what are your thoughts about this course in general?
BRETT RUMFORD: I think it's a very interesting golf course. I think there's a bit of strategy I think behind this golf course, as well. Certain sides of the fairways, the way the tiers will shape and flow and sit at you, certain sides of the fairway will actually help the direction, obviously being able to stop the ball closer to the hole.
And as I say, it is very slopey. It's very undulating. There's a lot of drops even from tee shots.
So being able to calculate, just a few yardages, just a few metres of yardage going uphill or downhill can change that landing spot and when the greens are firm so firm, you have to be very precise to land it on a particular spot to get the ball close to the hole.
It's very tricky, but I think it really just comes down to driving it well, keeping yourself in the fairway, to being able to control your iron shots, going into a lot of these greens, because you really do need to be on the right or the correct side of a lot of these tiers, because otherwise, you start short-siding yourself or getting yourself on the wrong side of them and it really does become tricky. It makes it really difficult to make birdies.
Otherwise there's a lot of wedge shots and a lot of shorter holes out there to take advantage of and par 5s that are reachable, as well, so I think the par 3s play very, very strong. I think if you can get through those in making pars, just play very steady and very smart, the rest of the golf course, it does give up a lot of birdies.
So I think over the weekend, depending on how they cut the pins, how they want to set up the golf course will determine that as well.

Q. So it's very difficult to score 9-under without any bogeys. So I'm curious to know on average, how long were your putts?
BRETT RUMFORD: On average, probability ten to 15, I'd say, within that distance.

Q. Fantastic round today has put you in a very strong position. Who do you see as your main challengers for the event?
BRETT RUMFORD: Well, look, it's anyone, really, that's within striking distance. I actually haven't looked at the leaderboard that closely, but I mean, as I shot today, there's 9-under out there, so anyone that's sort of within that seven, eight, nine shots back, you know, it's there.
So I guess after tomorrow, we'll have a greater indication as to how it's going to unfold and how the scoring is going to go and how the course is set up.
So just have to wait and see.

Q. Some pretty rough weather forecast for tomorrow. Are you glad to have got this round in the bag today?
BRETT RUMFORD: I guess so. I haven't checked the forecast but if that's the case, absolutely. I guess the more shots up your sleeve, the better, I guess, when the conditions are starting to get a little bit tougher.

Q. And about the weather, the weather is going to turn bad tomorrow, so I was asking if getting a good round in today, tomorrow it's going to be more difficult, so it's good to get the very strong round in today.
BRETT RUMFORD: Definitely. I guess having more shots up your sleeve, the better, going into the weekend, if the forecast is bad, it's going to play very, very tricky.
CALVIN KOH: No further questions. Good luck, Brett, for the next 36 holes.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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