home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN


June 20, 2012


Marcel Siem


COLOGNE, GERMANY

MARCEL SIEM:  Unfortunately we only have one tournament in Germany, we should have more.  But yeah, we are lucky that it went from a good golf course in Munich where I felt at home, we go to a different golf course and feels even closer to home.
Yeah, I know the golf course very well and I played the last two weeks, I think at least six rounds here and prepared very well.  It's great.  I mean, a lot of friends are coming out.  Family is here.  Golf course is great.  I hope the weather turns into a little bit more sun, and going to be a great golf tournament.

Q.  Martin Kaymer said it was like having a 12th man in football.  Is it the same for you having all the home supporters around?
MARCEL SIEM:  Yeah, definitely.  It's great.  We played together, as well, Thursday, Friday, which is great, and going to be a big crowd there.  I'm really looking forward to that, and it's perfectly what I said, 12th man on the field, the crowd, and I'm really, really looking forward to that.  I'm playing well.  I played well the last two or three months, and I hope I keep on playing like I did, and just stay patient and get a good result.

Q.  Do you recall the first time you came here, presumably as a kid?  Maybe even to watch one of tournaments that's been staged?
MARCEL SIEM:  I played in the first one actually in '99.  I made the cut.
I remember‑‑ quite funny, actually, good story.  Thomas Levet was on the range, and it was still dark.  I think first tee‑off was 6.40.  It was the Linde German, small field, maybe 80 players playing.  I was first off of the 10th and he was first off of the first.  And he invited me, he welcomed me on the range, "Welcome to midnight golf" or something like that.
Those days for me, my first golf tournament, it was really funny, the big Thomas Levet, and I really looked up to him; still look up to him.  Making a funny joke there was pretty cool.  That's what I remember my first tournament here.
I often sit on the terrace here when the big stage is gone, just a normal terrace with the putting green with my family having lunch or dinner with friends.  So it's a very nice place here.  Really enjoying it.

Q.  How did that first tournament work out?
MARCEL SIEM:  I made the cut.  But I think I shoot 78 or something on Saturday, and then I think there was no cut, 80 players, I'm not sure, but I shot 70‑71 the first two rounds.  I was pretty proud of myself‑‑ as an amateur.  Turned pro in 2000.  The greens were a little bit better‑‑

Q.  Not as much rain?
MARCEL SIEM:  ‑‑ yeah, they were a lot firmer and super quick.  It was really tough to get used to them.

Q.  How have things gone in the practise rounds; six rounds here?
MARCEL SIEM:  Over the last two weeks.  I played nine holes once.  I took it easy.  I didn't play too much; I didn't over‑play.
It's just nice to see a golf course improving that much.  I know The European Tour staff, Graeme McNiven and those guys, they always do a great job, but it's just funny to see‑‑ well, it's interesting to see what they do in two weeks.  It's amazing, how much effort they put into it.
Now it's Wednesday, the day before Thursday, and it's a world‑class golf course again.  Two weeks ago, I knew the course had it in it, but they didn't cut it the way they do it here and stuff.  It's just very interesting to see it developing so nicely and seeing the Tour staff before a tournament, as well, having a drink or something to eat on the terrace there.  It's quite funny.  It was an interesting week for me.

Q.  So it was easy when you first started here and now it's harder and harder?
MARCEL SIEM:  It is.  It is.  The rough is growing like crazy.  We had a lot of sun, heat, and the rough is obviously double the height than it had been two weeks ago.  This morning in the Pro‑Am, 7.30, raining, if you're in the rough, wedge out, that's it.  That's all you can hit.  It's going to be a good test.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297