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ABU DHABI HSBC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP


January 16, 2014


Martin Kaymer


ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Q.  Martin, 1‑over par through five holes, got it to 4‑under, finished 2.  How do you feel about that one?
MARTIN KAYMER:  A little bit up‑and‑down.  It was a little bit of a strange start, but on the other hand, it was very difficult to play, even though there was no wind, but once you're in the rough, it was very, very thick rough.  You can also compare it with the U.S. Open, and if it's wet, it's all about hitting fairways really.
So even when I started with that bogey on the fourth hole, it was fine.  You know you're going to pick up one or two down the road any ways.  I had it going very well and then I missed one drive, which was a little bit unlucky, next to the tree, made double.  But overall 2‑under par was a good score.

Q.  What can you see as a winning score with the rough this deep?  You won in 2011 with 24‑under?
MARTIN KAYMER:  24 is not very realistic, because once you miss the fairway, you have gap wedge, pitching wedge out of there.  It's realistic, I think if you shoot 3‑under par every day, you have a very good chance to win the tournament.

Q.  What's your verdict on 2‑under par?
MARTIN KAYMER:  I think it was a satisfying round.  It's a very tough golf course, especially in the morning when we take the first nine, the rough was still very wet and if you're in there, you don't go‑‑ you're not going to get very far, so overall, 2‑under par is a decent score.

Q.  Sums up what you were saying prior to the event that this would be a good knock, this kind of score each day?
MARTIN KAYMER:  Yeah, if you shoot 2‑ or 3‑under par every day, I think you will have a good chance to finish well on Sunday afternoon.  It really is in the end of the day trying to make fairways and trying to make some putts.  Once you're in the rough, it's a good chance you make bogey.

Q.  I know we said it so many times but I guess it could have been better because you were lovely on 4‑under for one time?
MARTIN KAYMER:  Yeah, I played decent.  I hit a lot of good golf shots but on 5, I missed the tee shot on the left, was next to a tree and I could barely chip out and made 6.  But I was not really that disappointed about it because it was a bad golf shot, bad tee shot.  And if you're still in the rough, it's okay to make 6.  There's not much you can do about it.

Q.  Often when you think of the state of the game going into a round and think it's going to be good and then it's proof of the pudding, but everything has worked out as expected, has it, to a degree?
MARTIN KAYMER:  That's the thing, if you play a golf course like this, even if you're 3‑, 4‑, 5‑under par, you can't really think of‑‑ try to get that in, or try to pick up another birdie here and there.  This is just playing hole‑by‑hole.  If you play a golf course like this the way it is now, and how difficult it plays, you have to change your mind‑set a little bit.  It's not so much about making a lot of birdies.  It's just, you know, hitting really one shot at a time and wait for your chances.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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