You have qualified for a Major after seven years. How does it feelIJ
Really good. It’s been a bit of a wait, but it’s a great feeling to know my efforts have paid off.
How do you think you have changed/improved, in terms of your game, during these seven yearsIJ
I guess I've evolved as a player over the course of the last seven years and golf is a game of continuous adjustments... I have made changes to my swing over the years and definitely learnt how to tackle difficult conditions better. More than anything else, I've learned the real art of golf that is scoring even when you don't have your best game on the day.
nWhen you made your Major debut in 2006, you were just 24 and relatively inexperienced for such a big event. How much are you prepared this timeIJ
Well the first time I was like a kid in a candy store and just soaking up everything a great tournament like the open championship offers. This time around I have the experience and self belief to know that if I can peak at the right time, I can compete with the best in the world on my day.
How beneficial will it be to play so well on a links course ahead of British OpenIJ
It definitely gives you confidence that one can cope with that style of golf. links golf is an art very different from the modern game. It has a lot to do with controlling the flight of your ball and requires a lot more imagination and creativity.
For a long time you struggled to finish but in Dunbar there was a marked change. You hit four birdies on back nine on a wet day. Tell us something about this change.
Well, actually I have been playing solid golf for the last few months and if you keep knocking on the door, soon enough it will open. So I just kept on believing that it's going to be my time soon and it couldn't have happened at a better moment.
When you lost your European card two years ago, did you ever imagine that you would be competing in the British Open so soonIJ
Yes, I just kept on believing. I lost my card by the narrowest of margins and in a way it spurred me on to work even harder and at the end of the day I play the sport so that I can compete at the highest level and it doesn't get bigger than the open championship!
There was a long period when you weren’t winning. It must be very frustrating for someone like you who started his professional career so well. How did you deal with thatIJ
It was very frustrating and I think it started playing on my mind as well so whenever I put myself in contention, I would push too hard. Sometimes wanting something too much can be a bad thing, but at the end of the day when you start your career with such a bang, it can be hard to live up to your own expectations.
You were working on your short game. Would you say that the recent results were due to those improvementsIJ
I definitely think the recent results are a result of that. I have felt good with my swing and long game for a while now, but just felt I was throwing away shots around the greens. luckily, it was just a short phase which I've managed to overcome.
looking at your career so far, how satisfied are youIJ
I'm extremely happy but not satisfied. I feel I have achieved certain things that I could only dream about. But there are other things I'd like to improve. luckily, in golf I can go on playing for another 12-15 years. I'm still in first quarter of my golfing life. I hope when it's all said and done I can look back and be both happy and satisfied.I hope when it’s all said and done I can look back and be both happy and satisfied.