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GB&I Saturday's Team Interview

 

STEWART McDOUGAL:  We have Captain Colin Dalgleish, David Horsey and Rhys Davies.  Colin, that was a roller-coaster finish.  Tell us how you feel now.

CAPTAIN COLIN DALGLEISH:  I'm so shaken up by it all.  I could barely think what was going on there, was so much happening around the golf course, so many teams that were so tight.

Obviously this morning got off to a pretty bad start, but for one point in time it looked like we were going to finish up 2 1/2 - 1 1/2 and then lost - we finished up two apiece.  So we were delighted with the afternoon at two apiece.

Then again in the afternoon we were off to a bad start and the Walker Cup is short enough that if you're two or three or four points behind going into the second day, it's a pretty long, hard, uphill struggle.

So to actually finish up six apiece at this stage is absolutely great and it's cheered everybody up and momentum is on our side now, the way some of these last games finished off.  Rhys obviously winning well at the front of the team up there at No. 3, and David in the last game there, even when he had made a couple of mistakes, hit a bad tee shot on 16 and played a fantastic second shot out of the rough there.  And on 18, poor tee shot but just did the smart thing, got the ball back in play and made his five and sort of forced the opposition to make an error.

I think that also Jamie Moul, what he did, and Nigel, these last three games in particular were crucial to pick up these three points, because if we didn't get these, it was just going to be a long, long way back.

So to go into tomorrow, as I say, everybody is going to be so inspired with what happened today that I think we are all going to feel great tomorrow.

Q.  What do you think about the last 45 minutes, how significant might that be tomorrow?

 

CAPTAIN COLIN DALGLEISH:  Well, I think it's very significant.  A couple of games, it was the last foursome game this morning that sort of got away there, and then this afternoon, I think to come out with these points, it's going to be hugely important.

Obviously losing the first game this morning when Rory had lost fairly early, momentum had swung away at that point in time, but now very definitely feel it's on our side.  I think Rory would have felt very bad if that had sort of put us a few behind.

But the fact that we're now even into tomorrow, Rory is feeling a lot better about it.  He played great golf and it just cost him on the last there.  But he's definitely up for it tomorrow, as well.

Q.  Forgetting the score for a moment, how do you think the play has been?

 

CAPTAIN COLIN DALGLEISH:  I think some of the play, certainly I have not seen all of it but some of the play was exceptionally good and some of the play wasn't so good, a few scrappy holes here and there, no question.  It's a tough golf course.  It's pretty firm, a bit of wind out there, put a lot of pressure on everybody.  But there were certainly a few sort of unforced errors on both sides I would say.

So I think equally some extraordinary shots played and great shots hit and putts holed.  So I think it's a very good day.

Q.  David, can you tell us what happened at 7, and did you concede the hole and did you feel that might cost you in the end?

 

DAVID HORSEY:  Yeah, obviously, from going -- looking like going from 2 up back to all square, it was obviously a big blow.  I said to myself, can't do anything about it, just get on with it, keep playing the way you're playing and make birdies.

I got on the ball, my putt for a 2, and before I adjusted the ball, the ball moved a couple of inches and I looked over at Webb and said, "It's moved, I haven't addressed it."  So I put it back and he said yeah.

After I put it back, I thought, was that the right thing to do.  And in the end, it wasn't.  So you live and learn.  Fortunately it didn't cost me a point in the end.

Q.  Just your thoughts on your first day in your first Walker Cup?

 

DAVID HORSEY:  Yeah, doesn't get much better than this, certainly amateur level, won't ever feel like that coming down the last for a long time to come.  I just tried to keep myself together, keep coaxing myself.  I didn't have a clue what the scoring was like.  I had a few glimpses during the rounds, a few up, a few down, a few all square.  Just thought, all right, just got to get a point for the team and managed to do it in the end.

Q.  Rhys, you played against Dustin Johnson quite a bit in college and you know what a good player he is, were you surprised at your result this afternoon with him?

 

RHYS DAVIES:  Perhaps, yes.  Dustin is a very good player and I have played with him on a number of occasions.  Maybe the golf course wasn't quite to his style, I don't know.  But I wasn't really worried or too bothered by what Dustin was doing.  I was really concentrating on what I was trying to do and I think that was most important.

So if I can keep putting the pressure on him, keep putting the ball in the middle of the green, then he was going to feel that pressure and that's pretty much what happened. 

 

 

 
Championship Facts

PAR AND YARDAGE – Royal County Down will be set up at 7,181 yards with a par of 35-36-71

GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT – Old Tom Morris is credited with the original routing in 1889, which was possibly the first course to ignore the then traditional layout of nine holes "out" and nine holes "back." Royal County Down was opened for play in 1891. Many revisions were made, including some by club professional Seymour Dunn (1904) and by famed golfer Harry Vardon. Others who had a hand in evolving changes to the course were George Combe and Harry Colt, all in the first three decades of the 1900s. The last of the modifications was in 2005 when Donald Steel tinkered with the 16th hole.

ROYALTY – In 1908, King Edward VII conferred "Royal" status to the Club.

WHAT IS THE WALKER CUP MATCH? – The Walker Cup Match is contested by male amateur players, one team from the United States and one team from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The teams consist of not more than 10 players and a captain. The Match is conducted every two years, alternately in the U.S. and Great Britain/Ireland.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY – On Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9, there will be four foursomes matches (18 holes each) each morning and eight singles matches (18 holes each) each afternoon.

Starting Times – (local GMT)
Saturday: 8:30 a.m. for foursomes, 1 p.m. for singles
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. for foursomes, 1 p.m. for singles

TICKETS – Daily grounds tickets are 25 pounds apiece. While a limited number are available, they can be purchased online at www.randa.org. Junior (age 16 and under) are 10 pounds apiece.

 
 

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