European Tour: Christiaan Bezuidenhout Speaks on 2nd Hole Playoff Loss at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic

European Tour professional and South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout speaks to the media following a runner-up finish on the 2nd playoff hole at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

European Tour: Christiaan Bezuidenhout talks to the media following playoff loss

Q. You first shot into the water but you managed to gather yourself and hole an extremely brave putt. Tell us about it from your point of view?
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: I laid it up to my perfect yardage, I had 78 flag, I made a perfect lay up. It just came off a little bit right, a little bit on the face and in the air, I actually knew it was going to be short of the flag. Yeah, a little bit soft. I didn’t know where it was. I actually tried to make a birdie on last, but yeah, just to make that putt, my caddie just said to me — brilliant whole week and just make a stroke.

Q. Average score, 74.8, and you shot 68. What was the secret to it?
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Putting. I was hit something great putts. Made great saves coming in. Made a great up-and-down on 14 and 15 to keep myself going. Yeah, I just think we played in the tougher conditions. Weather came. Those last five holes played quite brutal. Happy to finish off the way I did and make the save.

Q. It’s a cruel, cruel sport at times. Tell us about 18. It looks like some of the rain that came this afternoon was what made the difference.
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, I mean, laid it up to my perfect yardage, 78 flag. The first shot just came out a little bit right. Didn’t fly the yardage — just spun back. If it landed on the green, it was quite firm, landed just in the fringe and spun back into the water. With the spin, it was always going to be in the water.

Q. Tell us about the putt. Felt like the whole crowd was willing that ball into the hole.
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, they were pretty upset after I hit the third shot in the water. So happy to have gathered myself to make the putt on the last. Hopefully it was an important point. The par 5s are birdieable, so it’s a waiting game now. See what happens.

Q. We know what the course has been playing like this week, but we weren’t quite expecting some of the scenes with the weather today. Tell us, how much harder has it been? It looks like at least four or five shots different today?
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: It’s brutal. The first nine holes is the tougher nine, so I just tried to kick myself, just turning level par, minus one. Drove it beautiful which kept me going in the wind. The greens was also hard. Yeah, in this weather, especially the last five holes, those are the toughest. Proud of that. Hopefully it’s enough.

Q. You came into this tournament outside of the top 500 and this week, you’re inside the top 90 this week. Do you feel like you’re continuing to extend that trajectory of improvement?
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT: Yeah, me and my coach, Grant, have been doing work which I believe in. I believe we’re doing the right things and we’re working towards the right stuff, and nice to see all the hard work’s paying off, and paying off on the course, especially in big tournaments like this.

January 26, 2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports