European Tour: David Lipsky Talks Difficult Setup and Equipment Change at The Omega Dubai Desert Classic

European Tour professional David Lipsky speaks to the media following his opening round 68 at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic about the difficult conditions and his recent change of equipment.

European Tour: David Lipsky speaks to the media following the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

Q. Wonderful opening round of 68 in difficult conditions. What did you do well today?
DAVID LIPSKY: I hit a lot of fairways and greens, and out here with the way the rough is, and how firm the greens are, you’ve got hit fairways to attack pins. Greens are so firm that coming into the greens from the rough is really tough.

Q. What about the mind-set teeing off when you know it’s going to be difficult because the course setup is obviously difficult and then the wind got up?
DAVID LIPSKY: I was fortunate. I was first off so the wind died down my first six, seven holes. Took advantage of those. But the rest of the round was a grind. Just trying to plot my way around the course and give myself as many putts as I could for birdie.

Q. What is the most difficult part of the challenge out there?
DAVID LIPSKY: Definitely the wind. With how tight the fairways are and how they are always at angles, finding the fairways is tough out here and that’s key.

Q. New equipment, tell us about that.
DAVID LIPSKY: Yeah, switched pretty much everything. No club contract. I can use whatever I want. So I like the freedom, and it’s ended up working out for me.

Q. How about the testing? How did you decide what suits you?
DAVID LIPSKY: I had a manufacture send me a bunch out to my home in the US, and I was practicing and playing with everything for the last month and a half.

Q. Must have felt a couple shots better than that, the way the course is playing at the moment?
DAVID LIPSKY: It’s hard to get close to these pins and I just tried to give myself as many birdie putts as possible today, easy two-putts for par, very stress-free.

Q. New season, new year, and you have change in the bag. How much comfort do you take from not being tied down? I know Sergio is going through a similar scenario and we’ve seen Brooks go that way. Are you getting overwhelmed with a lot of options?
DAVID LIPSKY: A little bit. I just use what I like and how it performs. That really helps give me confidence, so I don’t need to try to fit into any one particular manufacturer. I can just use what I’d like, and it puts my mind at ease out there.

Q. Starting on the 10th today, looks like the back nine might be playing a little bit easier, but the birdie at 12 was probably one of the ones you’re most proud of, I think in the top 5 last year, not a single player birdied that hole all week.
DAVID LIPSKY: I made like a 30-, 40-footer there. That pin is tucked really close to the left downwind, it’s like almost impossible to hit close. You’ve just got to give yourself an opportunity like I did and just hope you make the putt.

Q. Do you have your eyes on any targets, goals this year? We know last season wasn’t where we’ve seen you play before. What do you really want to get to this year?
DAVID LIPSKY: I just want to put myself in contention more often, a little bit more consistency to my game. I worked really hard in the off-season with my swing coach and I’m seeing it play dividends right now.

January 23, 2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports