After the huge disappointment of missing out on the victorious European Ryder Cup team earlier in the year, the highly talented Englishman bounced back by winning three big tournaments just before the new year. Paul, who’s now ranked eighth best player in the world, has triumphed at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship twice before, so will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins in 2011.
You’ve won twice in Abu Dhabi, so what are the prospects of picking up that trophy again?
Yeah, thankfully I was victorious in 2007 and 2009, and, hopefully, with 2011 coming up the pattern seems to be that every two years I’m good for it again. I’m well prepared for it, but obviously that doesn’t translate into any form of guarantee. But I’m feeling good and I really want to start 2011 on a flyer.
Why do you think you’re so successful in Abu Dhabi?
Since playing in the first ever Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in 2006, I’ve made a lots and lots of friends and have a great relationship with the people in Abu Dhabi, and I love this place. There are so many great people in the city of all nationalities. In fact, I love it so much I’ve bought property here, so it’s very much a home from home; I don’t feel like I’m in a foreign city.
You play a lot of your golf in the USA instead of Europe. Why is this?
You know, it’s a personal decision for everybody, so I don’t know. Look at guys like [Lee] Westwood who is a family man who will obviously want to play his golf in Europe. I like playing the US and indeed all over the world. I still have my European tour cars and this is my home tour. Ultimately it doesn’t really matter where you play. What really matters is winning the Majors and the other high-profile world events.
Other than winning in Abu Dhabi, what would you rate as your memorable career highlights?
Definitely the feeling of my first ever European Tour victory. This was the Scottish PGA back at Gleneagles, where I holed my final putt to win by one on the 18th. That’s one I will always remember. Also, the PGA tour victory was very, very special, but there is something about winning in front of friends and family, so the two victories I’ve had at Wentworth are the most special. Watching the greats like Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo playing at Wentworth when I was a kid got me into the game, so being able to put my name down next to theirs on that amazing trophy was something very special.
