| Englishman Sam Horsfield returns to a happy hunting ground after his victory at Celtic Manor in 2020. The two-time European Tour winner was victorious at the Celtic Classic, the first of two consecutive events held at this venue as part of the UK Swing, which relaunched the European Tour’s season following a three month pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Player Quotes
Matt Wallace: “We’re here to win. We’re here to play some good golf, like I have been doing and put ourselves in contention and hopefully get across the line. I’ve never played this course before. It’s iconic and I’m looking forward to it. The weather is supposed to be great, the greens are good, I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing what we can do.
“It’s been really difficult this year to find the balance of what I want to do. I want to make the (Ryder Cup) team, absolutely. It’s what to think about – do I want to think about making the team or think about performing well so that will get me in the team? I need to be selfish in that sense. But I want Pádraig to know, like I did with Thomas, that I’m working to get into that team because that’s what I want to achieve. This is why I’m here this week. I need to start putting some results on the table so Pádraig can see I’m playing well and fingers crossed this is the start of what’s to come in the next few months.”
Matthias Schmid:
I got the Silver Medal last week. I played well, even on the weekend I could have done better – I thought I left a lot of shots out there. But I’m excited to be here and get the professional career going.
I have a little bit of experience, I’ve played in a few tournaments and everyone has helped a little bit. I got a little more comfortable as the week went on. I won the European Championships twice, I won at College, I was All-American Second Team and now Silver Medallist. So pretty solid I think.
To be honest I just waited to play The Open as an amateur and then turn pro right away – now I’m here. I’m here to do my best. I feel comfortable.”
Sam Horsfield:
I love this place. I won here last year. It’s a very modernised golf course. It’s pretty long and the rough is up. You have to hit it in the fairways and try to get the putter going.
Last year was really big. I got in to two Majors this year because of the two wins last year. That set me up pretty well for this year, and the confidence you get from winning – you always believe you can do it but until you actually come out and do it and prove it to yourself, it’s something I’ll never forget. It was really special to do it under the circumstances I did it in: I birdied 17 the first week I won and when I won here I made the greatest up-and-down I made all year on 17 that week as well. To be able to know I can do it when I need to, it’s very nice to know.
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