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Victor Perez: “In match play, you can’t hide”

“You played in the Hero Cup at the start of the season, just before winning in Abu Dhabi. How can match play provide confidence, compared to stroke play?
It’s always a little different. Scottie (Scheffler) won last year and then won the Masters, there’s definitely added value if you have a good week here, being so close to the first major of the year. In match play, everything is different because you only have one opponent to beat at a time. Sometimes you don’t need to play well and you can get by.

Regarding your group, you are associated with Collin Morikawa, Jason Day and then Adam Svensson. What do you think ?
There is no easy group and if you want to go all the way, you will have to beat top 10s and great players. We can’t hide. So you have to play exceptional golf and hope that things will eventually work out. You can get a little lucky, but most of the time you have to play very well.

You finished 4th here, in 2021. What is the main takeaway from that? What did you learn about yourself, about this course or about the format?
This is a great course for match play, simply because the back nine holes with its par 5, par 4 one shot drivable, there are obviously plenty of short clubs to hit the greens so there is plenty of birdie opportunities. But if you’re misplaced after the face-off, you can sometimes win a par hole. The course adapts perfectly to this format.

This format sometimes pushes you to your limits, the equation is before your eyes. I don’t have to play with any percentage or try to be smart or anything. It’s like I have to adapt to what the other person is doing. I know that some players prefer to focus only on their own ball, but I also see the man-to-man aspect.

“There are no tricks in match play. I don’t think you want to become that type of player, like “he’s weird and does all kinds of weird things to try to win a hole”. »

How vivid is the Ryder Cup in your mind throughout the year and when you play tournaments like this?
I experienced the same scenario two years ago (to qualify) at Whistling Straits. After getting off to a great start, I ended up just failing. I can therefore draw inspiration from this past experience which allowed me to be on the verge of being part of the team and, of course, to be in a good position this year. There’s so much golf to play between now and the end of the qualifying process, you always have to put things into perspective. And I will not tell myself that if I play well this week, (my qualification) is guaranteed and if I do not play well, I have no chance. It’s always a long season, no matter what.

50

After the WGC and to qualify for the next Masters, Victor Perez will have to be ranked in the top 50 in the world. A semi-final in Austin is the key.

Is the appeal of an event like the Ryder Cup greater for you, with that experience of team sports growing up?
I grew up playing all kinds of team sports, which is good because we win and lose together. The wins are bigger and the losses more tragic when you walk into a locker room and everyone is sad, whereas I think in golf, with the good fortune that we have to play so many events every week, you play well, you play badly, the following week always arrives quickly. On the other hand, if you lose a final in a team sport, you must wait an entire year before replaying that final. Yes, it’s an environment that I like, and yes, I try to be inspired by it.

You studied psychology in college in New Mexico. Do you use it a lot in your golf, and do you use it more in match play, when you’re trying to intimidate your opponent?
This is a difficult question. I don’t think you really try to anticipate the opponent and do something. In the end, you’re just trying to play the best you can. There are no tricks in match play. I don’t think you want to become that type of player, like ” he’s weird when he plays match play and does all sorts of weird things to try and win a hole “. At the end of the day, the best player is probably going to win no matter what you do, so I try to take that approach.

This week can qualify you for the Masters, in the event of a semi-final…
Yes, I’m happy to have played last week, which was perfect because I hadn’t played since the beginning of February. But yeah, it’s been a big week. Obviously it would be nice to have a good week, get into the top 50 and play the Masters in a few weeks. It’s a good motivation, an additional bonus if I have a good run. »

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