From the Ryder Cup direct to paradise;
Brandt Snedeker is riding the wave of winning adrenaline as he prepares for the
Fiji International.
From the Ryder Cup direct to paradise;
Brandt Snedeker is riding the wave of winning adrenaline as he prepares for the
Fiji International.
Last week Snedeker was playing in front of
thousands of people, competing alongside his fellow countrymen trying to win
one of the most coveted team’s titles in world golf.
This week, victorious, he has arrived at
the picturesque Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course to a complete change of
pace, where island time rules and everything is laid back.
"As great as last week was, it’s a
completely different week and I have to get my head on straight and get ready
to play here," said Snedeker.
"You’re only as good as your last round so
you realise after a day that it’s going to be a whole new tournament."
"I’m looking forward to getting back out
here and getting some competition under my belt."
While Snedeker’s weeks are polar opposites
he believes Team USA’s victory could propel him to victory at the Fiji
International.
"I can take a tonne of confidence out of
last week just because I was able to handle the pressure on Sunday," said
Snedeker, who won all of his matches during the Ryder Cup.
"That was the most pressure I had been on
in my whole life. The whole team depended on me and my match was
crucially important at the time."
"To win this week would mean a lot and
validate what I did last weekend and validate that I’m on the right path,"
added Snedeker.
"It’s about pride at the end of the day. I’ve got to get my name on that leader board and shoot as low as I possibly can
all week here."
It’s not just pride on the line; the
pressure on Snedeker is also being applied, by none other than his Ryder Cup teammate and 2015 Fiji International champion Matt Kuchar.
"Matt was giving me a hard time last week
and kept letting me know that he won this thing last year," added Snedeker.
"I didn’t come over here to play bad, I
came over here to have a good time."
"Matt’s already text me once since I have
gotten here, so he’s going to let me hear about it but I will hold up my end of
the bargain and play well."
Snedeker had his first look at the Natadola
Bay Championship Golf Course today in the pro-am but had already had some
inside information passed along to him by Kuchar.
"Last year Matt was telling me how windy it
was. It was a really extreme last year and I don’t think the forecast is bad this
year. So it will be a bit different with scoring conditions and that type of
stuff," added Snedeker.
"The golf course is pretty much
straightforward, right in front of you and you can get out there and can be
aggressive. He said it was in great shape last year so I’m looking forward to
it."
While Snedeker has travelled to Fiji on the
advice of Kuchar, he didn’t take much convincing; he spent his honeymoon here
eight years ago.
"My wife and I honeymooned here in Fiji so
it’s not my first time and it’s probably the reason why I came back. I realized
how special and lovely this place is. I’m excited to be back and I bought my
kids along this time so they can see it," added Snedeker.
"I literally got here at 8am this morning
and was already on the beach with my kids playing around and having some fun,
but today’s work day, it’s not play day today."
"I’ve got a week off here next week where I
can really have some fun in Fiji. Right now I’ve got to get my mind around
getting ready to play this week."
The Fiji International tees off tomorrow at
the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course. Snedeker tees off alongside Robert
Allenby and Jarrod Lyle at 11.30am.