Q. Zach Murray, an opening round of 3-under par at Millbrook, very tough conditions 6-under par through 10, are you still happy with the score?

I’m a little bit disappointed but I got to the toughest hole on the course when the wind picked up. I doubled three but I battled through. I played really nice today and I feel good after the jet lag coming back from Mexico so overall I’m pretty happy.

Q. You mentioned that jet lag coming back from Mexico, in the past month you’ve been all over the world. What are some of the challenges both physically and mentally whilst you’re out there?

I just think everything just becomes a little bit harder. You get a little more frustrated and a little tired even though I don’t feel it I just sense that I was just getting a little bit frustrated there because once you get to 6 and you drop back to 3 it’s like, yeah. But then you look at the leaderboard and I’m not far away so you’ve just got to try and manage yourself as best you can. Hydration, I felt a little bit sick last week so I’m probably trying to catch up a little bit as well. Overall it’s just trying to stay as patient as possible.

Q. First time defending a title as a professional, was it a special feeling?

Oh it is. I couldn’t wipe the smile – well I wasn’t really smiling after the double but apart from that I’ve been smiling all day and yesterday so I’m super excited to be back and it’s just an amazing place here. Apart from the rain at the moment the weather has been fantastic so hopefully this just brushes through and the rest of the week is nice and fine and we can get a few spectators out there.

Q. You take on The Hills tomorrow. What kind of approach will you take heading over there?

It just depends on the weather. The weather controls it a lot out here. I haven’t played in weather like this in Queenstown before so it was a little different today. The ball gets knocked around a fair bit. Compared to Mexico last week the wind doesn’t knock it at all so you’ve just got to sort of take it as it comes. I haven’t been back to The Hills since last year. I didn’t get a practice round out there so I’ve just got to try and stay in it all week and hopefully the energy levels are up by the end of it.

Q. What were your thoughts standing on the tee this morning as reigning champion? Were there nerves?

I was pretty cruisey. I actually had to look in my yardage book and remember where to hit it. I got off to a really nice start which was good and it’s probably good I did because it was quite tough out there towards the end.

Q. Did your game plan change at all when the weather came in?

Not really. It changes a few holes, it changes the way a few holes play but I think the main thing for me tomorrow is to just try and stay as patient as possible because I can just sense that but of frustration from being tired but overall I’m pretty happy with the day.

Q. What do you do tonight to prepare for tomorrow?

Try and stay awake. I fell asleep last night at eight o’clock so just try and stay a bit up later tonight and I’ve got heaps of friends and family here so I’ll just hang out with them and at the moment I feel pretty good so hopefully it stays that way.