INTERVIEW OF EDUARDO ROMERO

DAVE SENKO: Eduardo, welcome. You come back as the defending champion. I know you were talking briefly, you had a chance to play the course yesterday?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yes.

DAVE SENKO: Maybe just talk a little bit about that. Any difference between this year and a year ago? 

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yes, well, I think today, this year, is better than last year, that's what I say. The green is fantastic. The fairways also is very nice. I think the course, hard to say, 0 to 10, for me it's 9. It's in very good shape. I'm very excited to come here.  I love this golf course. 

The first time when I come here, I say to my caddy three years ago, I have to win here because this course is very similar to Argentina, big trees, doglegs, very similar. And it was last year I played good all week and then win the tournament. It's fantastic.

DAVE SENKO:   How difficult is it?  I know you went home since our last event.  How difficult is that coming back, adjusting to, you know, flying?  How many hours is it?  It's a pretty lengthy trip adjusting to getting your clock adjusted.

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Yes, yes, it's very hard.  But I've been doing the job for more than 25 years now.  When I'm playing in Europe I'm the same. I play Europe two or three weeks in a row and back home for one or two weeks. Every time I have three- or four-hour difference. Now it's 5-hour difference in Argentina. 

Well, you know, for me, it's normal.  Sometimes I say to the guys, well, back home, ‘Geez, it's only 14 hours to fly home.’ For me, six hours, or seven hours. Seven hours from Miami is very close because I've been doing this work for more than 25 years. It's difficult. It's difficult because the first two days, I arrive on Monday morning and I feel I'm a little shaken. But tomorrow I will be okay. 

Q. One thing I wanted to ask you. They put up the power rankings on PGA.com. Even though you were defending champion, you were not in the Top‑5. You just said you were very confident with your game. Do you feel you deserve to be in the Top‑5 in a highly competitive tournament?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Yes, I'm feeling like that.  I'm training a lot and our summer, your winter, it was summer over there in Argentina, it's holiday for us. But I'm working hard over there. I play every day. I take my training for a couple of days and then I feel good. I feel very, very strong and working a lot with my putter because my problem was the putter last year. Just working, it's very nice, very nice. Feel good, very strong and very excited. 

Q. With that being said, this is one of the most competitive fields probably ever put together on the Champions Tour.  How do you feel about the level of play?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Oh, yes, unbelievable.  Every year you see the field is better and better and better. This year is fantastic -- Freddie Couples, Paul Azinger, Corey Pavin. I am playing with them many years ago. The Tour is not like the Champions Tour. It's like the regular Tour. It's fantastic.

            When the people talk in Argentina, when are you going to win on the Champions Tour? You are a good player.  But, yes, there is 100 more good players like me. It's fantastic. It's a strong feeling every year.  It's very nice, very nice. I think it's one of the best tours in the world.

Q. It's seems like you are very confident with your game right now, can you talk about some of the off-season things you've done to improve your game?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Yes, I have a friend of mine who is working with me and teaching me in Argentina all of these months. And the first week of January until the third week of February, I'm working hard. I'm working with the putter. The putter was my problem. I'm working a lot with my putter three or four hours per day. I feel a lot of confidence now.  I'm ready. I'm ready for this week.

Q. What kind of putter are you using?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  A belly putter, the long one.

Q. These greens are tricky because they have these subtle breaks, and you know, belly putters kind of take the touch out of it.  How do you feel about that?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  I practiced yesterday and the putter, it was a little more difficult. I'm thinking about it. Today, I'm practicing with a new putter, a short one, and I'll see what happens.  But I'll stick with the belly putter. The green, it's true, it's very difficult, especially the short putter.  I am working a little bit today and see what happens tomorrow.

Q. There hasn't been a (successful) defending champion.  It seems like you are just ready for it. What do you think makes this course really hard to defend, to be a defending champion?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  This course has a secret.  Well, I have a secret also. I have a thing for this course. If you put the ball in the fairway from the tee, I think the key was to put the ball in the fairway from the tee. And the second shot, it's not long, but I think the key was to put the ball in the fairway from the tee. That's what I used last year and it worked. Then I try the same for today, for this week.

Q. Have you noticed any significant course changes since last year?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  No, no, just only playing nine holes, the first nine, it was exactly the same.  I don't know the back nine. I'm playing, today, the Pro‑Am, we'll see. 

Q. So besides the putter, short putter or belly putter, have you changed any other equipment?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  I use new irons now.  Nothing has changed.  It's exactly the same for me.  I am chipping a lot and putting. The short game is better than last year. I feel very good. I have to win a couple of tournaments this year. I feel it. I can smell it. 

Q. And you said that when you lost the weight, you got in better shape, do you think it's more because the level of competition?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Yes, exactly.  You see many good players come in, 50 years old this year, and playing the regular Tour and come to the Champions Tour. We have to prepare for the top guys.

Q. Do you have any plans for majors on the PGA TOUR?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  I love it, but I can't.  Maybe I'm thinking about qualifications for British Open, maybe. I don't know.  It's my dream. I stick with Champions Tour. It's my Tour. I love this Tour, and then I continue full‑time over here.

Q. What's your goal on the Tour this year?

EDUARDO ROMERO:  Well, I think I am working hard in the summer.  I have to win at least two tournaments. I'm working to win two tournaments, especially one of the Majors. The British Open I have in my mind.  I think it's the British Open this year.  I played it very good a couple years ago. I finished second and Top‑5.  And I know for 25 years I played Carnoustie many years ago. I think, this year, it will be possible to win the British Open. 

Q. What do you think about Freddie (Couples)?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Unbelievable.

Q. Just talk about him being a newcomer, but it seems like he has been here forever?

EDUARDO ROMERO: Yes, Freddie playing regular TOUR, you see watching TV. You see Top‑10. A fantastic player. I've known Freddie for many times, for a long time. And I've played with him many times. He is a fantastic player. The Champions Tour is good for everybody. We need a guy like that on the Champions Tour.

DAVE SENKO:   Thanks, Eduardo.

EDUARDO ROMERO:   Thank you.