How different was this year from the 2006 trip at The Open?It was completely different. Back in 2006 when I qualified, I just went into the week not knowing what to expect. This time around, I knew I was entering arguably the greatest tournament in the world and was going in fancying my chances.Has the latest stint changed you as a professional?I don’t think it has changed me a great deal, but it definitely has given me the belief that I belong at the top level. Leading the open championship in the toughest conditions of the day has certainly made me believe that it’s only a matter of time before I can regularly feature in tournaments like this one.You were terrific on the first day, but were you overwhelmed afterwards?I don’t know whether I was overwhelmed, but it is hard to keep up that level of golf over four days. It’s a major championship and the course gets tougher and faster, and to add to that, the wind direction changed completely from day one to day two and three and it sort of threw me off my game plan a bit.What was going through your mind when players like Vijay Singh, Luke Donald, Rory Mcllroy, Justine Rose and Jim Furyk failed to make the cut, but you advanced?I have played golf long enough to know that every week some of the top players are going to miss the cut — this is just the nature of the sport. It’s hard to compete at that level for 30-35 weeks a year, so you just hope that you can peak at the right time and the majors are the key weeks, and that’s what makes Tiger Woods so special.What about stealing the limelight and your dream of walking with Tiger Woods?Unfortunately, walking with Tiger on the last day didn’t happen. But after day one, it was definitely on the cards. That’s the life on the greens. However, (I’m sure) I’ll get more opportunities in the future and am looking forward to it.How important was the victory at Gujarat Kensville Open 2013, earlier this year? Will you term it the turning point of your career? Why?It was extremely important to get the season off to a good start and what better way of doing that than winning on home soil. Kensville holds a very special place in my heart as the group of owners are dear friends and I made a promise to them that I had come to win, and to win it for them was very special.Fred Couples was among the firsts to recognise your potential. Any informal talk with him at Murifield?I have had a few interactions with him (Fred Couples) in the past few years and he was my idol while growing up. For him to compliment me in such a manner was a huge boost for me. He is an exceptional golfer and a great person as well.Contribution of your Italian Coach Alberto Binaghi...Alberto has been a great help to my golfing career. He has helped me with my short game that got me back the scoring shots. He was crucial during the British Open — strategising and plotting my way around a links course.

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