Monday, February 1st, 2010 
scott
Karlsson: "It's great to be back"
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Robert Karlsson |
Robert Karlsson has just come through the toughest season of his career during which an eye injury prevented him from defending his 2008 European Tour Order of Merit title.
In a recent interview with bunkered, the Swedish giant revealed there was a time that he feared his career might have been cut short prematurely after a nightmare 2009.
Now, after returning to the winner's circle with victory at the Qatar Masters, Karlsson has come full circle, and that can only be goof for the game as a whole.
Here are his thoughts following an emotionally charged victory.
Karlsson on... his comeback win
"There's so many good players out there, so it was just to keep going. So I don't think I've understood it yet, but I've won it and how easy it was actually in the end.
"I've had a couple close calls here, I've been here a couple of times and love this golf course and it's fantastic to be back and finally win it here.
"If you go out and shoot 65 in the last day, in a tournament, being a couple behind, usually have a good chance. Obviously today was my day."
Karlsson on... finding his form
"Being out for such a long time, the form was harder when I actually started playing. It was hard to not get down on myself, and when I was off, I didn't really know where I was. When I started playing, I played poorly and then it felt like it was even further away than I was when I actually had time off.
"It was very, very pleasing to start playing well. I would have been very, very happy coming out of this tournament with a top 20. That was pretty much what I looked at early in the week. If I can just put a few solid rounds together, I'll be very, very happy."
Karlsson on... The Ryder Cup
"It's just very important to get into the sort of Ryder Cup stuff. But it's nine months away, so take it easy now."
Karlsson on... beating the best
"In the last few groups, there's always good players and always good players playing well in there.
"So obviously it comes down to who can keep it together and who can do the least mistakes and take the birdie chances when they come, and I managed to do that today and not get sort of too worried about what was happening around me and just kept playing.
"So obviously, I mean, everybody can hit great golf shots but if you don't keep it together and if you give away easy shots here and there, all of a sudden it can slip very quickly."
Karlsson on... his comeback
"Actually Hong Kong was the first one I played. I felt I played pretty good, so Hong Kong showed some signs, and going to Japan, playing really well was very important.
"And then to keep building on that, as well, in the World Cup with Henrik was great. It's not great to get into the World Cup not having played great since May. So it was great to come in to have a tournament in Japan, and the World Cup, steadily moved on from there."
Karlsson on... 2008
"When I look back on what Lee did last year, how good I thought he played last year, and I just remind myself, I actually did the same thing the year before. I mean, every time you see someone win an Order of Merit, it is fantastic. He's had the best season of the year.
"It's good to remind yourself that you're one of the guys that have done that, as well. It's always good to have that in the back pocket. But you can't dwell on that it was less money than The Race to Dubai. That's not the way it works, this game. You're very, very happy every golf tournament you win or every time you're up on the leaderboard, that's what you strive for and try to get more used to the situation.
"That's why I play golf. It's not about the money."
Karlsson on... personal attributes
"I think I have enough determination. I think it's probably something I never have to improve on that. It's probably almost something I have to hold back sometimes, because it can get a bit too much sometimes. So that's not really a thing.
"But it's more, I mean, as I said, the focus this year was to come back and play, start to put together good rounds and a string of good rounds, and you never know what's going to happen. I mean, that's still the thing I'm most happy about this year. It not really the win. It's fantastic to win. But to play four really, really good rounds together, that's the most satisfying thing."
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