Wegmans LPGA Championship Final Round Notes and Interviews

Wegmans LPGA Championship
Locust Hill Country Club
Pittsford, New York
Final-Round Notes and Interviews
June 9, 2013

Inbee Park -5, Rolex Rankings No. 1
Catriona Matthew -5, Rolex Rankings No. 16
Morgan Pressel -4, Rolex Rankings No. 68
Suzann Pettersen -4, Rolex Rankings No. 4

Sunday’s Final-Day Recap

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park held off a surging Catriona Matthew, sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Wegmans LPGA Championship to capture her seventh-career victory and third major championship. Matthew shot a final-round 4-under 68 to force a playoff with Park, who finished with a 3-over 75 including 3 bogeys in her last six holes. Park has won the first two majors of the 2013 season, having also captured the Kraft Nabisco Championship back in April.

“I didn't know that I was going to be able to do it today,” said Park. “I was hitting the ball everywhere today on the final round.  It just made my day so much tougher. But just putting my name on the Wegmans LPGA championship trophy just means so much to me.  And this is my third win in a major championship.  So that means a lot.  And getting a lot closer to my goals set for my golf career.”

It was a marathon of a day on Sunday at Locust Hill Country Club in Pittsford, NY. The final 36 holes of the major championship had to be played on the final day of the event after rain postponed the start of the event a day.

Park started the third round sitting one shot behind second-round leader Morgan Pressel, who looked to take command of the lead early on in the round thanks to three consecutive birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 9. But Park got things going on the back nine, carding four birdies and no bogeys to finish the third round with a one-shot lead. Pressel bogeyed the 10th and 12th holes and trailed Park by one with 18 holes to play.

A 25-minute break separated the two rounds for the leaders and Park did not waste much time to extend her lead. She birdied the fifth hole to extend her lead to two shots, but followed it up with bogeys on the 6th and 8th holes. After hitting her second shot into a tree on No. 8, Pressel battled back with a birdie of her own for a two-shot swing that created a tie atop the leaderboard at 7-under-par..

The makings looked to be in place for a back-nine duel between Pressel and Park but Pressel would drop shots on Nos. 10 and 12 while Park birdied the par 5 11th hole and held a three-shot lead with six holes to play.

The South Korean would find herself in trouble in the rough on the remaining holes and opened the door for the Scotland native, Catriona Matthew, to make a move two groups ahead of her. Matthew birdied the 17th hole and made a solid two-putt par on 18 to finish at 5-under. She then waited to see how the final groups played out.

“The last I looked at the scoreboard, Inbee had a solid lead, so I was quite surprised when suddenly I looked at the leaderboard on 18 and two putts would get me in a playoff,” Matthew said. “When I started today the last round I probably didn't realize I could win. So to play well and get into the playoffs was obviously pretty good.  Obviously when you get into it, it's pretty disappointing but overall pretty good week.”

Park bogeyed Nos. 14, 16 and 18 to drop to 5-under and was faced with a playoff with the 19-year Tour veteran, although she found a way to come through with a victory.

“I could have made one more putt maybe on 17 or 16, but I've made some amazing up-and-downs before that,” said Park. “So I mean bogeys were bound to come with the way I've been striking the ball today.  I mean if you miss the fairways here, you really can't avoid bogeys here. And I knew that I had good plans, but I really didn't expect to win with the way I was playing today.  I mean I was really trying to be calm, and you know, not to get mad even if I don't win.” 

What a year! When Inbee Park arrived at the Wegmans LPGA Championship last year, she had just one career victory to her name. She was in her sixth year on Tour, ranked No. 26 in the world and it had been nearly four years since her lone win at the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open. But a tie for ninth at the Wegmans LPGA Championship seemed to light a fire in Park and it’s been quite a whirlwind for the 24-year-old South Korean since that event.

In the past year, Park has tallied six victories in 26 events with 12 additional top-10 finishes. She’s earned a total of $3,328,763 over that stretch, which is more than half of her total career earnings ($6,489,551). And of course, eight weeks ago she took over the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

“A year ago everything I think really started to click,” Park said. “My swing was getting a lot better, hitting -- I think my weakest part of my game was ball striking and my short game and putting has always been very good, and I wasn't really able to hit the shots that I needed to. Starting last year, two years, I mean I started to hit the ball lots better and giving myself a lot of birdie chances.

“I mean it was tough to win the second one, Evian, after four years with no win, but after that I felt so comfortable and felt the confidence, and yeah, just really comfortable when I'm in the last group.”

Two in a row…Inbee Park becomes the seventh player in LPGA history to win the first two majors of the LPGA season. The feat has been done a total of eight times, as LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Patty Berg did it twice.

Players who have won the first two Majors of the LPGA season
1950 - Babe Zaharias	(Titleholders Championship, Women’s Western Open)
	*Zaharias won all three LPGA majors in 1950 (the other was the U.S. Women’s Open)
1955 - Patty Berg	(Titleholders Championship, Western Open)
1957 - Patty Berg	(Titleholders Championship, Western Open)
1962 - Mickey Wright	(Titleholders Championship, Western Open)
1974 - Sandra Haynie	(LPGA Championship, US Women’s Open)
	*Only two majors were played in 1974 so Haynie won all of the majors that year
1986 - Pat Bradley	(Nabisco Dinah Shore, LPGA Championship)
	*Bradley went on to win 3 of 4 majors that season - also won the final major of the year, the du Maurier Classic
2005 - Annika Sorenstam	(Kraft Nabisco Championship, McDonald’s LPGA Championship)
2013 - Inbee Park	(Kraft Nabisco Championship, Wegmans LPGA Championship)

 

Quest for the Career Slam: With her victory at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, Inbee Park has now captured three different major titles in her career. In addition her to her latest major win, she won the 2008 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Park, who is set to turn 25 on July 12, has an opportunity to become the youngest LPGA player to complete the Career Grand Slam with one additional major victory this year. Park has yet to win the RICOH Women’s British Open and this year the LPGA adds a fifth major to its schedule with the inaugural year of The Evian.

“After I won Kraft I thought a little bit about that,” Park said of the Career Grand Slam. “But I thought I had a lot more time in my career [to do it].  And I mean there was no rush to get in a major win.  I mean it's good that I got it early.  But I know [Se Ri Pak] didn't win Kraft and she's still really trying for that [to complete the Career Grand Slam].  Hopefully I can do that before her age.”
Currently the youngest LPGA Tour player to complete the Career Grand Slam is Karrie Webb, who was 26 years, 6 months, 3 days old when she won the 2001 McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by AIG. Webb had also previously won the 1999 du Maurier Classic, the 2000 Nabisco Championship and the 2000 U.S. Women’s Open. Webb is also the only player to complete the Super Career Grand Slam, having won the 2002 Weetabix Women’s British Open for her fifth different major victory.


Quotable: Runner-up Catriona Matthew on playing on Tour as a mother of two girls.

“There's nothing worse than being away and then missing a cut makes it feel like you shouldn't have left.  Haven't played particularly well the last couple of weeks.  So yeah, obviously a good week this week makes it a bit more worthwhile. Youngest one keeps telling me not to come home unless I get a trophy.  So I'm getting closer.  She's a hard task master.”

Matthew came up short in the three-hole playoff, and came close to tying the largest come-from-behind victory in LPGA Championship of seven strokes previously set by Patty Sheehan in 1983.

Major dominance: With her win, Inbee Park extends the streak of LPGA major championships won by Asian-born players to nine. The last non-Asian winner of a major was Stacy Lewis who won the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship. Since the start of the 2010 season, the only three players not born in Asia to win major titles were Americans - Lewis, Cristie Kerr (2010 LPGA Championship) and Paula Creamer (2010 U.S. Women’s Open).

2011:	Wegmans LPGA Championship- Yani Tseng
	U.S. Women’s Open- So Yeon Ryu
	RICOH Women’s British Open- Yani Tseng
2012:	Kraft Nabisco Championship- Sun Young Yoo
	Wegmans LPGA Championship- Shanshan Feng
	U.S. Women’s Open- Na Yeon Choi
	RICOH Women’s British Open- Jiyai Shin
2013:	Kraft Nabisco Championship- Inbee Park
	Wegmans LPGA Championship - Inbee Park
Asian-born players have clinched wins in six of the first 13 events on Tour this season.

 

A case of two little too late? Suzann Pettersen shot the low round of the tournament, a 7-under 65, in the fourth round of the Wegmans LPGA Championship on Sunday afternoon. But the Oslo, Norway native left the event feeling frustrated that it took her until the final round to fix her putting.

After shooting a 2-over 74 in the third round on Sunday morning, Pettersen headed immediately to the putting green to work on her putting. She certainly found a fix, making seven birdies in her bogey-free round that jumped her from T31 into T3.

“I just made an adjustment in my address,” Pettersen said. “I think I was starting too far away from the ball, and pretty much made everything I looked at this afternoon. So I don’t why I didn't do this before when I putted so bad the first, second and the third round.

“But I'm proud the way I came back,” said Pettersen. “Tried to post a number that felt like I had a good chance at pretty much every hole on the back nine. But just a little bit too late, unfortunately.”
The tie for third is Pettersen’s fifth top-10 finish this season and has one win this year at the LOTTE LPGA Championship.

Making moves…With 36 holes on tap Sunday, there were plenty of opportunities for players to make a move up the leaderboard at the Wegmans LPGA Championship. Prior to Suzann Pettersen’s 65 in the final round, Ai Miyazato had delivered the lowest round of the week with her 66 in the third round, Miyazato’s great round moved her up 51 spots on the leaderboard and following her 1-over 73 in the final round, she finished the event in a tie for 15th.

Double Points!
American players had the opportunity to make major moves in the Solheim Cup standings this week, as each major championship this season awards double points for players finishing in the top-20.
Five players earned points this week and hope to continue their solid play in next five events before the cutoff for the biennial tournament.

Player	Wegmans Finish	Points Earned	Current Rank/Points
Morgan Pressel	T3	57	10th/158.5
Michelle Wie	T9	39	11th/151.5
Cristie Kerr	T12	30	2nd/478.5
Kristy McPherson	T15	21	31st/21
Brittany Lincicome	T17	15	5th/230

Teaching and Club Professional Spotlight: The Wegmans LPGA Championship provides a special opportunity for five LPGA Teaching & Club Professionals to compete against the world’s best women golfers in a major championship. The winners of the five sectional LPGA T&CP events and the national championship receive spots in the Wegmans LPGA Championship field. This week we will spotlight LPGA T&CP members and let you get to know a little bit more about the women who dedicate themselves to the advancement of golf through teaching, coaching and managing golf facilities. Today we spotlight…Midwest Section Lisa Grimes.

Lisa Grimes got her start in golf at a young age when she would follow her dad and two older brothers to the golf course. “They were all good golfers and I wanted to hang out with them so I started playing a lot of golf.”

She said she really learned the game through an outstanding junior program at Alexandria Golf Club, a program she has now taken over and continues to run in her hometown. Lisa got recruited in high school to play at Arizona State University and said the school was a good fit since she was looking to play in warm weather and was familiar with the state from visiting during the winters growing up.

After graduation, Lisa turned professional and competed on several mini tours in the U.S., Asia and Europe. She would play on the LPGA part time and made her eighth U.S. Women’s Open appearance last season.

She turned to teaching once she had her daughter and while her husband played on the PGA Tour and said she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s currently the Director of Instruction at Alexandria Golf Club and oversees 120 young players in its junior program. She also recently started the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program of Alexandria.

After winning the T&CP Midwest Section last year, it was no surprise Grimes was looking forward to make her fifth appearance in the LPGA Championship.
 
“It’s always an honor and privilege to play in the LPGA Championship,” said Grimes. “It’s always nice to see old friends and tee it up against the best players in the world. Very humbling of course. They hit a lot of fairways and make a lot of putts.”

Five Things You Should Know About Lisa Grimes:

1. She is the mother to Taylor (25) and Gage (15) and loves spending time with her three grandchildren. “I think I was the only grandma out here this week. I’ve gotten some ‘Granny Grimes’ references.”
2. She started in the same junior program at Alexandria Golf Club as Tom Lehman and played a lot of golf with the 1996 PGA Tour Player of the Year.
3. Off the course, you can find Lisa spending some of her time making pottery.
4. Her family owns an Alaskan Siberian Husky named Jigs. “He surprisingly hates the cold weather.”
5. Lisa’s dream would to buy a sailboat and sail around the world. “In my next lifetime!”
   
   

Golden Ticket Winners: Catriona Matthew, Morgan Pressel and Amy Yang punched their "Ticket to CME Group Titleholders" at the Wegmans LPGA Championship, each earning a spot in the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event, which will be held Nov. 21-24, 2012 in Naples, Fla. The third-annual CME Group Titleholders is a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every LPGA Tour tournament.

Tweet of the Day: “Inbee Park backs up win at the year's first major with another in the second major. Your move, Adam Scott.” --@JasonSobelGC

Inbee Park, Rolex Rankings No. 1

Post-Round Quotes

Q.  All right, Inbee.  You're a major champion for the third time in your career, first time at the LPGA championship.  Tell us how it feels.
INBEE PARK:  It feels great.  It was a tough day out there.  I didn't hit many fairways out there and I was scrambling really well out there.
           
I think I was actually really lucky to get in the playoff.  The amount of fairways I was missing today it's almost a miracle that I won today.  I think I got a little lucky there, too.  And I really tried to fight off and tried not to give up.  That really paid off.

Q.  Just talk about the back nine.  A couple of bogeys.  You kind of let a few people back into it.  And to come back and win in a three-hole playoff, how does that feel?
INBEE PARK:  I felt really good with my swing and everything on the front nine.  I mean the front 18 holes.  But then the final round I think I was getting a little bit tired.  I don't know.  Just couldn't get -- figure out the right swing, you know, but finally, you know, hit three fairways in the playoff, you know, it helped me a lot.
           
And just very happy to win here at Wegmans with all these fans here.  I mean they've been great supporter of the LPGA, and yeah, they've been great.

Q.  You're playing 36 holes with Morgan.  At what point were you aware with Catriona being in and being who you ended up being matched up with?
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I played with Morgan pretty much all day 35 holes and then I got to the last hole and I saw the board and Catriona was right there if I made a bogey.  So I really played with Catriona for three holes and the rest of the day I played with Morgan.

Q.  Was this the most exhausting day of golf you've had?  I mean to go 36 and then extra holes.
INBEE PARK:  Yeah, I mean I wasn't looking forward to going extra holes today, but yeah, it was a tough day out there, very tired and especially when you're missing that many fairways and have to go from the rough, that's a really tough day.

Q.  What's this championship mean to you, winning the Wegmans LPGA championship?
INBEE PARK:  This is a major tournament and it's always in your memory for a long time and I always love to come to Rochester and playing here.
           
Yeah, I mean this became a major tournament and this golf course I love and finally winning here just feels great.

Press Conference Quotes

THE MODERATOR:  It's my pleasure to welcome the 2013 Wegmans LPGA Championship winner Inbee Park into the interview room.  Congratulations.  In addition to being the Rolex Rankings No. 1 player, you've now picked up your seventh career victory, your fourth LPGA win for 2013 and your third major championship of your career following the 2008 U.S. Women's Open, the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship and now the 2013 Wegmans.  How does it feel?
INBEE PARK:  It feels so good.  I mean I didn't know that I was going to be able to do it today.  I was hitting the ball everywhere today on the final round.  It just made my day so much tougher, and just putting my name on the Wegmans LPGA championship trophy just means so much to me.  And this is my third win in a major championship.  So that means a lot.  And getting a lot closer to my goals set for my golf career.

THE MODERATOR:  If you would, take us through the playoff.  We asked you before the ceremony about how it feels to win but we didn't talk much about the three holes in the playoff.  Just walk through that for us.  How did it go?
INBEE PARK:  The playoff, I wasn't getting that nervous.  I was more nervous on the final round because my ball was just going everywhere, and I wasn't too comfortable with my swing in the final round.  So I mean really expected nothing, I mean no expectations going into the playoff.  I was just happy that I actually made a playoff.  Yeah, I mean trying to hit every fairway and every green, and Mike said every fairway I hit he's going to buy me a big dinner every day.  I had three fairways there, so three big dinners he ows me.

THE MODERATOR:  Before we talk more about today, I'm just going to give you a couple of statistics and I'm going to ask you to comment on them.  As was mentioned on the green, in the last 52 weeks it's been one year since you've played here where you finished tied for 9, you've gone from number 26 in the world in the Rolex Rankings to No. 1.  You have six victories including two major championships and 12 additional Top 10 finishes, and you have 3.3 million dollars in earnings which is more than half of your seven-year earnings on the LPGA.  How do you even react to that?
INBEE PARK:  I mean a year ago everything I think really started to click, and yeah, everything just, you know, my swing was getting a lot better, hitting -- I think my weakest part of my game was ball striking and my short game and putting has always been very good, and I wasn't really able to hit the shots that I needed to, and you know, starting last year, two years, I mean I started to hit the ball lots better and giving myself a lot of birdie chances.
           
And yeah, I mean it was tough to win the second one, but Evian after four years with no win, but after that I felt so comfortable and felt the confidence, and yeah, just really comfortable when I'm in the last group.  And yeah.
THE MODERATOR:  We'll take questions for Inbee.  We ask you to please use the microphone.

Q.  I've read where you've given your fiancé a lot of credit for your ball striking and I was told to my wife don't ever give lessons to the person who you're romantically involved with.  So how did it work out for you?
INBEE PARK:  It worked out good for me.  Yeah, I'm playing best game in my career with him.  And not today with the way I strike the ball, but I mean certainly I'm -- you know, I have improved a lot.  I mean I want to give a lot of credit to him.

Q.  Congratulations.  You knew it was going to be a marathon going in with 36 holes.  How much more difficult was it -- how difficult was it those 36 holes, mentally and physically and then to add three more holes to that?
INBEE PARK:  I wasn't really looking forward to playing more holes than 36 holes, but yeah, I knew that it was going to be a marathon and it was going to be many holes, even if I made a couple bogeys from the start, I knew I had a lot more holes left to, you know, get it.  And just it was a tough day.  It was a tough day for everybody, and I think the experience at the British where we had to play 36 holes last year in the wind and the rain, I mean it was much better conditions today.  So it was a much better day.  And I wish I had more days.  It was tough on me even though I had to hit out of the rough every hole pretty much on the back nine there.  I mean I think I hit like one fairway and I think very talented shooting 2-over for hitting one fairway.

Q.  You had a three-shot lead with I think five holes to go there.  How would you describe the finish you had?  Is ugly the word or you give me a word that describes what happened down the stretch.
INBEE PARK:  I knew that I would have -- I could have made one more putt maybe on 17 or 16, but I've made some amazing up-and-downs before that.  So I mean bogeys were bound to come with the way I've been striking the ball today.  I mean if you miss the fairways here, you really can't avoid bogeys here.
           
And I knew that I had good plans, but I really didn't expect to win with the way I was playing today.  I mean I was really trying to be calm, and you know, not to get mad even if I don't win. 

Q. Inbee, you said you were struggling down the stretch.  This is a playoff.  You split the middle on three straight holes.  What clicked?
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I mean I was really trying a lot of different things on the course.  You know, 18 holes today, trying to figure something out there.  But nothing seemed to be working.  So I really cleared my head and just looked at the fairway and I just smashed it, and it was going in the middle every time.  I should have done that before and I wouldn't have to play three more holes.

Q.  Inbee, what was the length of your birdie putt to win the tournament, the last putt?
INBEE PARK:  20 feet, I think it was.
THE MODERATOR:  20 feet for birdie.

Q.  You were listing your goals a little bit earlier.  Win the first two majors of the year and not have people talk about the grand slam.  Has that ever been something that has entered your mind?
INBEE PARK:  I mean after I won Kraft, kind of a little bit sad about that, but I thought I had a lot more time in my career.  And I mean there was no rush to get in a major win.  I mean it's good that I got it early.  But I know (inaudible) didn't win Kraft and she's still really trying for that.  Hopefully I can do that before her age.

Q.  The fact that there are five majors this year, it would be the most difficult year to win the Grand Slam.
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I think it will be.  Instead of four, there's five.  So there's more tournaments to win.  I mean I won Evian last year.  It wasn't a major last year.  This year it's a major.  I feel really good about the Evian golf course and I'm very comfortable there.  So I'm looking forward to playing there.  And I just love playing in major championships.

Q.  How much was fatigue a factor in the fourth round, Inbee?
INBEE PARK:  Well, I don't know whether my swing was bad or my body was tired.  I don't know what was the reason I was hitting it everywhere in the final round.  I felt really good in the morning and I felt really good but in the back nine I felt tired.  I think everybody is really fit enough to play 36 holes out here and it's mentally that you have to be strong.  I think in perfect conditions, perfect weather like this, I don't think anybody would have a problem with playing 36 holes.

Q.  I think it was on the 16th and I know you played a lot of holes today, but when your shot, your tee shot on the 16, went into the rough, you looked like you kind of (inaudible).  Can you bring us back to what you were thinking and how disappointed or frustrated you were about it?
INBEE PARK:  I really wanted to hit the No. 16 fairway with -- I didn't even hit a driver.  I hit a 3-wood trying to hit the fairway.  But I was just really disappointed.  Yeah.

Q.  (Inaudible).
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I mean we have something very well on the LPGA Tour and have won a lot this year.  Everybody is really I think inspired by each other and trying to play better than each other and trying to help each other out.  And yeah, I think it really helps that you have a friend together, traveling together.  It's tough to do it on your own out here.

Q.  They say in all sports that the great champions are able to win when they're not at their best.  Do you feel like today that you proved that, that you have that quality?
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I mean I felt like I ran a marathon today and I'm just happy that we got it done.  And yeah, I mean major championships I think should have this kind of challenge, I mean not the 36 holes every time, but I mean this golf course was playing so tough and fair at the same time, and I really enjoyed playing this golf course.  You really have to be perfect on every shot.  And that's what you need on a major championship, and this is I think a true major championship.

Q.  You battled Morgan for so long.  Were you surprised when she got some distance between her, you look up on the leaderboard and all of a sudden you see Catriona right behind you?
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I pretty much played Morgan all 36 holes all day today.  I was trying to play better than her today.  And after pretty much playing 35 holes with Morgan and I played probably three holes with Catriona pretty much.  I didn't know she was up there until I was on No. 18.

THE MODERATOR:  Before we close we'll just ask you to go through your birdies and your bogeys today if you can remember them all.  You birdied No. 5.  No.  Just the second round.
INBEE PARK:  Okay.
THE MODERATOR:  No, not all 36.  The last 18.  So you birdied five.
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  I think I made only two birdies.
THE MODERATOR:  Well, you gotta give me the bogeys for context.
INBEE PARK:  Pretty much all the same.  Bogeys are like hit it out of the rough, get up-and-down.  Okay.  No. 5.  There was a 9-iron.  About 15 feet over the flag.  Yeah.
THE MODERATOR:  Six, hit it in the rough.
INBEE PARK:  Yeah.  Hit it in the rough.  7-iron, then I hit it and made a good bogey from there.
THE MODERATOR:  No. 8.
INBEE PARK:  No. 8, yeah.  Hit it in the rough and then hit it out with like -- punched it out like 30, 40 yards.  No, no.  I actually hit a fairway there.  I hit the fairway and hit it into the rough on my second shot.  Yeah, it hit the tree and didn't go that far.  And hit 6-iron under the tree, over the green, didn't get up-and-down.
THE MODERATOR:  Birdie, 11.
INBEE PARK:  11, it was -- yeah.  I actually hit a good second shot just 20 yards short of the green and yeah, got up-and-down two feet, three feet from the hole.
THE MODERATOR:  14.
INBEE PARK:  14, hit it in the rough and punched it out and hit a wedge to about 20, 25 feet, didn't make it.
THE MODERATOR:  16.
INBEE PARK:  16, hit it in the rough, hit it out in the rough again and hit it to about 7, 8 feet, didn't make that.
THE MODERATOR:  And 18.
INBEE PARK:  18, you saw 18.  Hit it in the rough left, and second shot hit it in the rough again and then third shot, hit it in the rough and hit it just off the green and two-putted from there.  Used the putter from there.

 

Catriona Matthew, Rolex Rankings No. 16

THE MODERATOR:  We'd like to welcome Catriona Matthew into the interview room.  Thank you so much for joining us.  I know not the finish you were hoping for in the playoff, but when you look back on this day and where you were able to come from heading into the final round, just take me through the day and what that experience was like.
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  I shot one over (inaudible) and went this afternoon and played really well, no bogeys and four birdies.  Coming down the last I didn't actually realize quite where I was.
           
The last I looked at the scoreboard, Inbee (inaudible), so I was quite surprised when suddenly I looked at the leaderboard on 18 and two putts would get me in a playoff.  When I started today the last round I probably didn't realize I could win.
           
So to play well and get into the playoffs was obviously pretty good.  Obviously when you get into it, it's pretty disappointing but overall pretty good week.

THE MODERATOR:  On the three playoff holes, I know that the last drives were not where you wanted them.  What would you attribute that to?  How would you take us through those holes and what was your thought process?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Obviously the first playoff hole I played pretty well.  I hit a good drive, a little 7-iron, slightly unlucky just to stay off the top left myself a tough putt.  And pushed the drive on the 10th hole into the rough and just had to chip out.  And then hit a really good wedge onto the green until probably about a 5-footer to extend it.  And then just a pure drive again on 18.
           
What caused it, I don't know.  I wish I knew.

THE MODERATOR:  We talked about what a long day it was playing 36 holes and then having to go into a three-hole playoff.  What's the fatigue factor and do you feel pretty good right now?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  I don't think fatigue was a factor during the playoff.  I think just the adrenaline of being in the playoff kept you going.  Certainly didn't feel tired during the playoff.

THE MODERATOR:  You are a mom of two young beautiful girls.  What's it like traveling all the time?  How do you keep in touch, especially with them being back home in Scotland?  Do weeks like this where you're in contention kind of make it all worth it?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  There's nothing worse than being away and then missing a cut makes it feel like you shouldn't have left.  Haven't played particularly well the last couple of weeks.  So yeah, obviously a good week this week makes it a bit more worthwhile.
           
Youngest one keeps telling me not to come home unless I get a trophy.  So I'm getting closer.  She's a hard task master.

Q.  (Inaudible)?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  When I saw the leaderboard on 18, just before I putted.  I thought, you know, if I could obviously -- realistically it wasn't looking like holing it, but if I could get in two, I had a chance at a playoff.

Q.  Was that putt on 18 was hard out there as it looked in here?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  But yeah, I hit a really good putt to about four feet.  Yeah, I was pleased to get a good putt there.

Q.  It looked awfully fast.  Looked like it hit at the top of the hill.  Were you expecting it to run by?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  I really didn't think I could leave it short.  It was pretty quick going on that ridge, so I was pleased to keep it within four feet.

Q.  (Inaudible)?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  I've won already.  Obviously it would have been fantastic.  These are the tournaments you want to win.  So yeah, I mean obviously, you know, looking back I think it was great to have a chance.
           
But yeah, I mean I've been out here 19 years now, so these are the big tournaments.  They're certainly the ones you're trying to win.

Q.  So your husband usually on the bag, not on the bag lately.  I guess he's staying home with the kids.  How long are you going to be out away from the kids and are they coming over to the States maybe sometime?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Well, I was meant to fly back tonight at 7:55, but I think I've missed that.  So try and change and go back tomorrow night and then home for a week and then I'm back out for two weeks.
           
I mean it's difficult.  My husband is staying at home more now.  They're older.  I suppose it's just what we do.  I suppose everyone just gets used to it.

Q.  And then talk about Inbee Park and the stretch she's had in the last year and the type of player she is and what you're impressed with.
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah, she's had an amazing run the last probably nearly two years.  She's just so consistent.  That's why, you know, it's kind around about 16, 17, when I was looking at the boards I really didn't think I had a chance.  She's not the kind of player you'd expect to fall back.
           
She really doesn't hit many bad shots.  She always seems to be down the middle on the green, always gives herself a chance, and when she starts holing putts, she can hole a lot.

 

Morgan Pressel, Rolex Rankings No. 68

Q.        Just tell us what you're feeling right now.
MORGAN PRESSEL:  How do I sum it up?  I mean I'm definitely disappointed, but it's the first time in a long time I've contended, so I'm happy with the way that I played this week as a whole.
           
I had chances.  Nothing went in.  And that happens.

Q.  When you're coming in, are you thinking of a certain score?  Were you thinking that it had to be a lower number to be in?  I mean the way Inbee came in, too, obviously pars might have been what you needed.
MORGAN PRESSEL:  No.  I mean I didn't think Inbee would actually give me as much of a window as she did.  And when she gave me a window, gave it right back to her.
           
So I --

Q.  When will the positives kick in from this week for you?  When will you start feeling good about the way that you played?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  I mean I do.  I do feel good about the way that I played.  I just would have liked a couple more putts to fall.

Q.  Morgan, it's the right time of year to really get your game in order.  We've got more majors coming up and the Solheim Cup.  Just talk about how nice it is to have a good week and know that you've got a lot of big events to contend at coming up?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  Yeah.  Absolutely.  You know, I love playing in Arkansas.  It's the next event.  It's a good golf course for me.  I've played at Sebonack already.  I think that's a very good golf course for me.  And we've got -- this is the start of a big summer, and it's a good tournament for me.

Q.  You talk about, you know, you've been here before.  Did all those feelings and everything come back to you when you're coming down the stretch those last 18 holes?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  You know what, I think I was better than I have been in the past.  I don't think I was as nervous or as -- I don't know what the word would be, but I feel like I was -- I mean it didn't happen the way that I wanted it to, but I felt like I was calm about it.

Q.  You got another major coming up pretty quick.  You said Sebonack treats you well.  What is it about that that suits you?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  Well, I think I mean it's a course with some big greens that rely on a lot of short game.  Just like any Open, fairways and greens are important, similar to this golf course, but you know, I've been up to Sebonack a couple of times going back this week, and I feel like I have a little bit of local knowledge on my side and kind of have a good idea of how to play the golf course and a good game plan.

Q.  You said you didn't want to worry too much about Solheim points, but this is definitely a help?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  This will definitely help, for sure.

Q.  Does that help ease it a little bit that this is helping you towards a goal?
MORGAN PRESSEL:  Well, definitely.  I mean I said to my coach earlier this week, you know, if it came down to it, I feel like I'd be a heavy consideration for a pick but I don't want to be a pick, but beyond that I have to give her something to want to pick me for.  So this is definitely -- this will move me up the points list and hopefully put me into good position going into the rest of the summer.

Q.  As painful as it is now, is it fair to say this is why you do this, to get these feelings, to go down deep --
MORGAN PRESSEL:  Yeah, I mean you're out here to win and this is the best chance I've had in about a year.  So.

 

Suzann Pettersen, Rolex Rankings No. 4

Q.        So you posted a nice little 65 there to close things out.  Is it a case of too little too late?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  Yeah.  I've been putting so bad all week and then finishing the third round, went straight to the putting green.  And just made an adjustment in my address.  I think I was starting too far away from the ball, and pretty much made everything I looked at this afternoon.
           
So I don't know where I'd been before -- I mean why I didn't do this before when I putted so bad the first, second and the third round.
           
But I'm proud the way I came back.  Tried to post a number that felt like I had a good chance at pretty much every hole on the back nine.
           
But just a little bit too late, unfortunately.

Q.  You know, 65 is good under normal circumstances, but in a major in rough where you could lose a small dog, you gotta feel pretty good about it.  Is it something you can carry momentum forward?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  I mean after four days in this rough you kind of get practice.  I've been out there quite a few times.  You kind of learn your shots, you know when you're dead and you know when you can give it a go.  I hit a fantastic shot from the rough on 16.
           
So I feel like I've been quite fortunate on quite a few of the lies in the rough compared to others that I've seen.
           
The game doesn't really feel that far off.  It's just when you can't putt, you ain't going to win major championships.

Q.  Was there a number that you had in mind that if you could have posted it you would have had a shot?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  I mean when I made the turn I kind of felt it.  I was starting to feel a lot better over the putter.  I mean the first you think was just to hit the fairway.  And then once that's kind of done then you can kind of start being aggressive.
           
I just tried to birdie as many as I could.  I felt like I was pretty much out of it before I teed off.  And I'm probably going to end of 3 or 4, maybe 5 short.

Q.  Do you walk away more frustrated about not winning or happy with the last round?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  I'm very happy the way I kind of fought back.  I said at the leaving this place over par.  So I got it back to even quite nicely.  And then I'm just really upset with myself that I didn't make that adjustment way early.  It's just -- but that's what it is when you're blonde.  Sometimes it takes you a little longer.

Q.  What was the adjustment?  Just something small?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  No.  Just starting.  My eye line was way too far inside of the putter.  I felt like the aim was -- I didn't really feel where I was aiming.  The ball came off at different speed all the time.  It was impossible to putt.  So it's kind of a last-minute adjustment before I teed off and made a good putt on the first and I'm like, yeah, that was a good adjustment.  And I just stuck to it.

Q.  You've had some other up-and-down years here in Rochester round to round, almost like this year; right?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  Well, I feel like I've been -- I've had some good finishes here.  Just every year feels like I'm falling just a little short.

Q.  Because the early rounds, the same scenario.
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  Yeah.  I'm not going to say it's been easy out here, but it shows it's doable to make birdies and I guess now you feel like you're fairly warmed up and you stay aggressive.

Q.  Another 18?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  I can go another 18.  Just don't sit down.

Q.  Confident going into the U.S. Women's Open right now?
SUZANN PETTERSEN:  Yeah.  This was a nice confidence boost that I can actually adjust it and it's probably something that I will -- a fault I will see again.  It's nice to kind of know the go-to fix.