Day 3 Interview – Rebecca Hudson

Rebecca, what a fantastic round. Did you think this could happen at the beginning of the day?
No, not at all and on the first hole I did hit a 20 footer that I did hit a tad hard and I was lucky that it went in. I hit some good golf shots and played the golf course the way I wanted to. At the beginning of the day I knew that someone would have to shoot low to catch Mel but I didn’t think this would happen.

How did you cope with the wind and the rain?
This is an English summer – delightful weather. We worked hard on just knowing where we should bounce it and if we pitched it there and got the right bounce, then it was going to be our day.

An English winner on home soil. How does it compare to your other wins?
What, to last week? Back to back wins, I can’t believe it. To win in your home country is just fantastic. It’s just wonderful. To have two English players at the top is something special as well. It’s all good.

What was the best part of your game today?
My putting was very good today but I hit a lot of good shots. Me and Kirsty lined up the putts well, we worked well together. We didn’t fight the wind, we worked with it and if you get the right bounces with this weather then it goes.

What did you do in the break?
Went and sat in the men’s locker room and it was lovely and warm.

Did the break affect you at all?
It wasn’t great because of my back but I had to make sure I kept swinging and keeping it warm. We’ve had a few wet rain delays and you get used to them.

How do you like the course?
It’s a very good test. It’s similar to Chart Hills. The greens were in fantastic condition and were very true. I like it.

How is your back?
It’s wonderful. I had to change my swing to cope with some of the pain. It has just made me play well, get into a better position and get more distance. I had to do something that I needed to do but never really had to do.

What will you do to celebrate this victory?
Celebrate with a bottle of champagne and a curry like last week. We’ll get a bottle of champagne or something.

What is Kirsty’s influence over the last couple of weeks?
Having someone who you can talk to you know well. Me and Kirsty played foursomes together for years and she knows my game as well as I know her game. I think when you get into a pressure situation like on the last, I wanted to hit a four iron but I was better hitting a softer shot, a little rescue, and she knows that. It’s fun having your best friend on the bag. She is very good at lining putts. If you enjoy it and you talk you forget about the whole situation that you’re in. She has been a huge influence. Her golf hasn’t been fantastic and the only sad part of it is that she should be playing. I feel that eventually she will come through.

Why do you think the Brits are playing so well this year?
I don’t know why. The Lauras and Trishes have been around for years and will be around. There has been a little gap but now to have Mel coming through and some of the others like Kiran and some of the younger kids just shows that in 20 years time when Laura has retired there will still be people there.

Would you say that there is a different approach between your own and Mel Reid’s?
There you have two complete opposite people. I kind of like doing my own thing. I could go and see a shrink but I know I’m already mad enough so I’ll just go with what I am and stick with my friends. I think different things suit different people and you have to do what is best for yourself.

Quick quotes from Melissa Reid

To be honest, I can’t take anything away from Rebecca’s 64. In these conditions it was phenomenal. She won the tournament. I’m pretty gutted right now but I’ve got to stay patient and maybe the win will come pretty soon. I still made a couple of mistakes, which I want to erase. I’m learning all the time and this was a great challenge in all the conditions.

Day 3 Interview – Joanne Mills

Play has just been suspended, we just heard a horn?
Yeah, we were just walking of 18 when we heard the thunder. We were coming up 18 and I though oh no it’s getting heavier.That would have been bad if it had gone and we had one putt or something.
3:20 play suspended

What a great round you had, what did you finish on in the end?
I had a 6 under 66.

So how are you feeling about your position at this point?
Really good actually and to get in just before the suspension of play, you know I’ve set a benchmark for the players behind me to try to chase me now so, see what happens. The rain is starting to come in, so I’m really happy with the way I played today.

Why was the scoring so much lower today?
I have no idea, considering it was raining and windy. I don’t know, I must be a good mud runner, cause every time the weather seems to get bad I seem to play my best golf and you know I got off to a good start, I was four under after seven holes so and missed probably about four chances of about 5 or six feet so, I really could have been four shots better. I’m happy with my 66 it’s a great chance now to win the tournament.

With 17, it’s been such a tough hole, but you managed to birdie that today, what club did you hit in there?
I had about 79 yards in and just a nice full sand iron for me, the pin on the front so it was a bit difficult to get to, so I wanted to leave myself a full shot, which I did so knocked it to about a foot and a half so.

So easy birdie then?
Yeah, I like those tap in ones, they’re nice.

What do think is going to happen now and how does it affect you to have a break?
Well, it is hard when you come off a delay to try and keep it going. Nine out of ten times you would probably drop shots more so than pick them up. So now I’ve got a good chance if that happens, if it gets a bit windy now once this storm blows over. You never know what might happen down sixteen and seventeen are tough holes.

Day 3 Interview – Carly Booth (Amateur)
Would you say this tournament was good preparation for you, playing at the European Girls Championship next week at Aberdeen?
Oh yeah, it’s a great experience and I enjoyed it. It’s definitely a good experience for me for the future.

It was obviously tough out there with the wind and the rain?
Yes it was, I was playing really well and then I just kind of struggled on the last two holes.

Will you be playing in any other LET events this year?
So far, I’m not sure.

Were you pleased with your performance this week?
Yes, but no, I could have done better, but I was overall pretty good.