Johanna Westerberg (Sweden)
I hear you sank every putt today.
Not everything! I played well and got lucky a few times when I didn’t hit the best shot. It ended up okay. I holed a couple of good putts.
I hit it in close a lot of times. I was playing very solid and didn’t make many mistakes. One bogey at the last but that played so long today. I hit a three-wood for my second shot.
Have you been in this position before?
I don’t think I’ve been leading but I’ve been close. I’m enjoying it so much. I’m not thinking too much. I’m just trying to play my golf and my best score. I’m so pleased about today because it was so windy. I was trying to take one shot at a time.
We played seven holes when we went in. I felt when I went out there again as though the first hole was the first of the day. You don’t have the same momentum any more, but I made a par and got going again. It was fine but you get out of it a little bit.
Are you and Pim-Pim a celebrity couple in Sweden?
I get some more attention. Yesterday the newspapers were trying to reach him for an interview, caddying. They didn’t try to reach me! They did, but they also wanted to talk to him, which is kind of funny. I’m like, “What do I have to do to get it the papers?” I’m only joking, it was fun. We’re just having fun out there.
Melissa Reid (England)
It was playing tough today. The wind picked up and we had the delay. You’ve just got to stay patient in those kinds of conditions. I hit it okay; not 100 percent but had a good run of birdies, which put me up there.
After the break, it didn’t stall your momentum.
We played eight and were just about to tee off on 18, which was our ninth. I birdied that one, birdied the next, parred the next and birdied the next so it didn’t bother us too much. I hit a few balls on the range before.
The wind was really tough. There were a few tricky pins and you couldn’t really get to them with the wind. It was tricky out there.
Paula Marti (Spain) and Martina Eberl (Germany)
Congratulations to both of you: leading the pack at the moment. You have both been in a typcail Bavarian restaurant on Sunday night. Was it the best preparation for the tournament?
Paula Marti: It was great. Martina took me there from Switzerland and it was a great night. She showed me a bit of the city and it was lovely.
Martina Eberl: We went to the Sea House in the English garden.
Paula, what was the secret today?
Paula Marti: It was great to play with Martina. I have known her since we were 14 years old so she is a great friend inside and outside the golf course. It’s always fun to play with her.
Today, we had a bit of everything on the golf course. We had rain in the morning and lots of wind in the afternoon so the conditions were not easy today and I think I handled it pretty well out there. My putting rhythm wasn’t very good but I think I got a good rhythm on the last green so hopefully we are just going to keep doing good work tomorrow.
How did you deal with the wind?
We had a little at the beginning and lots of wind after. I just told myself to be patient out there on the golf course. I know it was a difficult round and I think I hit good shots today but I wasn’t really feeling that good with the putter, with the rhythm. It’s alright. I made a good putt on the last one and hopefully I will play well on the weekend.
Next week Barcelona is playing the championship and yesterday we saw your son in a Barcelona shirt.
I know Xavi, the mid-field player, because my husband is his manager. He is a good guy and a great golf player. We are going on Wednesday, to the final.
How do you rate this tournament, in general?
Paula Marti: I think it’s fantastic. I think Martina and the whole organisation are running a great event. I am amazed to see how many people are coming out and yesterday was just crazy considering it was the first day of the tournament. Playing with Martina on the weekend, we’re going to have lots of crowds and it’s just great. Martina said at the beginning of the week that it’s the only tournament that has more money than last year. I think it’s a great place to be.
How many people come to other tournaments?
Martina Eberl: It really depends where it is. If you play in Great Britain there are always more. Last year in Denmark there were a lot, with Annika, of course. It really depends who is playing and normally that there are people with that group, where local players from that country are playing.
How were the conditions?
Paula Marti: It was great. They had a lot of rain last night and the course has just been fantastic.
Martina Eberl: I asked for preferred lies today and they said no and I was really surprised because there was so much rain last night and I thought there would be a lot of mud on the ball, but no. It was perfect. We had very good lies.
How would you rate Martina’s performance?
Paula Marti: Today was fantastic. She played just great. Everything was holed, every single putt. She just hit it close today. She’s been playing good. Yesterday she played ok but just didn’t make putts and today she made them so good for her.
How important is today’s score for you, moving up to the top of the leader board?
Martina Eberl: Important wise, it’s great. Every player and caddie can relate to the position I’m in. I’m hosting this tournament and it’s my home course, my home people here and of course there is a bit more pressure on me at this tournament than any other. I’m just really happy that my mental game, strength really comes out today, or maybe this week. I am really happy with how it went. It is important to me and shows me that the whole work with my mental coach and technical coach pays off.
Who is your mental coach?
Justin Walsh, who is just there, in the blue shirt.
Audi presented you with a car for this week. How do you like it?
Paula Marti: I love it. I don’t want to go back to my car now. Can I keep it? It’s really nice of them to give us a car this week and we appreciate it.
Martina, did you feel any extra pressure on 18 when Paula holed that long putt?
Martina Eberl: I don’t think it’s extra pressure. If she plays well I’m really happy for her because we’re good friends and she plays well. If she hits the line properly and gives it a good go then she deserves it. I’m happy for her, but I was pretty much focused on my own putt. I just wanted to give it a good chance and have a good finish. It was such a fantastic day for me. It’s funny because the last shot I hit with my six-iron and that’s my least favourite club. I just wanted to make the putt. It doesn’t affect my mental thing.
Did you change anything?
Martina Eberl: I just hit it closer today and I putted better and that’s pretty much the recipe for a good golf day. You hit it close and hole the putts. I like those conditions. I’m a German girl and I’m used to playing in the wind and in the rain, not like in Spain. I don’t care if it’s raining or not as long as the hands and the grips are dry. Today was just a good day.
Any relief?
It’s two more days; just half time. Maybe we will play together again and have a nice time but I just want to keep going and do my best.
Who is on your team?
Martina Eberl: I have a great management with Richard Raymond and his assistant Martina. Danny Wilde is my technical coach, Justin Walsh my mental coach, Claudia my fitness coach, then from this year I have a nutritionist, Sylvia.
Paula Marti: You must win a lot of money to pay them all!
Martina Eberl: Yeah! Then I have a club fitter and Reiner who does all the press work. I didn’t have them all when I started but for me it’s an investment. I’m investing in my coaches and I can earn more money but the money thing is just on the side. They are all my friends and I’m hanging out with them in my spare time. They are my best mates and I love working with them.
