Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open
Golf Gerre Losone, Switzerland
Thursday 22nd May 2008
First-round interviews
Rebecca Coakley 63 (-9)
Q. What club did you use to eagle the 12th?
I hit a pitching wedge from 92 metres.
Q. You have a new set of clubs – how did that help you?
I think it was a good decision to change. I tried out a lot of equipment before the beginning of the season and it just so happened that I really liked these clubs. It’s taken me a little bit of time to get used to it because not only have I gone from steel shafts 95 grams to graphite shafts 75 grams. That’s a big difference in itself. I feel I will only get better with them the more I play.
Q. What have you been doing to improve your short game?
I went to the Pelz Academy earlier in the year so I’ve been doing a lot of work and I’ve changed my technique when it comes to short game throughout so that’s a big change. It’s something that some weeks is really good and other weeks is average. I hope that by the middle of the season that should become good and a lot more consistent.
Q. Are you trying to save a shot per round?
I figure if I can save a shot a round that should get me around level par average which, when you look at it statistically, I think the top ten on the money list are around there. It’s where I need to get to.
Q. How much is The Solheim Cup a goal for you?
I set my goal for 2011 and if it came in 2009 I’d be over the moon but 2011 is my goal.
Q. Did everything go right for you today?
Pretty much expect on six. I hit a bad tee shot there and had to chip out sideways so I nearly holed the putt for a par but it just chipped out and that was the only mistake during the round. Everything else was good. I had like 22 putts. When you hole out with a pitching wedge and putt in from off the green on nine it makes life easy.
Q. Do you feel that you can keep it going?
I’m just taking it day by day. Today feels great and we will see what tomorrow will bring. If it happens, it happens. If not, it’s not the end of the world.
Q. Can you explain how it was out there in terms of the weather?
It wasn’t terrible. We had drizzly rain throughout the whole of the round and unfortunately the course is quite wet because of the rain they’ve had last week but the greens are superb. It’s nice to play on a lovely golf course with good greens. It makes scoring a lot easier.
Q. Can you explain your associations with Ireland and Australia?
I live full time in Ireland. My dad works in Australia. He moved out there when I was five and myself and my sister have been back and forwards since then, but home is Ireland. In live in Carlow.
Q. Can you give us some reasons for this wonderful play?
I’ve been working really hard the last few months and I’ve made some changes in my game. It’s been kind of heart breaking, the last few event, but I’ve been telling myself to keep at it and it came right today.
Q. Did you think you were leading?
I think I would have been disappointed if I’d come in and somebody had a ten under. I figured that I’d be leading.
Q. The weather looks similar to Ireland. Is this good for your play?
I guess we’re used to the rain but we usually have a bit more wind.
Q. What will you expect for the next round you play?
You don’t know from one round to another with golf. I’m going to go out there and do exactly what I did today. Hopefully it will happen again but if it doesn’t it’s not the end of the world.
Q. What makes this golf course so special?
You’ve got wonderful scenery around here. You’ve got a great climate for nice golf courses. The greens are great and fairways are good too but there has been a lot of rain so there is a little casual water at the moment. I love coming here.
I think if you think your way around here you can score. There are a couple of holes out there that I play down different fairways and you take all the trouble out of play doing that. I think if you use your head a little bit it makes it a little bit easier.
Q. Your last tournament was in Turkey and you were 59th. It was a big change.
Turkey was tough. It was a nice golf course but we had rock hard greens and tight fairways. It’s nice to come here and play on a course that you can score on.
Q. It didn’t bother you that your favourite football club lost in the champions league?
Well it did last night. I didn’t get much sleep. I’ve gone from one extreme to the other: from incredible disappointment last night to a lot of joy today. Maybe I need to get less sleep more often.
Q. You had so many birdies…
The last couple of weeks have been really tough for me so to come out and shoot nine under has been fantastic. I feel like my hard work has finally paid off.
Q. What do you attribute to the turnaround?
I’m going through a few changes at the moment so I’ve got to keep at it. Some weeks are going to be harder than others. If I can stick to it then hopefully there will be more of this.
Q. You holed a great putt on the last. How has you time at the Pelz Academy helped you?
I learned a lot with putting and on my short game and when you start to learn more about the mechanics it helps.
Q. What is your mind set going into the next few days?
Tomorrow I’m going to do exactly the same. Today I focused a lot on my routine. I’ve found that over the last couple of tournaments things were a little quicker than what they were so I’ve gone back to what I was doing three years ago when I first came out on tour which was my most consistent year so far.
