Final round comments from the Comunitat Valenciana European Nations Cup

Netherlands

Marjet Van der Graaff: It’s amazing.

Could you have believed it at the beginning of the week?

Marjet Van der Graaff: No! It’s what you play for but it’s nice to believe that you really can do it. We played great golf every day.

Was there a secret to it?

Christel Boeljon: For me, my putter was working quite well this week so I made a lot of good birdies and good pars. I don’t know what the key was. We both played solid and well so we worked well as a team.

Were you just playing your own game?

Christel Boeljon: I think we just stick to our own games and didn’t really look at the French at all.

You’ve only been a professional for three months, Christel. You’re winning tournaments already!

Christel Boeljon: It’s great, I like it! It’s a great start I don’t think I could have asked for a better one so I’m very happy.

You were 11 months old when the Dutch football team won the European Championship. What will people think back home in Holland?

Marjet Van der Graaff: I don’t know what to expect back home at the airport. It’s going to be midnight. It will be nice. I think no-one thought that we had a chance so I don’t know what will happen in Holland.

Sum up how it felt on 18, holing that putt, Christel?

Christel Boeljon: Like I said, my putter was working for me this week so I felt comfortable. I saw the line and knew the putt was very quick. I just tried to get it up there and if it goes in, great. We had a comfortable lead. It was amazing to make that one. It’s a great feeling.

Have you any idea what sort of publicity this will create back home?

Christel Boeljon: I think a lot. I think it will be good for women’s golf; for girls’ golf. It’s good to leave a mark out here.

Italy

Giulia Sergas: We played brilliant golf, really, from tee to green and we alternated really well. I was hitting a great shot and she was making a putt. She was hitting a good shot and I was sinking the putt.

At the beginning of the day, did you think it would be this good?

Veronica Zorzi: We started with the target to try to enjoy and make some putts.

Was the philosophy just to do as well as you could to move up that leader board?

Giulia Sergas: We discussed it a little last night. We just tried to give ourselves chances for birdie that we didn’t give yesterday. I think we were communicating and having a great time together.

What was the highlight, Veronica? The eagle at the ninth or finishing as well as you did?

Veronica Zorzi: The eagle on nine was great. She made the second shot to one metre and at the 18th we made a birdie, so it was a good finish.

Where does this figure for you, Giulia?

Giulia Sergas: It’s a great feeling. I love that my parents are here because they never watch me play. I love to play with Veronica. Five holes to the end I told her that I was really sad it was going to be the last five holes together.

Australia

Nikki Garrett: We had a good week. We didn’t score as well playing the Valencian Cup format but we played pretty solid all week and it was just a couple of putts on the second and fourth day cost us a little bit. Other than that I’m quite happy.

What will you do between now and Switzerland?

Nikki Garrett: I’m actually going to Lake Garda and I’m going to spend two weeks with my boyfriend who is training sailing over there. I don’t think there are too many courses in Lake Garda. I don’t know what I’m going to do there. I think there’s a few up in the mountains about 40 minutes away. I’m actually going to try to windsurf and hopefully he’ll take me out in his laser.

Are you feeling good about the season?

Nikki Garrett: It was a great warm up for me and it was fun. You forget how nervous you get having six months off, or three months since the Australian events. It was great to get back in contention and get those nerves working again.
Jo Mills: We played this format much better today than we did on Friday. We got off to a good start with birdies on four and five. Unfortunately both of us bogeyed the next two holes and we didn’t hole as many putts around the back nine as we would have liked. We had some chances but we didn’t make anything. I’m staying here for a week’s holiday next week at Roda Beach (near Murcia) and then back to England for a week before Murcia.

France

Gwladys Nocera: We started off playing really well but we didn’t make a putt. I think that’s the only difference. We had two birdies and we had so many opportunities. I started to hit the ball pretty bad towards the end and couldn’t make a putt. Anne-Lise hit some really good shots and that’s it. When you can’t make a putt you can’t win.

Did you keep battling?

We always thought we could win. You don’t go on the tee box if you don’t think you’re going to do it.