IBEN TINNING

 

BETHAN CUTLER: We would like to welcome Tournament Champion Iben Tinning from Denmark. You have won the 2010 OMEGA Dubai Ladies Masters. Congratulations, and tell us how it feels to win here. IBEN TINNING: It’s an unbelievable, great, fantastic, I don’t know what to say. It’s just the greatest thing right now and I’m so happy and pleased that it’s over, as well, but I also enjoyed it out there because I knew that this was my last event and it just a big thing for me right now I must say. And to see my name on the trophy, I’m happy, finally.

Q. You said you were going to retire; are you still going ahead with it? IBEN TINNING: I’m still going to retire. My hip has not been any better this week. I’m going to see a guy back home who I hope can fix me but I can’t really see myself playing that much golf anymore. I’m really happy with the finish, and I don’t want to play that many tournaments anymore. I want to have a more normal life with my family and my son really has a hard time when I leave, so, you know, I want to be with him and I want to try something else in my life. So I’m pretty happy with it to be honest.

Q. You said you enjoyed it; that can’t be easy when you’ve got the one shot lead going down the last hole with two other girls breathing down your neck. IBEN TINNING: I know, there was a lot of breathing there, I must say. But yeah, it’s something I’ve tried a lot of times and I just thought, this time, I’m going to have this trophy. I went out at the start and I just said, I’m going to win, I’m going out to win, not to lose. It’s a bit big deal to go that way, instead of just I’m going to save the shot to be safe all the time. I just thought, I’m just going to go for it. And if it works, it works and if he f it doesn’t, tried my best, and I can look back in a few years and said I really did my best. So I went out to win today and I think that was the main difference.

Q. That little sprint around the turn was decisive in the end. IBEN TINNING: Yeah, that was really nice. Obviously it’s always nice to be a few shots ahead the others, and I want them to chase more instead of just being, you know calm, so they have to look at me and say, now, she has a two shot lead, and that was really nice.

Q. How special was the feeling on the 18th, walking up to the 18th and then making that 20 footer and then getting the hugs from everyone? IBEN TINNING: It was just great. It was just great. When my coach came in, he started crying and then I started crying and it was just unbearable. You know, I was really happy that they took the time because I could breathe a little bit and try to calm myself. I don’t really know how I made that putt but I just tried to get it somewhere down there and it was just fantastic to make it and know for sure, this is the end of it, and I finished with a holed put, it’s just great.

Q. Would you say that Solheim Cup, Dubai 2007 and Dubai now were the best of your career? IBEN TINNING: I would say, Dubai 2007 that was pretty hard to get over. It took me a while to get over. That was one of the worst experiences, but also a great one, because I was really there and I could have taken that trophy at the time. And this one I have to really think through, and this is definitely a big, big thing for me. This is definitely a big, big thing for me on my favourite golf course and one of my favourite destinations and it’s just amazing.

Q. And can we just ask you about your family, just one child. IBEN TINNING: I have one son who is four and a half, Mads.

Q. Can you talk about your highlights? IBEN TINNING: Obviously I got the five wins and the Solheim Cup. I played a few times and I won it at Barsebäck, and one of those obviously 2007, I talked to you about. And also the time in well, we nearly won over the Americans in Solheim Cup when we were in America, that was a bit of a low, because we thought it actually happened probably shouldn’t thought that. But it’s a little bit hard for me to take all of the years together now and talk about them. It’s all a bit of a blur at the moment, I’m sorry.

Q. You said you’re going to play a couple of tournaments next year. Can we expect you to come back and defend your title here for sure? IBEN TINNING: Well, the thing is, if you don’t win, it’s a bit of a downer. So, I don’t know. I really have to think through it. I love this place. But it’s also nice to finish at a great place with a win and I’m not so sure I can do that in a year’s time. I might not come back.

Q. How special was it to have your husband on your bag this week and can you just tell us how do you stay focussed, what did you discuss in the morning and how did you approach the round? IBEN TINNING: Well, we actually don’t talk too much about the golf, not before, not after, and that’s why I got my coach, I speak to him about it and that’s it pretty much. I don’t want my golf to be my whole life and I think it’s important to talk about different things when you’re not gone the golf course and that’s what we are doing.

Q. Did he talk to you something different? IBEN TINNING: We need to talk and I need to be silent and my mind starts working, we have to talk about something else. Especially on 17, I said, do you have a fun story, come on, tell me something.

Q. So what story did he tell you? IBEN TINNING: I can’t really remember, it was something about my coach and how nervous he must be and sitting drinking beer in there. Because I told my coach, you can’t come out. Because he came out yesterday on 8 and 9 and I made two bogeys, I told him, you jinxed me. He said, I’ve been here for ten years, I want to watch and I said, sorry, stay in there. He’s English by the way.

Q. How will you spend it? IBEN TINNING: How will I spend it? I have no idea to be honest. I have a house to pay a mortgage on, so it will go on that one. IBEN TINNING: It is going through my head now but I still can’t believe I won and it’s just amazing. I really tried to keep strong out there and it was tough sometimes but I cannot believe this.

Q. When did you sense you had this in the bag? IBEN TINNING: I really didn’t think I had it in the bag until I got to 18. Obviously when I hit the third shot and it was close, I knew this is really good and that that would put some pressure on Mel, as well.

Q. What does it mean to end your career like this? IBEN TINNING: It’s just crazy. I know all of the people that helped me out and my parents and my husband, I mean, it’s such a great gift for everybody and we are just so happy.

Q. Well, yesterday, you said that yesterday you talked about a tournament or two, but seriously retired? IBEN TINNING: Yes.

Q. Not having second thoughts about keeping it going? IBEN TINNING: No, no, no. It’s not an option. I am on so many painkillers, it’s just not fun anymore. Obviously to win like this, it has been my main goal to finish on a high but my hip is just so bad. On 16, I had such a bad pain and I’m just happy it kept me through and that I can pick up the trophy.

Q. Was any part of 2007 going through your mind as you played 17 and 18? IBEN TINNING: Oh, yeah. But it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and obviously going through with my mental coach. And I just knew that I’m not going to go for the yardage on 18

Q. Annika ended her career here. IBEN TINNING: Yeah, it’s just amazing to win and obviously I played this course so many times now, I know more and more about it, and that really helped me.

Q. What are you going to do? IBEN TINNING: I’m going to try to get a diploma in psychotherapy. That’s my main thing at the moment.

Q. How much does it help that your husband is your caddie? IBEN TINNING: You know, yeah, obviously Lasse is not a pro caddie but he know what is I’m going through and he’s sort of going through the same, and it just amazing to have him on the side. He can be there for me and we go through this together. It’s one of the greatest memories we are ever going to have, besides having our kid.

Q. In terms of finishing your career, I would imagine finishing on a high is better than coming back and not doing so well. Surely this can’t be topped? IBEN TINNING: This can’t beat anything.

Q. So you won’t be tempted to come back? IBEN TINNING: I’ll come and play maybe the Nations Cup, only because my mom and dad has got an apartment down there, so we can take a vacation as well. I’m quite sure I’ll play that one and one more. Unless I can get absolutely fit and my son just has such a hard time when I’m leaving and I miss him to pieces now, it’s ridiculous how much I miss him.

Q. Any interest in Solheim Cup captaincy, vice captaincy in the future? IBEN TINNING: I haven’t thought very much about that. That’s a very big role and I’m not too sure I want that.

Q. How did you feel with the reception that you got? IBEN TINNING: Fabulous, I was so happy, that was just great, and my coach came in and we started crying and just I couldn’t hold it back anymore. That was really nice.

Q. Melissa said that if she didn’t win, she wanted you to win. IBEN TINNING: That’s sweet of her. She has such a big future ahead of her. She’s such a great golfer. I did try to keep my eyes on my own game, so I didn’t see that many of her shots, but I know she’s such a talented girl. She’s going to do really, really well I think.

Q. Where do you see the future of ladies European Tour golf going? IBEN TINNING: Obviously I want some more money in these events but I want all of the women’s events to play like this. We are not getting any money. We are getting more tournaments but we are not getting more money and it’s a bit unfair I think. I’ve have felt that for many years. They are doing really well. It’s not a complaint or anything, and with the financial crisis, I think that we really have to step up with the money, get better fields.

Q. Bridge the gap on men’s golf. IBEN TINNING: That would be nice if it happens but I doubt it.

Q. Maybe tell us some of the highlights, things that stand out? IBEN TINNING: Well, got the Solheim Cup in Barsebäck, and over in America, that’s one of my big highs and lows. Obviously all of my wins and when I won the three tournaments, I won the Order of Merit at the same time and that was a high one as well in 2005.

MICHELLE WIE

 

Q. So a round of 67 today; you must be pleased with that. MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I’m just happy to be done. I’m happy I made it through. It’s been a little bit of a struggle this week but I was really happy to end on a really good note.

Q. What was the key today? MICHELLE WIE: Things happened a lot better. Just hit a couple of shots closer. Hit two really close ones, so that helped.

Q. You had a string of birdies there, I think 9, 10,11, or 10,11, 12, maybe talk about that, that seemed to get you rolling and moved you up the leaderboard. What were you feeling when you started stringing the birdies together? MICHELLE WIE: I think on the front nine a couple, just felt good to actually make a couple of birdies.

Q. Is this your best finish for a while would you say? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think so.

Q. So will you take confidence from this going into next season? MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think I take a lot of confidence and just going to go and enjoy my time off a little bit and get back really into it, train hard and practise harder so I can become a way better putter next year.

Q. Just looking at the year, maybe you can sum up, because this is your last tournament for the year, you won one tournament early on. How would you characterise the year? Is it a step by step process or how do you feel about this year compared to some of the others? MICHELLE WIE: I just didn’t feel as healthy as I wanted to this year. I feel like I’ve been struggling with a lot of injuries this year, so one of my main goals for next year is to be healthy and to be strong and to be able to try and show my best ability.

Q. Were you in pain today or was it okay? MICHELLE WIE: You know, I just kept thinking, 17 holes, 16 more holes; I’m glad that I made it through.

LEE-ANNE PACE

 

Q. How would you summarise the year? LEE ANNE PACE: Really good year, five wins is much more than I expected from me. I really wanted to start off winning in the year, and then to get close to the Money List in the middle of the year just spurred me on a little bit more. To have a different goal in mind and then to do it is an amazing feeling.

Q. How far would you say you’ve exceeded your goals this season? LEE ANNE PACE: How far? Well, completely. It’s been a long season. Obviously today to finish not so well, it wasn’t very good for me. But I’m glad the year is done and I’m relaxed and can go home and go on a holiday.

Q. What will be your plans now? LEE ANNE PACE: I think I’m going to go away for a week and just do nothing, not touch a golf club or phone or anything. I’ll go back to South Africa, see my parents for new year’s and stuff and go away.

Q. Somewhere hot? LEE ANNE PACE: Maybe Mauritius I was looking at because it’s close.

Q. That will be a bit of a present to yourself, would it? LEE ANNE PACE: I think so. The whole year is a present. To finish the way I have this year is an amazing feeling.

Q. Next season, have you already set any goals or what will you hope to look to achieve next year? LEE ANNE PACE: I’m thinking of a little bit bigger, not a lot, I want to go and really work hard for a Major. Next year I think I’m very capable of doing it. If I win five tournaments, I think it’s possible to do that. Gaining a little bit of length off the tee just some things I have to sort out, but when I’m not exhausted that will be good. Just getting up in the World Ranking.

Q. What would be the highlight of the year? LEE ANNE PACE: Today possibly? I don’t know. Just every win I think. A definite highlight was China, coming back from China and winning twice back to back. That was very important. Nice to be able to do it when I had to.

Q. Talk about yourself for people who don’t know you. You have a degree in psychology? LEE ANNE PACE: A degree in psychology. I went to the University of Tulsa for four years, finished my degree there and played half a season on the FUTURES Tour in America and did okay but still had to finish my degree. So did both and came straight to Europe, played two events on the LPGA and decided to stick to Europe. And then I lost my card the first year actually I lost both cards, so went back to Q School and slowly, slowly my year just got better.

Q. What year did you lose both cards? LEE ANNE PACE: 2007.

Q. So this is technically your third year on the Tour? LEE ANNE PACE: That was my rookie year and went back to Q School. I got back in 2008.

Q. So this year, what was your win totals up until this year? Was this a breakout season for you? LEE ANNE PACE: Completely. I never finished to completely at the top or if I do, I don’t want to jinx it yet. So I missed my card the first year. I think I finished 60 something the second year, 21st or 22nd last year. It’s been a gradual move upwards for me, and I hope to keep that going.

Q. Is it a fluke or is this something that we can expect bigger and greater things? LEE ANNE PACE: I don’t think it’s a fluke if you look at the golf and how I’ve improved year by year. I have been close to winning so many times last year, also, so I don’t think it’s a fluke but hopefully expecting better.

Q. What would you say was different this year about your game? What was the key that pushed you over and got you winning tournaments versus coming close? LEE ANNE PACE: Last year I was in contention quite a lot, so I knew the feeling in my nerves and everything like that. I think when I pushed through this year, it was very important to get the first win under my belt and know that I can do it. And after that, it just sort of happened and just became easier because I’ve been there and done it and I’ve pushed it through. I guess I was the one who has already had the experience over the last six people that were playing mostly in the tournament and that gave me a lot of confidence. Yeah, confidence to hit any shots, swing changes that were good. I can shape the ball, and mentally I think I’m a lot stronger.

Q. What is it about this course that you felt was so difficult? LEE ANNE PACE: It’s me that I found difficult this week. Last year I played okay. I think I finished top 20. I think my expectation of the week just ruined it for me a little bit. Especially working so hard beforehand and not being able to pull it off is a little bit disappointing. But also everything around it, the stress around it for the whole year.

Q. Close friend of yours, Louis have put South African golf on the map. LEE ANNE PACE: Yeah, Louis, he’s a good guy. I think he’s been playing well. Hasn’t he won again now? So yeah I’ll give him a call when I get back.

Q. You played at the same golf club? LEE ANNE PACE: Mossel Bay.

Q. Must be pictures of you, and maybe a party coming up, are you planning something? LEE ANNE PACE: Possibly towards the end of the year, maybe in the new year they will set something up before the season starts. But yeah, there are photos of us everywhere, so it’s a little bit embarrassing walking in.

Q. What will your schedule be like next year? What sort of schedule are you looking at? LEE ANNE PACE: If I win this now I think I’ll be in the HSBC. So I’ll play Australia, the two events there, and then go to HSBC in Singapore. Hopefully I get an invite to the Thailand tournament; I’m looking for that. So do those four in a row, come back and then do Europe up until the U.S. Open. But I don’t think I will be playing so many smaller events just because I’m tired after this year.

Q. Will you branch more into the LPGA? LEE ANNE PACE: Yeah, a little bit. I’m going to try for some invites and play both tours just to get ready for the Majors. I think it’s better to maybe play over there and play longer courses.

Q. So the Majors over there, like the British, they are all part of the LPGA. So do you have to be invited or how does that work for the Majors? LEE ANNE PACE: I think Top 5 in Europe gets into the U.S. Open. I’m not sure about the Kraft Nabisco top three or something like that, I’ll be ok, and I think I’m already exempt for the British if I win the Money List, and HSBC the winner of the Money List gets into that. So that basically opens up all the doors for you. Evian I’m already in because I won after.

Q. You were thinking of doing the Q School for the LPGA, will there be another shot next year? LEE ANNE PACE: I would have to win a tournament on the LPGA from an invite or go back to Qualifying School. At the end of the year, I’ve got that in my schedule that I want to go back to Qualifying School or go there and try to qualify that way.

Q. When is the next Qualifying School? LEE ANNE PACE: The first stage is October I think and final stage is now, December. It’s a real pity it’s on the same week.

Q. Is that going to cause a major problem for you next year? LEE ANNE PACE: I would have liked it to be maybe next week or the week before this week. I think it’s a little unfair that they have done that; I don’t know who is responsible, but I think it’s I don’t see the point when there’s people obviously that are here. I went to the first stage in case I was far enough ahead to skip this event.

Q. When you sort of go through Q School, although mathematically at the moment, you’re the No. 1 player in the moment. That kind of transition, I know Lee Westwood was talking about it, too, must have you at times looking at other players and techniques and trying to find inspiration to raise your game. So who in golf that you maybe look to? LEE ANNE PACE: Ernie Els. I like his swing, it’s smooth, and I like his attitude on the golf course and he’s got a lot of power.

Q. How well do you know him? LEE ANNE PACE: I don’t know him at all. I’ve never met him.

Q. Did any of the guys call you either ahead of this tournament to say hey, good luck, hang in there? LEE ANNE PACE: I just saw some of the guys down at the Gary Player Invitational down in George and they were all it’s funny, when Retief Goosen walks up and he’s like, well played and I’m like, hello, thanks. When you play well, you get into all of these little areas you don’t normally get into, but they all say well done and good luck. It’s a big thing in South Africa to do it and South African sport to do it.

Q. Because women’s golf has not really gotten much attention now compared to the men? LEE ANNE PACE: No, there’s been a bit of a drama around it unfortunately. The World Cup and stuff like that. We lost all our tournaments. Everyone just pulled out. But now, like I said, they are talking about some new tournaments.

Q. So there were some women’s tournaments there before? LEE ANNE PACE: Yeah, there were four events, for a long time, I think five years and everything just collapsed but now it’s on the rise again after this year.

Q. Were you playing or was that before your time? LEE ANNE PACE: No, I was playing at the time but I was playing mostly at Europe. It was nice to have tournaments in South Africa because it was in March.

Q. When was this? LEE ANNE PACE: Two years ago, three years ago.

Q. Sponsors, they pulled out or whatever? LEE ANNE PACE: Yeah, just a bit of drama going on and I think people just stuck their nose into it.

Q. So now there’s talk that The Ladies European Tour, they are talking of bringing one back or all of them back? LEE ANNE PACE: They are looking at three or four events next year. Obviously they can’t just have one. It wouldn’t attract a lot of European players. In order to get a European event out there, the Europeans have to come for a small event first and see how it is.

Q. Not to get into the details, but losing those tournaments must have been difficult, a bit of a setback for women’s golf in South Africa? LEE ANNE PACE: Yeah, it was nice to have that, especially for the pros in South Africa trying to succeed on the European Tour and getting sponsors and showing people how we played, I think that was major. But anyway, I think if they can get it back, no harm done.

LAURA DAVIES

 

Q. It’s over as far as the Henderson Money List is concerned but you’ve had five wins this year and a great season. LAURA DAVIES: Absolutely, you’ve summed it up. I don’t really need to say much about it. That’s exactly right.

Q. I think I’ve heard you quoted before as saying it’s probably your best year since 1995 or 1996. Talk us through some of the highs. LAURA DAVIES: Just because of wins, I don’t mean actual golfing wise, because obviously I’ve not done well in America and that makes the year disappointing; but just purely in volume of wins it has been. But quality of play, no, it has not been. In ’96 I won ten times, ’97 played great, but there have been a lot of years in between that have been a lot better than this year all over the world, but Europe’s been fantastic.

Q. A word on Lee Anne being first South African to top the Money List with five victories in a short space of time; presumably you think she’s a worthy winner? LAURA DAVIES: Absolutely, yeah, you know, she’s the one that when I went ahead of her after Spain, she hit back with two win and you just can’t say enough about that. That’s worthy of being the Money List being this year and all well done to here.

Q. You said the damage here was done predominately on the first day, back two rounds you steadied the ship slightly; overall assessment? LAURA DAVIES: The first day killed me. I shot 3 over and could have been 10 over. I did really well to hang onto anything like a score, and the last three days I did really well. Barring the triple bogey on 8 on the second round, I would have shot under par every round; if I had just shot 1 or 2 under the first day, that’s not too far off the leaders at the moment.

Q. Lee Anne came in and said her score didn’t reflect it but she didn’t quite hole the right putts, as opposed to the course being difficult. You were obviously up there last year. So are you finding the course setup challenging and tricky, or do you feel it’s you and your game responsible? LAURA DAVIES: No, the greens are a lot harder this year. There’s a lot more grain in them. I have not putted badly, I only had one 3 putt well two. I just 3 putted the 18, which was nice. I’ve putted solid but I haven’t holed anything and some weeks are like that. You hit good putts and they don’t go in.

Q. Plans now for the off season? LAURA DAVIES: Nothing. Just go home for five weeks and head off to Australia middle to end of January.

Q. You have a lot of other things on including your passion for things like horse racing and so on, Liverpool fan. Just a word on those two. Are you going to be going down to the races back home? LAURA DAVIES: Itch my caddie every year, haven’t had it the last couple of years because everybody’s been busy but we are going to Kempton Racing on the 22nd in the evening, 14 of my ex caddies are coming well, 13 and one of me, and that will be a day’s racing. And Liverpool tonight, watch them beat Newcastle four or five nil, and maybe go and see them once live. But I’ll see every other game on TV or the computer, and hopefully they will move up the table because it was a terrible start.

Q. Better than a top four finish? LAURA DAVIES: It won’t be better than a top four finish. If we get a top four finish it will only be on that final weekend and I think it’s going to be a struggle because Bob Torres is always injured, Gerard has the injury now, Mr. Reliable, Carragher, is injured. So without your mainstay players, apart from Pepe Reina, we have not had our mainstay players all season. It makes such a difference.

IN-KYUNG KIM

 

Q. Congratulations to the defending champion and your final round, was one of a champion, probably just a little bit too far off to compete? IN KYUNG KIM: Yeah, I mean, I played pretty well today but the last couple of days I was kind of off and even today I tried my best and tried to kind of, you know, shoot low, but my swing wasn’t working the way I wanted. So it was hard for me to go really low, but I started off really well. The front nine, I think I did really well, because No. 5 and 12, I made bogey, six bogeys on those holes over three days. Today I made birdie on 5 and par on 12, so kind of an achievement for me. That was my goal. Yeah, I wish I made more putts, but I’m happy with the round today.

Q. Your caddie came off and said it’s been a week of almosts; is that a fair assessment? IN KYUNG KIM: What do you mean?

Q. It was nearly, not quite. You showed good form but not quite reaching a sort of premium? IN KYUNG KIM: Yeah, I guess the travelling and the time change was very hard for me, too, really out here, 100 per cent. But I had good rest the last couple days, just I couldn’t practise after the round and you know, work on things. Just the fans out there are incredible, all of the Korean fans.

Q. You do leave Dubai with a very impressive title, The Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year, congratulations. Tell us a bit about that. IN KYUNG KIM: Yeah, I’m really excited to win the Rookie of the Year, because I’ve tried on the LPGA Tour once a couple of years ago, and I’m not really rookie, but it’s really there’s only one chance you get, all your career, and then I won here, so it’s kind of like, lucky me. What can I say.

Q. What is your overall assessment of the year? Tell us some of the best bets of 2010? IN KYUNG KIM: Well, always great to be end of the season in the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Masters. It’s kind of lucky for me. Last year I won this and even though I had some off weeks, I had momentum going into the next year into this year. So hopefully next year, I guess rest and then I really look forward to 2011. You know, it’s been a great year for me overall.

Q. What are the goals for 2011? Lee Anne Pace said that she feels she can step up a level and win a Major. Do you feel the same? IN KYUNG KIM: Well, it’s just win a Major, that would be it’s always been my kind of top of the list, win a Major, but mostly I’m happy with my life and hopefully I learned something on the way towards the Majors and then if I went I mean, you know, that would be great. But any win, any tournament I think it has its own meaning. This tournament is one of my favourites, and the Majors.