First round interviews with the leaders in Losone

Stacy Lee Bregman (South Africa) 65 (-8)

Stacy, that’s a terrific round. Could you feel it coming?
I’ve had a bit of a break through our summer back in South Africa and I’ve been working really hard. I’m focused. I wasn’t expecting as good as that but I’m happy with it. I was expecting a good round.

You finished second last year in Turkey. Is there something about you and early season form?

I’ve had a nice break at home and it’s great to come out here again. Sometimes at the end of a season you can’t wait to get home, it gets a bit long. I enjoy the early season.

Can you tell me what it’s like to go round a golf course without dropping a single shot?

It’s fantastic. I’ll take it any day. To keep bogeys off your score card means you haven’t really made any mistakes so yeah, it’s fantastic.

Most of the other players felt that the secret of their game was the putting. Do you have a secret?

Around this golf course if you drive the ball good and you putt well, you can post a decent score easily.

Is this your best ever round?

Yes, it’s my best round on the tour.

That must be a wonderful feeling.

Yes, it’s good to get a good score coming in.

Your name is on the top of the leader board. How much does that mean to you?

The tournament isn’t won on the first round. I just keep on doing what I’m doing today on the other days and just hope for the best.

What score do you think might win at the end of the week?

Maybe 16-under or 17-under.

Will it be Stacy Lee Bregman?

Yes – please God.

Holly Aitchison (England) 68 (-5)

Were you expecting that?
No, I would have been happy with level par at the start of the week. It was a pleasant surprise.

What was your best round?

Seven under I think at the Liphook Scratch Trophy.

Did you have keyhole surgery?

Yes. I had surgery before Q-School. That’s kind of all better now. Since Q-School I’ve been practising really. I went to Arizona for two weeks about a month ago for a bit of warm weather practise and to swing out of six layers like you do in England. It was quite good preparation for this tournament.

What was the key today?

My putting was quite good today. I hit a lot of greens and holed a lot of putts. I never really hit it too far away, so it was good. I gave myself a lot of birdie chances and took most of them, so it was good.

Were there any surprises with regards to the LET?

It was pretty much what I was expecting. Everyone has been really nice and offered their support and said if I have any questions, just to ask.

Your father John is on the bag. Is that a long term arrangement?

No, he is coming to this week and next week to help me settle in and then I’ll probably be on my own.

Why did you need knee surgery?

I slipped over at the start of September, just before I played Liphook, actually, my last amateur event. I slipped over on the golf course and tore cartilage in my knee. I played 36 holes on it and then decided I should get it checked out. I had an operation in November and was just about ready for Q-School in January.

Your club members have been helping you financially?

Yes, they held a fund raising day for me about four weeks ago and raised about £2500 for me. My county ladies raised about £700 as well so it’s really nice.

Have you any sponsors?

PING has given me my clubs and my golf club, pro shop, supplies my clothes.

Any expectations for the year?

Keeping my card is a must and just doing as well as I can. Not knowing what to expect, you can’t really make goals so keeping my card is the main one this year.

Do you know anyone here?

I’m sharing with Flic this week (Felicity Johnson). Everyone has just said enjoy it.

How would you summarise today’s performance?

Brilliant. I couldn’t have asked for better, really.

Lisa Holm Sorensen (Denmark) 68 (-5)

It was very good preparation. Some of the girls out here haven’t played a tournament in like, ages. To get the VCI was really good for us to get some rounds in and I think we have a bit of an advantage being out here and playing a tournament.

Psychologically, it must be a great confidence boost to be leading a tournament.

Well I haven’t seen any at all. I knew I was playing well and that five-under would be a good score but I didn’t think too much about it.

What was the best of the birdies?

It has to be the second one, on hole-number two. I made a 30 metre putt downhill, so that’s always nice.

Your only win came in Finland and it was over two rounds. You must want to prove yourself over four rounds as well.

I do. I did win in Finland, unfortunately not in the way I would have liked to. I still believe that I’ve got my first victory out here and hopefully it will be this year.

Lisa Hall (England) 68 (-5)

It was a very nice day, thank you. It was good. I think this is a lovely spot to come to, it’s magnificent.

What’s the record like at Losone over the last couple of years?

Not bad but it’s a special tournament for me because I had a break from the game and this was the first tournament back on a sponsor’s invite three years ago now, in 2006. I finished third that week but it set me up for playing so it has a special place in my heart.

We all know you had that break when confidence went but watching you over the past couple of seasons it’s hard to believe you’ve achieved such a level.

It’s a strange game. You can make it look easy but when you’re struggling it becomes very difficult.

Where have you been leading up to this?

I’ve been in Florida so I’ve had sunshine and I’ve not had to battle the elements in England. I have been practising quite a bit over the winter so it’s nice to have a good round today.

What do you think will lead at the end of the day?

I’m not very good with numbers but there are certainly birdie chances. You’ve got a lot of short irons, the greens are rolling very nicely so if you’re making a few putts there are certainly birdie chances out there.

Paula Marti (Spain) 69 (-4)

The putting. I played much better than yesterday. I came here without a very good feeling with my driver and yesterday I hit like six fairways. If you don’t hit fairways on this golf course, that is the key, you know, because the rough is so long this year that you don’t have a chance to get on the green.
Once I got to the green the putting was unbelievable. I started trusting my lines and that’s something that I worked on yesterday on the putting green and it’s working.

What have you been doing over the last week?

I have just been at home with the baby and working; normal life; nothing special.

This year what is the main motivation?

Just to keep playing like I did last year and give myself chances every week. I want to be in the fight, for a top ten. That is my goal: just to be there in contention.

You were second here two years ago. Do you think you have a better chance on this golf course?

I think so. I think this course suits my game. I really love it and have very good experiences from here. The course is in such good shape and it’s always nice to putt on nice greens.

Your brother-in-law is coaching Andy Murray?

He is for the clay season, yes. Hopefully he will learn something from Alex (Corretja). I think he’s a great player, Andy Murray, he just needs to listen. I think Alex is a good mental coach more than anything else. I think if he listens to his things he has to say. He is really positive; he is a great communicator, Alex. I could see it when he caddied for me last year in Madrid. It was just great to have him around.

Does he give you some advice?

Oh yes. He’s just really positive and fights and teaches you that you never have to give up.

Marianne Skarpnord (Norway) 69 (-4)

What was the best part?
I just took one stroke at a time, hit the fairways and the greens. I think it was very important to be short of the greens today because the downhill putts are extremely fast. I hit the ball okay and putted okay so the score was fine.

A Norwegian won this event last year. Can you follow in her footsteps?

Absolutely, but I think she played the golf of her life when she was here last year. 22-under for three rounds was amazing. I don’t know how low the scores will be this year but its four rounds so maybe 22-under.

Why don’t you think it will be as low?

I think she played really great and I think it’s difficult to shoot as low a score as she did. But I absolutely think it’s possible to shoot low because the greens are good so if you hit a good putt then it will probably roll in.

What have you been doing over the last week?

I’ve just been at home, practising with my coach. I’ve been with friends and family.

Are you feeling confident?

Yes. After I finished 16th last year, I know that I can play. I have proved to myself that I can play good golf so I’m just going out there trying to be as relaxed as possible. I think that will help me a lot because last year I was a little bit stressed trying to show me and my coach that I could play. I think that will be easier for me this year.

Maria Boden (Sweden) 70 (-3)

Yes, it’s the perfect way, especially for me because I’ve only just been playing for two weeks now. I’ve had a tough winter with shingles for seven weeks and then I fell on the ice and broke two fingers so I’ve only been playing for the past two weeks.

You look in perfect health!

I was kind of nervous going into today but it felt good and I started pretty solid so it was a good day.

Do you still get nervous at the start of the season? Last year was your best ever on tour.

Not nervous, like, tournament wise but today I was nervous because I have played maybe four rounds of golf since December so I am kind of rusty. It could be the secret but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Is Maria ready for a win this year?

I’m ready for a win. It would be awesome: yeah, I’m ready.

Do you enjoy coming here to Losone?

I love this place. It’s so relaxing to be here and it’s a beautiful place. I think it’s a great tournament to start the year with.