Karrie Webb

How hard did it play today?
We played until 15 before the wind started to pick up. We played the first four or five holes without much wind. We were pretty fortunate there and then the wind got progressively stronger. It is pretty brutal out there now. It was blowing like that for us for abut the last four holes. It is good to get in.

Did you leave anything out there? You had a three-putt on the seventh.
Yes, that was disappointing. I switched off on the little one. It was about two feet. But I managed to make a great par at the last. I think that made up for it.

How much tougher will conditions be this afternoon?
They will be pretty tough. I played a practice round on Tuesday in the afternoon and the wind was similar to this. It is slightly cornering from a different direction to what we played it in the first two days. That’s what makes it tricky. The wind seems to be going with all the doglegs. It makes the tee shots a little more difficult. It will play tough this afternoon.

You have your team here this week. Have you been talking much to Noel Blundell?
Yes, we are working together again this week. We have done that for the past few years. It is good to be reminded of a few things that you kind of get away from.

You look good. Have you been working out?
I’ve been eating lots of meat pies…It might be the pants. Luckily I had pants. I knew I was coming to Melbourne.

Have you been working out?
Over the last seven or eight off-seasons I have been working out. It is probably not as strenuous as some players. I grew up in an era when working out was not a big thing so me doing any working out is a good thing.

Does it help your golf?
Yes, for sure. Once I started working with Triggsy, I knew there was some strengthening work I had to do to make the changes I wanted to make.

Does you score surprise you, considering that your game is not quite there?
I guess. If you told me I was going to shoot seven under today, I probably would not have believed you. I guess I am not surprised. I know what I’m capable of. The way the course played today, I was unsure how it would play. We did not play it in as tough conditions as we could have. It is the sign of a great golf course that it is very penalising if you hit bad shots but it is also a fair golf course and if you are hitting quality shots, you have a chance of shooting a good score.

Can you assess the way you are playing?
It is one round of golf. I’m definitely giving myself a pat on the back. It is a very good score around here, whatever state my game is in. I could have come here with a lot of confidence and still be really chuffed at shooting seven under. It is a nice boost to my confidence and hopefully I can carry it on for the next three days.

Do you find it hard to shoot a low score when your playing partners are not playing well?
Sometimes, yes. My two playing partners last week struggled a bit. They either missed the cut or just made it. Sometimes it can be distracting, not seeing lots of good shots. Today I was in my own little world. Both players are friends of mine. I did not like seeing them play like they did. Because I was in my own little world, I did not let that affect me.

Do you feel pressure when you play at home because you are always expected to win?
I used to when I was younger. I actually enjoy coming home and being appreciated for being here. I want to play well for the Australian crowds and the Australian fans, but I want to play well for me too. There are a lot of commitments for me than in my usual week but that is part and parcel of coming home. I enjoy playing in Australia a lot more that I did when I was younger.

You hit some immaculate iron shots today. What were you thinking when you did that?
Just that it is nice to see. At the ANZ Masters last week they had a highlights video at the dinner for the 20th anniversary. There were a few shots of me making putts and hitting shots in close. I thought that I don’t do that as often as I used to. Today felt like that. I was dialled in and I hit a lot of good shots, with the wind and against the wind. I think I only missed two greens.

What was your longest putt?
Probably on 16. I made about a 15-footer. That was it.

How did you approach the par fives?
I could get home in two on all of them but six. I might have been able to get close to the front but I had not hit a shot in there with a three wood and I did not feel comfortable with it.

Did you go for the green on the other four?
Yes. I putted from the fringe on 14. That was a two-putt from the fringe. On 15 was a two-putt on the green. …You want to take advantage of them when you can. It is harder to hit the fairways in the afternoon when the wind is blowing. It is harder to hit the greens and it is harder to get close to the pin. The greens are going to firm up.

The 12-year-old shot six over today. What do you think of that?
A pretty good effort. That is impressive.

Tania Elosegui (Spain)

You practised on the sand belt before the ANZ Ladies Masters.
I practised in Melbourne but I haven’t played this course before.

You played at Royal Melbourne. Was that helpful?
It was not the same as this one but similar so I think it helped a little bit.

What was the best part of your game?
Today my putts for birdie were the best part. I didn’t hit any brilliant iron shots but I drove the ball solidly.

Did you notice the wind getting up?
It is very strong now but it wasn’t too bad this morning. When we played the 11th hole it started picking up. When it is downwind the par fives play short and you can reach them in two. But when the wind is against it makes the par fours play very long, particularly the tenth.

Karrie is three ahead but do you think you can win this tournament?
I’m not thinking about that right now. Karrie Webb was eight under and I think she is seven under now. I’m not thinking about it. I just want to keep practising the things I am working on, on the golf course, and we’ll see.

What do you think of the course?
It’s a links course with a lot of trees. It’s almost the same as Sunningdale but a little bit harder for us.

Marianne Skarpnord (Norway)

Why are you disappointed right now?
I threw two shots away on two of the easiest holes on the golf course. It was ridiculous. It is very annoying when you are playing well all day and then you take two bogeys on the last two holes. I was four under after 16.

What are your thoughts on the course?
I like the course but I think you have to be patient because you can make a lot of birdies. This morning it wasn’t too windy so you could make birdies but unfortunately I made two mistakes.

Any similarities to Portmarnock where you finished second last year?
I think it is a little bit similar to the course we played in Ireland last year because it is a links. I think it is fun to play a bit of different golf than at Royal Pines which was club resort golf. I like that too but it is exciting when you come to challenging courses like this.

You enjoy it?
I like a challenge. I don’t like Mickey Mouse courses.

Can you catch Karrie?
It’s only the first day and there are three more days and anything can happen. I’m looking forward to playing. Five shots is five shots but anything can happen.

Su Hyun Oh

It was an exciting day for you.
Yes. I was really nervous when I started and really nervous when I finished. A lot of people were around the greens.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes, I enjoyed it but I did not play good golf.

You said you weren’t playing good golf but you were one over for a long time.
I was going one over after nine holes then I had three bogeys in a row. I found the first nine, the second nine for me because I started on the 10th tee, was harder.

After you had the bogey, you had a double bogey. Were you rattled?
I tried to control it but I got a bit angry. I was not throwing my club or anything, so that was good…I was going quite well and then I went into the trees and then to the other side and then short.

What did you learn today?
Into the wind, don’t hit anything high. Try to keep everything low. And the greens are like concrete, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce. I could not putt today. I hit them too hard. They hit the hole an bounced out.

Did you have trouble reading the putts?
On some of the holes. It was okay because I have played here a few times. The greens are really fast, a lot faster than a lot of places I have played.

What were your expectations today?
Just to try my best and enjoy it.

Tell us about the experience of playing in the Australian Open.
It was good playing with a lot of pros. In the practice round I played with some pros from England and they taught me new shots. I did not use them today. It was good playing with pros. The course was quite long. Some of the holes I was happy because I could hit an iron into the green. It was fun. I had fun with the pros.

Did you talk much with the other girls?
Yes. They weren’t just concentrating and not talking. They were good. We were laughing. When we were waiting on the eighth tee, Verity said I was a bit quiet so we started talking again.

Question about exposure in newspapers and on the internet.
I have not gone to the internet for a while. I have not been to school for a while and I am missing another week of school next week and then half a week the week after. That is basically February.

Which school do you go to?
McKinnon Secondary. I did not tell them that I play golf. I was only there for five days…

I think they know now…
Yes. My sister tried to tell the co-ordinator. She said, “What age group is that in?” She could not think that I was playing in the Australian Open.

Maybe we should give them some tickets.
I don’t know if they would come.

Are you going to practise this afternoon?
I am not sure. If I do practise, I will practise putting and chipping. I practised a lot yesterday.

Will you stay around and watch the girls playing this afternoon?
I’m not sure.

How do you manage school and practise?
Because it was the first week of Year 7, we got to meet teachers but we did not do any school work. The pre-qualifying day was our first school work day and I did not go. My friend told me to ring her for homework. I have not rung her yet. I think all my homework books are in my locker at school.
I don’t practise in the morning, just in the afternoon. I do half golf and half study. I can probably manage my school work.

What do you need to do tomorrow to get back into the tournament?
Be less nervous and calm down a bit, enjoy it and putt better.

Should we order an ambulance for your mother? She seemed very nervous watching you.
No. I don’t think so. One of my friends from the golf club came to watch. My Mum was talking to her. She was not looking when I was putting. When I played the Vic Juniors she told me she could not watch me putt because it was too nerve wracking.

What is your mother’s name?
Suk Ja Kwun.