Quick quotes from Zuel, Matharu and Hassan at the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe

How does it feel to be leading the tournament?
It feels really, really good. It’s my first time leading so Wales has been really good to me.

You played well but could it have been even better? Was it an easy six-under?
I wouldn’t say it was an easy six-under. I missed a couple of putts and had one bogey so it was more solid. I just made more putts than I usually do. I’ve been working on that last week.

Were you surprised at all?
No. I’ve been expecting it for a while but it hasn’t been happening. I’m really happy that I’m finally getting there and all the work I’ve put in is paying off. It’s really good.

What have you been doing the last few weeks?
I had a slipped disk and that’s why I pulled out of Holland. I’ve just been doing loads of exercises and practicing really hard. I’ve been trying to strengthen my back up again and stop it slipping any further.

Is it painful?
Yes it was. It was nearly touching a nerve and even touched a few times. It was quite painful. I didn’t feel it today. I feel it a bit in practise still but it’s getting much better.

Do you think you will be alright now?
Yes, definitely. It feels so much stronger. I haven’t had any real pain from it for a while. I’ve got some good exercises and some good people working for me.

Is this the first time you’ve played here at Machynys?
Yes, it is. It’s an amazing course; I really like it. The greens are awesome. It’s a really good course.

What were your best birdies?
I had a really good birdie at the first. I hit a nine-iron to 20 foot and had an uphill putt and holed it. I had a lot of iron shots that went really close to about three foot. I birdied eight and nine in a row so that was good. I hit it in to three and four foot. I think today my bad shots were pretty good and I made a couple of up and downs.

What is 1966?
My management group. 1966 is a sporting subsidiary of 19. It was 66 and 19 and now they are together.

What happened to your braids?
The extensions went back and the roots grew and it looked really bad so I am gearing myself up for another 10 hour sit down to get it done, which I can’t really do. I’m not in the mood right now so… I’ll gear myself up for it!

Are you playing in any more tournaments this year?
Hopefully. I’m just waiting on invites.

What is your goal this week?
To get out what I’ve been working on. I’ve changed little things like my pre-round routine and have fun.

What was the key today?
Hitting good second shots on par fives and holing the putts. I had plenty of chances. I had eight birdies and could have shot more so I played really well today. I hit a couple of good putts that just lipped out.

What is your expectation this week?
I always seem to play well here so I’m confident that I can do well. I expected to play quite well and score well even though I haven’t been playing well to be honest.

How far away do you think the first win is now?
I don’t think I’m that far away.

What do you like about this course?
It’s quite wide and that suits my game at the moment. That’s one of the reasons I feel more confident.

How was the weather?
We just had two showers and that was it at the beginning. They only lasted about five minutes each. It was a lot better than the last few days.

How satisfied are you with the way things are going this year?
I’m not too satisfied with the way that my results have been but I always knew that this year was going to be difficult because I had made a lot of changes at the beginning. I changed coaches. My last coach, I was with him for six years and I changed to a new coach this year in America, Gary Gilchrist. That was always going to be hard because I’d been with him for six years. I didn’t expect to have a good year but it’s not been too bad. I’m probably on about the same amount of money this year as I was last year. Even though I’m not that high up, this time last year is when I had played really well. I’ve grown up playing on these kinds of courses.

You’re the top Welsh player at the moment so how do you feel about the day?
I’ve only just realised that I am so it feels good.

How well do you know this course?
I played it for the first time last week with my friend Rhian Wyn Thomas. I played it for the first time and it was good.

Where are you from?
Pencoed. I live about 40 minutes away.

What were your expectations for the week?
Just make the cut and play well. This is what I’m going to be doing hopefully.

Will you go to Qualifying School at the end of the year?
Yes.

What are your biggest achievements so far in your amateur career?
I won the Welsh girls’ championship at Ashburnham in 2005. I was third in the British Strokeplay, which I’m playing next week, so that was a big one; playing in the World Cup for Wales, the Vagliano for Great Britain. I haven’t won anything big, big.

Who do you know on tour?
I know Lydia Hall, Becky Brewerton, El Pilgrim.

Who is your coach?
Neil Matthews, who is the men’s national Welsh coach.

What could you have done better today?
I didn’t putt as well as I could have. I missed a few birdie putts: I just found them hard to read. I’m going to go and practise now.