Karen Lunn won 6&5
What was the key?
I got off to a good start and made a couple of nice six footers the first couple of holes. Zuzana didn’t play as well as she would have liked and didn’t hole the putts when she needed to. I got off to a flyer and then it’s consolidating and not making any mistakes after that.
Frances Bondad won 2&1
What was the key?
I think I’m fairly good at matchplay. Obviously you’re playing against someone. You try and stick to your game but also alter it a bit. More aggressive in matchplay, definitely. Some holes are playing a bit long: there are two par fives where you can get on in two.
I played with Ashleigh Simon and she won in Portugal. It was a tough match. We have a pretty similar game. We are pretty good at short game, so it was a really good match.
Do you like the format?
I love it. It’s nice to have a nice change. We should have more tournaments that are matchplay.
Becky Brewerton won 8&6
Talk us through your round.
I played really well and didn’t really give her a chance. I made five birdies and won on the 12th with a 15 foot birdie putt. I birdied the second, fourth, fifth and seventh, where I got up and down from the front edge.
Do you like matchplay?
Obviously we don’t get to play it very often and I like it because you have to focus so much more. On the first Kristie was probably a yard behind and I was quite happy because she hit a three-wood to the front edge and I then decided to lay up. A couple of times she had simple chips, on the 11th she had a simple chip and messed up.
What about the format?
It’s great to have a different format. The last time I’ve played matchplay was at The Solheim Cup and that’s the first time I’ve played it since turning pro.
You finished second here to Liz Esterl in 2003.
I played this course as an amateur, my dad caddied for me. I’ve got a picture at home of me on the fourth under a massive palm tree. I think I was a shot ahead with two holes to play and there was a two shot swing on 17.
How do you feel about playing Laura Davies?
That will be great: a superb match. I’ll have to pull out all the stops.
Laura Davies 2&1
Thoughts on matchplay?
Matchplay is a different type of game. You’re up against just one person and sometimes you can be the second best person on the course on the day and still get knocked out. It’s a bit of pressure, because it’s like going down the stretch to win a tournament every match.
Do you approach it differently?
No. You’ve just got to shoot a good score and if you do, nine times out of ten you’re going to win.
Your thoughts on the course?
I like the course. You can hit a lot of drivers out there and there are tiny greens, which I love, because that’s good for the better players. You can hit a lot more greens and the other players are hopefully going to miss a few more.
Thoughts on your day today?
2&1, but it was a close match. I was at the turn, 2 up, and I played really well but she kept making putts from just outside me and I had to make two really good halving putts for birdie. On 16 she three-putted and that pretty much handed me the game and we halved 17, but it was a very close game.
What was working well for you today?
I played solid all the way through, my chipping wasn’t good, I hit just off the front of the green and duffed it, then I couldn’t get up and down on seven. Apart from the chipping a good day.
Would you like to see more of this type of event on the tour?
I just wish this was matchplay all the way through. If you win two matches and get through to the last eight, you don’t really want to revert to Strokeplay. I don’t know whose idea it was, but I think it would have been great if we could have had two matches tomorrow and two matches on Sunday and if you win it, you’ve won five matches and have a proper matchplay championship. How can you criticise it? It’s great weather, a great course, it will be a great shoot-out on Sunday and I’m sure the eight that are there will be looking forward to it.
Danielle Montgomery 2&1
How do you feel?
I feel good. It was a scramble around a bit but I got the win. I’ve got another round on the golf course as I only had one practise round. I got through today and I’m ready for tomorrow.
You were a late call up?
I came here Wednesday night and played the course for the first time on Thursday. I was saying to my caddie, you look at it and think it’s a simple course but you’ve just got to have so much focus over every shot. The greens are so small; if you’re out by five metres you bounce to the back or the front. If you give yourself a little chip, you’ve got to be very precise going forward.
Expectations for the event?
I did want to win it, before I wasn’t in it. Of course I’ll be going for it. I’ll be a little more comfortable with the course tomorrow, knowing the course a bit better.
Tania Elosegui 1UP
How was the match today?
It was very tough. At the end we started making birdies. She birdied 14, I birdied 15, I birdied 16, she birdied 17 again and I birdied 18 to win. It was tight, it was fun. It was really fun.
Do you like matchplay?
I like it. I have very good memories from when I was an amateur playing European championships. I hope maybe we can make on tour a 64 players matchplay or something like that. One tournament per year: good players and good money.
Morgana Robbertze 4&2
How do you reflect on your round?
It’s nice to play matchplay for a change. It’s a different way of thinking, but I enjoyed it. With it, it’s always that I’ve had one or two bad holes but made a whole bunch of birdies. In straight play every shot counts but in matchplay if I make six or seven birdies in a round, like usually six or seven holes won. I think if you hit a bad shot, it doesn’t really matter. Matchplay is good for me, I enjoy it.
Rebecca Hudson 5&4
You sound like you have a cold?
I have.
What was the key, to your success?
Me and Gina have played together a lot of times for Yorkshire in our amateur career so we knew what to expect and we had to play well. I had a couple of nice birdies early on, on three and four, that put me ahead and luckily I stayed there.
Do you like matchplay?
I loved it as an amateur but I haven’t played it for 10 years. It was a bit different, even though we play against these people every week, it’s difficult when you are actually playing against them knowing that you are knocking them out for a living. It’s nice not to have to play 18 holes. It’s a great tournament and even if we haven’t won we’re enjoying being in Tenerife for the week, supporting Alicia and Inigo and Tenerife Tourism.
Carlota Ciganda 6&5
How do you reflect on your victory today?
I’m really happy and it was hard to play against Paula, because she’s my friend. It’s always hard ot play against a Spanish girl. It was hard and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
Did you expect to beat a player of her experience?
It wasn’t easy to play against her because she is a great player but I thought if I played my best I would have a good chance. I just tried my best out there and tried to have fun.
What went right?
I didn’t start pretty good but I think my mental game was good and then I started hitting good shots, making good pars and I finished with a birdie. Everything was great.
She thinks you will be number one.
That’s really nice of her. We are friends and it was hard to play against her. I wish her all the best and she is a great player.
Beth Allen 6&5
Talk us through your round…
I birdied the first two, which was a good start and then a hiccup on the third: I hit it left and then punched out and ended up making a double, so lost that one. Four, I halved and then felt like I was in control for most of the way and then ended up making birdie on the par five seventh. That put me four up and then I halved the next few. Then on 11 I made par so that put me at five and 12 she teed it into the water and I made birdie and that was it, basically.
Does this style of golf appeal to your game?
I think so, because when I make birdies, I make several. I make a lot of pars or the birdies keep coming. I usually do well in matchplay but it’s been forever, so I was sort of anxious to see how it was going to turn out. It’s fun for a change, definitely.
Thoughts on the course?
It reminds me of Las Vegas Country Club, with really small greens. It’s old style, it seems. It’s in really good condition, so I’m impressed. I like it. Four is fun, a risk reward kind of thing. The par fives are fun. You can go for most of them.
Nikki Garrett 5&4
You came back strongly on the last half.
I won the first five holes on the back nine. The front nine was a good nine and sunk a lot of putts to keep it square. Virginie chipped in for par on the ninth and things like that. I can’t say that we played amazing but we played good up and down golf and did what you have to do in matchplay.
I putted well and I love matchplay because you can be more aggressive. I had a shocker on the first hole so I was glad that didn’t last. I love Tenerife: I love warm countries and I like the wind too, so this is perfect.
I haven’t played matchplay for about seven years but I think we should have more tournaments like it, actually.
Stacey Keating won 2&1
How pleased with your performance?
I was happy with the way I played. I think I had a little lapse in the middle but I was never down in my match so it felt good. I had a couple of birdies on 11 and 12 so that got me back to 2 up and I’m happy with that. I held on to it.
What are your thoughts on the course?
I like the course. There are some tough holes but I think it’s good for matchplay.
Looking forward to playing with Nikki?
I think it will be a fun day out there and I’ve got Kate Combes on the bag, so all Aussies and it will be good.
Felicity Johnson, won 1 UP
How do you summarise your round?
We had a good game and there was never more than one hole in it. Krystle holed some good putts on 15 and 16 to win one hole and halve the next. It was a very entertaining game to watch: a good standard. It’s always nice to come back here with fond memories.
Stacy Lee Bregman, won 4&2
How did you rate your game today?
I did play well. I holed a putt and went one up on the first hole went two up and then three up. I felt like I played good. It’s good to be in hot weather.
Matchplay is fun because it can be anyone’s game on the day. In Strokeplay, if you have a bum-out, it’s pretty much the end of the tournament but in Strokeplay it’s okay because you can get back at it.
I think it’s quite interesting. It gives you an opportunity on the last day, the best player wins at the end of the day because Strokeplay is a fairer game. I think it’s fun and I really enjoy it.
Lee-Anne Pace won 4&2
Tough match?
I played well, she made some great, unexpected saves, which kept her in the game. I got three up quickly and kept the difference. She got back one to two.
Do you like matchplay?
Yeah, I haven’t played it as a pro before. As amateurs we played it every week. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot more competitive and keeps you awake. I hope I’ll see Sunday! It’s exciting to do something different.
How do you feel about playing Stacy?
I really didn’t want to play a South African but I got Stacy. We played a lot of amateur golf together and I’m sure it will feel the same.
