Marta Prieto (Spain)
I hear you had a bit of a lesson that helped today, Marta.
I’ve been hitting the ball really bad for the last few months and I’ve been struggling to play with what I had, but it wasn’t really enjoyable.
Since last week Marta (Figueras Dotti) saw me a little bit and my coach (Marcella Prieto) back home as well. Yesterday we realised that I wasn’t shifting my weight at all and it was always on my left, on my backswing and everything so I didn’t have any room.
I was just pushing the ball forward and it was really bad because you can miss the green left or whatever but I wasn’t hitting the ball at all. At least the ball flew high and I felt like I hit the ball instead of just pushing it forward.
It felt so much better. Today I have to work on it a lot but at least I enjoyed myself on the golf course and it feels like a long time since I enjoyed playing golf.
Are you going to see Marta Figueras Dotti on the range now?
She has gone now but I know what I have to do to get the feeling. I have to hit more balls.
What were you expecting?
I wasn’t expecting this. I know the changes take a while but I did what I was told and I hit 17 greens. I had 30 putts.
Lee-Anne Pace (South Africa)
I started with a bogey but it’s a tough hole. After that I hit a skimpy bad shot that got on the green and lipped out a really good putt from four metres. I had a pretty good feel on the putts and I thought, okay, maybe this could be a good putting day. The next was a good drive and a good lay up. Not such a great pitch shot on the par five. I holed a three or four metre putt for my birdie so then I was really confident. At the next hole I hit it to five metres and then a big lip out on the putt at the fourth. At the next hole we were waiting, at the fifth, the one you can drive. I hit it left and was in a bunker. If the green was there, I was in the tough bunker. I had a really good bunker shot to three metres. I made that one so I thought that was a good birdie. On the sixth, which is also downhill, I was in between clubs and I backed off, hit it in the bunker and I was like, whatever. I played to about four metres and made the putt for par. I was like, one-putt, one-putt, one-putt. On the ninth I hit it to about a metre and a half with a five-iron. On 11, I hit it to about a metre and a half and made that. The next I hit to about three metres and made that putt. The next one was a par, then up the hill, I made a bogey when I hit it in the bunker right. At the 15th, I hit it to tap-in. 17 I hit eight-iron to three metres and made the putt. I had 24 putts but it was funny because I looked at it afterwards and I had hit 12 greens and birdied eight out of 12 holes.
Since France, you’ve been playing well.
It’s the last week. I’ve been playing well the whole year but the putts have been falling lately. You go through stages and I’m just starting to see the ball going in. That might be the difference. I have a goal this week but I can’t tell you what it is yet. It’s something if I win that’s maybe an extra inspiration.
What are you doing after this week?
Going home to South Africa on Monday. My visa expires in two weeks so I have to go home and it takes a while to get a new one so I cannot go to Italy. Then China, Korea and Dubai.
Where do you live?
Mossel Bay, near George. It’s about three and a half hours from Cape Town on the Garden Route. Its 30 minutes from Fancourt, the other side from George.
Rebecca Hudson (England)
What was the secret to your improvement?
I played a lot better and had fun on the golf course. I was like a different person from the last few months. I believe that if you’re happy on the golf course, that’s worth a few shots.
I’ve not really enjoyed the last few months. After last week, I got my arse kicked a little bit. I’ve gone out today, played more confidently and played better.
Is there less pressure this week with there being no cut?
This is a fabulous tournament and it’s a pleasure to be here. We’re all lucky to be here enjoying it. 40 people, two-ball, a lay in the morning. It’s a really good tournament. It’s a shame more people can’t play in it but then it wouldn’t be special.
Any stand out birdies?
I hit a few nice wedges and nine irons. I holed a nice putt on the last from about 10 foot. I bogeyed the first and 16th but other than that it was solid golf. I had seven birdies and I think that’s more than I’ve had all year.
Emma Cabrera-Bello (Spain)
What inspired you today, Emma?
I have been playing well the last couple of weeks. I still missed a few putts through holes eight to 12 but I missed very few greens and at the end I made birdie, birdie to finish, so that was okay.
You’ve played well in Spain.
I’ve been playing well in Spain this year, Spanish Open and last week, Tenerife, two top 10s. Playing at home is nice for me. My mum and dad are here with me and I’m staying at my uncle’s so it’s nice to be home.
