Round two leader quotes from the Saint Four Ladies Masters in Jeju

Saint Four Golf and Resort
Saturday 15th November 2008

Q. How do you feel about your round today?
I am satisfied with today. The putting was good. I hit 17 greens so I was okay with my game and also with the putter. I just had one three putt. One bogey in 36 holes is not bad.

Q. How long were your birdie putts?
All four were pretty close. The further one was not more than five metres.

Q. What will you try to improve tomorrow?
I’m going to try to put the ball closer to the hole and try to make some more birdie putts. If I have the same score tomorrow it will be great.

Q. You are having a good run of form. How come your form has improved recently?
Maybe I am just a little relaxed because it is the end of the season. I want to try to get a decent position on the New Star Money List but I will try to enjoy it.

Q. You started later this season because of your operation in February. You don’t seem to have played quite as well as in previous years. Do you know why?
I had a few problems, not really big ones, but when your mind is not free, it was hard.

Q. Is there anything wrong with your game?
No. Some years you are not 100 percent because something happened. There is not just golf in your life; there is something more. If life is not really good sometimes the game can suffer a little bit.

Q. What happened?
My uncle passed away this summer when I was playing the British Open and it was just a shock because nobody expected it. He was not sick or anything. Also, my operation was okay but I was not in 100 percent condition to play four weeks in a row. I had to play three weeks and then stop and rest and then start again.

Q. Are you well now?
I am feeling much better.

Q. Is there anything in your life you are hoping for?
Well, I’m thinking about having a baby. There is a moment when you are a woman and I feel it now. Before: no. I’m 28 and I’m just starting to think about maybe having a family. Why not? I am a woman and when you think about it, it would be great. Maybe in one year: we will see.

Margherita Rigon (ITA) 70-70=140 (-4)

Q. Can you talk about your round?
It was a little bit different from yesterday because the long game was not as good but the putting was great so I am happy. I chipped in on 18 from just off the green so I was very happy. I had five birdies and three bogeys.

Q. What do you feel you need to do tomorrow?
I need to improve my long game and put the short irons, like the 52 or the 56, closer to the pin because otherwise it’s difficult to make putts. Some of the putts were very downhill or very uphill today. I think I need to stay patient and not get nervous.

Q. Do you feel nerves?
A little bit, yes. I am in a bad situation because I need to move up the ranking so I really need to play well. I am trying not to think about it on the course and enjoy the game and play the best I can.

Q. What do you think about the Korean players?
I think that they have a good structure behind them. We are a little bit more alone; like my mother is not travelling with me every week. I think there is a good support for them. I think they are good players but we are better in Europe.

Anna Rawson 71-70=141 (-3)

Q. Could you talk about your round today?
I finally made some putts at the end but I am not really feeling it out here. I can’t get the pace of the greens and my speed is a little off. I’ve been hitting the ball great but I hit it better yesterday. Today was not as good a ball striking round.
I holed long putts from outside 10 feet on 17 and 18 but the pin placements were tricky. If you hit it too hard you might have a five footer coming back but if you ease it up there it’s too short.
The fairways are perfect and the greens are really fast; they are just hard to judge.

Q. What do you like about playing in Korea?
I love the food. I love rice: I grew up on rice. I love the people; the fashion. The Korean players dress amazing; they are so cute. I think they look fantastic. I like that there is only one tee time in the morning because I hate afternoon rounds.

Q. How is your form in general?
My game has definitely elevated another level this year since playing on the LPGA. It is tougher in terms of the depth of the field.

Q. How have you improved?
I have been working with the same coach for three years and I think over the last year it has really stuck in. This has probably been my best ball striking year ever. I think giving myself more birdie opportunities is the key and just feeling more confident.
I started with a coach when I was 23 so I have only been working with a coach for four years. I feel like I’m where most girls were when they were 19.

Q. How old were you when you started?
I started at 13. I would get help from here or there but never having something consistent. Now I have that I am so far behind most girls who have been coached for 10 years. I think now I am growing in confidence.

Q. Who is your coach?
Dana Dahlqvist – a Finnish man who is based in Long Beach in California. He does the stack and tilt, the new style of teaching. There are less injuries and a lot of the PGA Tour players have turned to it this year. I have been doing that for three years and it takes a long time to get a swing. Then you get more confidence. He teaches some good amateurs and a lot of local people in Long Beach.

Q. Anything new in your life?
I am enjoying coming back to Europe and being in Europe. It’s been fun. I love the European Tour and I’m always going to play over here at least four or five tournaments a year. It’s good for your brand to be global, play over here and play in Japan.