Becky Brewerton, 67-68-69=204 (-12)
Scorecard: Hole 3, 355-yard par 4: bogey – 8-iron to 20 feet, two putt
Hole 4, 374-yard par 4: birdie – wedge to five feet
Hole 6, 380-yard par 4: birdie – wedge to five feet
Hole 7, 526-yard par 5: birdie – chip to two feet
Hole 10, 388-yard par 4: birdie – pitching wedge, spun back to 15 feet
BETHAN CUTLER: Becky, welcome back to the media center for the third consecutive day. After four rounds where you were leading last week in Spain and then another three here, that would be seven round you’ve been leading. How does that feel?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah, I feel like I’m getting used to it a little bit now. I think this week is a little bit different pressures. So I’m thoroughly enjoying it still.
BETHAN CUTLER: What was the key again today?
BECKY BREWERTON: It was definitely a bit more of a struggle today. I wasn’t quite flowing with my game as I had been over the previous two days.
I have to say my short game was quite unbelievable on the back nine. Took a lot of confidence from that. Made some great up and downs that truly held the round together.
BETHAN CUTLER: How will you keep it going tomorrow?
BECKY BREWERTON: I think I’ll go and do a bit of work now with my coach. When your short game is going well and you’re getting up and down from positions, it really does take a lot of pressure off.
You know then when you make the birdies you’re making up ground and you’re not losing any, so I’m very happy with that.
BETHAN CUTLER: You seem very relaxed. Were you as relaxed today?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah, I must admit I was a little bit nervous on the first couple holes. Again, being in this situation, I was trying to lie there last night and sort of imagine what it was going to be like and what it might be like tomorrow.
And although I’m enjoying it, it’s a good kind of nerves. You just have to stay in control and not get too excited.
BETHAN CUTLER: Just the one mistake today on the third. What happened there?
BECKY BREWERTON: I hit an awful tee shot actually on the third. I hit it way right down in trouble and just had to chip it back onto the fairway. I was quite fortunate to have a shot really.
Hit a good shot onto the green and two putted. I took my medicine there and just got out with a bogey. It could have been a lot worse.
Q. You came right back with a birdie at the fourth. What happened there?
BECKY BREWERTON: Actually didn’t hit the greatest tee shot on the fourth. Just stuck in the rough on the right hand side. Luckily I found probably the first nice lie I’ve had all week in the rough here, and was able to hit a nice shot in and hit it to about four foot. It was a good birdie in the end.
BETHAN CUTLER: Six and seven again good holes for you. Can you remember what happened there?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah. The sixth I’ve played really well. It’s quite a tight tee shot. Really have got to hit one dead straight there. Every day I’ve managed it, and again today I left myself with a wedge into the green and hit a really nice, controlled shot and had about a five foot putt for birdie which just rolled in, so it was nice.
Seven as well I was able to get up to the green in two again, driver, 3 wood, and had a nice little chipping putt there. So that was quite good.
BETHAN CUTLER: Can you talk us through the tenth for birdie there.
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah. Hit 3 wood off the 10th tee. The pin is in that little section on the right hand side of the green, which is quite narrow. I was fortunate in a way. I was planning to land the ball behind the pin and get some spin back.
But it literally pitched right from the edge of the green. It was probably borderline whether it bounced over or came back, and luckily it came back and again rolled a nice putt in from about ten foot.
Q. When you see the long lost of illustrious winners here and you’re on the eve of probably joining them if you carry on in this format, how do you keep your head together?
BECKY BREWERTON: It’s difficult sometimes. I think all the work that I’ve done, and especially the last couple weeks with seeing the sports psychologist and having my coach here, it’s all helping to keep me calm. I’ve written a few notes in my yardage book just to look at when I feel that I might be starting to lose my edge a little bit.
Again, just trying to treat it like all the other rounds. It’s very difficult to do so. You can’t really say it’s the same as ever other day. But just keeping everything as calm as possible.
Q. How important has the work with the sports psychologist been? Can you talk a little bit more about that?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah, well, it was interesting. It wasn’t an area that I covered that much for the last couple years. My coach came up to watch me in a tournament in Holland a couple months ago. I really wanted him to be there to see, because I just felt I wasn’t making the most out of how I was playing.
He surprised me a little bit with his comments. He said he felt that all the parts of my game were good, but I wasn’t really taking my form from the practice range and from the practice rounds onto the course. He almost felt like I was just holding myself back a little bit. I wasn’t being positive enough and believing in myself.
I hadn’t really felt like that. So I put those comments on board and I went to see Brian Hemmings before I went to Spain. We clicked instantly. It was great actually. I got on very well with him immediately.
Within sort of half an hour of meet thinking stranger, we were talking like we’d known each other for quite a long time. I was able to be quite open with him about how I felt about my game.
He just said a few things to me that really sort of hit home and just simplified, you know, how you can make it difficult, but it’s really not that hard to make the choices of how you want to think on the course.
Q. Just about the Solheim Cup coming up. Made your rookie appearance there two years ago. Is that a big motivator here for you as well?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah, I mean, that’s one thing I said to everybody that asked me after I played in the first Solheim, a lot of the other players who haven’t played, ‘What’s it like? What’s the feeling like?’ I just said, ‘You just have to get in to experience it, because it isn’t like anything else.’
It’s always been my dream actually having watched a lot of Solheims on the telly to play with Laura and, I got my dream. I got to play with her on the first tee on the first day. It was the most unreal feeling ever. About ten times better than anything else I’ve ever experienced.
Q. Two weeks ago, if someone had told you that you would be on the way of winning the Evian Masters, what would you have said to them?
BECKY BREWERTON: I probably would have laughed. At that stage I wasn’t even sure if the last tournament, Spanish Open, was even gonna count to get in because it was so close. I almost thought my chances were done.
In a way, it might have relaxed me a little bit. I thought, Well, I might as well be aggressive and go for broke in Spain. Even after I arrived here on Monday after making sort of frantic last minute travel plans, I still didn’t even feel like I was here.
All of a sudden the tournament started. You know, maybe that helped, that I hadn’t had too much time to think about it and stayed relaxed all week.
I certainly wouldn’t have believed I would be in this position a couple weeks ago.
Q. Have you ever felt so much pressure in your career?
BECKY BREWERTON: I feel okay at the moment. You know, again today, although I was nervous on the first couple holes, I thought I would feel a little more stressed maybe, but I didn’t, and settled into my round quite nicely. I think myself and my caddie have got a good routine going. We talk a lot about some strange things to sort of keep my mind off the golf side of things in between shots.
At the moment, I feel quite fantastic. I’m sure I’ll be quite excited in the morning. Yeah, just see how it goes keep playing the way I have, and I feel quietly confident in a way.
Q. What sort of strange things are you talking about with your caddie?
BECKY BREWERTON: Anything about – I think he might have made up the fact he had more skill than (indiscernible) in the football match at the beginning of the week. Just things that we’ve done in our life, cartoons we used to watch when we were younger. Because we’re about the same age, we can think back to the same sort of memories when we were young to what we had for dinner and stuff like that.
Just anything really just to sort of not have any quiet spells during the round.
Q. You’ve only been together a short spell of time, haven’t you?
BECKY BREWERTON: Yeah. I think this is probably only our ninth or tenth event together. I knew Craig really well before he caddied for me. He caddied for a couple of years for Joe Mills out on tour. I had spent a little bit of time with him.
We’re very, very similar personality wise. We have got the same sort of idea of what we think is funny. He’s great on the course. He’s another real important piece of the team. I really, really enjoy working with him.
Q. Is it mentally tiring for you? You lead every round last week and you’ve been leading or sharing the lead every round this week. How hard is that for you?
BECKY BREWERTON: I don’t think it was as hard last week because I was always quite a few shots in front and it was a nice sort of cushion position I was in. Even on the last day with a five shot lead coming into 18, it didn’t seem too tiring.
I did feel very tired here on Monday and Tuesday. I think the whole thing caught up to me and I sort of realized that I had won. This week completely different. I wasn’t even aware today most of the way round that I was leading. I wasn’t really looking at any of the boards.
I said at the beginning of the day I wanted to shoot another score in the 60s and maybe try and get to 15 under. Didn’t manage that.
But I was just happy with the way I played. The first time I looked at a board was on the 18th. Didn’t really know much apart from that.
Q. How important is someone like Laura to have around? I spoke to her, and she said she’s not surprised that you’re leading, just that it took you so long.
BECKY BREWERTON: People like Laura are great. The fantastic thing is that she’s always more than willing, I think especially towards the young British players, to relive her experiences and memories.
I think one of the best moments I’ve ever seen was when she chipped in on the 17th last year for a par. It’s just so typical Laura. She’s so unique and done things her own way. She’s so different to everybody less.
It’s just great to listen to her talk about her career and what she’s achieved and how she’s gone about things. Her attitude is completely different, so it’s quite refreshing. But she was fantastic to me in the Solheim. She made me feel so relaxed just by being very, very funny, as she was naturally. Her comment to, me on the first tee was, ‘Just make sure you don’t duff it,’ which was a typical Laura comment. She was fantastic. She is been very, very good to me.
Sophie Gustafson, 71-66-67=204 (-12)
Scorecard: Hole 1, 361-yard par 4: birdie – wedge to 15 feet
Hole 7, 526-yard par 5: eagle – 7-wood to 20 feet
Hole 11, 351-yard par 4: birdie – wedge to 18 feet
Hole 17, 115-yard par 3: birdie – gap wedge to the front bank of the green and kicked up to five feet
Q. Great round today, Sophie, especially landing the eagle on hole seven.
SOPHIE GUSTAFSON: It was exciting. I hit a 7-wood to 20 feet
Q. You’re on a roll with a bogey-free round today.
SOPHIE GUSTAFSON: I had a couple good par saves, but playing a bogey-free round here, I’m very pleased with.
Q. What does it mean to be playing for the championship in Europe?
SOPHIE GUSTAFSON: Good. It’s always nice to be in contention.
Q. When you leave a putt short like on 18, is it because the greens are soft, or because of the grain?
SOPHIE GUSTAFSON: There are a lot of undulations on the greens and a lot of grain, so when you get an uphill putt into the grain, you really have to make sure that you hit it strong.
Q. The Solheim Cup is coming up in a few weeks. Can you talk about what it means to be part of the European Team?
SOPHIE GUSTAFSON: it’s going to be fun. I think we’re going to have quite the test to be able to pull it off.
In-Kyung Kim, 67-69-68=204 (-12)
Scorecard: Hole 2, 161-yard par 3: bogey – 8-iron to five feet, missed putt
Hole 8, 174-yard par 3: birdie – 5-iron to 20 feet
Hole 9, 482-yard par 5: birdie – chip from 25 yards to 10 feet
Hole 10, 388-yard par 4: birdie – 9-iron to five feet
Hole 11, 351-yard par 4: birdie – 8-iron to 6 feet
Hole 17, 115-yard par 3: birdie – 48-degree wedge to six feet
DANA GROSS RHODE: IK, great round again. Put yourself right in contention for the lead. You’ve been in this position before. How does it feel?
IN KYUNG KIM: Very excited. I play well last couple days. You know, fortunate to play well and in contention.
I like it. I like to be in contention.
DANA GROSS RHODE: So do you like the pressure? What does the pressure do for you?
IN KYUNG KIM: I would say it’s more like a strong feeling, you know, you have. I don’t really get, well, pressure, I think. I get more excited.
You know, I’ve been enjoying playing in the last group, because you really have – you know, when you have pressure, that means you have a chance to win the tournament, so I’m very excited.
DANA GROSS RHODE: The course today, a lot of people seem to be attacking the course. Do you feel like you’re able to go at more of the pins, or does the course force you to play smart?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Well, I think both. Because, I mean, front nine, I really didn’t have many birdie chances because how the course setting. It’s really hilly on the fairway. Sometimes it just goes somewhere else that I didn’t really expect it.
I think you really have to be patient on the golf course. And hopefully I can make more birdies on the front and then…
I always been one shot back this week. I really think I have a chance tomorrow if I get started early.
DANA GROSS RHODE: I guess just looking forward to tomorrow, what do you do to prepare for the final round?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Tomorrow I’ll get some rest and come out here and hit some balls and, you know, just normal things that I would do. I mean, make myself better, good, for the last round.
I don’t know what to expect actually, you know, but I’m happy that I – I mean, last two years I really have been playing this good on this golf course, so I think I improve a lot from last years.
I’m just very excited. I’ll be really having fun tomorrow.
Ai Miyazato, 69-66-70=205 (-11)
Scorecard: Hole 2, 161-yard par 3: bogey – 7-iron, missed the green, chip to nine feet, missed putt
Hole 3, 355-yard par 4: bogey – 6-iron, missed the green, chip to 24 feet, missed putt
Hole 6, 380-yard par 4: birdie – 8-iron to tap in
Hole 8, 174-yard par 3: birdie – 5-iron to six feet
Hole 9, 482-yard par 5: birdie – 58-degree wedge to 15 feet
Hole 10, 388-yard par 4: bogey – pitching wedge, over the green, chip back over the green, chip to tap in for bogey
Hole 12, 412-yard par 4: birdie – 6-iron to 18 feet
Hole 15, 559-yard par 5: birdie – 8-iron to 30 feet
Hole 16, 311-yard par 4: birdie – pitching wedge to nine feet
Hole 18, 477-yard par 5: bogey – 7-iron to 15 feet for birdie, three putt
DANA GROSS RHODE: Ai, welcome to the interview room. You’ve had quite the journey. You’ve already talked to a lot of people, but we appreciate your talking to us.
Your round today was very up and down and you rallied and now you’re just one stroke out of the lead. How did you mentally get through that, and how do you feel going into tomorrow?
AI MIYAZATO: It was a little bit shame on the last finish hole, but I had really good comeback after the, like, three. I’m still playing good. Like I’m really comfortable with my playing, so I’m really happy with my position now.
DANA GROSS RHODE: The course today, can you describe how it’s playing? A couple of players have said the greens are tough based on the direction the grain is on the greens.
AI MIYAZATO: Uh huh. Yeah, it’s a little bit grainy. Like yesterday’s rain makes a little bit slower today, I think. So you got to hit like really strong like contract with the ball.
Q. We watched you from the ninth. Apart from the last green you putted very well today.
AI MIYAZATO: Yeah, my putting is really good so far. I have really confidence with my putting. I think I have really good stroke now, so comfortable.
Q. It’s a terrific looking leaderboard from our perspective. A lot of former champions and then players like you looking for your first victory. When you look at what the tournament is and you’re playing at the Evian Masters and you’re right in the pack trying to go for the trophy, how excited are you by the prospect of what could happen tomorrow?
AI MIYAZATO: I’m very excited first, and I’m really happy with my position because I’m still have chance to get win tomorrow. So that’s really nice.
(Through translation) Just makes me happy that I have a chance to win tomorrow.
Q. Is it something you expect or something you hope?
AI MIYAZATO: (Through translation) If I have too much expectations then usually it doesn’t go my way, so I just hope that I can play my best.
Q. Is there a strategy? Is it a course where you can keep attacking, or do you have to be careful about how you play this course?
AI MIYAZATO: I think kind of both. But I’m sure I need to make some more birdies tomorrow, too.
Q. What sort of score do you have in your mind? Or is it too early to say?
AI MIYAZATO: Probably at least I need 4 under tomorrow.
DANA GROSS RHODE: Looking at you coming through the gallery and the fans, do you feel like you have more fans here, or that’s just the way it is wherever you go, that a lot of people want your autograph?
AI MIYAZATO: (Through translation) I think most of the kids are the ones that want my autographs (laughter), but I do feel happy that I have fans here. I think it’ll be a good chance tomorrow to have my name remembered by a lot of French people and the fans here.
