Q: Have you played here before?
A: I played here last year, it was just a practice round, just to have fun. It wasn't obviously the same holes, but I really enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now.
Q: Is it like a golf course that you've played on a lot before, like a links-style course?
A: It reminds me of Sunningdale and The Berkshire that we have in England, those types of golf courses with the heather and stuff. I like to play those golf courses.
Q: Does it require different shots around here from what you normally play?
A: Yes it does, because the greens are quite bouncy, so you've got to bounce the balls in sometimes, you have to strike it quite good at times to get it to stop on the greens. You've got to have a good imagination and putt some long putts on the greens because they're shaved so clean.
Q: As the course is firming, do you think it's turning to favour the longer-hitters because they can use shorter clubs to the greens?
A: Yes, definitely. I don't hit many drivers out there. At the ninth today I hit three wood-seven iron, which was pretty good. I feel like I can carry bunkers and not hit a lot of club, because driver's going to be running out. It's nice to position shots and come in with a shorter iron. I definitely think if you're a bit longer, you're coming in with shorter clubs and you can stop them on the greens.
Q; Does that make you feel that you've got a bit in reserve if you want to get a bit more aggressive and try to go low?
A: Yes, definitely. I just changed my swing coach six weeks ago. I'm still working on my swing and that's why some of my iron shots are a bit off, because I still haven't got my feel about my three-quarter (shots), to cut or draw a few balls in. Hopefully towards the weekend, I'm going to do a bit more range practice and get a bit more feel.
Q: Holes like 12 (par-five) today and six (long par-four) maybe where you had much longer irons in than the girls you were playing with, do you think it would be far easier to take driver and have shorter irons into greens?
A: “It’s just tricky, because I hit a bit of a draw and I don’t want to overdraw it into the trees there but, probably for the weekend, I may get my driver out. I’m feeling quite comfortable. The hole before there was quite tricky because I hit my driver on 11 and I was nearly into the bushes and I hit a really good drive there. Sometimes three-wood’s just a bit too short, but when I really catch it, I didn’t quite catch it down that hole, so hopefully when I squeeze one down there, I can get it as far down there.”
Q: I watched you a bit at Royal Pines and you had one really bad hole and also yesterday you had four putts on the sixth hole. Are you having problems just playing a full round?
A: “No, I just four-putted that hole and it just didn’t go in and then I had a couple of three-putts as well. Probably it’s just learning from experience. I just feel like sometimes I can get a bit ahead of myself and do silly stuff like that but I feel like I concentrate well after and try and get them back, like I usually make birdie a couple of holes after. So I do think that four-putt cost me quite a few shots but, at the end of the day, I’ve learned from it so hopefully it won’t happen again.”
Q: Just back to your driving, what’s your average distance off the tee?
A: “I’m not sure really. I don’t know, I just hit it and my caddie goes ‘that’s in play’.”
Q: If you have a fear you might run it into the trees, you must be quite long.
A: Like 280ish, so if in case I hit one probably a bit further than 280 because it’s bouncy here, I’m going to be running out and stuff.”
Q: Holes like 12 and six where you can go across the dogleg, are you now getting a little bit more familiar with the line on those holes, that you can become more aggressive?
A: “I don’t see no point for me to hit driver on six. I can hit a good drive there and I can just pull it a little bit and I can be in the rubbish over the other side. So, on that hole, no, but on 12, I probably would but if I really crunch it down and there and I draw it down there, I’m going to be in the crap, the rubbish sorry. If I hit my three-wood really good, I’m going to be fine.”
Q: How do you go playing with the world number one?
A: “I enjoy playing with Lydia. I’ve played with her quite a bit over the past two years. I first played with her two years ago straight after the Solheim Cup in the Canadian Open and we both played well, both like at the top of the leaderboard in the first two rounds, so I have good memories playing with Lydia and I enjoy it.”
Q: You’re still a relative newcomer. Do you feel like you belong out there?
A: “Yeah, I enjoy being in front of the big crowds. It feels really good, I enjoy it.”
Q: Last week, you said when you landed you had a bit of stiffness and you were seeing a physioptherapist. Is all that behind you now?
A: “Yeah, like I still feel a bit tight in my neck and my back but I had a few massages last week and I feel a lot looser. Andrew (Levick’s) not here this week but he’ll be there next week when I play in New Zealand, so hopefully I’ll see him again.”
Q: We got a winning score prediction from Lydia, what’s your winning number?
A: “I don’t know. Probably about 12, 13 (under par), that’s what I would say.
Q: When you watch Lydia Ko hit hybrids into holes, does she amaze you what she can do when you’re hitting seven irons and she’s knocking hybrids to 10 feet?
A: “I find it quite interesting because I’ve never not hit a blade before. I’ve always been quite old-school, I like blades and stuff. I think it’s amazing how you can get a hybrid and (inaudible).”