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WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 29, 2004

Karen Stupples

SUNNINGDALE, ENGLAND

DANA VON LOUDA: Very nice first round. Seven birdies for a bogey-free 65. You must be very pleased with your start.

KAREN STUPPLES: Absolutely. Couldn't be happier. A little shaky at odd times on the Front 9, but pulled through.

Q. Can you talk more a little bit about the course.

KAREN STUPPLES: No, the course is playing fantastic right now. The greens every day have been improving. Even with a late afternoon time, they were still rolling fantastic. So scoring is really possible all day. The wind was a little tricky in places, but my caddie was on top of that, which was very helpful.

For me the round today was very strategic. I hit a lot of 4 woods and 7 woods off the tee. I think I only hit my driver five times all day. To stick to my game plan, not be tempted by the big (inaudible) was pretty good today.

DANA VON LOUDA: We can go ahead and do your score card, starting with 2.

KAREN STUPPLES: 2, I hit a driver and a 7 iron, and 2 putted.

DANA VON LOUDA: How far?

KAREN STUPPLES: The first putt was from about 40 foot.

4, I hit a 6 iron. The putt was 15 foot.

9, I hit a 4 iron off the tee, and a 52 degree wedge. The putt was 15 foot again.

10, I hit a 4 wood off the tee and a 7 wood onto the green, and 2 putted. First putt was about 35 foot.

14, I hit a driver, laid up with a 5 iron, then I hit a little pitch onto the green to eight foot, made that.

16, I hit a 4 wood off the tee, a 7 iron onto the green, and the putt was five foot.

17, again I hit a 4 wood off the tee and a 52 degree wedge. And the putt was eight foot.

DANA VON LOUDA: Questions.

Q. Which holes did you use your driver?

KAREN STUPPLES: I used my driver on the first, the second, and then I didn't bring it out again until the 14th, then 18. I guess it was only four times today.

Q. Do you feel this would be the best round youÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ve ever had?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think, yes, so far that that was so pretty good. I also think my final round in Tucson, I could probably class that as my best round.

But to start a tournament, for definite, this has been that was pretty special today.

Q. Is it more satisfying to do it here?

KAREN STUPPLES: Totally, yeah, without any shadow of a doubt. Very fantastic to do it in front of home crowd, home support.

Q. Do you play here much?

KAREN STUPPLES: I played here last time. I played in a couple of amateur 36 hole tournaments. I think (inaudible) twice. But other than that, that's it, yeah.

Q. Was it particularly desirable to put on a show for your crowd?

KAREN STUPPLES: I was really nervous to start out the day because, you know, you're right, I did want to play well. I always want to play well when I come home. Yeah, I was quite tense. The traffic coming in here today was very stressful. It seemed like everything was very stressful early on today until I actually got out on the course when it turned a lot smoother for me (laughter).

Q. Without being immodest, do you have a feeling you deserved what you have clearly achieved because of all the hard work you've done and the difficulties things you've had?

KAREN STUPPLES: I don't actually think I mean, I don't know really. I think that I've worked hard and I have done well because of the hard work. But whether or not you deserve it, I don't know. I'm just very happy with how things have gone. I'm pleased to have come through the tough times as I have done.

I've been very lucky at the right times, as well. People have always been very good to me, looked out for me. I've made cuts when I needed to. Everything kind of always turned out well. So I've been very lucky.

Q. How far did you hit your driver on two?

KAREN STUPPLES: I have no idea, but I had I was probably about 30 yards over the road.

Q. You were 60 yards over.

KAREN STUPPLES: There you go, I was 60 yards over the road (laughter).

Q. I think you pitched it over the road.

KAREN STUPPLES: Did I? It seemed very strange because, you know, you can use driver on the first two holes, then I don't have to use it again until I get onto the 14th. It's like, "Oh, here is my driver again." Very strange.

Q. You looked at the leaderboard walking up 18- were you glad to see the progress?

KAREN STUPPLES: Oh, it was great to see the progress. I was looking at the numbers. You know, one, two, three, so on, so on, up to seven. That was pretty good. Then I was looking at who else was out there, where they were at, how they were doing, as well, just to see what the score was.

It's always good. I think it's always good to look, see what's going on. I'm doing it more for curiosity than anything else.

Q. You were saying earlier about luck. Do you believe you create your own luck?

KAREN STUPPLES: To a certain extent you probably do. But I don't know. I know that other people that have worked equally as hard in the past as me and may not have been as lucky as I have been in terms of meeting the right people. It's swings and roundabouts. Yes, to a certain extent.

Q. Do you wish you have done anything different?

KAREN STUPPLES: On my round today?

Q. No, different in your amateur career.

KAREN STUPPLES: No, I probably wouldn't. I've had a good time along the way. I think I had everything I mean, I went to college in the States. I kind of do everything the way I was supposed to, I think. It was always the right way.

But I don't know. Maybe if I sought some advice earlier whilst I was an amateur. But, no, I don't think I would change anything.

Q. You got caught up in the traffic?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yes, I did. The family that was very kindly chopping down their tree on the 830 caused a bit of a problem for me. White knuckles (laughter).

Q. How long were you stuck in the traffic? Did you come close to missing your tee time?

KAREN STUPPLES: No, no. I had left early. My parents told me the traffic coming here is very bad. So I thought, "I'll give myself an extra half hour." It was still good, but any time you're stuck in traffic, I hate anyway. No matter how much time I had, I didn't like it very much.

Q. How long did you have before you played?

KAREN STUPPLES: I actually had an hour and a half.

Q. Is that how long you usually allow?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think this week I would have allowed a little more just because maybe 15 more minutes, just because I could then sit down, relax, maybe have a bite to eat before I start to play. Instead, I had to get a sandwich and eat it around the course. That was the only difference.

Q. Where are you staying?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's only a 15 minute drive, but it took me 45 to 50 minutes today.

Q. Do you like being the center of attention?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's unusual for me, but it's nice. I don't mind it. I don't mind it. I try and take it in my stride. It's unusual. I think you have to enjoy it when it comes your way.

Q. We talked yesterday about your physical training. You mentioned you still have a long way to go. How much further do you have to go?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think potentially I still could be a lot stronger, certainly a lot fitter physically than I am now.

In terms of how far I hit it, I'm not sure what that would bring me. I do know, as I said to you yesterday, when I first started training, it took eight weeks, and I gained about 20 yards in my drive.

I'm thinking if I have another good off season, I could probably expect maybe another 5 to 10 yards next year. Always good fun. Hitting 7 woods off the tee here, 4 woods (laughter).

Q. Do you have a lot of support from Kent here?

KAREN STUPPLES: Lots of support here. Everybody's been fantastic. Some old friends who I haven't seen in a long time showed up this week. It's been wonderful to see them all again. Always is a pleasure. I had the good experience at Chart Hills, too, in the English Open. Same thing, everybody came out to support me. It was fantastic. Looking around and seeing old familiar faces.

Q. Have you ever led the first round before?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yes, I have.

Q. That was in Tucson?

KAREN STUPPLES: No, actually I was behind in Tucson. Jung Yeon Lee shot a 60 in the first round. No, I see my first year on the tour, I led after the first round in one event at Springfield, Illinois. I shot a 64 and scared myself to death in my first year on tour (laughter). Didn't know what to do the next day. Proceeded to top my first two shots after that.

It will be fine tomorrow. Don't worry (laughter).

Q. You wonÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t be nervous?

KAREN STUPPLES: No. Be looking forward to another day of golf really. It's a pleasure playing round here.

Q. Was that the only other time youÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ve led in the first round?

KAREN STUPPLES: For a first round, I'm not sure. But I've played at other times in different tournaments, so...

Q. Where else did you lead in the first round?

KAREN STUPPLES: It was in Springfield, Illinois. It was the State Farm.

Q. What is your coachÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s name?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's Chip, then I think it's something like K o e h l k e.

Q. What is your trainerÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s name?

KAREN STUPPLES: Kai F u s s e r. He's actually German, but he lived in America.

Q. And Martha?

KAREN STUPPLES: Martha C o b o. She's Colombian. Again, she lives in The States. Multi national. I think I have the best of all worlds.

DANA VON LOUDA: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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