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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

July 31, 2007

Catriona Matthew

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

COLIN CALLANDER: Thank you very much for coming. Ladies and gentlemen, Catriona Matthew from Scotland. You won as an amateur here in the 90s, and you know this course very well, how does the course today compare?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think obviously the course is just the same. We're just playing from further back now. Hopefully I hit it a little further now.
Yeah, it's just different tees really. I don't think they have changed this course much over the years.
COLIN CALLANDER: You've been out for a practise round today. Very tough I would imagine.
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah I played this morning. This is probably one of the toughest winds because it's a crosswind left-to-right going out and right-to-left coming in. You know, it makes all of the holes pretty tough. There's not many where you're just straight into the wind or straight down.
COLIN CALLANDER: What does it mean to you as a Scot to be playing the British here at St. Andrews?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: It's fantastic. Obviously to be here at St. Andrews -- of course I played well in Scotland, hopefully I can play well here.

Q. When was it you played here before?
COLIN CALLANDER: '93 and '94.
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Just what I was going to say.

Q. (Have players asked you much about the course)?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Maybe not so much about the course. Just, you know, places to say and what it's like and everyone's just been exceeded to come here, kind of the home of golf and obviously watched the men play here over the years.

Q. Anybody ask you about the weather?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Just what it could be like. I said anything. Bring shorts, trousers, waterproofs.

Q. You grew up playing links golf.Any reason why you haven't played well on links courses in this Championship?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: No, I mean, there hasn't really. Like you say, I grew up on links courses. Played obviously well as an amateur on them but turned pro and can't play in them anymore.
But no, yeah, I don't know why I haven't played well. No reason why I shouldn't be playing well this week, so hopefully I can go and do it in the tournament.

Q. Could your lack of success be down to pressure?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: It might be. Obviously, yeah, there's a little more pressure playing at hole and having more people play here, watching and you things.
Yeah, like you say, I can't really put my finger on why I haven't done better than I have in the British. Done well in the other majors but haven't done particularly well in this one. Maybe this week I can change that.

Q. Do you play much links golf when you are back here in Scotland in the winter?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: No, not really, not a whole lot. Come back and kind of have a break. I'm fair weather golf in the winter now.

Q. If the weather stays like this, what sort of score do you see winning this week?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think if it stays as windy as this, if you're roundabout even par, I'd take that right now.

Q. (What's the lowest score you've ever had here)?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think I may be had a 67 but that was obviously, you know, from different tees.

Q. This week the 17th is a par 5. Do you think it should be a par 4 like the men play?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I don't really think it makes that much difference what the par on the hole is. I actually had kind of forgotten when I played it today that it was a par 5.

Q. What did you make?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Well, it's just a score. You're just trying to get a score really. Really I don't think it makes much difference. It's just the number that's on the scorecard.

Q. How is your daughter this week?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, she's sleeping pretty well, just getting some teeth, so a little grumpier, but she's still sleeping well.

Q. She's here with you?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yes, she is.

Q. What to you are the most memorable parts of the Old Course?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think obviously 1 and 18, teeing off in front of the clubhouse and coming up 18. It doesn't even matter if there's a tournament on, there's always people there watching and things. I think 1, 18 and 17, kind of three, really, you know you are at St. Andrews.

Q. Have you been in the R & A clubhouse before this week?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yes, I have been, actually. You're allowed in at St. Andrews, aren't you? Came through -- yeah, I think ladies are allowed in.
Obviously it's nice to go in there. I registered in there. I actually haven't been to the locker room yet. Yeah, I mean, it's lovely to use it.

Q. How historic is it having an LPGA event here?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Obviously it's great having the ladies playing here. I think everyone's obviously really looking forward to playing this week.
I don't know if it's historic. There was no reason why we couldn't come and play here. It's not a men-only course. So, yes, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Do you see it as a breakthrough for ladies golf?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: No, I really don't think it's a breakthrough. There's really no issue at this course. Ladies play on it and have just as many rights as the men, so it's really no big deal.

Q. Are you surprised it took so long to play a women's event here?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: A professional one, yeah, I think obviously when the British started going to Woburn and going around to more Open courses, there was always the chance that it might come here. I think it's just great that they decided to bring it here.

Q. Do you think St Andrews is now too easy for the top men players?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I don't think so. I think all links courses, it's just the wind. The last couple of times I think they have played here, the weather has been perfect. Uncanny on links courses, with wind, doesn't matter if you're not playing well. If you go out there today, it's certainly a test.

Q. Why do you think there have not been more successful lady golfers from Britain?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: I don't know. That's a good question. Yeah, obviously just -- I don't know whether it just goes in cycles or what. I don't know what they do in Korea; there must be something in the water there.
Yeah, I really don't know why there are not more lady professionals from Britain. Certainly when I turned pro, obviously Janice and Laura were behind me and they both turned pro, and yeah, there really has not done anybody who has done overly well since then. You've got a few coming up now, Scottish players certainly, Claire queen man, and there's a couple of amateurs that are probably going to do well. Yeah, I can't really explain why there are not more.

Q. (Did you ever play here --)?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: No, because I think I knew I wasn't allowed in, so I never tried.

Q. Is it difficult to watch Michele Wie struggling like she is at the moment?
CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, you hate to see anyone struggle like that. Obviously she's got -- played with her a lot in the past. She's got all the talent, got all the shots. Maybe just a little bit of lack of confidence. I haven't really seen her play this year. But maybe it's just the lack of confidence maybe just from having some bad scores. It's amazing how it kind of filters through the game.
I'm sure she'll get it back.
COLIN CALLANDER: Catriona, thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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