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SUNRISE LPGA TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY AUDI


October 26, 2012


Catriona Matthew


YANG MEI, TAIWAN

THE MODERATOR:  We'd like to welcome Catriona Matthew into the interview room.  Congratulations.  A great 6‑under 66 today to put you up right now currently in third.  Take me through the day out there and what was really working well for you.
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah, I got off to a really good start.  I birdied the first two holes and pretty close the first three, then birdied the two par‑5s on the Front 9.  So had a really good Front 9.  And then just didn't do quite as well on the Back 9, didn't give myself quite as many chances, but threw in a couple of birdies.  So a good day.
THE MODERATOR:  The weather has been really calm the last couple days and we've seen scores go pretty low.  How surprised were you not to have any wind the past couple days, and is it really important to take advantage of these scoring opportunities when you get them?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah, definitely.  After last year, I think everyone was coming here expecting it to be windy and then it was windy on the practice day and the pro am.  So it was quite nice to wake up and look at the flags and see they're not blowing too hard.
THE MODERATOR:  Your game has really seemed to be coming together at the end of the year, four straight top finishes coming into this week.  What's been the biggest difference for you in your game of late?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  I mean I think I've really played pretty well since was it July or August and the Irish Open, which I won.  I've been playing not too badly the first half of the season, but just not putting the scores together, and then I think the win in Ireland just gave me that little bit of confidence, and just holing more putts makes all the difference.
THE MODERATOR:  You talked about your game all coming together, but on this Asian swing it seems even more better than before, fourth place finish in Malaysia.  Second place last week after losing in the playoff to Suzann.  Do you feel like that next win on the LPGA Tour is getting closer?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Definitely.  Hopefully I'll give myself a chance this week.  I've played really well the last two weeks, so I think you just need to keep giving yourself chances and one of these times you'll get the win.
THE MODERATOR:  Questions for Catriona.

Q.  If you could choose, will you prefer the windy day or the calm, sunny day like today?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  I would say I quite like the sunny days.

Q.  This is your 18th year as a pro.  How do you stay in contention after being on tour that long?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  This is my 18th year, yeah.  You know, I think in the off season I've always from my first year I've always taken like six weeks off, but I'll play the CME at the end of the year and are probably won't touch a club again until January.  So I think that break always does me good and gets me refreshed and ready for the season.
Why I'm still playing well at this age, I don't really know, to be honest.  I just keep practicing, keep enjoying it.  I think as long as you enjoy it, it always helps.

Q.  Some younger players were eager to practice more.  Do you see that?  And you say you will not touch a club in six weeks.  Is that the secret you can keep going?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  I think, honestly, everyone is different.  I find that's really what's worked for me, but certainly last year I think I played on Sunday at CME and my next 18 holes was in Thailand first round.  So that's going to be a little less preparation.
But yeah, I will start practicing January and play nine holes, but with two small children I don't have a whole lot of time.  And that's why I like living in Scotland because the weather is so bad, you don't feel bad about not going out.

Q.  You were born and raised in Scotland; right?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.

Q.  And I was watching you before when you were getting interviewed to some other media, and they said that you prefer sunny weather.  But I think you have some advantages in sunny weather, and actually Yani said yesterday she would prefer some windy.  So who do you think will have the most advantage there, you or Yani?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Well, Yani is world No. 1.  Well, from last year it gets pretty windy in Taiwan.

Q.  You see a lot of South Korean players on the LPGA Tour now.  Why do you think they are so successful?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  I mean I don't know.  I think a lot of other countries should be looking at what they do with their juniors because they just seem to keep producing lots of great girls coming out and joining the tour with all those really good golf swings.  So I'm sure other countries are looking to see what they do to try and copy it really.

Q.  In your 18 years have you ever been mentally tired and too tired to play anymore, and how do you overcome that kind of situation?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Obviously there's been times when you haven't been playing particularly well, and I think you get more tired if you're not playing well.
But yeah, like I say, I've tried to pace myself.  I think if you're going to play for a lot of years, you do have to kind of ‑‑ you can't play every day.  But I think your first few years on tour you may just have to find out what suits you best, whether it's practicing every day, whether it's taking a break.
But I think it's all up to the individual really.  Taking a break's helped me.  It's helped me keep playing for longer than some of the others maybe do, but again, I think it's all just trial and error.  Your first few years on tour you find out how many tours you can play in a row and I've been out here long enough, I should know what to do now.

Q.  You played with Hyo Joo Kim today, and this is her second tournament as a pro.  Is there any advice you can give her?
CATRIONA MATTHEW:  Yeah.  She was a good player.  Hit the ball well.  I think obviously just stick at it and keep doing what she's doing really.  Obviously it comes down to the short game a little bit and a bit of course management.  But she's a good player, she's certainly got potential to be a good player.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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