BANK OF MONTREAL CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN

August 18, 2002

Catriona Matthew

LAURA NEAL: Catriona, thanks for coming in. Maybe just -- I know it was a tough day out there. Maybe just talk about the conditions and how tough of a round it really was.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: It was very tough. Especially since the wind picked up on our back nine. I mean even holes down wind were playing very difficult. You were just trying really to make pars. So I just had a couple of bad swings that just got me into a lot of trouble.

LAURA NEAL: Can we go over 12 just talk us through it.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah I hit 4-wood off that tee every day and I was just hitting a little 4-wood just didn't hit it that bad, got it turning left and it went in the wind and ended up the in the bushes and had to take a penalty drop and then just kind of hack out and then hit 3-iron up just to the right of the green. And actually hit what I thought was a good chip but it just didn't come down to the left at all. And I left myself a tough probably 5-footer for double, which I missed.

LAURA NEAL: You had some bogeys coming in. Was it really tough?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, well it was. 13, par-3 was just playing straight down wind. Pin was at the front. I hit a little 8-iron and just landed on the green and straight through the back. I really don't think there was any way to try and hold that green. I hit a good chip up to five feet and hit what I thought was a great putt. And it just lipped out.

And then 15 what did I have? Yeah, I was just in the left rough with my drive. But I mean it was fine. And I had 186 to the hole. And just straight into the wind. And tried to punch a little 4-wood and thought I hit it really good and it just stayed out to the right and didn't come back in at all. And just, it wasn't quite plugged in the bunker, but kind of half in, half out of my plug mark. And didn't really hit a great bunker shot. And then chipped up and holed the putt.

And then 18, three putts.

LAURA NEAL: Questions?

Q. You were very close to a victory today at the beginning of the round. What are your emotions now at this point?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Obviously I'm very disappointed. I got a great start. Birdieing the first hole. Getting to 7. Just like I say that 12th hole the triple there just really threw me behind and the last few holes it was tough to try and make birdies. You were really just trying to make pars. So, yeah, obviously disappointed.

Q. Was that the toughest, and in those conditions, was that the toughest round of the year for you?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Definitely. Yeah. Without a doubt.

Q. Can you give us an idea of what it was like in terms of club selection with your irons hitting into the wind and then hitting with it?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Well, I hit like on that 15th hole I hit a great 4-wood and it didn't even carry 160. And then coming down wind, the par-3, I think I had 186 to the hole and on 17 there and just it was right in between really 7 and 8 and ended up hitting just a little 7. So I would say it was at least three clubs.

Q. The putt on 13, when it didn't drop, was that -- how bad was that? Was that the last gasp for you do you think?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: No, I don't think. So I mean I really felt I had a chance even coming down 18 if I could make birdie. It's not an easy hole. So no, I don't think that was the last gasp.

Q. Did you give me an idea how that wind would have compared to North Berwick? Is there any comparison?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: That would have been a windy day at home as well.

Q. Could you compare the wind to Friday? Was it significantly worse than Friday?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, I think certainly on the back nine where you're just more exposed there. But certainly felt on the back nine it was worse than it was on Friday. Maybe I just didn't play as well.

Q. And could you tell us about a lot of the players maybe were taking a lot of time on the putts. Was that the wind that were you trying to judge on the putting surface?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, even once you got it on the putting green the putts were very difficult. Down wind they were just so fast. And then you really didn't want to leave yourself like four, five footers to make for par, because they were, they're just tough. Never know how much the wind is going to affect them or not.

Q. Michelle Ellis said taking a look at the leaderboard she thought maybe Meg had been playing on a different golf course and different conditions. Were you impressed with what Meg was able to pull off out there today?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah. She played really well. Really didn't make any -- didn't get herself into trouble. Hit the fairways, she just played I would say really good golf. Didn't really look like making any worse than a bogey. Which is what you have to do in that kind of conditions. You can't make a big number.

Q. Did you think about Solheim Cup at all and what did you think of this finish? You did get yourself in contention. Does that help your chances of being picked?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, it's certainly got to help, I think. Obviously I was just trying to win the golf tournament. I just feel that I can, I can get some good results and that Solheim Cup will come.

LAURA NEAL: Any more questions? Okay. Thank you. Appreciate you coming in. Thank you.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Thank you.

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