BANK OF MONTREAL CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN

August 17, 2002

Catriona Matthew

LAURA NEAL: Give us some comments on then we will go over your scorecard.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Overall I'm pleased with the way I played. I missed a couple fairways today but still gave myself a lot of chances and just great to hole two putts on the last two holes and get in with the lead.

I bogeyed the first, just caught the bunker with my tee shot. I had an awkward lie. Half in, half out of the bunker. Just kind of knocked it down just short of the green. Hit a good chip to probably six feet and missed the putt.

And then on four again I drove into the fairway bunker. Just a little 6-iron out to probably just 15 feet, just over the side of the green and holed that one for a birdie.

Then number 12, my favorite hole. I hit 6-iron, just got a hard bounce and just kind of went through the back a little. Which doesn't give you much chance of getting up-and-down. The chipped up a little short and then actually had a good 2-putt for bogey.

Then 14, hit good drive down there and hit 5-iron on to the green. And 3-putted for birdie.

17, I hit 6-iron in to I don't know, maybe 20, 25 feet. Pulled that one.

And then 18, I hit an 8-iron on to probably 12 feet and pulled and holed that for birdie.

LAURA NEAL: Questions?

Q. Now this is your third round of 70?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah, steady. Steady.

Q. Are you shy to go in the 60s or that will be enough?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I'm saving it for the last day.

(Laughter.)

Q. Will it be enough to play 70 tomorrow again to win the tournament?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I don't know. I mean I think that maybe I need to shoot in the 60s. There's a lot of good players just kind of lurking behind me. So I'm sure someone will come out and have a low score.

<Q. Obviously the windy conditions have not been something that has bothered you all that much. Just your thoughts about what the conditions have been like the last few days?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I think obviously yesterday was the toughest. The first day and today were probably pretty similar. The wind it was pretty gust tee at times. It was manageable today. I think yesterday it really was tough just for putting and everything. But if it stays like it is today, it's manageable.

Q. I think it was at the 7th hole that you hit the driver 295 yards. Do you consider yourself a solid driver like this or what?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Well I think the last couple years I've picked up a little bit of distance. So I mean I wouldn't say I'm one of the longest, but I'm probably about average, maybe just slightly above average.

Q. Couple of weeks ago I visited your hometown and I saw that golf is like a religion out there. Every kid is playing golf and everywhere. You're in the lead right now, do you know whether the people out there in Scotland are following you, will follow you closely tomorrow?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Yeah. Sure. I'm not sure, usually they show the tournaments on TV on the Tuesday afterwards. But I'm sure with the Internet, the people will be following it on the Internet. That's the best way to do it.

Q. Were these conditions, are they similar to what you have grown up playing with? On a regular basis or anything?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: They're warmer. Warmer. Yeah, I mean I grew up playing in pretty windy weather. I've been over here probably for eight years now. So I'm getting a little soft I guess.

Q. Do you feel any more pressure when you head into the final day with the lead? Is it easier to win a tournament when you have the lead or is it easier to make a charge with a couple of strokes back without the pressure?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I'm quite happy to be in the lead. Even being a couple back you have to go out and have a good score. So it's nice just being in the lead and hopefully I can just stay in the lead all day. But I mean is there going to be pressure being two back or -- I would rather be one ahead.

Q. Do you think your regularity, do you understand what I mean? Is the key to the success, you have 70, 70, and other players have 68, 74. Do you think the fact that you always have the same score and you maintain your rhythm is the key of the success?

CATRIONA MATTHEW: I'm trying to go lower, but yeah, I mean I played very consistently. That has kind of been like that a bit all year. It's just I holed a few more putts this week. Which is why I'm up there in contention. I'm usually quite a consistent player, so.

LAURA NEAL: Okay. Thank you.

CATRIONA MATTHEW: Thanks.

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