	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

July 30, 2015

Mo Martin

TRUMP TURNBERRY, SCOTLAND

Q. 2‑under, pretty pleased with that today? Early morning for you.
MO MARTIN: Super early. Up at 4.30. Yeah, I'm pleased with it. I could have made some more birdies out there. Could have capitalized on the accessible par 5s today. I was close, but just didn't convert those but made some really good par saves and made some birdies on some other good holes.
Yeah, I'm pleased with the start for sure. It was really cold this morning. Got to get the engine started early.

Q. What was that feeling like, defending champ, being announced on the first tee?
MO MARTIN: It's been for, what, 12 months now, I've been announced as the 2014 Ricoh Women's British Open champ, and it's been fun. So to be here and to say defending champ and to hear people applaud to that a little extra, it's been really nice. It's been a very warm welcome. I'm a proud champion here and the crowds have been fantastic.

Q. What has this week been like for you?
MO MARTIN: I've been treated like a princess. That about sums it up. I'm staying in one of the suites. The tournament brought me flowers. So I have literally been treated like a princess. The gallery has been fantastic and the weather has cooperated so far for tournament day.
Yeah, it's been a really, really incredible week so far.

Q. What's up with the finger?
MO MARTIN: My thumb, it feels good. It's still splinted. It may be splinted for the rest of my career.

Q. Is that still from last year?
MO MARTIN: It's the same thing, yeah. It was quite an ordeal to get over. But I'm really happy I'm not in pain right now. As you know, it took four months to open a bottle of water after I hurt this.

Q. And you were still playing at that point, weren't you?
MO MARTIN: I played through it, a couple weeks, and then I had to take two months off. To take two months off at that point was pretty devastating.
Yeah, this is precautionary, and I did have to change my grip.

Q. Oh, really?
MO MARTIN: I did, yeah.

Q. What did you do to it?
MO MARTIN: I shortened my thumb.

Q. What does that mean exactly?
MO MARTIN: Versus a long thumb, I shortened it. I had to change the position of my left thumb on the club.

Q. How has that been to adjust to?
MO MARTIN: It's a pretty difficult change. But I'm very pleased with how quickly I did it and that I'm back to striking the ball very well. And so it's been a successful adjustment so far. But I do have the ten‑finger grip, so I'm starting to have an unconventional grip. There are only two players out here that have got it.

Q. How big are the three weeks, the next three weeks, to make the Solheim Cup team? Are you thinking about it at all? I know that would be huge.
MO MARTIN: Of course it's in the back of my mind. It's not in the forefront of my mind because I can't control that. I can't control the points. I can't control who Juli is going to pick. I don't want it to come down to a pick and nobody can take it personally at that point. But I'm just going to focus on playing the best golf I can and take advantage of the opportunities when I have them.

Q. How does this course fit your game compared to Birkdale?
MO MARTIN: This is a thinker's golf course and every shot kind of grabs your attention and it demands your attention. So it's a good golf course for me. I can work the ball both ways, good distance control. But it's a very demanding golf course, so there are some spots you absolutely have to stay away from out here.

Q. Do you like links‑style golf better?
MO MARTIN: I love links. I love the wind. I love the fact that out here you can play one single shot like four different ways and still have it turn out the way you want it to. So I like that creativity. I do like the weather challenges here.

Q. Does it level the playing field for you to be able to run it up on links‑style golf courses, as opposed to some of the Americans, where you have to fly it to the pin?
MO MARTIN: That really depends on the golf course, because over here, I mean, there are a lot of holes and shots that you have to carry. So that requires a specific shot. So not necessarily, I wouldn't say.

Q. So you stayed out of trouble today. That was the key thing?
MO MARTIN: I did, yeah. I controlled my ball very well today. And I could have capitalized on some of the more accessible par 5s, but you know, I was right in the front of the green on a couple of them and made par. But I made birdies some other really good places and I made a couple nice saves.
Other than that, it was pretty stress‑free. At Turnberry, if you're taking the stress out of it, that's a good thing.

Q. Is there a special feeling teeing it up here? Do you think, does that help, too?
MO MARTIN: Well, I've been kind of inundated with memories from the beginning of the week, just from signs, from my picture, to being treated like a princess up in the suite getting flowers, being recognized. The fans here are great.

Q. When you arrived were there flowers for you?
MO MARTIN: Yes.

Q. Did everyone get special?
MO MARTIN: I don't know, I haven't talked about it. I didn't want anybody's feelings to get hurt. I had a beautiful bouquet. They got delivered the day after I was here. They were big, beautiful sunflowers. They have been smelling up my entire suite.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297