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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLFAugust 16, 2016Richard GreenMarianne SkarpnordRio De Janeiro, Brazil Q. This is an interesting team for Norway. Just give us the dynamic that you have here in the caddie that you have on the bag for you this week? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: Yeah, so it's me from Norway and then it is Richard from Australia, and we're a perfect match. Q. You're engaged, aren't you? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: Yes, we are. Q. And Richard is a European Tour pro, but have you worked together like this before? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: Yeah, the last probably three to four years, he's caddied maybe between three and five times a year. It's been pretty good. It's been a couple of incidents on the course, but the last couple years, he's been all right. Q. Anything you'd care to go into incident‑wise? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: The big one was in Spain. I think that might have been the first time he caddied for me. We played somewhere outside of Málaga and it was a par 5, and he could easily reach it. And in my head, it was a 24 rescue, and he said it was a 5‑iron. And I go, "Well, I prefer to just hit a smooth 24." He's like, "It's a 5‑iron. I know you can hit a 5‑iron, can't you." And I said, "Okay." I hit the 5‑iron. Duff‑hooked it into the water. Walked three steps, turned around and chucked the club at him (laughter). RICHARD GREEN: Then you caddied for me in Switzerland a little while later, and you think, gee, I wish I had not done that. MARIANNE SKARPNORD: I apologised probably two or three years later. RICHARD GREEN: You did when you realised how hard the job is. Q. Tell us from your point of view, obviously you're a stall wart of The European Tour, but walking around with the bag on, how does that sit with you? RICHARD GREEN: Well, it's great to be a part of the week. It's a fantastic experience, the Olympics. I think for the guys that event come this week, I think they will regret it because it's been, so far, our experience has been amazing. The golf course is brilliant. The atmosphere here on Sunday for the guys was like a major. It was huge, people everywhere. For me, this experience to come to the Olympics is something that I've always wanted to do, even come to watch an Olympics. And to come here and be a part of it with Marianne and help support her for the week is even better. Q. What about the dynamic of an Aussie trying to get a medal for Norway? RICHARD GREEN: Yeah, look, I've had a few Aussies come up to me this week and go, "Greenie, what are you doing wearing Norwegian colours?" I said, "Well, I've got to do what I've got to do this week. Marianne is Norwegian and I've got to be part of the team." So I'm giving them my all. Q. Tell us the love story. How did you two guys get together? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: That's actually his fault. Q. You're looking at your coach now. MARIANNE SKARPNORD: We actually had the same coach without really knowing about it. I knew he was coaching a guy named Richard Green but I had no idea who he was. I think it was back in 2008 or something, he played at Valderrama, and I was there practicing and Darren was there with him. And Darren forced me to come out and watch golf. RICHARD GREEN: Which was like trying to draw blood out of a stone for you, isn't it. MARIANNE SKARPNORD: I wasn't very interested. And in the end, I went out and ended up changing my flight to not come home and here we are. Q. Here you are at the Olympics and you touched upon it, Richard, but as a European Tour professional, if I can ask you with that hat on, what do you think this is doing for the game of golf? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: I think the exposure is huge with the Olympics. I don't know how many million viewers watch the Olympics around the world, but I think you're getting a much broader exposure, worldwide coverage, for golf. And you know, whereas generally, golf tournaments are watched by golf fans, this is watched by everybody. I think it's just another opportunity to increase the exposure of the game worldwide, and to have it a part of the Olympic Games, which everybody can kind of relate to in some way, you know, maybe it might help the game, grow the game along. It might bring some people into the sport that wouldn't normally have thought about playing it. Q. It strikes me that there are going to be a lot of very interesting conversations on the ranges, on the Ladies European Tour, on the LPGA Tour, The European Tour and the PGA TOUR as far as the men are concerned with those who have been here with those who didn't come. RICHARD GREEN: Yeah, I think so. I think the guys that did come will obviously say how good their experience was, and the guys that didn't will probably go away thinking, gee, I wish I had of. But from all accounts from what I saw and Justin and Henrik and Bubba and Rickie, they put on a great show and all the other guys put on a great show, even some of the local players here that got wrapped up in the whole excitement of it all, and the support from the fans. I think that they did a really good job and they put on great show for the Olympics and for golf in general. Q. The concept of competing with a flag on your cap and representing your country, what does that do for you? MARIANNE SKARPNORD: Very, very special. I don't think I really represented Norway since I was an amateur playing the World Championship or the European Championship. So for me, it's very, very special, and I'm very excited to start tomorrow. I really hope that I can go to Tokyo and do the same in four years' time. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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