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WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 30, 2004

Karen Stupples

SUNNINGDALE, ENGLAND

DANA VON LOUDA: Karen, your 9 under par through 36 holes tied the 36-hole tournament record on a par 72 course. If you'd like to just talk about your round today and your two birdies.

KAREN STUPPLES: The first one was just a straightforward driver and 7 wood from the back of the green. I took two putts from there. The first putt length was about 40 foot.

And on 17, I hit a 3 wood off the tee. I tried to run a 5 iron into the green but it kind of with the rain last night, it didn't get that extra run that I thought, kind of a bit short, but made a fantastic putt, released it and got it.

Q. How long?

KAREN STUPPLES: It was at least 40 foot.

Q. Any saves?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, I had one good save on 7. I missed the grown in the left hand bunker. Didn't have an awful lot to work with, so hit a good bunker shot to about eight foot. Other than that, I think it was very, very boring, fairways and greens most of the way around today. And then if I missed the green, it was just on the fringe where I could putt real easily or chip real easily.

Q. Is only two birdies boring?

KAREN STUPPLES: It can be. It was frustrating at times but I had a couple of good opportunities, one on 9 and one on 10 to make birdie, and both putts I felt like I hit really good putts. They just didn't go in the hole. The one on 10, particularly; it totally did a horseshoe around the hole. But I think if you can come through today and still be under par, even though things don't quite go according to plan, it's a good day.

I'm a little tired. I had a bit of a restless night last night. Kept waking up going, "is it time to get up yet, is it time to get up yet." I just wanted to make sure, I think. It's crazy.

Q. How was your first tee shot this time after having the first-round lead?

KAREN STUPPLES: It was not bad. It trickled off the fairway into the first cut, but it was a pretty decent length. I'm very happy to see it get up in the air. Totally different experience all together this time.

Q. Weren't you leading last week at this time?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think I was leading last week, yes, at the halfway stage.

Q. Any similarities; how does it feel?

KAREN STUPPLES: It feels pretty similar. I played well last week and playing well this week. I think today was good because it's almost like you have to come down after having such a good round yesterday. You can come back down in order to get back up again.

Q. What did you when was the last time you had to get up at 5:00?

KAREN STUPPLES: I haven't had to get up at 5:00 in a while; it was a new experience. There was no traffic on the way this morning, it was a bit tricky. I don't know, I think because I had played well yesterday and I was excited about my round of golf, and I was excited about today, as well, that it was not just the fact that it was an early start but I just couldn't wait to get started again. It was like, hmm, I've got another few hours of sleep left yet. Actually didn't do me any favors; maybe why my shorts putts were coming up short today.

Q. Can you remember the last time youÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ve gone bogey free for 36 holes?

KAREN STUPPLES: No, I can't, actually. I'm not sure if I've ever done it at a professional level before. I don't even know if I've ever done it before.

Q. Can you remember how many times youÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ve led after 36 holes in your amateur days?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's a long time ago. I can't remember. Was close to leading, led after the second, third and then I won. Didn't actually win very much as an amateur. That's probably why.

Q. How much do you take in the support from the gallery?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's unbelievable, they are so supportive. They are cheering for me to do well. You can see every step you take they just want you to want me to make a birdie or hit good shots. No, they are fantastic, and so many familiar faces, too.

I think on the weekend here, nobody is working. I think it will be packed this weekend.

Q. What did you mean that once youÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ve gone low you tend to go back up again?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think once you've had a really good round, it's really difficult to keep it at that kind of level and that kind of pace. Annika can do it, but I don't know many other people would can. I think that to maintain that kind of pace would have been really tough. To almost have a little breather, I should be able to come out on the weekend and feel very strong and ready for it.

Q. Did you see many familiar faces when you won in Tucson?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yes, actually I stayed with a family there and they came out to watch. But it's really rather special to have so many people out watching because so much of the year, so much of the last six years, my family has not had much opportunity to see me play.

Q. Was your whole family out early?

KAREN STUPPLES: Oh, they got up at 5:00. I think it's key. I think my dad makes everybody get up. They were really excited.

Q. How many people do you have requests for tickets this week?

KAREN STUPPLES: I couldn't say for sure but I've been scrounging quite a few tickets this week. I've probably amassed probably around 15 tickets so far. So I know that there are so many other people that I know from playing amateur golf than from when I played events inaudible they will come back, people that I stayed with in the past. So many people. I couldn't I mean, everywhere I look, there's a face I know.

Q. Does it affect your concentration to have many people out here?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think I'm very good at switching on and switching off. I think that because I tend to be the last one to hit in the group, I have time to I always need to kill time on the fairways, I need to piddle around a bit just to occupy myself because you can get thinking about it too much. So when it's my turn to hit, then I switch on and get ready for my shot.

Q. Going bogey free, would that make it more special?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think it's very satisfying that I went the other way and I've not pushed too hard. But the part that there's really only two other opportunities that I was disappointed and not make it. So to be 2 under is not bad having only missed two chances, and a good save on 7 and a few other good par putts. I think on these greens, even though you have par putts that are about four foot and most weeks should be given, these are quite tricky so you really have to focus hard on many of those today which was fantastic.

Q. How much did you use your driver today?

KAREN STUPPLES: Used it a few more times today. Probably six times today, just once more.

Q. How was the wind?

KAREN STUPPLES: The wind was the difference today. It switched, and it here rained last night, as well. So the course was a little bit softer and slightly different wind direction.

Q. What are you going to do the rest of the day?

KAREN STUPPLES: I've actually got some laundry to do so I'm actually a little bit depressed right now about the fact that I have to go and do that.

It would be nice just to relax a little bit. Might watch a little TV and see how everybody else does this afternoon. Not sure. I'll definitely be nervous this weekend.

Q. Did you enjoy being in the lead?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, absolutely, very much so. There's never I don't have worry about what the results were going to be. I didn't ever think about that. All I cared about was getting as many under par as I could get. And to be fair, even when I did make a birdie I enjoyed the challenge of trying to make my birdie putt after her. It was all about the challenge of it. It was fantastic. And then when she opened that little window on the 13th for me when she missed the green, I just thought, well, let's make this eagle putt and it all worked out really well. And I enjoyed it, yes, very much. To be honest, I can't wait for the next time because it was such a fantastic experience.

Q. Can you reach all the par 5s?

KAREN STUPPLES: On 14, I missed the fairway today, but if you can squeeze it between the bunker and the rocks, yeah, no problem.

Q. Does it take away some of the excitement if you donÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t use driver?

KAREN STUPPLES: Yes, it does. Because the fact that you've sometimes gone in with a 5 iron or 6 iron, as opposed to a 9 iron. Obviously if you're going into the green with a 9 iron, you have a much better chance of getting it close and making a birdie, but if you hit the driver off the tee you can also make a bogey. So essentially what I was doing was trying to eliminate bogeys, and through the first few rounds I've managed to do that. I just have to trust to on the holes that I can get to in two, the par 5s or another one I could get on, just have to see how it all went really. Just have to trust that I would still make birdies.

Q. Will you change your game plan this weekend?

KAREN STUPPLES: No, I doubt it will change. It's worked very well the last couple days. Unless, of course, I need to make an eagle to to get back in it. Even the holes that you think you might need an eagle to get back in it are difficult to be played. Out here, you just never know where shots are going to go. You can drop shots. It just that kind of course; they could go at any time. I'll just be patient and see how it all pans out.

End of FastScripts.

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