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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPApril 3, 2008Karen StupplesRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA Q. Karen Stupples, the leader, is in the clubhouse, 5 under. Thanks for coming in. Congratulations on the opening round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Five birdies and no bogeys, and right now you are the leader in the clubhouse. KAREN STUPPLES: It's always going to be that way, being first out, but yeah, it's rather nice. Q. (Inaudible.) KAREN STUPPLES: I really started to hit the ball pretty good, hit some shots early and got my confidence for the rest of the round. Hit a couple of wayward drives, and one wayward second shot that I was able to get up and down from, and I hit some really good shots. Q. Before we turn it over, we were talking about this before we came in, that you just had a little boy a year ago. KAREN STUPPLES: I did. You know, it's really funny, I would say up until about a month ago I hadn't really regained my full strength, and all of a sudden it came back almost overnight, and that was really good to see, that I was able to get through the ball as well as I was, and the rustiness I felt at the end of last year when I came back with my short game, I managed to work that out, so really excited and ready to play. And, you know, this was one of the tournaments that when I sat at home pregnant watching this on TV, I really wanted to be here playing, so it feels great to be here because every time you come here it feels special, so it's good to be here. Q. The early results seem good for you. KAREN STUPPLES: Yep. Q. Did you do anything in particular in the off-season? KAREN STUPPLES: I actually think that having had seven months off from competition did me a world of good because it gave me a chance to recuperate and recharge mentally, and then, of course, you have the baby and you go through that, and just being active and anxious to play, I think was exciting for me, and, you know, my practice time has to be a little bit more limited now, since I have had the baby, so I have made it much more of a quality practice. So when I go to practice, I really make the most of the time I have, and I think I am just more appreciative of everything that comes along, and more patient, as well. When you have a baby, you have to learn a bit of patience, and that's always been a tough thing for me, so I think it's been really good for me. And my coaches have been great, and they have already worked hard with me to get me back into good shape, and I feel very happy where I am. Q. I was going to ask you to amplify on how the pregnancy kind of changed things for you. KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah. Q. From strictly a striking the ball sense, have you changed your game at all? Have you had to maybe do some things differently to compensate because of the time off and because of the changes in your body? KAREN STUPPLES: No, actually, when I was pregnant was one of the hardest things, playing when I was pregnant was very difficult, I lost a lot of distance on the tee, so I learned that you can still put a good score out, you don't have to hit it a long way to have a good score. And I think that has carried through into how I play now, because my wedge game is much better than it ever was, and I am still very comfortable in all areas of the game, whereas before, that was always a little bit of a weakness for me. So I think it definitely helped. But strength-wise I am right back where I was before now. Q. (Inaudible). KAREN STUPPLES: I would say in terms of just pure strength, it definitely has taken about ten months off from having him. I am now 11 months off of having him and feeling really good, but I have still got weight to lose. Things still aren't quite the same. But strength-wise, I am right back where I was. Q. A lot of talk this week about players and how they approach Major championships. KAREN STUPPLES: Yes. Q. Particularly players who have never even maybe won one. You got that out of the way. When you come to this tournament or the other Majors, do you feel differently now that you know -- it's been four years, but you have won? KAREN STUPPLES: I think you do. I honestly think that Majors always have a special feel about them. I think this one, in particular, with such a great history about it, you know, the whole jumping into the water and everything about it is something special. And when I was at home I sat there and I really thought, oh, I want to be there playing, and I hadn't missed golf up until that point, so I really wanted to be out there playing. And you do, you definitely -- it is definitely in the back of your mind when you are getting ready to play. And I would say I was very anxious to get the tournament started. This whole week I just wanted to get out there and get playing. I really had to sort of calm down, take a back seat, stop being so uptight, I think, and it worked well today. Q. Is your son here with you and how do you handle that when you are playing? Also, is it hard to focus on golf? KAREN STUPPLES: Actually, he is with us, and my parents are with me, as well, which has actually worked out really well because the poor little guy has got an ear infection so he hasn't been sleeping very well, so with my parents being here, that's taken a little pressure off me, and the four of us have been able to get a little bit of sleep, but it's great. And I am so excited to see him after I have been out playing, and he just is a little honey. You know, I just -- he is great. Q. What's his name? KAREN STUPPLES: His name is Logan. Q. L-O-G-A-N? KAREN STUPPLES: Yes. Q. Can you talk a little bit about the last time you had such a strong start, and will this lead to you having another baby? KAREN STUPPLES: The baby thing first. It's a little too early to tell. I would definitely like to give Logan a brother or sister, but it won't be for a while yet. It definitely took a lot out of me emotionally, physically, and financially, too. I had a couple of sponsors decide that they didn't want to sponsor me anymore, and you were kind of like maybe I just think about it before I go on and have another one, but I think -- I would definitely think Logan deserves a brother or sister if we are fortunate enough for it to happen. And then the first part of the question was? Q. (Inaudible). KAREN STUPPLES: Actually, it was in 2004, I had a really good start to the season, and I won in Tucson, and I played really well, and I won the British Open that year. I think it's always good when you get off to a good start because it really builds confidence for the rest of the season, and I have been playing well, and this is a great way to start a Major. Q. Karen, speaking of strong starts and the British in '04, can you review the first two holes on Sunday. You are shooting five under here and (inaudible) but that was pretty amazing. KAREN STUPPLES: I mean, I still have to pinch myself because that was such a surreal start. I started with an eagle, and then I had an albatross, which is double eagle, on the second hole, so I was five under par through the first two holes at the British Open in 2004, and that was just -- and I stood there and I thought, "Is this happening to me?" You know, you couldn't really quite believe it, because when something like that happens, you hole out from the fairway, there is luck involved in that, and you have to -- and I had to think this really has to be my day, I just have to go out and take it. And I finished strong and had a really good result, and it was great that I had such a good lead coming up the 18th hole on that final day because I was able to enjoy it, I was able to wave to my friends that were in the crowd, and it was just a great experience. Q. The first hole I assume you hit in. You one-putted for eagle? KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah. Q. Do you remember the club and the -- KAREN STUPPLES: I do, it was 5-iron, and the second hole was a 5-iron, as well. Q. Do you remember the distances on either? KAREN STUPPLES: I would have to think that they were about -- the first hole was about 200 -- about 200 yards and the second hole was about 210, because the fairways were bouncy and it was rolling out pretty good. Q. And how long was the putt? KAREN STUPPLES: The putt on the first was about 15 foot. Yep. Funny, I remember that. Q. Did you talk to some of the other moms on tour, either before or after you had Logan, to kind of get a sense of how they balanced the demands of motherhood and golf? KAREN STUPPLES: Absolutely. I am kind of one of these people that needs to know that I can handle whatever gets thrown my way, so I didn't go into the decision to have a child lightly, and I wanted to make sure that I knew what was going to happen. So yes, I spoke to a lot of the other girls that have children and, you know, I think Juli Ingster and Pat Hurst have always been great role models because they were able to combine being mothers and play fantastic tournament golf, as well, and it just shows you that just because you have children doesn't mean that your playing days have to end, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Q. What was the best advice you received? KAREN STUPPLES: I think it was about the traveling, really, and I think just to be prepared for the amount of luggage that you have because the luggage is just phenomenal, and so my clothes kind of take a little back seat now and it's all about him. Q. Stroller and Pack 'N Play and all that stuff? KAREN STUPPLES: Yep, exactly. And my biggest worry is when he gets out of his Pack 'N Play, what am I going to do then? So it's going to be fun. You have to roll with the challenges, and I like to think that I can be adaptable, too, and this is very good for me. He is just a lot of fun and, you know, he is great. I also travel with a little dog, as well, so he has somebody to play with, and so it's just -- my travel arrangements are just quite scary. Q. At what age are you going to put a golf club in his hand? KAREN STUPPLES: Well, he already has had them in his hands. They had -- my golf coach bought him a little plastic set of clubs and he demolished them pretty quickly, they didn't last very long, he is quite robust, but then again, he is a boy, and he was wailing them around all over the place, so they didn't last too long, but I am thinking as soon as he wants to, as soon as he wants to play, then we will let him play, but I think he will enjoy doing other sports, as well. I think my husband would like to see him play baseball, and I would like to see him play that, too. Q. Make good money. KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah. Q. Karen, could I ask you to reminisce about one more thing, your initial sponsorship that got you into the Tour. KAREN STUPPLES: Absolutely. I have been -- I think I have led a really charmed life, really, because I was in England and I was waiting tables at a golf club just outside of (inaudible), and one of my regular customers asked me one day, he said, "Why haven't you turned pro?" And I had, you know, played two Curtis cups and had a fairly successful amateur career, and he said, "I always see you in the papers and I always wonder why you haven't turned pro yet." I said, "Well, you know, I am trying to save up enough money to give it a go, because it's quite an expensive thing to do." And he said, "Well, look, you really deserve the opportunity to play." He said, "I will give you the money to try." So he did. And he said, you know, "You don't have to do it this first year, I will give you the money to try for three years." But I was very fortunate, I got my card the first time out, and we have remained best friends ever since. I mean, he really -- I mean, I honestly don't know if I would be out here without him, to be honest with you. I knew him because he used to come in to the golf course, and he was my regular customer. He would always come sit at my table, and I would always talk golf to him. And it really was amazing that somebody would be that generous and that kind to do that, because he said, you know, to this day he just felt like I deserved the opportunity to have a chance at it. Keith Rawlings. Q. How do you spell the last name? KAREN STUPPLES: R-A-W-L-I-N-G-S. Very unbelievably kind gesture. I mean, just phenomenal. Q. Karen, did you say during your time off that you lost either sponsors or endorsements? KAREN STUPPLES: I did, yes. I had -- well, one of my sponsors decided not to renew the contract, which is fair enough. And one of the other companies decided that they wanted to break mid-contract. Yeah. Q. So, I mean, were you either surprised and/or disappointed? It seems to me that's not something that would happen to a man. KAREN STUPPLES: No, I was very surprised. You know, because I had kind of figured myself to be quite good friends with both companies, and it really took me back. When I said -- when I was planning on -- I knew what money was going to come in or not come in, and so it kind of set me back a little bit when it didn't happen. But yeah, I was surprised and upset because I had a personal relationship with both companies. Q. On another subject, you have already said this, but what was the birth date and year of Logan? KAREN STUPPLES: Logan was born 4-21-07 and, in fact (inaudible). Q. What's going on with your golf bag? KAREN STUPPLES: Well, I have the new LPGA golf bag because I don't have a bag sponsor, and I figured that why not promote my tour, the tour that enables me to travel the world and make a living for myself and my family. Q. The Tour does not pay for you to carry the bag? KAREN STUPPLES: No, no one pays me to carry the bag. I would have had no bag sponsors, so I figured that I would like to promote my tour because they give me the opportunity to play. Q. My compliments to you. Can we go over your scorecard real quick. Number 2, your birdie? KAREN STUPPLES: 2, I had a good drive and then I hit a rescue 4, just short and left of the green in the rough. I pitched up and holed a 15-foot putt. Q. Number 4? KAREN STUPPLES: 4, I had a good drive and then I hit a 52-degree wedge to about two inches. Q. How far out? KAREN STUPPLES: From 95 yards. 5, I hit a six-iron and holed a 15-foot putt. Q. 11? KAREN STUPPLES: 11, I hit a driver, and then I laid up short of the bunkers in front of the green, and I pitched up and holed a 5-foot putt. Q. And 17? KAREN STUPPLES: 17, I hit another six-iron and holed a 5-foot putt. Q. Great. Karen, congratulations on a great round. Thank you for your time. Good luck tomorrow. KAREN STUPPLES: Thank you very much. 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