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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 20, 2008

Katherine Hull-Kirk

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

JASON TAYLOR: Nice round here at ADT. 4 under for the day. If you would, just talk about your day.
KATHERINE HULL: Overall, pretty happy. Yeah, I didn't have really any expectations going out there, just tried to execute the game plan and have fun. My caddie and I did that today, so it was a good day.

Q. Since you know you're going to have, obviously, a bit of a cushion to make Top 16, when you play is there anyway this is just a regular round tomorrow? Do you find yourself playing, would you expect to play much more conservatively? Can you change your game? Is that possible? Or is it just 18 holes, go out, have fun and relax knowing that you're probably safe?
KATHERINE HULL: I probably won't change my game plan at all. And I won't play any less aggressive or any less conservative or any more aggressive. I just try to hit as many greens as possible and make as many birdies as possible.
I'm not one of the longer hitters out here, so I really kind of go for par 5s, and I probably have a more conservative game than most players. And it's been working this year. I'm just going to stick with what's been working. Yeah, same game plan tomorrow, and, yeah, go have fun as well.

Q. It's almost been like two seasons in one for you. The start was not what you wanted since the Canadian Open, I guess?
KATHERINE HULL: Uh-huh.

Q. It seems like every week. Was it just a matter of one win is sometimes all it takes to get clicking? Did you make changes? How can you sort of explain this run you've been on the last three months?
KATHERINE HULL: There's been a culmination of things that turned this last part of the season into a great year for me. I think in terms of golf it was just a matter of time for my game to come around.
I worked hard with my golf coach in Australia though last year on mechanics and technique and that sort of thing. It's just kicked in. We've worked a lot more on the mental approach and the way I practiced this year. Like I said, it was just a matter of time.
Then, obviously, Canada was a turning point for me in my faith life, in my spiritual life. I've got that back on track now. That's kind of given me a different perspective on golf. I'm not just kind of out here playing for nothing. I'm playing for God.
I've worked harder on my fitness, too, this last half so that's helped me stay in contention more come Sunday. If I don't have to worry about my fitness, I've got more energy and more concentration come Sunday.

Q. With this Annika's farewell LPGA Tour event, are you paying more attention to her? Do you notice when she's around? Do you check what she's doing on the scoreboard? Does it matter? Is?
KATHERINE HULL: We have so many great players out here that, you know, anyone can win any week, really. Obviously, Annika's a great competitor and won more tournaments than all the current players. So, yeah, I mean, you always expect her to be a contender, for sure.
But in terms of kind of watching leaderboards and looking out for certain players, I don't really do it. I just try to focus on my game and play.

Q. Not just purely in terms of where she is on the leaderboard, but just the fact that this is it for her, as a fellow player, does it matter that you're saying goodbye to her, too?
KATHERINE HULL: I don't think she's retiring, actually. I think she's just stepping away for a little while. I think she's too much of a competitor to really walk away from the game. I think she wants to win a few more. But I guess time will tell.

Q. Do you like this format, and does the $1 million dollars get your attention?
KATHERINE HULL: The format is very interesting. I kind of like it, because I mean, there's no other week like it in golf. Yes, yeah, aside from maybe a match play tournament here and there, it's a nice concept and something different.
So the million dollars always is very appealing, but my caddie and I are just about trying to win a golf tournament. If it happens to be for, you know, however much money, then that's kind of the bonus. I certainly don't base my schedule on prize money. I don't, you know, hope I win a bigger purse or whatever. I'm just trying to win as many golf tournaments as I can.

Q. How'd you end up going to college in the states for the males out of Australia, they don't usually take the college route. I'm wondering what your options were, and whether that was considered flipping the switch right out of your equivalent of high school and ended up in Malibu for four years?
KATHERINE HULL: My parents always stressed education, and I'm really glad they did, because college golf was a great experience for me. I think it was the perfect stepping stone for coming out here.
Australia, unfortunately, we don't have the population of the world to have intercollegiate athletics. So really coming to the States was the best way to get the education and get the golf experience.
You know, I actually left Australia when I was 17 to start over here. It was very fortunate to go to a great school. We had an awesome coach and great golf program, great team. It was just a huge blessing to go there. Kind of learned how to travel week-in and week-out with the team, and learned what the States is all about, but also get the degree at the same time.

Q. What is the state of the women's pipeline coming out of Australia these days? There for a while it seemed like we had quite a few players. It seems like it's slowed down to a little more of a trickle lately?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, golf in Australia has taken a huge hit in participation. I think that's why you're seeing it happen in the profession world, too. The guys have always been really strong.
We've got great developmental programs in Australia. Of we always do well in the Olympics, and it's because the government and schools put a lot of emphasis on developing junior sports.
But my rookie year I think we had 12 Aussies out here with some type of status, now I think we've only got eight. I could be wrong on that.
But there are a lot of girls still over in Europe and Asia. I think it will get better. I hope it gets better, because golf is such a great sport, and Aussies are typically great athletes.

Q. Are the women here feeling more nerves and pressure in the first round than you do in a normal round because of the prize money, and the fact that only 16 will advance?
KATHERINE HULL: Oh, I can't speak for anyone else, but my nerves were not there today. I'm just trying to treat it like a regular golf tournament where I go out and do my best. I'm sure some of them probably approached it a little differently, but like I said, I can't speak for anyone else.

Q. Further to that question about Pepperdine, what did you find Southern California to be like? Is it like Australia in terms of climate and topography?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, pretty much. Actually, I grew up in a place called Sunrise Beach, just north of Brisbane, right on the coast. So it was nice for me to go to Malibu and kind of still have that beach feeling.
Obviously, the weather is great in Southern California. Yeah, it's kind of hard to beat Malibu.

Q. I realize it's a little early to think about this, but what would you do with a million bucks if you just had it thrown your way?
KATHERINE HULL: Well, I'd have to pay my caddie, first. And I'd definitely tithe. I don't know if I'd put all 10% into a particular organization or project, but it's something I'd obviously pray about.
I have a close relationship with World Vision and sponsor some kids that way, so I'd probably look at doing definitely something through World Vision. Yeah, invest the rest, maybe. Nothing extravagant.

Q. Bury it in a can in your backyard, you'd be better off.
KATHERINE HULL: I might be.

Q. Not to say you didn't think you could play with the big girls, so to speak before Canada, but did that cement in your mind that you belong in the top echelon, you were, this week in particular, among the Top 32 if not higher up the totem pole than that if there was any doubt whether you could hang?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, winning in Canada definitely gave me a confidence boost. It's funny, my caddie, my trainer, my coach, they all probably believed in me a little more than I did. For the first part of the season, and when I finally won I think I was like, okay, now I get it.
You know what, I don't think I ever doubted that I had the talent, but I never really matched up the work ethic and the goal setting and motivation until really this year. I think that's been one of the other differences in my game and in my results.

Q. Are you going to Kilimanjaro?
KATHERINE HULL: No, unfortunately. I have strict orders from my team that I have to take time off.

Q. Do you know if anybody is going with Betsey?
KATHERINE HULL: I don't think so. I don't think there are any other players. I'll probably go, or I hope to go next year. Or at least in the next couple of years, because it's something I'm obviously very passionate about. I'm going to try to make a difference down there.

End of FastScripts

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