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CN CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

September 2, 2009

Karrie Webb

CALGARY, ALBERTA

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Karrie, thank you again for coming in. You were the champion in 1999, the last time the LPGA visited Priddis Greens. Now, for the 2009 CN Canadian Women's Open, you've been out, you've seen the course. Anything different that you see or are you just bringing back the memories from '99.
KARRIE WEBB: I think the course is very similar, just really bringing back the memories, I guess. Some of the holes I didn't remember, but there was definitely a few on the Back 9 that I did remember. And you know, I think we're playing the course a little bit longer than we did 10 years ago, which we probably should. So I think it's going to be a tough test again this week as it was 10 years ago.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Looking at your game on the Tour 10 years ago to now, what changes have you seen? And you're having a fantastic year this year. There's really no reason why you probably don't see yourself in contention.
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah. You know, I think it's a course that sets up for a lot of players, but I think, you know, there's a lot more length on Tour now; the girls hit a lot further, so I think that brings a lot more players into contention.
And it's obviously not a major like it was 10 years ago, so but it's still a very important tournament, probably our biggest event after all the majors are done. It's the biggest event for the end of the year, so I think everyone will be gunning to play well this week.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Great. We'll take questions for Karrie.

Q. Karrie, I'm sure you're not eager to give away any state's secrets, but I'm wondering what you think a player needs to do to be successful at Priddis Greens.
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I think my clue is if you stay fairways and greens, that gives you a good chance, but the greens are so large here that your stats could indicate that you're hitting lots of greens and not scoring all that well, but I think you've gotta get the ball on the right part of the green to give yourself a decent putt at birdie and give yourself, you know, less chance of three-putting because I think the greens are quite tricky if you're not on the right level. So I think that's the biggest key.
And then you know, the greens are tricky, so being patient with your putting and trying to make the most of the opportunities you give yourself.

Q. It's been 10 years since you were champion here. Do you feel like a defending champion?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I guess since I've gotten here, more and more just because everyone's -- all the locals think of me as the defending champion because that's the last time we were here. So I guess a little bit, which is nice.
I've always enjoyed that, so you know, hopefully that little boost of confidence and attention will, you know, get me playing -- or give me a chance to be up there on Sunday.

Q. Given that idea through the week, then, do you feel right now that you're one of the favorites?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't know about that. There's a lot of girls out there that are playing very well right now and a number of girls that would have a chance to win.
I always believe if my game's in good order, then I will have a chance to win it. It's just a matter of putting it all together.

Q. The fact that you have more experience than a lot of the women in the field, does that help when you're going to different golf courses constantly, especially when you're going to Canadian Opens that aren't played on the same course year after year? Does that give you a slight advantage do you think?
KARRIE WEBB: Yes and no. I've been doing it -- I guess that was the polite way of saying that I'm a veteran and I've got a lot more experience, but no, I think it does in many facets of the game just because I have learned to adjust to different course for a lot longer than some of the other girls.
But we have 18, 19, 20-year-old coming out and playing courses for the first time and winning, so you know, sometimes it's not necessarily an advantage that you see week in and week out.

Q. You go from Portland, which is basically sea level last week, to Calgary which is considered a mile-high city, not quite. So I mean as a veteran, as an experienced player, does the adjustment kind of kick in? Is there a fairly big adjustment coming here?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah. I didn't remember that from 10 years ago. I know it was quite cold when we were here. So I think with the cold we probably just played our numbers. It didn't affect it as much, because I don't really recall having to allow for the ball going further.
But definitely yesterday with the warm conditions, the ball was definitely going. I was trying to work out, at least half a club further sometimes. The longer irons I think were probably going almost a club further.

Q. Even from Portland itself or is it even a bigger adjustment?
KARRIE WEBB: Just from my week-in and week-out numbers.

Q. How do you account for that difference, then? Is it a bit more guessing maybe than you're used to? Do you rely on the caddie more? How do you account for that?
KARRIE WEBB: It probably is a little bit more guessing, but you know, I think that's what your hope is when you play a practice round, and today I played the Pro-Am, is that you get a good feel for how far the ball is going, and then you just have to trust that tomorrow when the gun goes off, that that is actually going to happen, and just believe that.
You know, I think the hardest part about when the ball is going further is that a number that, you know, you're normally hitting a 6-iron to, you're now hitting 7 and you've gotta just get in your head that you don't have to kill it to get it there. It's still going to get there. So that's I think the biggest adjustment.

Q. Can you speak a little bit about the crowds this year, maybe partly because of the weather, partly because of the popularity compared to 1999 when you were here last?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I think it's fairly early to tell for sure. You know, obviously we'll get more as the week goes on and over the weekend. But I think the weather is supposed to be pretty good all week, which I'm happy about. So I think it'll bring the crowds out, and I think that's exciting.
You know, it's been 10 years. It's not an every-year event. So I think that'll draw more people out because they don't know the next time they'll see us in the Calgary area.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Any other questions for Karrie? Thank you all very much. Karrie, thank you for joining us.
KARRIE WEBB: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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