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OMEGA DUBAI LADIES MASTERSDecember 7, 2010Lee-Anne PaceDUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES BETHAN CUTLER: I would like to welcome Lee-Anne Pace from South Africa, who with five wins on the Ladies European Tour list is poised to top the Money List and is the first South African so do to. You've had a great season. Can you just tell us how good it's been so far? LEE-ANNE PACE: Yeah, it's been great, five wins. Of course it's something I never expected, but I'm very happy to be in the position I'm at, and quite comfortable actually. Q. How comfortable are you feeling going into this tournament? LEE-ANNE PACE: Very good. I've got a good week with my coach. We came down early to work on a couple of things that wasn't quite right that's now back in form. Yeah, I always like playing in Dubai. It's a good course and a good test that you can also score quite well. I'm very confident. The way I see it, I'm ahead. Q. You talk about the kind of the Order of Merit, Davies has a chance pass you up. With the two of you going at it this weekend, do you look forward to that or see her as someone that you're going against? LEE-ANNE PACE: Of course, she is a great player. She's won so many tournaments and she's got all of the experience in the world. At the same time, I'm still on form and playing really well. I don't see myself worrying about her simply because I have to do what I have to do. I can't think of how she's going to play. In order for me to win the tournament, I have to do the same things that I have been doing, so that's my goal for the week. BETHAN CUTLER: Can you expand on what you've been working on in your swing? LEE-ANNE PACE: Just the same things all year, turning a little bit more, getting the club a little bit more, it's been shut, since India, just getting the club I'm playing a bit more in an open position where I can hit it harder and stronger. Q. Obviously going up with someone who is a legend in the game, what does that mean to you -- an upcoming player? LEE-ANNE PACE: Like I said she's an amazing player. I think she's been -- my golf this year has been really good because of course to compete against somebody like her and to be able to compete successfully against her means a lot to me, and obviously the competition has pushed me to a different level to win tournaments when I had to. So I'm thankful for that and look forward to it. Q. When you were growing up, was Laura Davies won of your idols who are whom did you idolize? LEE-ANNE PACE: No. Ernie Els. I haven't had a woman golfer idol really, just because I've grown up playing in the boys and the guys. So the guys; golf: Ernie, the way he swings, he's powerful and gracious and he's down-to-earth and a great guy and smiles all the time. He really looks like he enjoys himself. I like him. Q. About the South African boys, they have been doing really, really well, and with someone like Louis winning the Olympic championship almost coming out of nowhere and winning The Open Championship, what does that do for women golfers in South Africa? LEE-ANNE PACE: Well, I think golf in South Africa in general has also reached a new level. The guys are performing almost every week, there's a South African up there. And Louis really played well. He's a great golfer. We've played together and he's very long, longer than me, I can't catch him. I think people are getting really excited about golf in general in South Africa, women's and men's golf. There's some thoughts that there will be tournaments for the ladies next March, so that's very wonderful. Q. If you can talk about the reception you had when you went home to South Africa just a couple of weeks ago. LEE-ANNE PACE: Very nice. My golf club, the same clubbing that Louis is a member of, they made a mural for both of us and you get a little picture and locker and everything. So it's very special to share the moment with close friends of mine and coaches and managers and things like that, where, you know, if you're up there, you don't really appreciate that you can't -- you who you are playing against. So to go back and to really share it with friends was amazing. Q. You said that you played with the boys most often, so does that give you an advantage coming and playing in the ladies tour? LEE-ANNE PACE: I think so. You know, the boys, guys, they hit it so strong, so it's a good inspiration for you to hopefully get longer. Their short game is very impressive. You just have to play better if want to beat them, you have to be straighter, so I think it must be an advantage to play and practise with them. Q. Do you think it would be special to be the first South African to be the Money List? LEE-ANNE PACE: Of course. I didn't know that until somebody told that to me, but it would be a nice thing to achieve in anyone's life and that's why I'm here to this week to make sure it goes through and I do get it. Q. And you skipped the LPGA qualifying tournament to be here, so this must be a really important tournament for you. LEE-ANNE PACE: Like I said, I'm going to try to I can that like any either tournament and focus on every single shot and at end of the week, the score will take care of itself. Q. How do you rate this one -- LEE-ANNE PACE: Oh, definitely one of the best, one of the strongest fields and one of the greatest courses we play all year, so we're happy. Q. What do you think the winning score will be? LEE-ANNE PACE: Well, I don't know -- I'm not sure. Probably 12, 15-under, maybe a little bit higher than that, depending upon the wind. I think it's slightly longer this year because the fairways are so lush and good, and so like I say, just depends on the wind. BETHAN CUTLER: Thanks and all the best for the week. End of FastScripts |
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