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EVIAN MASTERS PRESENTED BY SOCIETE GENERALE

July 21, 2011

Karen Stupples

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE

MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Karen Stupples into the interview room. Congratulations on your 5-under round today. Great finish to the round. Can you just take me through some initial thoughts on what was going on for you today.
KAREN STUPPLES: I think initially obviously the weather was pretty grim to start with. I think it took a while to get used to that. It's been a while since I played in conditions like that. We're very spoiled in America.
Typically if you're going to get rain it's a thunderstorm so you don't play in it. So you had to get used to the rain jacket on, rain jacket off, or just play in it. Seemed like after I made the double bogey on 9, it was almost like the kick I needed to get going.
MODERATOR: Can you go through the double bogey on 9?
KAREN STUPPLES: Just hit it out of bounds. Yeah, I actually feel like -- it was a strange shot for me because I don't normally -- I think I got a little slip and it just kind of went a bit that way. What can you do? It's just one of those things.
But I knew it wasn't going to hurt me too bad because I was hitting my irons well and I just figured that I would make it up.
MODERATOR: You've got to feel good when you still shoot 5-under in a round with a double bogey. What else is working for you?
KAREN STUPPLES: The rain has made the greens a bit like dart boards, so you can fire at the pins. And even though some of them were cut pretty close to the edges, you could still have a good crack at them.
I was hitting my irons well, so feeling very confident with them and with my putter, too. I feel really good rolling the ball right now. The greens are perfect.
For me it's just natural pleasure rolling the ball on these greens.
MODERATOR: Questions for Karen.

Q. With all the rain, and traditionally this course when it's dry can be tough to keep the ball in the fairways because they've been narrowed a little bit over the years and with the slope, so would you say it was a lot easier today with it being wetter as far as hitting fairways?
KAREN STUPPLES: Definitely. You're not going to run into trouble. Good example of that is 15. You've got the out of bounds right, but the rough on the left is not very easy to have a good layup from. You can hit it down that left side, and I had no fear of it bouncing through.
So it actually played really well. Because when Bobby and I practiced here on Tuesday, we actually considered hitting 3-wood. But today with this rain and no roll, it was just whack a driver down there.
Yeah, very much.

Q. I guess the conditions would be in favor someone like yourself who hits the ball a long way.
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah.

Q. You're not the most accurate, but...
KAREN STUPPLES: I would definitely agree with that, because I'm going in -- I played with Jiyai and I.K. Kim. They're very consistent but they don't hit it as far as I do. A lot of times they were going into the green with rescue and I had a 7-iron. That has to be an advantage.
I must say I remember playing here and having a lot wedges, but there was a lot 7-irons and even some 5-irons on some par-4s, which is something I don't remember ever having to do around here.

Q. Just want to ask about what media work you were doing last week at the Open.
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, I had to try and play well so I could get back involved with you guys again this week. I had such a good time. I did radio 5 Live watching the men.
Just enjoyed being part of the buzz of the tournament. It was a lot of fun. Not just for watching men, but seeing what you guys do. It gives me a whole different perspective and a bigger appreciation.

Q. Were you following the final group?
KAREN STUPPLES: I was out there for about seven holes and then I had to go and pack. No, it was awesome. Darren Clarke played terrific golf and was in control of his golf ball all week. Very cool.

Q. Did you feel in control of your golf ball today?
KAREN STUPPLES: In places. Not so much in others. It's only the first round, so hopefully I will keep improving.

Q. What would you say inspired you being at the Open?
KAREN STUPPLES: You know, honestly, I think it was Tom Watson. He played some tremendous golf in some horrendous conditions. Obviously he's at a disadvantage because he didn't hit the ball as far as the other guys. He kept going, and his attitude was superb all week. You couldn't fault him. I mean, it really was an absolute pleasure to watch. I was lucky enough to see his hole-in-one. It was awesome.

Q. So last week will be motivation for next week too at the British?
KAREN STUPPLES: I think so. I was very fortunate to do 5 Live when the men played at Carnoustie as well. Hopefully that will give me a heads up to the kind of shots I'm going to have to play.
Very different to the kind of golf we're playing this week, so you're going to have to be a little bit flexible with your preparation. Hopefully by getting there Monday I'll be able to work on those Darren Clarke shots, the ones that were about head high.

Q. Have you played there?
KAREN STUPPLES: I haven't, no?

Q. Did you pick up any key link shots watching Tom Watson?
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, the ones that go about head high. It's just amazing. It's also fun to see, when the course was playing hard and fast on the Friday, how short they had to land it to get it to bounce onto the green. It was very strange watching ball fly and where it was landing. They were landing so short, and many times I'm thinking, go, go, go, and it was plenty.
It was really fun to watch. Really fun. I don't know, the guys have such power and strength. You've really got to -- we'll see. I'm going to have to work hard on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday to get my game in shape for it.

Q. Good luck.
KAREN STUPPLES: Thank you.

Q. You were brought up playing links golf, though, weren't you?
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah, I was.

Q. So shouldn't take you long to adjust next week.
KAREN STUPPLES: I think what you do is like riding a bike really. You fall back on things that you have known. I love bump-and-run shots; the little pitches and chips around the green, I love that.
Hitting the ball, flighting the ball lower, that's more what I'm going to have to work on. Obviously having just come off a U.S. Open and this week, I'm hitting it fairly high right now. Going to have to get back to three quarter swings, playing the ball back a little bit, and watching the ball run along the ground more.
Like I said, that should take care of itself, and I'm hoping it will fall into place. This week first. Job to do this week. (Laughing.)

Q. Have you had any conversations with Alison Nicholas?
KAREN STUPPLES: I have, yes.

Q. Has she given you an idea of what she expects you to do to get into the tie?
KAREN STUPPLES: No, she hasn't. She's keeping everything very close to her chest. That's exactly what she should do. I don't have any problem with whoever she picks. I just want Europe to win. Whoever she picks to be on this side, I want them to win whether I'm there or not.
You might end up having to work with me at the Golf Channel if I'm not playing. (Laughing.)

Q. How much do you want to be playing then?
KAREN STUPPLES: I really want to be playing. I'd love to be playing. But I've learnt my lesson two years ago. I wanted to play two years ago and I tried too hard. I tried to hard and started to play bad and it wasn't good.
So this time I'm just playing golf for me and try and have as good a results as I can. At the end of the day if it's gonna be good enough it'll be good enough.
If it's not, she's done it for the good of the team. That's really all you can see. I'm getting older now. I'm 38. Thank goodness.
I mean, it really is. Logan is growing up now too and it's a whole different ballgame.
MODERATOR: Thank you very much.
KAREN STUPPLES: Brilliant. Thank you.

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