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RR DONNELLEY LPGA FOUNDERS CUPMarch 15, 2012Karen StupplesPHOENIX, ARIZONA THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Karen Stupples into the interview room. Congratulations on a great round, 5‑under 67. First of all, just take me through your day, what was working well for you out there and maybe some of the key holes. KAREN STUPPLES: Really for me it was all about swinging easy and playing within myself, which played into the hands of hitting some very good quality wedges. I hit some good wedges in. I birdied all the par‑5s, and I think that really was the key to my round. THE MODERATOR: I know we've talked personally. You've gotten into a little bit of a fitness regimen over the off season. KAREN STUPPLES: Yes. THE MODERATOR: Take me through that. How many pounds have you lost and how much do you feel like that's helping your game right now? KAREN STUPPLES: It got to the point last year where I was over in Malaysia and really struggling playing in the hot weather and the temperatures. And we play so much overseas and a lot of high temperatures, and I really felt like the weight I was at was holding me back from achieving what I wanted to do. So I figured that I would just do whatever I wanted to up to Christmas, so I went through the holiday season, didn't do anything; no golf, no working out. I ate anything I wanted to up until the new year. Then when I came back to Orlando from the UK, I stood on the scales and said, wait, this is it. Something has to happen. So I gave up dairy, and I gave up a few other bits and pieces, too. I gave up pasta and bread and potatoes, and I lost 21 pounds before I went to Thailand and Singapore. And I maintained that, and I may have lost even a couple more, though I haven't gone on the scales recently, but I feel an awful lot better for it, a lot healthier and really ready to play now. THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, especially when you're playing over in areas like Thailand where you have those tests. Did you notice a big difference just in in your stamina throughout a round? KAREN STUPPLES: Absolutely. If you're not carrying an extra 20 pounds around, it has to make a huge difference. And really, I finished strong in both tournaments. On the Sunday I had low rounds on the Sundays, and I think that was a testament to the fitness. And I'll also say, even today I noticed a big difference because a week ago today I actually had surgery. So to come back here and play has been pretty huge, because I wasn't even sure I was going to tee it up this week. THE MODERATOR: When did you know exactly that you were going to play this week and how did you test it early days in the week? KAREN STUPPLES: I played nine holes ‑‑ I practiced a little bit Monday, felt a little sore. Tuesday I played nine, but was incredibly tired, really wiped out. Wednesday I withdrew from the Pro Am. I really didn't feel like I could make it. If I wanted to play the tournament, I really felt like I had to rest, so I took the whole day off and did no golf at all. And then my husband and I, who caddies for me, we were really discussing whether ‑‑ you know, this has to be ‑‑ I've gotta be thinking about playing 72 holes. So if I'm going to play, I have to be prepared to play a lot, and not just 18 holes. And he said to me this morning, he said your game is good enough. So don't worry about your game. Just go and play and see how it goes. And I said, you know, I'll do that. I went through the warmup. Everything felt great on the warm up and I said, let's give it a go. So here we are. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Karen? Q. What did you have surgery for? KAREN STUPPLES: I had an ovarian cyst and some polyps removed. Typically female things. It was done laparoscopically. THE MODERATOR: With the way this course is playing, what are some of the keys for the week going well and what do you think will make the difference for certain players to put themselves up at the top of the leaderboard? KAREN STUPPLES: I actually think doing exactly what I did today, take advantage of the par‑5s. There's quite a few wedges out there, because you'll get a lot of roll on the fairways. So you're hitting wedges. If you can hit the wedges close, take advantage of those five‑to‑ten‑foot birdie putts, because the greens are rolling pretty spectacular, I think you have a really good chance of putting in a good number. Obviously keeping out the desert is key. You can be somewhat away, but not in the desert, because you can end up in bushes and all kinds of trouble. So that's really key, too. You gotta drive the ball pretty straight and then take advantage of the wedges. I'm not so sure that hitting it miles is a huge advantage around here. So I think you can just plod your ball around, play strategic golf and score when you can. Q. Do you enjoy playing Arizona target golf? KAREN STUPPLES: I do. Very much so. I won actually in Tucson, so ‑‑ back in '04. So I do very much enjoy the desert. I find it a bit dry, though. I have to go get lots of lotion, but other than that, great. Q. And your diet, did you give up alcoholic beverages such as beer? KAREN STUPPLES: Funny enough, I'm not a big drinker anyway. And I'm a big chocolate fan. I couldn't give that up, because if I had, I could have lost more weight. No, I'm not a big drinker. Q. Does Logan travel with you? KAREN STUPPLES: He does, yeah. He still travels. He's four and a half. He will start kindergarten at the end of August. Q. Pretty soon he won't be able to travel. KAREN STUPPLES: No, no. Exactly. And then everything will turn a little bit upside down for us. My husband will stay home and take care of him, take him to school and I'll have to take a caddie and go through the normal everyday business of playing tour golf without family, which will be a bit of a change for me, but I think the way the schedule is they can come out on weekends and it won't be too difficult for us to manage. THE MODERATOR: Any more questions? All right. Thank you very much, Karen. Play well the rest of the week. KAREN STUPPLES: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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