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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 27, 2012Suzann PettersenRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Rolex Rankings No.3 Suzann Pettersen to the interview room at the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship. You've got some great memories here, but probably you want to get one really good memory here this week. Just talk about your history with the Kraft and what it feels like to be back here. SUZANN PETTERSEN: You know, it's always great to finally be here. It's the first big week of the year. At least everything I've done this year has been with this in mind, how I played, how I practiced. It's kind of nice to come back to the same place year after year because you know what to expect and you know what the course expects of you, so it makes the preparations a little bit easier. This place has been very special to me in a lot of different ways. I have a lot of great memories, some pretty big disappointments. But at the same time I look at it all as one big learning experience. I think I've been runner‑up here three times. One time I gave it away, and the other two I kind of came from behind. So I've kind of seen most of the scenarios myself. It's one of those courses that really suits my eye, so I kind of always look forward to playing here. The course is in great shape, a little bit less severe rough, so maybe a little bit less penalizing missing fairways, but I'm sure they're going to firm up these greens so they can kind of keep low scores out of the way here. It's been fantastic to be back. I look at this as kind of our Augusta. We come back to the same course. It's a fantastic setup. Mission Hills here puts on a great show, and we have great fans coming out to watch. It's just fun for this week finally to get started. THE MODERATOR: So far this year probably not the year you had anticipated, but last week a tie for 12th. Coming into this event, how is the state of your game? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I had a lot of great answers to my game over the last two weeks. I mean, I don't really feel like I need the momentum to build for this week. I know where my game is at. I feel like it's very close for it to click, and it couldn't be a better stage than clicking this week instead of last week. There were a lot of good signs last week, and like I said, I feel very relaxed. My game feels in good shape, and just want to have Thursday come around so we can start play. Q. Three times you've finished runner‑up here. Is the difference between runner‑up here and winning here that it just happened to be the wrong week to play the way you played and somebody played a little better? Are there things you can do on this course or in this tournament that will push you to that win? SUZANN PETTERSEN: You know, I don't really‑‑ that's a good question. I guess losing in '07‑‑ I say losing because I felt like I really gave it away. That felt really‑‑ that's a huge disappointment on me. But I can look back at it and look at what I could possibly do different if I ever came in the same situation. Luckily enough I was right in the same situation in the LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock that same year and managed to nail my strategy and stay to the game plan. The other time I made the cut on the number and finished 2. It also shows that in a major, ten shots is nothing. If you get on a run on the weekend, you can get it done. But I think around this place, you've got to be patient. There are holes where you can be aggressive and try to take advantage of those, and there's some pins where a par is a good score. Q. I was going to ask, what is it about this tournament or this golf course that does tend to bring out those kinds of performances? SUZANN PETTERSEN: There's a lot of traditions here, a lot of history. We've been here forever. This is the home of LPGA major, I think. This is what I grew up watching on TV. You have a list of fantastic winners, past winners here, and I would love to join that group of players. Q. Yani said earlier she'd been practicing poses to go into the water because she got criticized two years ago. SUZANN PETTERSEN: There's a reason why I have a pool at home, too. (Laughter.) Q. If you would just talk about the presence of another dominant No.1 right now, Yani. Is she forcing everyone and you specifically to change your game plan? Is she someone you think about when you're practicing? SUZANN PETTERSEN: You know, this is a question we get a lot these days, how good is Yani. What she's done is phenomenal. She's won five majors, she's 23 years old. She's a very consistent contender every week. I still think it's possible to play better than her, and that's what I believe. I believe in my own game. I know what I've done in the past, and I know what I'm capable of doing. That's where I'm kind of keeping my focus. I don't try to compare myself to other players. I'm trying to build my own game and believe in what I do. I know if I can finish what I've started, I think I can be pretty good. Q. Do you think about your World Ranking or do you think about let's win golf tournaments? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, I really don't care if it's 2, 3, 4 or 1. Whatever you do, you've got to stay the course, work on your stuff, get better, and my motivation is my heart, my passion. A number is a number; it doesn't really mean too much. Like I said, I probably haven't had the best results on paper coming into this week, but I've had that in the past, too, similar situations to previous years. As long as you're a good evaluator and you can kind of analyze your game without being too hard on yourself, there's every reason you can play well this week. Q. For those who weren't at the Kia Classic last week, you were working specifically with your putting coach Dave Stockton all week. You talked about how you're trying to make it the easiest part of your game. Can you talk about the results of those meetings last week and where you feel like you are on the greens right now? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, obviously last week was quite a challenging week putting wise.  The greens, with all the poa annua on the greens makes it a lot harder to kind of judge what you're doing. What I tried to do was to hit solid putts throughout the 72 holes, and I did so. Yes, we missed a few putts, too, but that was probably more due to bumps and humps instead of good rolls. But we tried to put most of the work in last week, so this week is more relaxing. You come in here, you adjust to the speed and you just kind of work on finesse instead of grinding it out. Leadbetter is here, as well, so we got a good session this morning, so that feels pretty good, too. I feel low key right now. I feel good with my game and going to go see the back nine in the afternoon and playing the pro‑am late, so I'll get to see the course pretty close to the way it's going to be on Thursday. THE MODERATOR: Thanks so much for coming in. Good luck. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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