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NORTH TEXAS LPGA SHOOTOUTApril 25, 2013Mo MartinIRVING, TEXAS THE MODERATOR: Take me through the round and what was working well for you. MO MARTIN: Thank you. It's good to be here in Texas. I had my first professional win in Texas. So I've got good vibes here. Today coming off some nice momentum, hitting the ball well, and I just really had a good feeling for these greens. Hit 15 greens today and took advantage of a lot of the opportunities. I had 29 putts, 15 greens, 10 fairways. Today hitting it pretty close. THE MODERATOR: When I was asking some caddies about what you were doing well out there today, they said your distance control was unbelievable. You were close to pin high most of the time and you were under the hole. Did you feel pretty good about that or something you've been working on or something you were glad to see working well for you? MO MARTIN: Yeah. Actually I've gotta give a lot of credit to my caddy, Kyle. We joke around and say it's our one‑year anniversary coming up. But we've worked a lot on tournament round distance and we've scoped the course pretty well. I told him a couple of weeks ago, I said, I'm finally beginning to trust you, and I think he's trusting my game and what he knows about it and giving me advice. It was a good plan. We stuck to it and it worked really well today. Q. You're in your second year out here on the LPGA Tour, and for those out there that might not know your story, it took a little time for you to get here to the LPGA Tour. Spent a number of years playing on the Symetra Tour. Last year your rookie year. What's the journey like to get to this point? MO MARTIN: Well, I kept improving every year. At UCLA in college I walked on to the team. So it's been a journey for a number of years. But I wouldn't trade my years out on Symetra for anything because I learned a tremendous amount, how to manage myself as a professional, learned about the travel and learned this is really what I want to be doing. So it's difficult to get on the LPGA, difficult to get on the PGA. I was close for a number of years, so I just kept to it and now I'm sticking to what I learned out there. Q. When you talk about your first professional win you got in Texas, tell me about that. What was that victory like and where was that in Texas? MO MARTIN: That was in El Paso, Texas. So West Texas. And my grandfather was there, and he's 101 now. He came out to nine events last year and he's already been out to three, and he's quite an inspiration for me. And that tournament actually came down to the last hole. I was tied. We had to play 36 that day because the wind canceled the event the day before. It was over 50 miles per hour, and I actually had food poisoning on Friday. So it was quite the story. And the doctor said, oh, you're going to win the tournament because I only treat winners. And one of my Pro‑Am partners told me I was going to win that week. So it was a pretty magical week. But I ended up birdieing 18, and I hit it to about two feet, and my playing partner parred, and so I won on the last hole, the 36th hole, and Grandpa gave me a hug, and he said, oh, good job, but it's all dramatic. (Laughs). THE MODERATOR: We always enjoy seeing Lincoln, her grandfather, out here and I didn't get to see him. MO MARTIN: He's watching from the ranch in California. Q. And I know he was out there earlier this year when you had your best finish that you've so had far on the LPGA. You tied. MO MARTIN: Everybody always says that first year on tour is kind of a real learning experience of getting everything together, not knowing the courses and not having to put in as much work, I think that's been a few strokes at least. And just getting more comfortable. I mean there's more media out here, at lot more attention. So that's one of the learning curves. But it's been fun. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Mo. Q. Your grandfather is an inspiration to me as well. Impressive. Does he have a scooter or something? How does he get around and how do you guys travel? Does he fly with you? MO MARTIN: He typically comes in on a Wednesday. So just before. And either my mom or my aunt will travel with him. And at home he has a Segway that he rides. And then out here he gets on a scooter and he's with me for all 18. So he's quite a trooper. He still has his driver's license too. And he has to get tested every year, so don't be scared. THE MODERATOR: Your story of how you and your grandfather really became close is one that's really impressive for most people because you two weren't always very close, but you got older and when you two kind of came together, I guess, and really got to know each other, that you've developed this tremendous bond. Can you just kind of tell the story of how you really got to know your grandfather and what age that was? MO MARTIN: Yeah. Well, it started with my father passing away in college, and I just ‑‑ I mean family dynamics can be funny with everybody, and I just didn't really spend a lot of time with him. So I knew who he was, but I had no idea what he had done or the type of person he was. So when my father passed away, I actually took it upon myself to go spend some time with him; and the first time I walked into his office, I saw just a bunch of articles on me, and I knew that he had been following me for the entire time, and I just had no idea. So that brought me to tears. And from then on I mean we've pretty much been inseparable. I talk to him every day. And if I need advice, he's the person I talk to. I think who else has made as many decisions as he has, and I just have a tremendous amount of respect for who he is and how he does is it. THE MODERATOR: And he has some great keys to what it takes to live a long life, doesn't he? MO MARTIN: Yeah, don't listen to what you hear because he eats ice cream at every meal. He puts ice cream on his cereal. He eats whatever he wants what he wants, but he stops when he's full. So what he says about diet is he says you're born with your taste buds and that tells you what to eat, whatever tastes good, and then you have your appetite which tells you when to stop. That's simple. Q. I really like his tips, and being an ice cream lover myself, it's a great way to live. But overall when you think about your career so far, and what you've been able to do, now getting to a point where you're up towards the lead, are you more comfortable having had all the experiences that you've had being in this position, and you're so close there now towards the lead on the LPGA? MO MARTIN: Yeah, absolutely. I mean I remember on the Symetra Tour the first time I was in the last group and it was a big deal. And then my first win it was a big deal. I thought did that really happen. Yes, it did. And then I went on to win three times. So there's definitely a process. I mean that can't be overstated. So that experience I give a lot to. And it's different every time. So the no's are going to go and they're going to be there and that's going to be great, and that's the part to embrace, but definitely the experience is something to keep under my belt. Q. A psych major; is that right? MO MARTIN: Correct. Q. Did you ever think about going into psychology instead of driving yourself crazy out here? MO MARTIN: I mean being a psych major can help whatever you do. But yeah, I started looking at the books and saying, oh, I recognize that, recognize that, recognize that. But I actually went into school wanting to study marine biology. So I've always been interested in the sciences, and it just ended up being psych that fit in with playing at UCLA, which getting a degree there is pretty demanding. Q. What did your grandfather do for a living? MO MARTIN: Good question. Before I got to know him I would have a hard time answering that. But he has seven U.S. patents. He started out as a geophysicist, and when World War II broke out, he realized that the war was going to be won in the air, so he went back and got his aeronautical engineering degree. He worked for Douglas. Then he invented the Vortex generator which helped the first sweatback wings take off and land. And then he went back to geophysics. And then he didn't want raise the family in big business, so he pretty much left everything and bought 100 acres of orange groves and started ranching. Well, no. He's not done yet. And the thing that impresses me most is I had no idea. And he's the most humble human being I've ever met, and he wouldn't tell anybody this. I mean he wears his cowboy hat. He wears the same outfit every day. I mean he's a beautiful human being. He lives in Porterville, which is three hours north of LA. THE MODERATOR: Any more questions for Mo? Well, I think Lincoln was watching today, and I'm sure he's very excited to see your score, and we always look forward to seeing him out here, so enjoy the next time we do get to see him out here on Tour. MO MARTIN: Okay. Great. I can't wait to talk to him. Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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