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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPENAugust 1, 2013Nicole CastraleST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND COLIN CALLANDER: Good afternoon, we have Nicole Castrale with us, who just shot a 5‑under par 67 to be co‑leader of the tournament, congratulations. You must be very pleased with the round. NICOLE CASTRALE: Absolutely. The weather was really pretty good considering the forecast, I think it was supposed to be a lot worse. So it definitely was different today. The front nine, the wind was a little opposite, so I picked some targets that were a little different than what we played it this week and years past. Just tried to give myself good opportunities on the greens and I think I had good speed of the greens all day. Back nine got a little windier, kind of switched back to the old wind and really just hung in there towards the end, because it can get quite tough out there. Q. Can you speak to, you made the Solheim Cup at the top of your game and the challenges you've gone through to get back to a spot like this. NICOLE CASTRALE: 2010, had season‑ending shoulder surgery and 2011, we had our first child. So I knew it was going to be an uphill battle trying to make the team this year. I started last year ranked 500th in the world and I knew I was probably 12, 13 events behind everyone else on the points list who was playing. So my goal was never to make the Solheim Cup on point. Obviously I could do it but that was definitely uphill. I've got myself back ranked to 75th in the world, so I feel like I've done a pretty good job of moving up in the last two years. Although I wasn't able to get Top‑50 in the world at this point, and you know, that's probably what's going to make it World Ranking‑wise for that second spot. I still have a chance this week. I've been fighting all year, so just see what happens, see what Mother Nature brings. This golf course can change from minute to minute really. We'll just see what happens. Q. You talked about having a child, Catriona Matthew won this event after having a second child; does that inspire you, that you can come back and reach the heights again? NICOLE CASTRALE: Absolutely. Catriona is really just one example. You look at Juli Inkster, Hall of Famer American, who has had an outstanding career and she's a mom of two girls.  So it's definitely possible to do it out here. Is it a little tougher? Sure, you have to have your priorities in order, maybe you don't practise quite as long, but it's quality. You have the trophy there ‑‑ but once you go home, as much as I would obviously love to win here, I know when I get home back to the U.S., we have our trophy at the home. COLIN CALLANDER: What's the name of your child? NICOLE CASTRALE: Eleni. Q. If I remember right, the shoulder surgery was in June or so, and then the baby came the next November. How much were you really able to play like yourself, even in that short period of time? NICOLE CASTRALE: I believe in 2010, I probably played about seven events before I had surgery. Then in 2011, I believe I probably played around the same amount, seven or eight events, and then we just‑‑ I was having some‑‑ somewhat complications and we decided to stop playing. It was the best off‑season. We had her on 11‑11‑11, so she's kind of like our lucky charm. Obviously, I didn't play a lot the last two years. So last year was kind of a rebuilding year, getting back out there. I felt like I did a pretty good job. It's not like my World Ranking had plummeted; just because it doesn't freeze when you get hurt or have a child. So our goal was just to get back to where we were, and it was going to take time. Q. Do you feel that's where you are now, maybe before the shoulder surgery, are you back to that position in terms of your game? NICOLE CASTRALE: We are getting there. It's definitely been a battle this year. I'm just going to keep on fighting. Q. So much focus is on Inbee Park this week and the history she can make, and she got off to a great start; did you look at any leaderboards and did you have any thoughts on what she was doing? NICOLE CASTRALE: My husband, Craig, who caddies for me, I believe he said she was 5‑under through eight. It's amazing; the fact we all possibly can play with history. I played with her a few times this year, and it's amazing what she's done to this point, the composure she has. I don't know what she shot today but I'm going to guess she'll be in the mix come Sunday. Q. Did Craig tell you that? What was your reaction? NICOLE CASTRALE: I wasn't surprised. I mean, just look at the year she's had thus far. She's calm, cool and collected really. She says she gets nervous; no one can tell. Even if she's nervous, she finds a way to be able to handle it inside, so you have to give her props for that. Just because she looks calm, she's doing something right on the inside, as well. Q. Can you just talk about what the Solheim Cup means to you? NICOLE CASTRALE: Yeah, playing on this tour, I it would be hard to find any American every two years that their goal is not to play on the Solheim Cup. I've been fortunate, I've played on two, and like I said, that was a goal of mine going into last year. I'm just going to give it my all the next two days and see what happens. Q. You talk about Inbee's inner calm. She actually admitted it deserted her from 13 through 17 today, where she bogeyed and had a double‑bogey, as well. Does that surprise you that she had a mini‑meltdown and does that giveyou maybe a bit of hope that she's human, after all? NICOLE CASTRALE: I don't know if you've been out on the golf course but you don't have to have a meltdown to make a double‑bogey. You could hit a good tee shot and it ricocheted left into a bunker that you then have no shot to get it out of. So meltdown, I don't think so, and I bet she's not thinking she's had a meltdown, either. I mean, 3‑under par, any time at a major in the first round, I think is a good start? Q. The point she was making, mentally she lost it a little bit in that passage, I know that everyone can make bogeys, but does it surprise you that she would make that admission that she struggled for a while? NICOLE CASTRALE: I would say it's human. I mean, it's normal. I don't know if you would find any player that says they don't struggle at some point in their career, just because she's won three Majors to this point, I'm sure at times during those‑‑ I mean, she didn't play No.18 on the 72nd hole at Rochester very well. I bet you she had some inner struggles there, but in the end she was able to get it done. You know, she's human. We're all trying to do the same thing. We are trying to get the ball in the hole with the least amount of strokes, and there you go. COLIN CALLANDER: You got the ball in the hole very well today. Could we go over the six birdies, please. NICOLE CASTRALE: Sure. I made birdie on 2. All the first few holes look alike. I hit 8‑iron to about five feet and made that. No. 5, I made birdie. I hit 9‑iron to about 12 feet. No. 7, I hit 9‑iron again to about six feet. No. 8, I hit a gripped 8‑iron to about six feet, made that. No.9, I made a long putt, about a 60‑footer, so that was my bomb for the day. No. 11, I hit 7‑iron to about 12 feet, made that. No. 15, I 3‑putted and made bogey. Then finished off with three pars. COLIN CALLANDER: Thank you very much indeed, good luck tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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