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THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIPSeptember 11, 2013Suzann PettersenEVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. We would like to welcome Rolex Rankings No. 3, Suzann Pettersen, into the interview room. Thank you for joining us here today. First off, coming off a great win just a couple of weeks ago at the Safeway Classic. Twelfth career victory on the LPGA Tour for you. Do they get sweeter as they keep coming? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Every win has its own story. I think it's been a very good month for me and pretty much all European players combined. It was a great kickoff to start a threeweeks rest with the Solheim, and you are kind of riding on a high, even so in Canada. I must say in Portland I was starting to feel it. I started to get really tired. I was trying to hang in. It was nice to top it off with a win and go back home and kind of try to recover for this tournament. Q. By recovering, you hosted your own event for the second year, Suzann Pro Challenge. Your fellow European teammates were there, what has that event meant to you? SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's always been a dream of mine to have my own tournament. I mean, not necessarily like a full event, but an event that can help others, benefit others. Obviously coming off the win in Portland, which is what we work for, what we train for, you go up early every morning to get the job done, you win by yourself. To actually host an event where you feel like you can help make a difference around the world means so much more to me. I don't know if it's the age or the experience we have traveling the world and seeing a lot of different cultures, seeing a lot of needs. But for me to host this for a second year, it was a fantastic turnout. The girls did a phenomenal job. I can't thank them enough. They put on a show that I don't think you can find on any other Tour where the players give so much of themselves. I think they all had a very good time. It was just a fantastic turnout and we raised a lot of money, which was the most important thing. It was a huge success and we're already starting to analyze and evaluate for next year. Q. When you see your fellow players take part, what does it say about this Tour? What does it say about the players that you can get so many of them to help out? SUZANN PETTERSEN: All the players out here are tough competitors we play on a regular basis. You put that aside, we're all great friends. I think the friendship shows the character of this Tour. You help each other. I guess that's what friends are for. Even though our time is very precious, I know the schedule is tight. They all took the time to come and help me raise a lot of money for Right To Play where I'm an ambassador, it just creates what LPGA is all about, together we can create miracles. Q. This week we now have a fifth major, which another chance for the players to come for increased stakes for an opportunity. What does it mean now adding Evian Championship as a fifth major to the Tour? SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's always fantastic to come back here. Evian has always been a special place on the calendar. So to come back here in a different month, different atmosphere, seeing the course, I think it's an phenomenal addition to our schedule. It gives the fall a little more of a boost. We used to have Evian and British so close together like toward the end of July beginning of August and it almost felt like it was not too many peaks after that. You felt like the main part of the season was over even though we have fantastic events in Asia. It just adds that little bit of extra high going into the fall season and very nice to be back and I'm glad. For me it's always had a special feeling, but I guess this tournament will now grow on us for each year that we come back. Q. Can you give us an illustration of something the money raised by your tournament is being used for? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Right To Play is an organization. It was founded by Johann Olav Koss, then an Olympic speed skater in '94, after the Lillehammer Olympics. It was originally called Olympic Aid and it was associated to the IOC. In '98, it changed names to Right To Play and it literally benefits kids around the world in disadvantaged areas, helping them create education, education and learning about life through playing activities. What we take for granted. Last year, after the event I actually went down to one of those projects to Africa, in Mozambique. We went to see how‑‑ I think there is a lot of charities and a lot of times you donate kind of blindfolded. You don't really know where the money is going, what they are doing, if they are actually make it all the way to where they are supposed to be. But to actually go down there, first of all, to meet the kids and to see the smile on their face and to see the spirit they live by it was heart breaking to start off. But at the same time, it puts your life in perspective, how lucky we are. But also the most basic things in life, how we grow up, being able to just throw a football on a football field, just around a nice environment, these kids have nothing. To give them the opportunity to get education and learning life lessons through planned activity is pretty much what this is all about. Being able to participate with the kids throughout these activities last year was‑‑ it really changed my life. It changed how I look at things, put things in perspective. It really shows how fortunate we are to, first of all, grow up where you grow up and then just lucky to be in the environment that we grow up in. We played all kinds of different sports, so a lot of activities over the years. They educate coaches. They go in and they learn about the sicknesses, like malaria, all kinds of different diseases that for them is very vital to know things about. They learn about school education. They have classes. They learn about‑‑ they dance, they sing. I mean, it's just a lot of activities for the schools. Obviously it's not only the kids, but they educate the coaches, the school systems. Right To Play has over a million kids in activities around the world every week. Obviously it's quite a big organization. Once you have seen one kid smile, I mean, you just want to give more and do more. I remember after last year we were all sitting together having dinner and we looked at each other, well, I guess it's back to reality now. As we said it, it was just wrong. I guess this is reality and we are going back to our(inaudible). That's how it felt. Ever since whenever I can support and help charities, other organizations, it just really puts life in perspective. It shows how great the game of golf is or the sports in general, how you can use sports to help others. Q. They were asking before this press conference started about Solheim Cup experience. You have been a part of so many. Where does this one rank? SUZANN PETTERSEN: First of all, to do something that's never been done before was a lot of fun. It was a huge test to start the week. We had a phenomenal team. It was probably the youngest team I've been a part of. The aftermath was‑‑ it was probably a new generation stepping up that was well needed. New experience, new energy. Young girls who just wanted to go out there and prove everyone wrong that we could actually win on American soil. It kind of fed off to all of us, all of the more experienced players on the team. It was a fantastic mix. I think we all complimented each other really well on and off the golf course. Even though it was (inaudible) and early in the week (inaudible) and everyone felt comfortable. So fantastic week. It's impossible to bring different victories we've had during the Solheim because each one has its own story, each one has a captain and their team. And obviously (inaudible) did a phenomenal job and I think she needs a lot of credit. First of all, the picture that she decided to go for and also how she played. I think sitting out on Saturday afternoon, walk alongside supporting the youngsters that were out fighting for the rest of us, it was almost more fun to watch them than to play myself. I think that shows the character and how the European teams work. We are all in for the best cause and it was just phenomenal to watch how the youngsters took the Americans on. For us to go out and put record numbers on the paper at the end of the day on Sunday was(inaudible). It was a huge success and they are a fantastic team. The best part of it is you to get to know all these young girls on different levels than just being on the golf course. I think you build friends for life, a girl like Charley Hull is one of a kind. To actually get to know her a little bit better than just playing a round of golf with her in a competitive matter is ‑‑ I mean, we are still high‑fiving, shouting all our great‑‑ it's just a fantastic feeling. We have the songs. We have so many memories. It doesn't go through a day without kind of having a highlight from that week. Q. You talked about the younger players. There seems to be this new wave of young European talent. When we're here this championship seems to kind of showcase that European talent. What has impressed you most about these young plays and this new wave of talent? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I'm just really proud of how they handle themselves, how they prepare themselves. I mean, Solheim just seems to bring out so much more of who you are at the golf course. I guess you are so in the spotlight. You go through motions you might not ever ever feel anything like. And you know what, sometimes I remember myself my first couple of years, it was hard to know really how to deal with all the emotions and feelings we go through. These girls, they are so ready. I mean, I would say they are ready to take on the challenges, ready to take on what it really takes to carry yourself. They know how to handle themselves and really proud how they all got together and supported each other. That's what this event is all about. It's not about individuals. It's about how the team gets together and makes all of us feel comfortable. Q. Do you see any of the younger girls featuring in this tournament? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Absolutely. The entire team of this European team is here. I think all of them pretty much played everything since at least on the LPGA schedule. And I wouldn't be surprised if you see all 24 players (inaudible) being up there this week. So nice to come home. (Inaudible) around Europe about the victory and I think that's what ladies golf in Europe needs. Q. Can you talk about the changes to the course? SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's always nice to come back here. I have played here enough times to kind of‑‑ you have to open up for the changes. I think the changes also kind of grow on you as you get to know this course better. It's kind of hard to say after having only played it a couple of times. Obviously a year into a huge project like this, it might take twoyears for it to settle in. The changes are going to be tough. Probably a much tougher course the way the greens are designed now. It's going to be a tough course to play and compete. I guess that's what really decides a major champion. You have got to be able to excel no matter what course. Q. This tournament now become as major. Does it make a difference to play a major or just a tournament? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Not really. For me, I prepare for every tournament the same. I come here to win and that's also how I play. Obviously some of the‑‑ I never won this tournament. It is maybe a good wait not to win this tournament before it became a major. So hopefully I can put my name on the trophy this year or years to come. Evian has been a seminal (inaudible) for ladies golf. For them to get the credit of adding a fifth major to the schedule was the right move. And hopefully we can showcase this place on the new course around the world. Q. Do you have some trick or things you always do that are part of your preparation? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I know my game pretty well, what needs to be worked on. It is a lot of maintenance, just boring maintenance work. When you finally get to the tournament week, you can relax. You don't have to stress. You don't have to force too many things on the range or the putting green. Once I get here, it's getting used to the speed of the greens. This week is a little bit more preparation even though the greens are new and no one has seen it. It takes a little bit more time around this place than it has in the past. Overall, it's going to be a pretty good challenge to get around this course now. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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