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SUNRISE LPGA TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIPOctober 25, 2013Suzann PettersenYANG MEI, TAIWAN ALI KICKLIGHTER: Suzann, let just start off stalking about your hole‑in‑one, did that kick start your round at all? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, it was definitely a good hole. I don't know if it really kick started. I couldn't get the putts to drop after that. But I sat on the tee, it was a very good shot. I called the shot, hit it exactly how I wanted and was fortunate enough that I had a good break. Very good shot. It's nice to get a hole‑in‑one when you actually call the shot in advance and then pull the trigger. So today was a really tough day. The wind got stronger and stronger and it's definitely not easy out there. The wind and the conditions tests every aspect of the game. I mean, even a 80‑yard shot it's challenging enough to control the spin and know what the ball is going to do. Standing over putts, you feel the wind on the body. It's a mental test out there but it's a fun challenge. I've been playing really solid golf, and I'm excited to be where I'm at after two days. ALI KICKLIGHTER: You have a big lead heading into the weekend. Do you almost feel unstoppable? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I literally don't really look too much behind me. I'm playing pretty good. I'm trying to shoot the best I can shoot, and if I want to finish where I want to finish at the end of the year, I've got to start this week and try to make the most out of this tournament. That's kind of where my focus is. Q. What's your overall evaluation of this golf course in terms of its challenges and difficulties? SUZANN PETTERSEN: This course, I think the biggest challenge is the conditions. Last year we played here, it was not quite as windy. This is probably up to where it was the first year we were here. This is to the point where it's really challenging. It's almost‑‑ it's too strong to almost holed it up against the wind. You've got to play the wind and you've got to have the guts to see the shots and go for it, and I think the most important thing is to be in control of the spin. Every shot is challenging. It's not like one easy tee ball or one easy iron shot out there. With this wind, you've got to be right there in the present every single shot, and don't really get too much ahead of yourself. Q. The LPGA gave you the nickname Smiley, kind of as a joke, about how you never smile on the golf course. But since I've been with you in Asia, it seems like you've started smiling a lot more off of it. Is that the case? How much fun are you having? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I think I'm just getting to the point in my career that I'd better just enjoy what I do. I'm tough enough on myself that, I mean, I can grind it out on the course and kind of be focused. But I'm trying to enjoy this ride, because I guess I'm maturing and you actually realize that you are fortunate to do what you do. I'm happy to be healthy, happy to be able to work on my game every day to get better. So for me, I don't know, I love playing golf; I love playing in Asia; I love coming to Taiwan. I don't see the reason why not playing here. So for me, it's all about finding a good schedule that allows me to rest up in between so I can come back strong, and it's worked out pretty well so far. Q. Which club you use on the second hole and how many times do you hit a hole‑in‑one in your career? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I hit a pitching wedge. I think it was 133. We tried to pitch it 128. That's all I remember. It was just a little pitching wedge. How many? You know what, I'm getting so old, I can't remember them all. I think I had maybe three on the LPGA. Total, I've had five or six I think. I had a couple as a kid, so, I don't know if that counts. Q. Do you consider Taiwan your lucky place, because you won here last year and this year you're in a commanding position; and you are close to Inbee Park in terms of the World Ranking, what do you think about that? SUZANN PETTERSEN: You know what, when I played Swinging Skirts last year, I was out for dinner with Annika and Yani and Yani had bought both of us this present, and she gave this dog. It's because my birthday is in April and she said, this is your good luck charm for the year. It's a Chinese, what do you call it, on the Chinese calendar I guess. It's a dog year, whatever, and I've kept it very close to my heart ever since. So I guess that is my lucky charm. It's not a real dog, like a little statue. Q. So you were born in the year of the dog? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Probably, yeah. You know, I also did‑‑ NewYear'sEve, I was with some Spanish friends of mine and you know how they count down for the new years. For the last ten seconds into the new year, they have one great a second, and that's also a good luck charm. We did that and we had a lot of fun with it. So you one great for each second as they come up, count down till midnight. That's also fun. That's also a good luck charm. I've done a lot of good things that should be in my favor. Q. Last year in the final round, you kind of duke it out with Inbee Park. And Inbee obviously is not here this year. Do you miss the challenge from Inbee? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Our schedule is so packed. I was a little surprised Inbee didn't show up. I knew she was kind of planning on it but unfortunately that didn't work out. Obviously you want to play against the best players in the world; have more than enough to play this golf course at this moment, so that's kind of where I'm going. Q. You bogeyed your second hole yesterday in round one and today you had an ace; what's the difference? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Three shots is the difference. (Laughter). Q. Did you make any adjustments? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Three shots, or three‑‑ three putts. Today was good for my putting stats. No putts is always good. Q. And on your sixth hole today, on your approach shot, there seems to be a wind that brings your ball closer to the hole. Did it help? SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, I was very lucky because I didn't get up on the green in time to mark my ball. I had a very tricky up‑and‑down. I just had to play for percentage. I left the ball a little bit above the hole. I can say that I played for that to happen, but as we were sitting waiting for Caroline to chip, my ball caught a gust and went from being 25 feet to about ten feet. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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