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PURE SILK-BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSICJanuary 22, 2014Stacy LewisPARADISE ISLAND, THE BAHAMAS THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us here. We are very excited to be here at the 2014 Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, and I'm very happy to be joined today by Rolex Rankings No.3, Stacy Lewis. Welcome to the Bahamas. It's never a bad thing when you get to kick off the year in a place like this. STACY LEWIS: It is. It's very nice to be in the Bahamas, but to start our season in January, it's a huge thing for this Tour. It just kind of shows the momentum we have, and it's great‑‑ the off‑season was a little short, but other than that, it's great to be here, and it's nice, you still feel like you're on vacation a little bit. THE MODERATOR: Speaking of that off‑season, when you have a little less time to prepare for the start of the year, did it change how you spent your off‑season? Did you have to start getting ready earlier than you have in previous years? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I played Dubai in early December, and then I took three weeks off and didn't touch a club for three weeks. I kind of forced myself to do that. I wanted to keep playing, but I know that that time is important. I didn't play for three weeks and then came back pretty much right after Christmas and got back at it. I think I started about the same time, but it was just a little more intent in the practice. It wasn't just going out and hitting a few balls. I was really kind of working on some stuff. But I've been ready to go. Last week I was sitting at home, I was like, I just want to go play. I've been itching to get playing again, and I'm excited to get some rust off and get the momentum going. THE MODERATOR: Speaking of getting back at things, I'm on Twitter and I know a lot of people here are on Twitter, and we noticed last night that you are back on Twitter. Can you just kind of talk a little bit about what that decision was to get back on Twitter? I know you had a nice dialogue with fans last night about your reasoning for coming back. STACY LEWIS: Yeah, it was something I wanted to do, and it was something I wanted to do in my own time. At the end of last year I just needed some time to myself, and I needed to figure a few things out off the golf course. You know, the last few years it's really been a learning experience, and I needed to kind of evaluate what had happened and how I was going to learn from it and move on, and that's what I did this off‑season. So part of that was I needed to get back on Twitter. I needed to get connected with the fans again, and really for the Tour, I know I need to be there for that, too. I'm going to do a little better job, do it a little different this time, but I got a great response last night, so I'm excited about getting going with it again. THE MODERATOR: When you think about that, the past year has been really different for you in terms of taking over No.1 in the world, kind of rising up to that top spot. Has it really taken some time to adjust to all the attention that comes with that and kind of really understand the new spotlight that you're under being in that position? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, the last two years when I really think about it, I mean, it's really happened pretty quick. You know, it seemed to be learning just little things along the way. You kind of figure out how to handle it out on the golf course and then figure out how to handle it off the golf course and figure out how to put it all together. It's just really been a learning process, and that's all I can really take from it is just to keep learning and keep trying to do things better. That's what I'm doing with my golf game every day, so I'm going to keep trying to do that off the golf course, as well. THE MODERATOR: You've worked so hard at getting your game up to the elite level. Last year we started talking about the big three on the LPGA Tour: Inbee Park, you and Suzann Pettersen. What has it done do you think for this game to have three players kind of compete at that elite level at the same time? And I know those two aren't in the field this week, but do you look at that as a chance to get yourself off to a great start and get ahead of them in this year's season? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, you know, last year was a lot of fun. When you've got threes players playing well like we are, it's great for us. I want to play them when they're playing their best because that's going to make me better, too. It's been great for the game and great for the Tour to have three players kind of jockey back and forth, but we're also from all over the world, and that just shows what our Tour is and what we're doing. But it's cool just to be a part of that, and to kind of carry that American flag has been nice. I think we've got some young players coming up, and I think the big three could maybe get shuffled around or could be adding more players this year. I don't think I've seen a year in recent years where the Tour has so much momentum and so many story lines headed into a year. I'm excited about this year and for the Tour in general. Q. You said something about how it was hard to lay off because you were hitting it so well. You had 11 consecutive top 10s; is that right? Can you tell us what you did do to stay away from the golf course? What occupied your time? STACY LEWIS: I actually painted a couple rooms in my house, and I spent some time at the beach and went paddle boarding and really just got to kind of relax a little bit. I still worked out with my trainer and went to the gym and did that kind of stuff, but the painting took up a lot of my time for a couple weeks. Q. How did you keep away from the clubs? STACY LEWIS: Well, the first probably week and a half was pretty easy. I think that was‑‑ I was getting back from Dubai, still trying to adjust to the time, and then the‑‑ I actually kept my clubs in the travel bag and did not take them out until I used them again, so that was kind of my way to not really even see them. THE MODERATOR: One other exciting thing that we have this season that is going to be new on the LPGA Tour is the Race to the CME Globe, the season‑long points competition where the winner at the end has a chance at a million‑dollar prize, largest in all of women's golf. How do you think that is going to change this Tour, and how do you think it's going to change the approach of players as they look at a season? I guess is it really affecting how you're looking at your schedule, as well? STACY LEWIS: I mean, as far as my schedule, I don't think it affects things too much early in the year. I think people are going to play kind of what they feel they can play in, but I think at the end of the year, as we go to Asia, I think it's going to get players' attention a little bit more. You're going to kind of be looking where you are on the points list. I think mathematically it's top nine to realistically have a chance at CME. Something I thought about, too, is sometimes we go into CME a little bit tired from all the traveling and all the playing in Asia, so I think people need to be a little bit more fresh going into CME; I think that'll be a big thing. But it's a great thing. A million bucks? That gets everybody's attention. It's a good thing for the Tour. We're going to be able to talk about it all year long. It will be something that the fans can follow, media can follow. It's one of those things that gets the LPGA kind of talked about more, and that's what we need. THE MODERATOR: They've been talking about the LPGA's momentum and it seems that others are noticing that, and with the announcement of the race, kind of how have you noticed that in terms of media, and all of a sudden now people are mentioning the LPGA and really kind of talking about this product as a whole? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I've had a lot of people come up to me and say, what's this million dollar thing, so I think it's a headline with the million dollars, it seems to get their attention for some reason. Just look at the announcement we did for that. I didn't go, but a bunch of players, they were all over Golf Channel, they were all in New York, Today Show. Four years ago there was no way we were getting on the Today Show. We're doing things, and we're definitely moving in the right direction. I'm just excited to be a part of it, and to have an opportunity to affect this Tour and to keep‑‑ we're not done yet, to keep moving and getting it better. Q. Last year was a challenge with the weather. What are you looking forward to this year? It is beautiful. STACY LEWIS: It is beautiful. We've got the wind today, though, but it looks like no rain. It's nice to just play this golf course the way it was designed to be played. It really is a good course, too. It's in really good shape right now. The greens are pretty grainy, but it's what I've been playing on in Florida the last few weeks. I'm used to that, but overall it's a good course. You've got to hit some‑‑ drive it well, and then the approach shots into the greens, you've got to be able to control it with the wind. It'll definitely be a test for everybody. Q. In your three weeks off when you're painting your room are you by yourself ever thinking, I wonder what Inbee is doing right now, I wonder what Suzann is doing? STACY LEWIS: I know they wouldn't be a painting a room in their house; that's for sure. You know, I really didn't. I've gotten to the point where I know what I need to do to prepare and I know what makes me play my best. For me taking time off and getting away like that, that's what helps me prepare the best. Q. Following that up, when you and Suzann were paired with Inbee in the first two rounds of the U.S. Women's Open and she was smoking hot there, after that you and Suzann both responded with big runs. Were they connected do you think? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I mean, I think Suzann and I both walked away from the U.S. Open with some frustration. I made the cut and didn't play very well, but she missed the cut. So I think we both left there with some motivation to finish out the year strong. Inbee leaves there kind of on a high, and it's a whirlwind, and she's in a completely different place than the two of us. I just think more than anything we left there with motivation because I know none of us wanted to let Inbee win all the majors. So I think we all left there with that extra motivation to work harder, and I know that's when Suzann went on her run after that, and I played well at the British and finished out the year good. Inbee just opened everybody's eyes to what was really possible and how to do it and how to handle the pressure and handle the media and still get it done. She really showed us that it could be. THE MODERATOR: You mentioned earlier, we keep talking about the big three, but there's a lot of other players who seem to be coming up and might also provide a good challenge this year. We've got Lydia Ko coming in for a press conference right after you, No.4 in the world as a rookie. When you look at her game, and I know you were there at her first victory at the CN Canadian Women's Open in 2012, what does she bring now being a full‑time member of the Tour, and what is it that has impressed you the most about how she's played? STACY LEWIS: You know, there's nothing really with her game that blows you away. You look at Inbee with her putting, or Lexi, the distance that she hits the ball. They kind you blow you away a little bit. But Lydia just seems to get the ball in the hole quicker than anybody else, and that's the best thing I can say about her. She'll be going along and going along, and she'll make a few putts, and next thing you know she's 5‑ or 6‑under. She has a great demeanor about her. You'd never know she was as successful as she was at a young age, and she seems to handle it all really well. It's refreshing, and it's nice to see. She's very humble. She doesn't think she's as good as she is. You know, really I think the sky's the limit. I think it's going to be a little bit of an adjustment playing week in and week out on our Tour, but once she figures that out, I think that will probably be No.1 in the world sometime in the future. THE MODERATOR: I know you talk about adjustments; Lexi Thompson blows you away with some of her skills, but she's another one that kind of emerged at the end of the year. As you see her emergence as one of the top Americans and you've talked about other Americans kind of stepping up their game, what does that mean for American golf, now that she's seeming to find all aspects of her game and putting it all together? STACY LEWIS: It's huge. Lexi, she's kind of like a Michelle Wie; if Lexi is up there, people are paying attention. She's got that wow factor. Her clothes and the outfits and how far she hits it and all that kind of stuff, she's got that factor that people want to watch her. People want to watch her play. She's taken ownership of her putting. I played with her at Solheim Cup. We played together. Her ball‑striking is unbelievable. She hits it so good. I sat there and said, when she figures out her putting, she's going to be one of the best players on this Tour. Her game is coming around, and I think she's going to be a force for a long time to come. THE MODERATOR: One thing that's very exciting for the LPGA Tour this year is the International Crown, and talking about the American team and Lexi being on it, what excites you about the International Crown? I know that team could change a little bit in the coming weeks. The U.S. Team looks like it could be one that could be really tough to make. The teams will be decided after the Kia Classic and announced at Kraft. How excited are you about this team and what you'll be able to do in this first ever event? STACY LEWIS: Yeah, I'm anxious to see how the event turns out. It's kind of a weird format with the points and everything. Playing all these other countries, I don't think anybody really knows how it's all going to play out. As far as the U.S. Team, I'm excited. Lexi is going to be there, and then Paula and Cristie have some work to do. You've got Lizette and Angela kind of nipping at their heels a little bit. I think the U.S. Team is going to jockey a little bit. But I'd like to see someone like Lizette get on that team just to get the experience in playing in some big events like that, that I think could help her going into the majors and the big events and especially Solheim in a couple years. THE MODERATOR: Best of luck this week. Hopefully you get off to a good start in 2014. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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