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HSBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSFebruary 25, 2014Paula CreamerShanshan FengInbee ParkSuzann PettersenSINGAPORE THE MODERATOR: Inbee, you've been No. 1 now for 45 weeks. Is that a position you try to guard, or do you simply come out at the beginning of the week trying to win every tournament that you compete in? INBEE PARK: It's actually really tough to win a tournament. It's only my second week back this year, and I think the world rankings points‑wise, there's not much gap in between, one, two, three, so obviously there are going to be some changes this year. My goal would be just maybe maintain the number one spot maybe again this year. But during the year whoever has a good first week I think isn't going to change the rankings. So, yeah, I think I'll just try to enjoy the week and try to enjoy my time here. THE MODERATOR: There is a very close gap between you and Suzann, world No. 2 at the top of the Rolex Rankings. The LPGA revealing all sorts of stats this week on how that could change and the scenarios. Paula, you played very well in Australia. But today, you are a Kung‑fu warrior. How does it feel to be a Kung‑fu warrior? PAULA CREAMER: It feels great. I'm ready to go. But this is great. We always do something exciting with HSBC. I never thought I'd be a Kung‑fu warrior, I can tell you that. But just being back with the girls and learning all of this, it's been fun. Like I said, there is no other tournament, and no other events that we get to do something like this. But there is always something new and exciting with HSBC. THE MODERATOR: Terrific. Suzann, you are an Indian martial artist, practicing that today. That's what you embody. Is martial arts part of your regime? We know you're a gym junky off the golf course. SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's definitely something I'm going to keep doing. I feel like I have huge potential. I'm good with all the clubs. It's always fun coming here to Singapore. This is one of our premier events that we have, and I think all the players are very happy to be back to Sentosa Golf Club once again. It's great to mix it up. We've played a little golf here in Singapore through the years. This is always one that we look forward to, so... THE MODERATOR: It's going to be a terrific test out there. And Shanshan you're representing Pencak silat, which is a tradition in this part of the world. I'm sure it's lovely to be back in Singapore. SHANSHAN FENG: Yeah, it feels like it's at home, because most of the people here speak Chinese and especially Cantonese, and I'm Cantonese, so I feel really friendly here. I've always loved Singapore. I like Singapore food. Today I tried hard and practiced hard at the back of the stage, because I think I am Chinese, I should be good at Kung‑fu. I think that's what everybody expects, so I don't know how I did. THE MODERATOR: Very well, we thought. It was a very good performance. Well done. Well, ladies and gentlemen, our women's warriors will take to the golf course and get a chance to play a little bit this afternoon and are perhaps tomorrow before the contest kicks off in earnest Thursday morning. But I'm sure you have questions that you'd like to ask our four leading players. Q. Suzann, how big a goal was it for you to reach world No. 1? SUZANN PETTERSEN: I haven't been asked these questions for a while, but I think from my standpoint I'm going to try to be the best I can be. I think I can be good enough to be the best in the world, otherwise I don't think I would have kept playing. So that's kind of my motivation every day. I think the internal drive of trying to get better every day is what gets you up in the morning and what kind of gets you through the tough days. I mean, it's been a great ten years on Tour for me, and we've had some phenomenal number ones and they keep us behind getting even better and together make each other better as well. So it's obviously a dream of mine to become the best female golfer in the world. I'm not going to hide that. But at the same time, I want to see how good I can be. Q. Paula, I remember your father once saying that you as a child were often dancing? Did that help you today doing your moves? PAULA CREAMER: Did you see my moves? Q. Yes, very impressive. I just wondered if you were the only one of the four that was a dancer as a child. PAULA CREAMER: Were you guys? She's very soft on her toes, that's for sure. No, I guess the dancing did. I do a lot of martial arts when I work out. I do a lot of MMA stuff, boxing and things. Not quite the same as my Tai Chi. But, like I said, it's fun. It's always something we get to do differently. Maybe one day I'll be able to go on Dancing With the Stars or something. That's always been a goal of mine. I would love to do it. But the timing with the schedule is a little bit difficult. Q. Being a dancer as a child did it make it easier for you to go on the first tee and know that you were going to hit a good shot and be confident? PAULA CREAMER: I've always said to anybody that I've come across with their fathers and mothers or the daughters, that you have to put your little girl into dance. I think it's the way that you present yourself, the way that you carry yourself. There is a confidence within a dancer. They always have such good posture, very elegant, and being able to perform, you only have three minutes to come out there and do what you have to do and someone else tells you what to do. It makes you tougher, it makes you stronger. I don't know if my career and what I have done in golf would be the same if I wasn't a dancer. Being able to learn that you only have‑‑ in golf you have 18 holes, four days in a row. As a dancer, you only have three minutes, and I kind of had to learn and had to accept that growing up. I truly believe that and think every little girl should go through dance. Q. Inbee, you had a fantastic year in 2013. I've got a couple questions for you. One, what do you think happened in 2013 that made you perform so fantastically? How are you preparing for 2014 as a fall back to 2013 in terms of mentally or gamewise? INBEE PARK: I think last year I think the main reason was the swing changes I made two years ago were in place last year and I was getting used to my swing. I think just getting a lot more experience and getting a lot more mature as a person and being a more happier person I think really helped me play good the last couple years. Of course this year there is a lot to achieve, and there are things that I want to achieve. But I think the most important thing that I need to think about is just being happier. Trying to be a more happier person than last year and trying to enjoy what you're doing. Just realize how lucky you are just being out here and playing golf. It's something that I like to do and love to do. Yeah, I think there are a million things that I could list to the things that I can achieve. But the most important thing is you have to be happy. So, yeah, that would be my goal? Q. Shanshan, you've always been a really fun player to watch. But last year you really established yourself as a serious top player. We'll never forget the finish in China and then of course to win the Titleholders at the end of the year. What's that done for your confidence? Has it put you to a whole new level now? SHANSHAN FENG: Well, actually like many people are still reminding me about my victories last year, but I think what I'm going to do is actually forget all of those because that is already in the past. Of course that gave me confidence, but I'm not going to let that give myself too much pressure. I'm the same me, and I just remain in good condition and just try my best every week. It doesn't matter how I do, as long as I try my best. Q. What has been your training regime like for this upcoming week, and can you share some secrets with us to help you become a better golfer? THE MODERATOR: We'll start with Suzann, she's a real gym junky. You work out really hard. SUZANN PETTERSEN: I think this is an early part of the season. I think for most of us players, preparing for the majors that's coming up. And for my own sake, I'm trying to get as many rounds as I can in before Kraft, and this is a fantastic stop. This Asian swing has been part of our schedule for years, as long as I can remember, as long as I've been on Tour, so it's been a while. But I think I like what Shanshan said. I think all of us had a pretty good 2013, but that's history. Everyone starts with a blank paper and everyone starts from scratch. You build a new season and build a new year. I guess I've been working on a lot this off‑season. Been working on my game, trying to improve your weakest part. Then obviously trying to enjoy it. I'm getting to the age now where I'm just trying to enjoy it while it lasts. You're not going to play golf forever, so I'm really trying to make the most out of the years to come. THE MODERATOR: Suzann, you talked about it in Australia that you increased your distance off the tee by about 15 yards and that was by increasing your club head speed. Is that something that you think will make a difference in 2014? SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's one of the small pieces to a big puzzle. I'm more excited to hit the driver now, but also hitting the ball you have to be accurate. But it's nice to have a second gear if you really need to. I feel like I've missed it in the past, especially on par‑5s when you just come off short of reaching it in two. So to me that's just been I finally found the key. So that might help me. I'm still trying to get used to it. So for me, I feel pretty good and I'm ready for a new week here. THE MODERATOR: Paula, same question to you. We know you work incredibly hard in the off‑season not just on your swing by your general fitness. PAULA CREAMER: I've always loved working out and things like that. I don't hit it quite as far as Suzann in that. But I do think that physical fitness is so important, just being healthy. I know I've gone through so many battles out here health‑wise, and I've made some huge changes in my diet and the way I go about things. I just have so much more energy to work out. I've picked up a bunch of speed. Instead of sitting there and lifting repetitious weights over and over and over again, I'm much more fast, twitch muscles, working on those kinds of things. I've gained some distance, for sure. But a lot of that has been just building strength within my own golf swing and being more simple and using and having effortless energy, basically. That's been going on for about a year and a half. Kind of what Inbee said, it takes time. Sometimes you have to work on things and go backwards to gain momentum and go forward and start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, basically, with my golf swing. THE MODERATOR: Good round on Sunday in Thailand, nice round of 68 coming into the week. Inbee, if we can keep on the fitness theme with you. As world No. 1, everybody breathing down your neck, have you felt that you needed to step it up in the gym in the off‑season or just stick to the game? INBEE PARK: I didn't try to gain distance over the last off‑season. But I don't work out a lot during the season, but in the off‑season I workout. So I don't get injuries during the season. Obviously, with the golfers there are a lot of injuries. I often get a sore neck and back. So this year I'm traveling with the physio together to get loosened up. Obviously, it's very important to stay fit and healthy and play 25, 30 events a year. So I think you have to be physically and mentally prepared to get ready for the season. Q. Paula, last week we saw the entire leg gearing up to the second shot on the golf course, which was really important, the approach shot into the green. You're in the mix last year. If there was one thing this week you have to do really well to win, what do you think that would be? PAULA CREAMER: This golf course is very demanding on the sections of the greens a lot like last week and basically Australia too. So being a good iron player, being able to, I think, take advantage of the par‑5s is very important here. There are a couple reachable ones that you have to‑‑ you don't make a birdie and you're losing a shot to the field. The par‑3s, I think, are awesome. They're some of the prettiest and best par‑3s that we play. Over by the water there it gets pretty windy, so being able to have a little bit of everything this golf course makes you have. You have to bring out shots that you normally wouldn't need to hit a knock down here, but you kind of need to this golf course. It all comes down to giving yourself as many opportunities as you can. But I think the par‑5s are something that as a player, we have to take advantage and hopefully make as many birdies in a couple of the holes where you can have a birdie par or eagle putt. I think 12 is a pretty easily reachable par‑5, so that's going to be a big turning point. THE MODERATOR: If you're brave enough on the very narrow par‑5, will you always go for the green on the seventh? It gets very narrow with water on the right. (Indiscernible). Q. Paula, I have to ask, because I'm sitting here just blown away by the engagement ring. It is amazing. PAULA CREAMER: What, this one? Q. I can't see a thing on the stage. Congratulations on your engagement. Apparently you're getting married this December? PAULA CREAMER: In December, yes. Q. How does that‑‑ you're obviously in a great place at the moment. How does that change your thinking on coming into this year? Has it made you more‑‑ I don't know, how are you feeling about the whole thing? PAULA CREAMER: I'm over the moon. My friends don't like talking to me anymore because I'm like this little girl in the Barbie doll store. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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