Categories
Ladies European Tour

SOPHIA POPOV: “It’s the Highlight of the Summer”

Sophia Popov (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland, UK

OLIVIA McMILLAN: Welcome back to the AIG Women’s Open, you are of course our defending champion, Sophia Popov, and it’s a pleasure to have you back in Scotland.

How are you feeling this week coming into it?

SOPHIA POPOV: It’s kind of cool to see, first of all, from the parking spot to all the life videos going on in the clubhouse and all the pictures just brings back a lot of memories of last year. Obviously a special week in my golf career. It’s a little bit emotional coming out here and it’s obviously a really cool venue.

OLIVIA McMILLAN: You said it’s been a little bit emotional. Can you tell us what those feelings were when you saw your car parking spot entering the championship and YOUR face is everywhere.

SOPHIA POPOV: Literally everywhere. Yeah, I just think it’s — it takes awhile. Like you only realise it once you get on-site and you do see your face everywhere and you realise, oh, my God, it’s been a year now and this is the event that changed so much for me. And I think up until last week, it was just a regular season and just keep playing, keep playing.

And then once I kind of set foot out here, it was like, okay, I’m coming here to truly enjoy this week, you know, regardless of what happens. This is my sixth or seventh week on the road now so obviously it’s kind of the highlight of the summer for or less for myself.

But again we are all probably a little tired at this point, but I think this is kind of energising me a lot just to be here and just the excitement surrounding the event.

Q. I know it was played at a different time of the year, slightly earlier in the year last year. Can you take us back to the Tuesday exactly your emotions, what your thoughts were about what you could achieve that week?

SOPHIA POPOV: You know, obviously last year was a completely different time, also just in my career where I was at at that moment.

It’s actually funny just playing my practise round today, it’s a lot of the same emotions I kind of go through that I had last year where it’s just I’m kind of excited to be back to play some links golf, and just enjoy the venue because it’s so special. It’s the site of my first AIG Women’s Open in 2011.

So it just brings back a lot of memories from having played here in 2011 and 2012, and so I think I’m just enjoying myself being out here and I think that’s very similar to last year. Just last year I didn’t know what was going to happen on Sunday, and I don’t know this year either.

Popov compares the course to the first time she set foot on it

Q. Having played the course before, does it feel different, the setup this week compared to the first time you were here?

SOPHIA POPOV: Yeah, maybe a little bit. I think that the one thing that stands out for me is we are playing 17 as a par 4 this year. We played it as a par 5 back in 2011. I think that made that final stretch a little bit more manageable. Now we’re looking at four pretty strong finishing holes with 15, 16, 17 and 18. So I think that you’re just going to have to be fully on. It wasn’t very much different at Troon either. I think the final stretch was not that easy but you did have 16 to relieve some of the pressure.

I think that’s going to be a little bit different. I think I didn’t really realise that quite as much in 2011 how tough that final stretch really is, so that’s kind of something that’s definitely noticeable this year. But other than that I think it’s playing very similar. But it all depends on the wind. We’re playing in a different wind than we’re going to have starting on Thursday. It all depends on that.

Q. Having backed up the win last year, you have a Solheim Cup on the horizon, how exciting is that?

SOPHIA POPOV: Yeah, it’s very exciting. I think a lot of times, I think I might even mentally get ahead of myself a little bit, just really looking forward to that week and the excitement of it always reminds me of all the great things that happened last year and this year.

The fact that the British Open, of course last year I played well and I won the tournament but I had to back it up with some other finishes to make that Solheim Cup team. I did that pretty well throughout end of last season and beginning of this season. Now I fully grasp the idea that I really belong on that team, and now I think I can really enjoy it and look forward to it.

Q. So much of your life has changed over the past year. What have you worked hard to keep the same?

SOPHIA POPOV: I think that just the enjoyment I guess of playing, and just trying to have a good time and a good mindset. I’ve caught myself the last six, seven weeks have been a little bit of a roller coater on the golf course just because it’s been very tiring I think with all the travel that we’ve been going through. I think I tried really hard to just stay in the moment, go hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot and not really think ahead too much because I think it’s just very easy, too, when you’re playing so much and you’re playing so many really big events to kind of get ahead of yourself a little bit and expecting a lot.

I think to this day, I just get to the golf course and I expect myself to play well all the time. Sometimes the body just doesn’t want to go the way you do, and mentally you’re fine but your body is just kind of tired or the other way around; your body is fine and you’re mentally little bit exhausted from the last few weeks.

I think just really enjoying being out there, especially this week, just to take it all in because I don’t know what’s going to happen this week and going forward.

So just being able to tee it up as at defending champion is something that’s very, very special and something I shouldn’t take too lightly either.

Popov has been through the process of trying to replace her caddie

Q. You had a very special caddie on the bag at Troon. What’s the process like trying to replace him?

SOPHIA POPOV: He’s irreplaceable. No, I talked to him yesterday and obviously Max is not just someone that’s really — I guess really good on the bag, but he’s obviously a great life partner. So I think in every department, he always says the right things at the right times and I think it’s very hard in that sense to replace him.

I think I’ve got a great caddie in Carlos on the bag this week, starting last week. He’s very calm. Reminds me a lot of Max, actually, in a lot of ways.

It’s tough because I know he’s not going to be there to — I don’t think he’s caddying any time soon. So I have to figure out a way to play golf without him, which I’ve done pretty well this year already. It’s nice to know that he’s only a phone call away and is supporting me from wherever he is.

Q. Current form, where is your game at now, would you say?

SOPHIA POPOV: I think that it’s actually in a better spot than I think it is. I think that I had some — I think about five, six weeks ago, I think just playing so much kind of made me a little bit tired and I think a couple mistakes were creeping in starting at the U.S. Open, especially after that week in Vegas that was just really long and grueling. I’ve been trying to keep it very, very simple and, I have over-complicated things a little bit for myself these last few weeks trying to be that perfect ball-striker that I think I can be, but it’s just not necessary around here.

You just have to pick good target and miss the ball in the right spots, and I think that’s what I’m getting back at. I think these practise rounds have been very good and I think it’s a lot more, I think mental effort for me than it is physical effort right now. So just kind of keeping my head in the game and making sure I stay very focussed and especially on some of the tougher shots.

Q. To be back at Carnoustie, it’s a special place and there are going to be thousands and thousands of Scottish golf fans there cheering you on. How special is that going to be?

SOPHIA POPOV: Yeah, it’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be awesome to kind of see the flipside of last year. Last year was very quiet in general just because we didn’t have any fans out there. I could see a lot of the people coming off the beach and they really wanted to watch some golf.

And I think it’s going to be great thing about this year everyone is looking forward to this so bad. I know Scottish fans are always awesome. I feel like they are very well known to cheer for everyone which is great. They know the game so well, so they know they can decipher golf shots from bad shots and I think that’s the greatest part of it, for them to also be really able to enjoy it because they weren’t able to enjoy it last year. I’m just as excited for the fans as I am for myself.

Q. About the Solheim Cup, how much has Catriona Matthew talked to you about what’s going to happen in a few weeks’ time or has she been leaving you alone to focus on this week?

SOPHIA POPOV: It’s been nice. She’s been texting me after every time I’ve been playing well and just to see how I’m doing and how I’m feeling. I got to play with her yesterday, which was very nice. We had a couple quick chats.

But also just about everything in general. I don’t think she’s just someone to talk to only for Solheim Cup purposes but for a lot of other stuff she’s been a great help. I think that now it’s a lot closer, we were able to have some conversations about it that obviously I won’t let anyone into. But it’s also a little bit early for her to talk about too much because she still has some picks to make.

I think that we, I guess, would try to help her as much as we can but it’s up to her at the end of the week. For the most part we just chatting about this week and really just looking forward. I think we are just very excited.

Q. Would you tell giving away anything that she’s told you, have those conversations made you more nervous, excited, petrified? How would you describe it?

SOPHIA POPOV: I think it calmed me down a lot. Someone with her experience and talking about things — everything she says sounds really calm. I think that’s the quite nice thing. I feel like there’s not so much pressure tied to things she says, too. She’s pretty laid back, and you take things as they come and at the same time, you know, she’s probably deep down excited and very nervous about what’s going to happen and how the team is going to shape up like this coming week. But I think that in general, our conversations have been very mellow.

And also I think a lot of the nerves I might have for this week. I’ve talked to so many players that have really given me great advice on it. So I’m starting to feel calmer and calmer, until I get to that first tee.

Sophia is ready to start!

Q. So you’re to the volunteering to hit the first tee shot on Saturday morning, will you?

SOPHIA POPOV: I’m definitely not hitting off the odds.

Q. Can you talk about the overall buzz that you’re hearing in the locker room of players being at Carnoustie? For many in the field, it’s their first or first time in a long time?

SOPHIA POPOV: It’s been pretty fun, actually. I think that there’s been this video that’s been like on a 20-second cycle going on in the clubhouse and everyone is just kind of like — I think everyone is fed up of seeing me to be honest. But it’s really funny because everyone just comes by. It’s like they call you defending champ and you’re like, okay.

Normally I’m way too humble of a person to even identify with something like that, but I know this week I can, so I’m just taking it all in. I’m like, yep, I’m defending. So I’m getting better at just accepting that and being all cool about it. But it’s pretty cool. It’s awesome and I think just for me and myself, you walk in the locker room and I have one of the first lockers obviously for all the previous winners and that’s just something that’s very cool and I honestly didn’t even know about until I got here.

OLIVIA McMILLAN: Thank you so much for being very generous with your time today. We really appreciate it and wish you the best of luck in your title defense at the AIG Women’s Open.

Interview transcript by asapsports.com

Categories
Travel

Aroeira Golf Resort: An Elevating Experience

A view of the Aroeira Pines Classic

ORIZONTE NEW INVESTMENT ELEVATES AROEIRA GOLFING EXPERIENCE

ORIZONTE – Lisbon Golf has taken its investment to new heights by unveiling an array of new facilities at Aroeira Golf Resort – a two-time host of the Portuguese Open.

Fresh from the rebranding this spring of its two 18-hole championship courses – Aroeira Pines Classic and Aroeira Challenge – Portugal’s leading golf management company has continued its spending by upgrading the golf leisure facilities at the resort.

Among the renovations made, the clubhouse for Aroeira Pines Classic, host venue of the 1996 and 1997 Portuguese Open, has been given a fresh new look with a modern contemporary décor inside and outside the restaurant, new kitchen facilities and refurbished changing rooms.

In addition, the resort’s swimming pool area has been refurbished with a new bar and décor while the Kids’ Club has also received a makeover, making it the ideal place for parents to leave their children while they’re playing golf or enjoying a relaxing meal in the clubhouse restaurant.

Nestled amid tranquil natural pine forest, Aroeira Golf Resort – 25km south of Lisbon – is rated among Europe’s top 50 golf resorts and has been dubbed the ‘Wentworth of Lisbon’ by many observers.

Among the many attractions on the stunning Aroeira estate is the Aroeira Lisbon Hotel. Providing the ultimate in chic modern design, the hotel includes 68 bedrooms and suites, an outdoor pool, a spa and a choice of five bars and restaurants, and offers easy access to the many golden sandy beaches in the Costa Azul region.

Alternatively, golfers can enjoy a staycation break in one of Aroeira’s choice of villas and apartments with stay-and-play packages, while a short drive from Aroeira, Ribagolfe boasts two of the finest layouts in the Lisbon region – Ribagolfe I and II.

As part of ORIZONTE’s golf maintenance programme, both courses were the subject of an upgrade at the start of the golf season while a new hotel partner for 2021, the Four Points by Sheraton Sesimbra, offers the ideal base to play the club known as the ‘Valderrama of Portugal’.

ORIZONTE provides golfers with the opportunity to play four of the leading courses in close proximity to Lisbon in the stunning Costa Azul, together with exceptional value for money on a wide range of accommodation options.

 For more details about ORIZONTE – Lisbon Golf and to book any of its golf packages, please email [email protected] or visit www.orizontegolf.com

Categories
PGA Tour

Ian Poulter is literally on his way to the Play Offs

Ian Poulter makes it to the FedexCup Play Offs and he shares the excitement in social media.

Last weekend at the 2021 Wyndham Championship was stressful at the least for some remarkable players such as Rickie Fowler or Justin Rose, among others. However, the Britishman Ian Poulter was ranked 79th in the FedExCup ranking, within the Top 125 of the Northen Trust, making the cut for the Play Offs by a 189pts difference with Justin Rose, who goes first on the list of players that have missed the cut.

Ian Poulter has made three Top 10 during the 2021 season. He finished T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge, T9 at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, and T10 at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, which played an important role to classify for the Play Offs.
Poulter initiated his professional golf career back in 1995, and him and his always colorful looks in the golf course do not think of hanging their spikes any time soon. The golfer Ian Poulter wants to continue achieving great things, and he shares such intentions with his fans in a funny way, always keeping his unbroken sense of humor.
HEAD-SUP
Ian Poulter makes it to the FedexCup Play Offs and he decided to get going already. Poulter is so exciting that just got in the car and he is now on his way to give it all. Stay Tuned!

Categories
Senior Tours

Star names announced for Farmfoods European Senior Masters 2021

The Farmfoods European Senior Masters 2021 has announced the first part of its star studded lineup with crowds set to return.

Running from 30th September to the 3rd October 2021, the esteemed golfing event will once again take centre stage at the Forest of Arden, Meriden, with none of other than Peter Baker, three-time European tour winner, as host. 

“I’m delighted to welcome back players and spectators to the European Senior Masters,” said Baker, who has hosted the contest every year to date.

“During the days of the pandemic, golf was one of the main sporting highlights for fans to enjoy from the comfort of their own sofas, but nothing beats being there in person.

“It’s therefore with great pleasure to say that not only do we have some of the best seniors in the game in action, but also, that fans will be able to experience it all first-hand, live and in person.”

Located at the stunning Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, the four-day ESM event will certainly be a spectacle for golfing enthusiasts. 

Ian Woosnam OBE, Paul Lawrie OBE and Jarmo Sandelin are just some of the players who will be aiming for the prize this year, with a €150,000 total prize fund and an impressive €50,000 for the winner.

Last time out, Thomas Levet took the 2019 title, one shot clear of Markus Brier in second, with Lawrie, Sandelin, and Woosnam sharing third place.

Luckily, spectators will finally be allowed to come and watch the action unfold, with tickets costing just £20 for all four days, or £10 per day. 

The event format is as follows: 

Day one (Thursday): Pro-Am team event. One pro player will join three amateurs to play one round of the course, and whichever team tops the leader board wins the day.  

Day two/three (Friday/Saturday): The Alliance. This is where the action steps up a notch. Over the course of two days, one pro is paired with one amateur, and both players will traverse the course together, playing one round on both days. The pro’s scores count on the main leader board and the amateurs play for an amateur prize. After the play has finished on Saturday, the winning amateur will receive their prizes before stepping aside for the last day. 

Day four (Sunday): Final day’s play. Only professionals will play on this day, which will consist of one more round of the course. Whoever tops the leader board at the end of the day wins the title and prize money.  

With just over a month to go, event organisers Champions UK plc spoke of the preparation in delivering the high-profile event:

“We’re all busy preparing the final touches for the tournament,” said John Hayes, CEO of leading brand agency Champions UK plc.

“It’s exciting to see so many of our sponsors return to the iconic Forest of Arden course. It’s certainly shaping up to be an event to remember.”

Sponsors of the event include Lord’s Taverners, a leading disability sports charity and Farmfoods.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected]. 

To join us at this year’s tournament, please head to the tickets page: https://europeanseniormasters.com/booking/event-ticket/forest-of-arden-2021.  

Categories
European Challenge Tour Live Satellite Tours

Tinning set for second Challenge of the Danish Swing

European Challenge Tour player from Denmark, Nicolai Tinning is set for the 2021 Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge.

Nicolai Tinning is looking to take inspiration from his sporting family as he prepares to tee it up in the Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge this week.

The Dane competed in his first European Challenge Tour event of the 2021 Road to Mallorca International Schedule last week at the Made in Esbjerg Challenge – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies, finishing in a respectable tie for tenth place at Esbjerg Golfklubb, which also provides the setting for this week’s event.

Tinning is looking to rekindle the winning tradition that is prominent in his family after his father

His father, Steen Tinning, has two wins apiece on both the European Tour and the Legends Tour, while Tinning Snr’s cousin, Iben Tinning, also had a successful career recording six Ladies European Tour titles.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “I’ve been coming here since I was 12, I have quite a big golf family. My dad is the guy to speak to about everything, we have talked a lot about Tour life and how to get around, how to behave and how to play Pro-Ams. Some of it I have learnt from my dad and I’ve talked a lot with my Dad’s cousin Iben who also played a high level of golf and of course my coach Ben.

“I enjoyed last week a lot, there was a lot of people here the first week, it was amazing. I didn’t play that well on Saturday but I played really well on Friday so it was amazing to play here and there can’t be a better place for me to play a tournament.”

The 28-year-old competed in 19 European Challenge Tour events in 2019 with his best result coming at the Swiss Challenge Presented by Swiss Golf in which the Dane recorded a tie for 13th place but has admitted that it is excellent to be back playing after being very busy off the course.

“I’m just trying to enjoy it,” he said. “I played 19 events on the Challenge Tour and then Covid came. There have been a lot of things going on in my personal life, I’m going to be a dad in January, and I got married last year, so it’s just trying to enjoy it and play this amazing course. I just love being here.”

Tinning is joined in the field for the Sydbank Esbjerg Challenge by last week’s Made in Esbjerg – Presented by FREJA & TotalEnergies champion and five-time Challenge Tour winner Ricardo Gouveia, as well as three-time Challenge Tour winner Daan Huizing.

The action in the second event of the Danish Swing gets under way at 7:30am local time on Tuesday August 17, with Tinning teeing it up alongside fellow Dane Nicolai Kristensen and Robin Dawson of Ireland at 9:10am.

Press Release by the European Communication

Categories
Ladies European Tour Ladies Tours

LPGA Tour. Class recognizes class

Charley Hull, (25) from England, congratulates her mate Ryann O’Toole, from the USA, for her victory at the 2021 Women's Scottish Open

Charley Hull (25), from England had just arrived from playing the 2021 LPGA Women’s Scottish Open at Dumbarnie Links, in Fife, Scotland. Hull could not have been more consistent as she played four rounds of -3 (69) in a row, to finish T5 with a total of -12, and $46,478 more to her career earnings. Charley began playing with her father at Kettering Golf Club. She left school aged 13 to be home schooled, and started playing in amateur tournaments. She had her rookie year in 2015, when she only missed one cut, and she plans on continuing to compete with the best in the world. She is currently T34 in the Rolex Ranking, after she moved up 4 positions last weekend.

During the Women’s Scottish Open, Hull was tied for the leader with a total of -9 after the third round. However, Ryann O’Toole, from USA, signed a crazy final round of -8 (64) to win the tournament. O’Toole is currently ranked T71 in the Rolex Ranking, after she improved in 40 positions in Scotland. Golf is unpredictable and every shot makes a difference. Today, Charley Hull shared the victory of her mate O’Toole, recognizing the great work of hers and looking forward to come back to the course next weekend, or “the office” as she likes to call it, to compete at the 2021 AIG Women’s Open Championship, in Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland, from August 19-22.

Categories
Live

Official World Golf Ranking: Jon Rahm holds on to top spot

Jon Rahm (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Keep up with our concise analysis, getting straight to the point on the developments in the last week and changes in the official world golf rankings.

Top 5 OWGR Leaderboard

# Name Nationality Points Total Points Gained Events
1 Jon Rahm ESP 462.76 248.11 47
2 Dustin Johnson USA 380.51 123.75 42
3 Collin Morikawa USA 449.5 312.25 52
4 Xander Schauffele USA 347.22 204.35 47
5 Justin Thomas USA 357.23 162.31 52
Jon Rahm leads in the official world golf ranking this week. The Spaniard’s points average is 9.846 at the time of publication. Rahm’s rank has not changed since last week. ​ Behind him on the official world golf ranking is Dustin Johnson, 37 years old, at rank 2. The American has, in comparison to last week, not gone up or down in the rankings. Third in the rankings this week is Collin Morikawa, 37, with a points average of 8.6442. Yoseop Seo has climbed the most places in the official world golf rankings this week. He has managed to jump 632 places in the world ranking list, and is now sitting at 490 rank. The South Korean jumped from position 1122, with a current point average of 0.273. The highest ranked Englishman in the official world golf rankings is currently Tyrrell Hatton, in place 13 and has remained unchanged since last week.
Categories
PGA Tour

Justin Rose is “gutted” over his PGA season being over

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 15: Justin Rose of England lines up a putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on August 15, 2021 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Despite his successful year, Rose failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup for the first time in his PGA career.

His current season highlights include finishing T8 at the PGA Championship, his second consecutive top-10 at the event and fifth in his career. Led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (2.932 per round). During the Masters, he shot a first-round 65 and took a four-stroke 18-hole lead before finishing solo-seventh.

The FedExCup is a season-long points competition which culminates with the FedExCup Playoffs, a series of three events to determine the FedExCup Champion. The top 125 players in the FedExCup standings are eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs with the three events featuring a progressive cut with fields of 125, 70 and 30. Justin Rose currently ranks at 126 which leaves him out of the running for this season’s championship. Despite missing out this year, Rose seems to be holding his head high for his fans.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Player’s Career Highlights from the official PGA website

Categories
Ladies European Tour Ladies Tours

Ryann O’Toole: “Words cannot describe what I am feeling right now”

Ryann O'Toole of United States (Photo: Getty Images)

Q. Here with the Trust Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open after 11 years on Tour, how does it feel it walk away an LPGA Tour champion?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Words cannot describe what I am feeling right now. I still can’t even — it didn’t seem real. It seems very surreal, and definitely a dream come true. I can’t believe it’s taken this long to win but it’s finally here.

THE MODERATOR: You talked a little bit out there about kind of the mindset going into today. Yesterday you said, “I’m going for the win.” You co-led after the third round for the first time in your career. What were you thinking as you stepped to the first tee this morning?

RYANN O’TOOLE: The first three rounds, I think even the last couple of round, I’ve felt very calm, patient. I could tell that my game was getting there. I feel like I’ve just had this different sense to me this year where the game feels good and I know where the ball is going and I know what my swing is doing and if it gets off a little bit, I know how to fix it.

But for the most part, I felt staying patient was key. Even the last few events, I’ve been putting myself up there and couldn’t get that final fourth round going. I just think patience. It was never a playing issue or anything like that. It’s just getting things to fall or things kind of go your way.

This week I felt like I really started off strong. I kind of told myself going into this week, let’s get a first round a little lower than I typically have. Like I typically have a slow start, maybe 1- or 2-under but it was nice to shoot 4-under the first day, even given the circumstances of the weather, and then back it up the next day with another solid round.

To go into the weekend and shoot what I did I think I just stayed completely in the moment because I didn’t even think about shooting 8-under today.

THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, did it feel memorable to you when you were out there? Did you black out for a moment or during the round?

RYANN O’TOOLE: I honestly feel it was one shot at a time. There was moments I go to the bathroom and I’m sitting there by myself and it’s quiet and I’m, okay, don’t think about anything else, just back to what is the tee shot coming up. Or I would draw on my yardage book just to distract myself back to the present and not get ahead of myself.

Because at the end of the day I didn’t know what anybody else was doing. I know obviously what the girls in my group were doing, but there was plenty of girls that were right there that could have had a great day and had no idea. I didn’t know what the girls in front of us were doing but even groups ahead of that. Trying to stick to my game plan and hope that my caddie put me in position accordingly and if we needed to press or we needed to keep chugging along, so I think that went really well.

Q. What does it mean to win the first one in Scotland?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Having Irish in my background, O’Toole, I think regardless, winning over here, I guess take it back to my first year, second year on Tour and playing my first British Open and learning what true links was. I felt like I got my butt kicked.

And after that I was like, wow, there’s so much to learn and change and grasp on this style of golf and after that, I fell in love with it, how to hit a really low tee shot, how to play the contours of the green and the course and I just feel like I love this style of golf and to have this be my first win, it seems fitting.

Q. Where was the butt kicking?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Royal Liverpool. It blew. One of the rounds got called for the day. I had never played in anything like that, and I remember hitting tee shots that just flung across, like those aren’t going to work here.

Q. What do you draw on your yardage book?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Waves. Flowers. Imaging my happy place, being at the beach surfing. I just try to random stuff that’s easy to draw that just occupies my mind. I was drawing the 18th hole at St Andrews, stuff like that.

Q. Presumably after 228 or 227 (tournaments), did doubts begin to form that you would make that breakthrough?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Yeah, it definitely was one of those like as a kid I dreamed of being No. 1 and dreaming of going out there and being this athletic golfer that just added a spice to the game and then, you know, life doesn’t go that direction.

Yeah, you start pressing and putting doubt, and wondering, is my time ever going to come; do I have the ability to, you know, make this happen; are the stars going to align, because that’s what I felt like. I think this year, after last year, COVID year was hard. I didn’t get to play the Scottish or the British. I had got COVID so I was stuck in the States. I was so happy to be able to come over here and play this year.

But I just think with that whiplash of last year and just the uncertainty and the offness, it kind of just brought this motivation for this year to have steadiness back to our normal schedule and things like that. Things are going well. I’m working well with my coach, Jorge Prado, I’ve had him since 2014. He’s done wonders for my game. I don’t see myself ever having a different golf coach.

My caddie that I had this year, he retired last week go, figure. So me and Mikey I think work really well together. That was a surprise and something that I thought, wow, I thought — I didn’t think I would be changing caddies in the middle of this year. Didn’t hurt me.

I love where my equipment is at. PXG has done wonderful. This is my fifth year with them. I think their product has come a long, long way. I strike their irons really well. Driver is phenomenal. No complaints.

Q. More champagne tonight?

RYANN O’TOOLE: More champagne, yeah. Maybe more in my belly than on me.

O’Toole discusses her caddie change

Q. The caddie change, was that expected?

RYANN O’TOOLE: No. To be honest so we finished Evian on Sunday and walked off the green and he started crying and said, “I have to talk to you about something.”

I was like, “Am I in trouble? Was I mean? What happened?”

He said out of the blew that he’s homesick and is ready to retire and wants to start a family. Loves competing, but the downtime in the hotel room and stuff was eating at him. He wanted to be back home. What are you supposed to do? Can’t get mad or upset.

I would have loved him to stick around for the British, but I guess this worked out in the end. It’s just the little bit of difference that Mikey provided me. He really painted a picture with every shot, start it here, finish it here, and it’s like, no problem, I can do that, and away went this week.

Q. His surname?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Curry. Michael Curry.

Who was your old caddie? Reed Martin. Great guy. He came from the PGA TOUR and he’s going to go back to Korn Ferry and was like, let’s give the women’s tour a chance. Literally between him crying and telling me it was nothing to do with me, I think truly he just wanted to be home.

Q. How many years was he with you?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Just this year starting. He was working with Mark had you been barred for three years prior to me. But I think he’s about to ask his — I can’t actually say that, that would give it away. He’ll hopefully be engaged soon and has a dog and just life’s at home.

Q. How did you know Mike?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Him and Sophia split right after Evian and so I know he was looking. To be honest I wanted him at the beginning of the year. So I reached out at the beginning of the year and he had already committed to Sophia Popov. So, well, here I am now.

She really enjoyed the Links Course

Q. My first question is: Do you think links golf brings out the best in you and fits your personality the best?

RYANN O’TOOLE: I don’t know how to take that question, fits my personality the best. A little sparky, is that what you’re saying?

I do. I think links, especially when it’s windy, challenges the ball-striker. I feel like my best part of my game is my iron play. I would think so. And then being able to have that really low tee driver helps in the wind, so if it’s any crosswind or anything like that, I really don’t sit on the tee box and fear where the heck the ball is going to go. I think the biggest challenge for me this week was getting the speeds down on the greens, whether we were into the wind or downwind. I just feel like having it being windy, the greens are not running what we’re used to. I just felt like what I always felt good on 5-footers or anything, just trying to get it to the hole. I never had an issue getting a putt to the hole and this week I left a lot in the jar, but I guess it still worked out.

Q. You’ve had a really consistent year. You said that things are just aligning. Is there one area or one decision that you made that you really feel has set you on this path to the winner’s circle this year?

RYANN O’TOOLE: You know, I think you get to a point in your life where you’re sitting here going, okay, I’m getting married in December, and okay, my clock’s ticking, I want to have kids. Like how much longer am I going to be out here. I thought maybe this year would be my last year or I don’t even know, I haven’t even really announced that. I’ve been kind of playing it by ear.

I think just kind of letting go of this, I’ve got to make something happen, I’ve got to do this; it’s just accepting there’s more to life. There’s a future of other things, and I think that just kind of eased up out here rather than the pressure of just making the pressure — I’m Ryann in a lot of different ways rather than just Ryann the golfer.

I feel like it’s been a long time coming as far as all the work and effort I’ve been putting towards getting to where I am today. It’s always a combination of where your swing is at, where your head is at, your team with your caddie, I think that makes a huge difference. It’s a partnership out there, and how you guys communicate and all that. It’s funny, this is the first week we worked together and I win. So, who knows? I’m excited to see what happens next week.

Q. So did what happened today just prolong your career for certain?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Don’t tell Gina. I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that out. I’ve never wanted to be a mom on Tour as far as having a kid and doing all that. It doesn’t sound fun to me. But at the same time, I don’t know if I could stop playing golf now.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of Gina, there is a question on Zoom. We saw Gina on the green there watching you walk up 18 and you saw the emotion from her and the emotion from the two of you when she was able to pour champagne on you. What does it mean for to you have this win with her on the green and just the journey that you two have been on to get to this moment?

RYANN O’TOOLE: You know, I said earlier, winning, there’s plenty of weeks I’ve been out here by myself and my parents or Gina haven’t been out here. You think of whipping and you’re like who, will be out there to pure champagne on you or who is going to be there to greet you or who has been next to you on the off weeks or next to you when you cried because you were frustrated of missing cut or not playing well on the weekend or whatever.

She’s definitely been there for me. She’s always been on the other end, every time I go to play, I call her before I tee off, right when I get done, just talk about my round or to wish me luck. To see the emotion in her and to be there, she knows how hard I work and how much that this game has cut me open and how much this game has now given back to me.

It’s so nice to be able to share that, and to be myself out there and to have her greet me on the green and just live in a world today that I’m not scared to hide that.

THE MODERATOR: I love that — sorry.

RYANN O’TOOLE: Thanks.

THE MODERATOR: Carnoustie is ahead of us next week. What are your thoughts and obviously going in with a win, how much confidence are you feeling in your game after what you were able to do on the links?

RYANN O’TOOLE: I want to go in with the same game plan as this week. Obviously expectations are going to be different. I don’t see how they can’t be; I’d be lying to myself. But I just think proving that I can do it, if I take the game that I had this week, there’s no reason that I don’t have a shot next week. I always wanted to see what happens when I break the seal, what would happen to the future.

Q. So I hope it’s okay if I ask this, but if you were going to retire at the end of this year and you hadn’t won, how would that have eaten at you? How big of a hole was that?

RYANN O’TOOLE: Between you and I, it definitely would have ate at me. I definitely feel like it would have been unfinished business and something I never would have known what the feel is. Now that I’ve had a taste, I feel like that’s going to be a hard one to give up.

So I might have to like have a little chat and figure out what my next steps are. There was honestly no actual set plan to retire. It was just a question of, my clock’s ticking, and I know that as a female, and what do I want to do going forward.

But that mainly was the thought process. My sister just had a kid and she’s like, he needs cousins, let’s golf I’m just like, oh my gosh, okay. Hang on.

So I’m still trying to figure out like one step at a time, just one week at time a time.

THE MODERATOR: Where is the trophy going to go?

RYANN O’TOOLE: I think I need a trophy room. I do. I really think so. It’s going to go in my pillow between — next to me tonight maybe. But till then, maybe I can start making something in my gym at home.

Categories
Ladies European Tour

Charley Hull: “I think I played really aggressive”

Charley Hull (Photo: Getty Images)

Q. What a fantastic day out there, what a way to end the Women’s Scottish Open, how do you feel after the final round?

CHARLEY HULL: I actually haven’t played well at The Scottish Open before. Definitely nice to be able to kind of finish on a high. The wind was a lot calmer today, so made it a little bit more gettable.

I think I played really aggressive — well, I tried to stay pretty aggressive, and that’s been the mindset feeding off last week. So yeah, just kept it to that and definitely nice to cap this week on a high and hopefully good momentum going into next week.

Q. Reminded me of the final round at ANA where you came back there. How comfortable were you feeling and when did the momentum start kicking in for you?

CHARLEY HULL: I actually hit the ball really well on the first day and I couldn’t really hole anything, and today I holed a few good putts. Made a few good up-and-down. I had two really good looks for eagle and one I converted and one I didn’t. But all in all, you know, I played solid and I think all you can do is just trust your game and I feel like a lot of good things are there.

So you know, I was just trusting it all day like I thought on the last day of the Olympics, and what’s meant to be is going to be. So yeah, I think with that mindset, it definitely putts a lot less pressure on it and I’m just out there playing golf and not trying to do — like trying to get extra out of something that I can’t control.

Q. Last two rounds, bogey-free, that’s got to help your confidence heading into the major.

CHARLEY HULL: I think overall, having a good finish here, that gives me good momentum heading into next week. This was a great golf course leading up to Carnoustie. This is a true links and we know what Carnoustie is like. I’m super excited for next week and learn from this week and take the positives and work on the things that I feel like needs to be worked on and have fun out there and see what happens.

Interview transcript by asapsports.com