Suzann Petersen Interview - Michelob Ultra Open
IN: News | LPGA | Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill (2007) | Final Round | 14 May 2007
Q: Suzann, congratulations.
Suzann Petersen: Thank you.
Q: Thank you for coming in. I don’t know if you can put it into words right now, but after so many close calls, close chances this year, how does this one feel?
Suzann Petersen: It feels special, I must say. Well, I didn’t expect to win. I mean, it felt like after yesterday, I thought it was okay, I’m a little too far back, but I’m still in the hunt.
So I just thought if I can get out and post a number, that would be good and that’s what I tried to do. And I played really good. The wind was good for me, made it a little difficult for the other ones. So, that was my plan.
So when I finished on 18, I was like, at least I posted a number. So that was a nice feeling.
Then the playoff, I mean, I had been pretty calm all day, not nervous. Probably the experience from Nabisco did come in. I just was letting it come to me and not try to force it.
Q: Can we go over your scorecard real quick?
Suzann Petersen: No. 2 was a little 4-iron to seven, eight feet.
3 was just short of the green in two. So I chipped it to about six feet and made the putt.
11, I hit a little wedge about 72 yards, and it was a little long. I made probably a 25-footer.
The first playoff hole, I hit a pretty good shot the first time into the green, a little 5. I just tried to control the trajectory on the ball and it came out good and I really fancied a chip. So I really, really tried to make it and it was a pretty good effort.
Then the second playoff, I got a little lucky with the driver. I pulled it a little bit. It was still far enough to carry over the trouble. Then I hit a tiny, tiny 9 over that uphill lie, and it was 106 to the pin. It was just a chip and a 9. And it was a good shot. I was in perfect position and hit a good putt from about eight, nine, ten feet. And just one of those where you feel like you hit a good putt and it didn’t prop.
On the third, I hit a tiny 7 from about 143 to the edge of the green, I don’t know how far it was, 20 feet, 15 feet maybe. Then I had like a foot left.
Q: And you are now third qualifier for the ADT Championship.
Suzann Petersen: That’s pretty cool.
Q: You had two shots during the course of your round that almost were carbon copies of what you ended up with in the playoff. You had a putt from the fifth hole from the apron, the par 3, and then you had a chip shot at 16 that was pretty delicate. Did you have some confidence on the shots that you had to play in the playoff because of that?
Suzann Petersen: Not really. I don’t think so. Overall I felt really good with my game all week. It got better and better each day, so I mean, that lie I had on the putt of the last playoff hole, it’s not ideal, it’s not what you want. You just try to get the pace.
It came out pretty good, and it was an aggressive stroke, so not too bad.
Q: Were you even watching Jee Young when she missed the par putt?
Suzann Petersen: Actually I played with Meena Lee today, and she had exactly the same putt and she missed it, as well. So I don’t know if it’s a hard line or
I don’t think my heart rate was much more than when I played the regular 18 holes. It could possibly the experience I had from a month ago or whatever it is already. It was good.
Q: Did it take you a couple of days after Nabisco to get over it?
Suzann Petersen: Of course, I was a bit disappointed but I was really happy, as well. It was a huge step for me to be in contention, almost pull it off. It was a great learning experience. It didn’t take me many days. Monday was probably the worst day. When I picked up the phone and my caddie called on Monday, he was like, “You’re still alive, that’s a good sign.” (Laughter) From there it was pretty much uphill.
Q: Once you were on the green in the third playoff hole and you see how close she is and you see your predicament, do you figure, game’s over or what?
Suzann Petersen: I just told my caddie, “She’s going to make this.” He goes
Suzann Petersen: I just tried to make a birdie from the regular position.
Q: Can you talk a little about playing the same hole over and over and over again; whether or not you get more comfortable as it goes on, or whether it gets a little bit unnerving to keep going back to the same tee box.
Suzann Petersen: I don’t know, I always felt comfortable on that tee box. I think that’s where I usually hit my best drives.
I mean, you have to take the chance when you get it, and I had my chance on the second time. I missed my putt and I thought, well, just try to stick one in there again and see what happens.
Q: Could you talk just a little about growing up in Norway, a place where the golf season is very short. What drew you to this game, as opposed to a lot of the other things you could have done over there?
Suzann Petersen: I don’t know why I started playing golf because our winter is usually the longest part of our season. I don’t know, my family plays golf. They couldn’t leave me at home, so they just had to bring me to the golf course, and there I was, chipping around.
I mean, it’s a short season, but it’s also a good thing because you get to work on technique during the wintertime, and you go to the south of Europe and you play and you practice and you come back and you practice your technique. Then you play all summer and the older you get, the more you play more international.
Look at Sweden, they have produced a lot of good players. It’s possible even though the climate is not ideal. You kind of use it to your advantage. Being part of kind of a winter sport country, you can take advantage of a lot of those athletes, what they do and kind of how they prepare.
Q: Did you try skiing and skating and all of that?
Suzann Petersen: If I didn’t play golf, I would probably be a professional skier. That’s actually what I love to do. Golf is just a job.
Q: I was actually trying to monitor the tournament on some Norwegian Web sites where it’s after midnight, and you’re still big news over there; do you think the people over there were following you, staying up after midnight? Do they get it on TV?
Suzann Petersen: At least my brother knew. (Laughter). No, I think they will.
Q: Do you feel like you kind of cleared a hurdle today? A lot of people have been in contention, it has to happen more than once or twice, and they finally get over the hump and get a win. Does this make you
it feels really good.
Q: Did you switch coaches in the off-season?
Suzann Petersen: Yeah, I switched coaches just before Christmas.
Q: How do you feel you’ve benefited?
Suzann Petersen: Well, it’s been pretty good. It’s been a pleasure to
smart move. It worked out really well.
Q: You’ve played well here before, and you said you were just trying to post a number here, do you feel looking back that you might have thought you had a better chance to win a couple of years ago here, as opposed to today?
Suzann Petersen: No. I mean, as good as I feel with my game and how I’m hitting it, no. This was the chance probably.
I mean, all year, like at Nabisco, if I can’t win now, I would never win, is how I felt about my game. But I’ve kind of stepped up and brought it to a little better level. I don’t know
yeah, I had a few shots where you feel like—I mean, the wind was going to gust and it was going to change and especially the front nine it was swirling around the trees all the time. Yeah, it was very hard.
I just try to play the percentage shots all the time and keep the ball in play. Today was par was a good score.
Q: Suzann, congratulations.
Source – Michelob Ultra Open
Photo – Tristan Jones/LET
