Kia Classic
Aviara Golf Club
Carlsbad, Calif.
Third-round notes and interviews
March 23, 2013
Looking for the calm
Where she wants to be
Looking for that win
Streaks intact
Major prize on the line
Quotable
Of Note
Beatriz Recari -11, Rolex Rankings No. 45
Karrie Webb -9, Rolex Rankings No. 15
Paula Creamer -8, Rolex Rankings No. 11
Beatriz Recari (@BeatrizRecari) increased her lead to two shots at the Kia Classic (@LPGAKiaClassic) after a 3-under 69 in the third round on Saturday. It was the Spaniard’s third-consecutive bogey-free round and used a birdie on No. 11 and eagle on No. 16 to move to 11-under for the week. LPGA and World Hall of Famer Karrie Webb trails Recari by two shots heading into Sunday’s final round.
“I don't think I have ever played bogey free after three rounds,” said Recari. “I don't think, no. I mean, I've minimized mistakes, I've had a few bogeys, I've had one or two bogeys, but bogey free, I think that's a new record for me. The last time I was in the lead heading into the 4th round was when I won, so it feels good.”
Recari is playing for her second-career victory, her first coming in her rookie year when she captured the 2010 CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
Looking for the calm: Beatriz Recari had struggles like any other rookie in her rookie season back in 2010, but the 25-year old has been trying to get back to a certain mindset she had that season. Recari said she was extremely calm when she held the third-round lead for the first time in her career when she won at the CVS/Pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
“To be honest with you, in my rookie year I was so calm,” said Recari. “After that I'm like okay, let's try and get that memory again and kind of like, you know, but I was so calm.”
Recari, who made her 38th consecutive cut this weekend, didn’t always make it look completely easy. She said winning isn’t totally complicated, but it’s usually her mental game that steps in the way.
“You know, winning is very simple, it is very easy,” said Recari. “You just make it hard for yourself and you start thinking the wrong things and that's what I was saying. Before when I won, I was so calm and I was surprised how calm I was because I was just doing the right things. I mean, after that, that win was very special because my beginning of my rookie year wasn't easy. I struggled a bit so that was very special. And after that I've been just focusing on getting my game better and better to put my name more consistently up there like I'm doing now. So I'm just very happy and hopefully I'm definitely doing the right things and just keep on doing that and getting the next win or more wins, but that's kind of been the process.”
Where she wants to be: Karrie Webb admitted after her round on Saturday that she’s exactly in the position she wants to be in. The 38-time LPGA Tour winner said her extensive experience being in the hunt on Sunday’s
“Well, they matter to me because I feel like that's my comfort zone,” said Webb. “Not every time that I give myself a chance to win do I win, but that's where I feel the most comfortable. I think where I felt awkward and not enjoying myself is when maybe I have to try and make a cut. I don't like that, so I don't like being out there just to make up the numbers. I like to have a chance to win and I've put myself in there with a good shot tomorrow. Because of my experience, I'm comfortable there.”
Webb bogeyed her last two holes of her round on Saturday to drop two shots off the lead with 18 holes left to play. But the Australian said there was nothing that happened out on the course that left her worrying about playing tomorrow.
“The two swings on 17, I don't even know where they came from,” said Webb. “Then 18 was just a really bad mental job worrying about hitting it right. So I don't have to worry about anything there, I feel good with how things are. I hit some good putts today and hit the ball well. I had three chances at eagle, three putts at eagle today and that doesn't happen for me very often, so I'm happy with the way things are and hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow.”
Looking for that win: Paula Creamer has played in 56 LPGA events since capturing her last victory at the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont. And there is no question that she would love to see that winless streak end on Sunday at the Kia Classic.
So what will be the key to Creamer finally breaking through again?
“I just want to kind of stay in my own world and not get wrapped up in everything,” Creamer said after shooting a 1-under 71 in Saturday’s third round. “I think it's going to be a good group going second to last. You're right in contention but you're fighting for the lead. There's a little bit different atmosphere in that sense and you're trying to start off strong. But this golf course is a lot about the last five, six holes and if I can get to there and we'll see what happens.”
Creamer wasn’t completely pleased with her 71 on Saturday, lamenting a few three-putts that led to bogeys at the end of her round on No. 16 and No. 18. But she still finds herself three back of leader, Beatriz Recari, heading into Sunday’s final round and right there in contention once again.
“I really feel like if I can eliminate those three putts, then I can be right there on 18,” she said. “I think if I look at all my bogeys, actually they've all been three putts, speed related, and that's something that I'm going to be very aware of tomorrow.”
Creamer came very close to ending her winless streak at last year’s Kingsmill Championship when she lost in a 9-hole playoff to Jiyai Shin. Creamer acknowledges that the long layoff between wins has been difficult, which is no surprise considering the 26-year-old’s competitive nature.
“It's one of the hardest things,” Creamer said. “Obviously I've gone through a lot with surgery and you're never the same after that. It takes some time to get back to where you are and just having the strength, and honestly not being afraid that you're going to hurt yourself again. I feel that I'm playing great, I'm hitting great golf shots. You know, we have kind of a thing with my team, I hate talking about the old Paula because I'm still the same girl, still the same golfer and this and that, I don't like that phrase, but I kind of feel like I guess I'm back at hitting a lot of greens, making birdie putts, making big putts at big moments and that's what I was doing. I've never been very far from it, it's just a matter of time of coming back to it.”
Streaks intact: Four of the longest streaks of consecutive made cuts were kept alive this weekend in Carlsbad when Karrie Webb, Paula Creamer, Jiyai Shin and Beatriz Recari extended their respective streaks of weekends made on the LPGA Tour. Webb leads the pack making her 49th straight cut.
Karrie Webb- 49 (last missed cut: 2010 P&G NW Arkansas Championship Presented By Walmart)
Paula Creamer- 47 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Jiyai Shin- 41 (last missed cut: 2010 LPGA Tour Championship)
Beatriz Recari- 38 (last missed cut: 2011 Navistar LPGA Classic)
Major prize on the line: In addition to a tournament victory being on the line in Sunday’s final round at the Kia Classic, there are also at least 10 spots in the upcoming Kraft Nabisco Championship up for grabs.
The top-10 players plus ties on the current year LPGA Official Money List, not otherwise qualified, at the end of this week will qualify for the Kraft Nabisco Championship. That is as long as the players were within the Top-90 positions on the current year LPGA Official Money List at the beginning of tournament competition.
Here are the players who were ranked in the top 10 in this category as of Monday, March 18.
1. | Moriya Jutanugarn |
2. | Jee Young Lee |
3. | Thidapa Suwannapura |
4. | Stacy Prammanasudh |
5. | Austin Ernst |
6. | Christel Boeljon |
7. | Chie Arimura |
8. | Jacqui Concolino |
9. | Rebecca Lee-Bentham |
10. | Daniela Iacobelli |
Quotable: “That would have been incredible. I've never made a double eagle, no, but I'm happy with an eagle. Let's not get greedy here.” –Third-round leader Beatriz Recari joked after she was asked whether she has ever had a double eagle in her career.
Of Note…Five Americans sit within the top-nine spots on the leaderboard: Paula Creamer (T3, -8), Stacy Lewis (T5, -7), Lizette Salas (T5, -7), Cristie Kerr (T5, -7) and Jane Park (T8, -6)
BEATRIZ RECARI, Rolex Rankings No. 45
MODERATOR: All right. I'd like to welcome in Beatriz Recari, our current leader at 11 under, 3 under today. Take us through your round. The front nine looked a little uneventful on your card. You had some exciting stuff on the back. Take us through your round.
BEATRIZ RECARI: Yeah, well, I started with kind of the same approach as I had the last two days. You could definitely tell that it was windier than when I played late on Thursday, so you had to have that in mind, and definitely the pins were a little bit more tucked in or you had to play more for the good spot on the green. So like pretty much my front nine was pretty steady, didn't have very close opportunities like I said except for on hole No. 9. And then I birdied 11, I hit a very good shot onto the green and good save on 12 and pretty steady. I had another chance on 13 and 14, 15, I made a good putt for par. And then I made eagle on 16, that was the highlight of the round, and just parred 18, 17 and 18 so that's it.
MODERATOR: Obviously I assume you're a fan of the setup on 16, they moved the tees up a little bit. Talk about your mentality or your approach that you kind of came into that hole and what your thought process was.
BEATRIZ RECARI: Well, we were waiting on the tee and I hit that tee shot in the practice round, actually in the pro am, and you just had to kind of play it safe, and if you get a good bounce you knew that it was going to bounce left. If you got a good bounce on the green, great, even though just make sure that I'm on the right side and I have enough green to work with. But I hit a very good tee shot and I had a good bounce as well so I had like a seven footer for eagle and I made it, so that's it.
MODERATOR: Great. No bogeys this entire week. Talk about I guess your entire mentality of minimizing mistakes. Obviously you haven't had that many this week. What's been the key for you to keeping those to a minimum?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Well, definitely I think that's definitely one thing and also I'm being very consistent and my striking's been very solid and that's definitely paid in the last few days. I had like two good saves today, but other than that I played really well, hitting the ball solid and just making sure that I position the ball in the right place.
Q. You mentioned 12. What were your two good saves?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No. 3? I was on the right side and the pin was back left, so I just missed the green and I had that kind of big mound that comes through, so I decided to chip because it was kind of much easier and then kind of rolled down and I had like a 10 footer for par and I made it.
Q. But you weren't on the green?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No, I was just off the green, and like I said, used that mound.
Q. It's tough.
BEATRIZ RECARI: It was a much better option to chip and I did that.
Q. And then 12?
BEATRIZ RECARI: 12, I just missed the fairway, hit the tee shot on the right, hit a tree, kind of came down in the thick rough and I just chipped it out and I had like, if I remember correctly, 113 yards to the pin and hit my pitching wedge and just made the putt.
Q. How long was that putt?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Probably like six, seven feet on the right, pin high.
Q. Do you remember when the last time you went three rounds with no bogeys, which is really impressive, and also when was the last time you were in the lead going into the final round of a tournament?
BEATRIZ RECARI: First question, I don't think I have ever played bogey free after three rounds. I don't think, no. I mean, I've minimized mistakes, I've had a few bogeys, I've had one or two bogeys, but bogey free, I think that's a new record for me. The last time I was in the lead heading into the 4th round was when I won, so it feels good.
Q. What do you think your nerves are going to be like tomorrow now that you're in this position again, and how much different will they be relative to in your rookie season when you were leading going in the last round? What do you remember about that?
BEATRIZ RECARI: To be honest with you, in my rookie year I was so calm. After that I'm like okay, let's try and get that memory again and kind of like, you know, but I was so calm. And today I am very proud of myself because I was very patient and I was playing with Paula and she's a very good player and she started very hot, she made a good long putt on 2 for birdie so we were tied already. It's always great to play with those two with top players like Paula or like Karrie, who was just in the group in front, or IK. It's hard but I'm proud of myself for how I managed myself and just going to focus on my own thing and my own game and just be patient and that's what I do and that paid off with that birdie on 11, the eagle on 16 and I had a few other good opportunities. So tomorrow I'm just going to do the same and do my best. If I win, great. If not, I take a lot of positives.
Q. Is it interesting for you now, you win in your rookie year and I think you said out there yesterday when we were talking that you come to appreciate how hard it is to win out here after you're out here a couple more years and haven't won. Does it almost put some more pressure on now that you know what winning is like and how hard it was to get back?
BEATRIZ RECARI: You know, winning is very simple, it is very easy. You just make it hard for yourself and you start thinking the wrong things and that's what I was saying. Before when I won, I was so calm and I was surprised how calm I was because I was just doing the right things. I mean, after that, that win was very special because my beginning of my rookie year wasn't easy. I struggled a bit so that was very special. And after that I've been just focusing on getting my game better and better to put my name more consistently up there like I'm doing now. So I'm just very happy and hopefully I'm definitely doing the right things and just keep on doing that and getting the next win or more wins, but that's kind of been the process.
Q. Can I ask you about 16, you mentioned hitting the shot in the practice round. What did you do from the forward tee, what did you do in your practice shots? Did you reach the green?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No, I just hit one shot because actually, I have to say they were very nice, one shot. I just wanted to make sure that I got the nice the correct kind of image of it and make sure that I got the right line and where to finish and past that, you know, is no good. So yeah, I hit it, and as soon as I hit it I knew it was going to be good. I didn't know it was going to be that good, but I knew it was going to be maybe on the green or just short. It was definitely on the line. Seeing the reaction of the crowds was pretty neat, pretty amazing.
Q. It wasn't until you came down the fairway that you actually knew?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No, I knew because of the reaction because they started kind of like ah ah ah ah. You could definitely see that it was going to pass by close and they started kind of clapping and kind of getting excited, so I knew that it was close. And when I got I was close enough to look over the green and knew where I was. I was pretty happy.
Q. Have you ever made a double eagle?
BEATRIZ RECARI: That would have been incredible. I've never made a double eagle, no, but I'm happy with an eagle. Let's not get greedy here.
Q. Because it was
BEATRIZ RECARI: No, it was six feet past. No, it wasn't like this, it was six feet.
Q. It was only about this far from going when it went past the hole?
BEATRIZ RECARI: I don't know. I think it was maybe a little bit closer, but you have to watch it on TV. I don't know how close it passed by.
Q. You haven't seen the highlight of it?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No, I'll watch it later.
Q. My question is that when you were a youngster and you were developing your game in Spain, were there other golfers that were your role models, like for example, Miguel or possibly Sergio, who's much older than you also, or some of the other Spanish Ollie or some of these guys. Were any of them around your area or did any of them influence you at all?
BEATRIZ RECARI: To begin with Severino, he was from a town just two hours and a half drive straight west from my hometown. Pamplona is up north and he was just a little bit more north as well in Santander. So definitely Severino for every Spaniard, he's a role model. And Olazabal because he actually just I was a member at his home club as well and we had the same coach as amateur. So definitely I would say, number one, Olazabal just because of that kind of connection, we had the same coach, and obviously Severino. And with the years I got to meet Sergio and he's definitely an amazing player and definitely a role model.
KARRIE WEBB, Rolex Rankings No. 15
MODERATOR: All right. I'd like to welcome in Rolex Rankings No. 15, Karrie Webb. Karrie, good day out there, a little tough end. Take us through those last holes.
KARRIE WEBB: I played really well, just a couple of bad swings on 17 and then which went right and then the anti right swing off the tee on 18, so just not a great, great finish. But obviously only two shots behind and I feel good with how I'm playing and I've just got to do that again tomorrow.
MODERATOR: Take us through the stretch of I guess 8 through 12, you had four birdies out of your five holes. Was that really key? Was there anything particularly in that stretch that stood out?
KARRIE WEBB: I think I went for the green on 8 and, you know, it was really not that much to carry but you're hitting off a downslope and it was a little you know, pitched a little right to left and I could have easily just have not backed myself there and laid it up and tried to make birdie. But I trusted myself and trusted how I've been feeling, that I was swinging it. And I hit a great 5 wood onto the green there and 2 putted for birdie. So I think just the fact that I backed myself there instead of maybe not trusting that I could pull that shot off was key for me today and that sort of really got me going.
MODERATOR: You made your 49th consecutive cut this week, leads the Tour currently for consecutive made cuts. Just talk about the combination of consistency and your longevity right now and the state of your game. You keep making cuts, you're in contention. Just talk about the combination of that.
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I think it's the longest stretch of my career, I guess. I knew I had two seasons in a row without missing a cut, but I didn't know what the number was. But I think that's just as important in looking at someone's state of their game, making cuts, you're not that far away from playing really well and I feel that's where I'm at. And this week I didn't know how I would particularly play this course, but I got off to good start on Thursday and really settled in and I've played well since then.
MODERATOR: You said you put a lot of extra work coming into this week, a lot of video, things like that. Are you big on analytics through video and emailing and going back and forth with your coach?
KARRIE WEBB: Yes and no. I think you can overdo it, so I try I mean, I only did one video on Monday and then I just sent that and we discussed what we needed to I discussed it on Sunday night as well before I practiced on Monday and those things paid off. It's amazing what technology does, on my mobile phone, had it on speakerphone and had the swing up on my phone and we were going through the swing, and then actually comparing two swings at one time on the phone while I'm talking on the phone. You know, it's pretty amazing what you can do these days.
Q. Karrie, all the experience and all the wins, how much do those matter on Sunday or how much do you feel like they matter to you on a Sunday?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, they matter to me because I feel like that's my comfort zone. Not every time that I give myself a chance to win do I win, but that's where I feel the most comfortable. I think where I felt awkward and not enjoying myself is when maybe I have to try and make a cut. I don't like that, so I don't like being out there just to make up the numbers. I like to have a chance to win and I've put myself in there with a good shot tomorrow. Because of my experience, I'm comfortable there. It's just a matter of, just like the 5 wood on No. 8, it's just a matter of believing that I can do it.
Q. It's been two years since the Donnelley win, correct?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah. I won the Australian Masters in February as well.
Q. Those kind of winning muscles, you know, the winning thoughts, do they come pretty readily to you when you're out there as far as just the comfort of those?
KARRIE WEBB: I think so. I think every opportunity you have to win, you have different emotions and different feelings, and I think not one tournament is the same and I think you have to deal with certain things that you have to overcome and ride the birdie waves during a tournament when they come as well. You know, obviously disappointed with how I finished today, but actually with the three swings I put on it, it could have been a lot worse than bogey bogey. It could have been a little bit of fatigue. It took us a long time to play today. I was standing on 18 thinking I hadn't eaten for over an hour and sometimes you get caught up with what you're doing. I probably should have started to have something to eat, concentration probably wouldn't have lapsed.
Q. When you have a finish like you just had, do you just want to get back out there? What's the sense of how much am I going to be able to work on things, do I even need to work on things?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't need to work on anything. The two swings on 17, I don't even know where they came from. Then 18 was just a really bad mental job worrying about hitting it right. So I don't have to worry about anything there, I feel good with how things are. I hit some good putts today and hit the ball well. I had three chances at eagle, three putts at eagle today and that doesn't happen for me very often, so I'm happy with the way things are and hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow.
PAULA CREAMER, Rolex Rankings No. 11
PAULA CREAMER: You know I'm obviously disappointed in my finish and the last couple holes, the three putt on 16 and the three putt on 18. Actually all of my bogeys were three putts. My speed struggled, I made a good long one on one hole, on the 2nd hole but just kind of struggled with my pace out there. I hit some good shots, I hit some great putts here and there. I'm not disappointed, but I'm not, you know, sitting over here super excited with the way I finished. But we have another day, I'm only three back considering everything that went on today and I'm looking forward to it.
MODERATOR: I was going to say, even if you're not completely happy with the round, you find yourself three shots back. What are going to be the keys for you tomorrow to be able to capture that victory that I know you've been looking for?
PAULA CREAMER: I just want to kind of stay in my own world and not get wrapped up in everything. I think it's going to be a good group going second to last. You're right in contention but you're fighting for the lead. There's a little bit different atmosphere in that sense and you're trying to start off strong. But this golf course is a lot about the last five, six holes and if I can get to there and we'll see what happens. But not really doing anything much different. I really feel like if I can eliminate those three putts, then I can be right there on 18. I think if I look at all my bogeys, actually they've all been three putts, speed related, and that's something that I'm going to be very aware of tomorrow.
MODERATOR: I know you got in a little practice right after the round. What were you working on and what do you think kind of you can just change tomorrow to make sure that you can tweak those little things that might have kind of hurt you today?
PAULA CREAMER: I think I was just coming up a little bit out of my longer putts. I wasn't quite hitting it in the middle of the putter and it's a tendency of mine is to peak a little bit early and to kind of want to see where the ball's going. It's easy to do as a golfer, you want to know where the ball is. I just have to constantly remind myself to stay down on it and it got came back a little bit today with the longer putts. But I made a bunch of birdies, so it's funny, it's like my putting is there but there's a couple little areas that need to get just a little bit better.
Q. Paula, as competitive as you are, has it been tough looking back in 2010 U.S. Open, wow, now we're in 2013? Has it been tough for you?
PAULA CREAMER: For not having a win?
Q. Not having one.
PAULA CREAMER: Oh, yeah, it's one of the hardest things. Obviously I've gone through a lot with surgery and you're never the same after that. It takes some time to get back to where you are and just having the strength, and honestly not being afraid that you're going to hurt yourself again. I feel that I'm playing great, I'm hitting great golf shots. You know, we have kind of a thing with my team, I hate talking about the old Paula because I'm still the same girl, still the same golfer and this and that, I don't like that phrase, but I kind of feel like I guess I'm back at hitting a lot of greens, making birdie putts, making big putts at big moments and that's what I was doing. I've never been very far from it, it's just a matter of time of coming back to it.
Q. As good as your shot was on 16 today, Beatriz obviously hit a phenomenal shot?
PAULA CREAMER: Um hmm.
Q. What did you think of that, because that's an interesting hole. You don't see the green necessarily.
PAULA CREAMER: Right.
Q. How good was her shot?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I mean, it's great. I'm sure there wasn't many that were that close to how that was. I guess it almost went in. We're hitting driver off of a mountain, so much of it depends on a bounce here or there. She made the putt. Sometimes you hit good shots and you don't make the putt. It was a good 2. It had a chance of going in. Like I said, I think that's a fun hole. It's a great hole from either box. I think the green's 60 yards long. Yesterday I think we had 56 front and it was 56 on. Adding that is kind of a weird thing, but it's a fun hole and I'm glad that our Tour is kind of changing up certain holes out there.
Q. Beatriz doesn't have a bogey this week. How impressive is that on this golf course?
PAULA CREAMER: I didn't realize that. Wow, that's actually, that's very impressive. It's hard to not have a bogey out here. I don't know, I mean, I've had a bunch. That's why she's leading. She's making a lot of pars, making the birdies when she needs to and we'll see what happens tomorrow.