Highland Meadows Golf Club
Sylvania, Ohio
Final-Round Notes and Interviews
July 21, 2013
Beatriz Recari -17, Rolex Rankings No. 26
Paula Creamer -16, Rolex Rankings No. 14
Lexi Thompson -13, Rolex Rankings No. 28
Jodi Ewart Shadoff -13, Rolex Rankings No. 59
Stacy Lewis -9, Rolex Rankings No. 2
Three weeks remain until the 2013 Solheim Cup but Sunday’s final round of the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I certainly had the look and feel of a dramatic singles matches between the United States and Europe. Beatriz Recari of Spain and American Paula Creamer provided a duel to the finish at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio as Recari sank a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to capture her second victory of the 2013 season and the third of her career.
Recari shot a 17-under 267 for the tournament which was just enough to edge Creamer who was just one stroke behind with a 16-under 268.
“I still can't believe it, because I was so focused for the last two rounds to just keep cool and just focus on my game,” said Recari. “Because like Paula said, she played amazing for two days. It was really a competition. It was like who was going to stick it close and who was going to make a putt.”
Recari and Creamer entered the day tied for the lead at 12-under-par, three shots clear of their competitors. The two kept themselves separated from the field but could never quite shake each other as they traded birdies throughout the day. Creamer said the battle certainly has a Solheim Cup feel.
“Oh, definitely,” said Creamer. “I felt it, I know she probably did out there, a little pre‑game into Solheim. I love match play. It felt like match play, yes. But at the same time, you're playing the golf course. Coming down the stretch of course you're playing each other. But it was good. Definitely has your juices going for the next couple of weeks.”
After they each picked up three birdies on the front nine and made the turn tied at 15-under par, Recari finally broke the deadlock on the par-3 14th. The 26-year old took the lead with an impressive 12-foot birdie putt and moved ahead by one stroke lead, which she would not relinquish.
The pair both went par-birdie-par on the next three holes and headed for the final showdown of what had been a thrilling round.
Fans crowded the 18th hole to catch a glimpse of the 2008 winner, as she tried her best of force a playoff. Creamer knocked her third shot to the fringe on the back of the green, leaving herself a tough but very makeable 18-foot birdie putt. Recari followed with her attempt at the green out of the rough which ended up too strong and bounced off the back of the green and a playoff suddenly seemed more than possible.
Recari shook off the pressure and chipped within four feet of the hole, leaving all the pressure on Creamer to make her birdie putt. The crowd watched in awed silence as Creamer took her stance and sent the ball toward the hole but it edged just past and she took a tap-in to make par.
Recari then calmly stepped up and made her winning putt as a wave of relief rushed over her face. The duel was finally over and the Spaniard has emerged the victor.
“I was definitely shaking a little bit,” said Recari. “I knew that I had to make it to win and avoid a playoff. Playoff is always nerve‑wracking or you're even and it can go either way.
“In Kia I won the playoff, but really I took a couple breaths and said, ‘Okay, just read the putt, put a good stroke, and just be calm.’ It went in, so I'm happy. I'm just really happy. Like I said, just all came down to the last putt.”
The Spaniard was coming off her first missed cut in 46 consecutive starts at the U.S. Women’s Open at Sebonack and said the win this week was the perfect affirmation that her game is right back on track.
“It's definitely a boost of confidence because you never like to miss a cut,” said Recari. “But I felt really good. I said it two days ago: I took a lot of positives from that week. I didn't miss the cut because my game was poor; it was other factors that I let influence myself.
“I mean, I played great on Friday, so obviously my game was fine. It was something that happened and I learned from it. But it's definitely very relieving to bounce back and post a good score, and to win is a bonus. But like I said, I'm just very happy with how I played the last four days. That's what I'm proud of.”
Recari is projected to move to No. 17 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings which will also help solidify her spot on the European Solheim Cup Team. She’s currently ranked in the 8th spot where positions 4-8 are based on the Rolex Rankings. She said she thought the final round today was great preparation for August when Europe will try to defend their title. Recari will make her first Solheim Cup appearance and said she learned from Creamer’s consistency on Sunday.
“It totally felt like Solheim Cup for the last two days,” said Recari. “She is very experienced player in Solheim Cup and I'll be a rookie. It was great to play with her, to learn, because she's so consistent.”
Rolex Rankings No. 1 Inbee Park closed out her week with a 1-over 72 to finish at 3-under par in a tie for 33rd. It was her worst finish since the ShopRite LPGA Classic on June 2nd when she finished T38. Park will have the week off before she heads to the Old Course at St. Andrews in pursuit of her fourth-consecutive major championship. The South Korean will be the first male or female golfer to play for four-straight professional major championships in one season.
In a good place: Despite losing a heartbreaker to Beatriz Recari in the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I, Paula Creamer still put together the best finish of her already strong season with a solo second place.
“I am pleased. Am I bummed? Yeah, super bummed. But that's what it is,” Creamer said. “I feel really good being back in this spot and tasting that little bit of pressure and excitement coming down the stretch.”
Creamer hopes that she can continue her strong play into the RICOH Women’s British Open and maybe finally break her winless streak of 68 starts dating back to the 2010 U.S. Women’s Open.
“My game is coming along. I've always been kind of in contention, right around there, but this was a good week for me to start off strong on Thursday and Friday and then continued it on the weekend,” Creamer said. “But this is what I've been working hard for. I've been just grinding away, and it's starting to pay off. All in all, I've always said golf is a marathon, not a sprint. I just want to continue this up and we'll see what happens going into St. Andrews.”
Ace Alert! For the average eighteen year-old, a new car is simply a dream, with many teenagers scrimping and saving for years to purchase a set of wheels but for Lexi Thompson, all it took was a 6-iron and a little bit of luck.
“That was amazing. I can't describe the feeling in words. I hit just a little backed off 6‑iron and it just kept on rolling, rolling, and just disappeared. So I dropped my club and I just went crazy,” Thompson said. “It's the best feeling just to hear the crowd cheering. I went up the line just high‑fiving everybody. It was awesome.”
Thompson’s hole-in-one was the second of the tournament, with the first coming from Katherine Hull-Kirk in the second round on Friday. Both golfers will win brand new 2014 Kia Cadenzas. Today’s ace was the fourth of Thompson’s career but her first in official competition.
Lexi almost won a car already in her career, when she hit a hole-in-one in Taiwan, only to fall short of winning the brand new Audi R8 Spyder because she made the shot in a pro-am instead of the tournament.
“I have bad luck with cars,” Thompson said.
Last push for Solheim Cup points: Six American players ranked within the top nine spots in the U.S. Solheim Cup Team points standings earned valuable points this week in Toledo by finishing in the top-20 at the Marathon Classic. It will be a very tight battle for players vying for a coveted spot on the U.S. Team with just one event remaining for a chance to earn points. Just 77 points separate five players in spots Nos. 8-13. The RICOH Women’s British Open next month will be the final event where points are awarded and points earned will be doubled because of its major championship status.
| Player | Finish | Points Earned | Rank (Total Points) |
| Paula Creamer | 2nd | 30 | 2nd (526.50) |
| Lexi Thompson | T3 | 28.5 | 6th (261) |
| Angela Stanford | T5 | 25.5 | 4th (406.5) |
| Stacy Lewis | T7 | 22.5 | 1st (857) |
| Jennifer Johnson | T7 | 22.5 | 9th (185) |
| Brittany Lang | T20 | 15 | 8th (241) |
UPDATED U.S. SOLHEIM CUP TEAM RANKINGS
| 1 | Stacy Lewis | 857 |
| 2 | Paula Creamer | 526.5 |
| 3 | Cristie Kerr | 484.5 |
| 4 | Angela Stanford | 406.5 |
| 5 | Brittany Lincicome | 269 |
| 6 | Lexi Thompson | 261 |
| 7 | Jessica Korda | 247.5 |
| 8 | Brittany Lang | 241 |
| 9 | Jennifer Johnson | 185 |
| 10 | Gerina Piller | 174 |
| Lizette Salas | 174 | |
| 12 | Morgan Pressel | 164.5 |
| 13 | Michelle Wie | 160.5 |
| 14 | Katie Futcher | 116.5 |
| 15 | Nicole Castrale | 104 |
Belly Up! Belly putters haven’t been banned from the LPGA Tour yet. Golfers are allowed to use the anchored putters until 2016 but Jodi Ewart Shadoff’s belly putter won’t be coming out of storage any time soon.
“It's going to be in the garage when I get home forever, I hope,” Ewart Shadoff said.
She made the switch to a tradition putter only on Tuesday after struggling for months with the belly putter, which had originally helped her game.
“First year I saw it was pretty good for me and helped my confidence a lot,” Ewart Shadoff said. “But the last maybe six or seven months it's kind of been not ruining my stroke, it's not been consistent. It makes you take it pretty inside and push it out.”
She had planned to wait until the end of the season to switch but became to frustrated and followed her gut.
“I was going to wait until this off‑season, but it became so frustrating least week. I finished at 9‑under last week,” Ewart Shadoff said. “Obviously the scores were so low. I gave myself so many opportunities, and it was just really frustrating. I just couldn't take it any longer.”
The decision to switch mid-season wasn’t an easy one, and caused nerves going into this week’s tournament in Sylvania.
“I was nervous switching. I kind of made it out to be more of a big deal than it should have really been. It wasn't a big deal for me. It was just the short putts that I was kind of worried about,” Ewart Shadoff said. “But it's been good. Now my tempo is good. Finally getting my putter on plane.”
Ewart Shadoff hopes her new putter and new confidence will take her far the rest of the year, and maybe onto the European Solheim Cup Team in two weeks.
“I'm playing well right now. Anything can happen,” Ewart Shadoff said. “I'm just keeping my fingers crossed, and hopefully I'll be in Colorado in a couple weeks.”
Lewis finishes strong in front of her ‘Crew:’ With her local crowd behind her and the “Lew Crew” out in full force, hometown hero Stacy Lewis put together a strong final round to finish the Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning & O-I on a high note.
“I don't know where it came from. I worked on my putting for couple hours yesterday, and I guess I found something that made it click,” Lewis said. “I was glad to give the Lou Crew something to cheer about and go out on a high note.”
Lewis, who sits in the second spot in the Rolex Rankings under Inbee Park, shot an impressive 7-under 64 in the final round and put on quite a show for the crowd that consisted of many of her family and friends.
“I think they've seen me play that way on TV before but never in person, so it was nice to give them something to cheer about,” Lewis said. “They've been great. They followed me all four days. They struggled in the heat and struggled when I was making bogeys. So I was just glad to be able to make a few today.”
Her strong finish also gives her some much-needed momentum heading into the third major of the year, the RICOH Women’s British Open. Lewis will look to break her drought and get her first major win since her first at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2011.
“I'm feeling pretty good about it. I've had some rounds where my putter is going in the right direction. So I definitely feel like it's moving in the right direction,” Lewis said. “I just need to get a little bit more consistent.”
Lewis finished the tournament at 9-under, good enough for tie for seventh, and narrowly missed a chance to bring it to 10-under on the 18th hole when she narrowly missed her birdie putt.
“It kind of bounced off the face a little bit and hit a mark on the green. It was a tricky putt. It could have gone either way,” Lewis said. “I was just glad to have a putt to go to 10‑under. I think at the beginning of the day I would have loved that.”
Overall, the tournament was a success for Lewis, her family and Marathon, and she couldn’t have found a better way to finish it.
“It's been a great. It's busy for me, but it's a lot of fun to get back and see my family,” Lewis said. “And just to play the way I did today, it was awesome to go out on a high note.”
Golden Ticket Winners: Jacqui Concolino, Se Ri Pak and Chella Choi punched their "Ticket to CME Group Titleholders" at the Marathon Classic Presented Owens Corning O-I, each earning a spot in the season-ending CME Group Titleholders event, which will be held Nov. 21-24, 2012 in Naples, Fla. The third-annual CME Group Titleholders is a season finale with a field made up of three qualifiers from every LPGA Tour tournament.
STACY LEWIS, Rolex Rankings No. 2
Q. Pretty good round.
STACY LEWIS: Thank you. It was pretty good. I don't know where it came from. I worked on my putting for couple hours yesterday, and I guess I found something that made it click.
But it was easy. I left three or four on the edge. It was just a really nice day. I was glad to give the Lou Crew something to cheer about and go out on a high note.
Q. What of the putting the key then?
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, it was. Yesterday I hit 15 greens and just didn't get much out of it. Today I hit even a few more and just finally made some putts. So I made some longer ones, which I hadn't been doing all week.
Q. Was it important for to finish given you struggled a little bit in the first few rounds?
STACY LEWIS: I think that's just the way I play. It doesn't matter if I'm out of it or not. I am going to go out there and try to make as many birdies as I can.
Once I started making a few, I said, If I can get inside the top 10, I think that would be a pretty good week.
Q. The putt on 18, looked like you knew right away.
STACY LEWIS: Yeah, it kind of bounced off the face a little bit and hit a mark on the green. It was a tricky putt. It could have gone either way. I was just glad to have a putt to go to 10‑under. I think at the beginning of the day I would have loved that.
Q. Overall, sum up the tournament experience.
STACY LEWIS: It's been a great. It's busy for me, but it's a lot of fun to get back and see my family. And just to play the way I did today, it was awesome to go out on a high note.
Q. It a little special to ‑‑ this is really the first time you really put on a show for the hometown people.
STACY LEWIS: I mean, I think they've seen me play that way on TV before but never in person, so it was nice to give them something to cheer about.
They were feeling it on the back nine and making some birdies there at the end. They've been great. They followed me all four days. They struggled in the heat and struggled when I was making bogeys.
So I was just glad to be able to make a few today.
Q. A week break and then we've got the British coming up. How are you feeling about the state of your game heading into that major?
STACY LEWIS: I'm feeling pretty good about it. I've had some rounds where my putter is going in the right direction. So I definitely feel like it's moving in the right direction. I just need to get a little bit more consistent.
I am looking forward to a week off. It's the first time I get to go home in five and a half weeks. Looking forward to just getting home and just being able to practice and kind of work on a few things.
But I feel like I'm moving in the right direction.
PAULA CREAMER, Rolex Rankings No. 14
QUICK QUOTES
Q. I know you were hoping for a victory, but you played well all week. What do you take out of this performance this week?
Paula Creamer: You know, I did. I played great. I can't be too upset with myself. Obviously there are moments out there where you wish you could have done something.
I really can't take too many shots today that I thought I would I would go and replay. I mean, obviously maybe the putt on 17 and the tee shot on 18.
But I gave it all I had. That's for sure. I was positive after every shot. She beat me by one. She played well.
Q. What was the back and forth experience like for you two?
PAULA CREAMER: I never really looked at the leaderboard. I knew there were a lot of girls that could go low, but if I stayed right in front or right around Beatriz I knew that someone would have to play really good.
But it was good golf. There was a lot of great shots. It was exciting down the stretch. That's what I want.
Honestly, I had so much fun out there. It was great to be in contention, making big shots, making some big putts at the right time.
Q. Talk about 14. That was the pivotal hole, as it turned out.
Paula Creamer: The par‑3?
Q. Yeah.
PAULA CREAMER: I actually think 17 was the pivotal one. If I made birdie there it would have been a little bit different story.
I hit a great shot into that hole. I just had a ridiculously hard putt for birdie.
You know, she left herself right below the hole. You know, that happens. It's just a matter of when you can make your putts and when you get a little lucky here and there.
Q. Do you believe that this makes you stronger as a golfer?
PAULA CREAMER: Of course. Like I said, I've learned a lot. This was great for me, my confidence. I definitely had a great attitude the whole week. I was just very calm and started to make more putts and give myself as many opportunities as I could.
Most importantly I fought as hard as I possibly could, and that was a confidence booster.
Q. The crowd was so behind you this week.
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah.
Q. When she made the winning putt it kind of seemed like a measured applause. Could you kind of sense the deflation?
PAULA CREAMER: I love this area. I've been so lucky to have so many great fans everywhere we go, but I think this might be the top 5 of the most pink that I've ever seen out on a golf course. This was my ninth year, so that's telling you a lot.
I tried as hard as I could for everybody, but it was a little bit silent when she made that putt. But she deserved it.
MODERATOR: What a good battle between and you Beatriz. Talk about coming down the stretch and being in such a close contest.
PAULA CREAMER: No, it was. My goodness, there were so many great shots played today and some big putts. I definitely can look at myself in the mirror and say I gave it 110%.
I talked to Kathy Whitworth last night and I talked to Nancy Lopez just kind of picking their brains a little bit. They both said just to go out there and fight as hard as you can. Either way, win or lose, know that you did as good as you could. And I can honestly say I did.
Do I wish I could go back and maybe change a couple of things here and there? Yes. But I played great. I really did. Beatriz just played one shot better. She just said in her speech as well that it came down to one putt. Through all that golf out there, it's kind of funny how it comes down to the wire.
But I am pleased. Am I bummed? Yeah, super bummed. But that's what it is. I feel really good being back in this spot and tasting that a little bit of pressure and excitement coming down the stretch.
MODERATOR: You've been playing really good golf lately, really solid. You played 67, 67 on the weekend and didn't win, which is hard to swallow.
But going into a major next week and then Solheim coming up, you have to be kind of pleased.
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, of course. You know, like I said, my game is coming along. I've always been kind of in contention, right around there, but this was a good week for me to start off strong on Thursday and Friday and then continued it on the weekend.
But this is what I've been working hard for. I've been just grinding away, and it's starting to pay off. All in all, I've always said golf is a marathon, not a sprint. I just want to continue this up and we'll see what happens going into St. Andrews.
Q. She took the lead for good on 14, but at 16 you hit it really close. Looked like you were going to tie it up.
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, that's golf. I mean, probably if it was reversed there hopefully I would have done the same. It was great. I made a birdie; she made a birdie on the next hole. Then I would make a birdie and she was make one on the next hole.
That's fun. Like I said, I had fun out there. It was good golf. She made a bomb on that hole but almost missed the one on 17. 17's pin placement was kind of weird. I hit a great putt there and then really didn't even hit kind of hit the hole really and I played it where I wanted.
But that 14, I hit a great shot in there. It was just a little bit too much and I left myself with a really tough putt. She had a straight uphill 10‑footer. You know, that's the difference right there.
Q. Was that awfully similar to what could be happening at the Solheim Cup with match play and you on opposite sides?
PAULA CREAMER: Oh, definitely. I felt it, I know she probably did out there, a little pre‑game into Solheim. I love match play. It felt like match play, yes.
But at the same time, you're playing the golf course. Coming down the stretch of course you're playing each other. But it was good. Definitely has your juices going for the next couple of weeks.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about calling Lopez and Whitworth, how do you have the comfort level to talk to them and how you tap into that?
PAULA CREAMER: Actually, they have been there. I've known Kathy since I was about 16 years old when I played in her event out in Texas. She's just taken me under her wing. She's my best‑kept secret, that's for sure.
She's just amazing. When I hear her speak, the world just stops. What she's done for women's golf winning 88 times, there is nothing cooler than that. When someone wants to help, just whoever it is, I'm lucky it is me. I just can't say enough about that.
I am sure she has many things to be doing. To take the time to try to help me become a better golfer, that's amazing. I'm blessed for that.
And Nancy has been there since I ‑‑ I won the Nancy Lopez Award when I was about 17 years old. So just one year after Kathy. So it's is neat when you can turn your phone on and you see these text messages from them. It's pretty special. They gave me some great words of wisdom, as they have for the past 10 years.
Q. Seems like from the time you stepped in here Wednesday you've genuinely had a good time, even more than previous years.
PAULA CREAMER: I have. 100%. I'm in a really good place right now. I'm very happy. I just love what I do. I always have. But I think over the last couple months I've just been embracing my life out here. You have to grow up so fast. I've been here since I was 18 years old and I'm 26 now.
There is just a little bit different level that you go through. I think my new role, I have a new role out here. I'm embracing it and learning how to deal with certain things. I'm not a little kid anymore; but at the same time, I learn something new every day. The day that I stop learning out here we have to start worrying a little bit.
But I do. I'm so happy. Been working really hard, like I said and being able to not only play good golf. I mean, everybody is happy when they play good golf, but just fighting through things, adversity, perseverance, things like that, that's what I'm proud of most.
Q. You've been coming here about eight years now. Looks like physically you've filled out and strengthened yourself. Are you on a rigorous training program?
PAULA CREAMER: Are you saying I look fat?
Q. No, not at all. You look strong.
PAULA CREAMER: So I look big is what you're saying? (Laughing.)
Q. Talk about your training.
PAULA CREAMER: No, I definitely have worked out a lot more. After surgery I was able to do a lot more strengthening. I filled out. I'm not 18 anymore. I'm not that little girl.
But I have been. I love working out and being in shape. I think it's such an important thing, especially when it's this hot out. It plays a huge factor in things.
But overall, I know that my body is my job. I don't want ever to look back and say I stopped playing golf because of an injury or something that I didn't do now. That's one of the main reasons I work so much, is prevent those things. Flexibility, strength. I try to keep it up on the road as much as I possibly can.
Q. If you're not the little kid anymore, Lexi may be. So you see her in that role now? Do you talk about that?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I mean, 26 isn't old by any means, but these days two seem like it's ancient out here. Lexi is a good friend of mine. I play a lot of golf with her. It's fun to see the youth of golf. That's where I was.
Actually, I wasn't out here. I mean, I came out when I was 18. But it is, it's exciting to see that. She has a lot of talent. She works hard. She's going to have a great week at Solheim Cup. I can't wait to be there and watch her face when she steps out on that first tee. It's going to be priceless.
But that's fun that I get to kind of help her, and hopefully I can ‑ not as a mentor in a sense ‑ but just be there if she ever has any questions. I've been in her shoes.
BEATRIZ RECARI, Rolex Rankings No. 26
MODERATOR: It is my pleasure to welcome in the 2013 Marathon Classic champion, Beatriz Recari. Congratulations on your third career win. What an awesome day of golf.
Paula was just in here and said how fun of a competition it was all day back and forth. Take us through your day. You got cool down a little bit, but just take us through how you're feeling.
BEATRIZ RECARI: Yeah, well, I still can't believe it, because I was so focused for the last two rounds to just keep cool and just focus on my game. Because like Paula said, she played amazing for two days. It was really a competition. It was like who was going to stick it close and who was going to make a putt.
She made a birdie on 3; I made a birdie on 4; she made a birdie on 5, i made a birdie on 6; we made birdie on 7, both of us. I mean, it was back and forth, back and forth, so it was a lot of fun.
Like I said, you know, she played great. She's that good of a player. She was in the rough, and normally you think she's not going to have a chance, and she leaves it two, three feet from the hole.
It all came down to the last putt. So I'm just really happy. Definitely in order to win I had to play my best game.
MODERATOR: You talked about the missed cut at the U.S. Open that cut the streak. I want to say this is probably a good bounce back from that.
BEATRIZ RECARI: I would say so.
MODERATOR: So you think that you redeemed yourself from the streak? Obviously a win is what you play for every week. Talk about what that does in terms of where you are in your game right now.
BEATRIZ RECARI: You know, it's definitely a boost of confidence because you never like to miss a cut. But I felt really good. I said it two days ago: I took a lot of positives from that week. I didn't miss the cut because my game was poor; it was other factors that I let influence myself.
I mean, I played great on Friday, so obviously my game was fine. It was something that happened and I learned from it. But it's definitely very relieving to bounce back and post a good score, and to win is a bonus.
But like I said, I'm just very happy with how I played the last four days. That's what I'm proud of.
Q. Congratulations. Most of the international players have family here and everything. Do you?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No.
Q. All by yourself?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No. They're thinking about coming over when they can retire. At the moment that's not going to happen. I don't know if it will in the short term.
But my mom tries to come every now and then; my dad as well. He likes to come to tournaments; my mom likes to come for weeks off. So I need to have a good balance.
All my family is a still in Spain, and I can't wait to see them next week actually.
Q. Toledo has a great tradition of embracing the international winners here and naming the street out here after the champion. Are you ready to step into that role now here in Toledo?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Okay. Normally in Spain it's like you don't name a street until that person is dead, so I don't know. I mean, I'm a bit superstitious, so I don't know. I'm cool with it. If that happens, that would be an honor for sure.
Q. Talk about the pressure you might have felt on the putt on 18.
BEATRIZ RECARI: I was definitely shaking a little bit. I knew that I had to make it to win and avoid a playoff. Playoff is always nerve‑wracking or you're even and it can go either way.
In Kia I won the playoff, but really I took a couple breaths and said, Okay, just read the putt, put a good stroke, and just be calm. It went in, so I'm happy. I'm just really happy.
Like I said, just all came down to the last putt.
Q. One other putt highlight: On 16 she's like three feet away and you've got twenty‑five feet, I don't know. At that point, were you almost certain she was going to tie it? If you didn't make yours she would have the short putt for birdie.
BEATRIZ RECARI: Oh, definitely. I mean, it was a very makable putt. I didn't see, but she was right there maybe three feet, even two and a half feet. She hit a great shot onto the pin.
All I wanted was to ‑‑ I didn't aim to make it, but I had a great read, I felt really good about the putt, and I just stroke it and the hole got in the way.
So it was definitely a bonus to keep the momentum.
Q. The difference was never more than a stroke all day. Does that put you in a state of mind where you worry about mistakes even more each hole?
BEATRIZ RECARI: The thing is that you can't think like that. You can't think about not making mistakes. You have to focus on what you want to do and stick to your plan. Play to win, not play to not miss. That's the difference.
You know, 17 and 18, both are birdie chances. I just had a one‑shot lead coming up to 17, so I knew that I had to play good. I just missed the putt for birdie on 17, which would have given me a good, comfortable two‑stroke lead.
But you know what? I made up and down for par and to win by one on 18, so that's all I care.
MODERATOR: I have to mention possible Solheim Cup match play matchup. Today Paula said it had a little bit of match play feel. If you haven't looked at the rankings like you said, you're eighth on points by Rolex Rankings, so you're pretty close. And you'll jump up with your win here.
Just talk about the feel of today.
BEATRIZ RECARI: It totally felt like Solheim Cup for the last two days. She is very experienced player in Solheim Cup and I'll be a rookie. It was great to play with her, to learn, because she's so consistent. I said even if she drives it into the rough and doesn't have a very clear shot, she's going to leave it very close to the pin. She's done every time she was in the rough for the past two days.
So definitely felt like a little match play feel to it. But I think it was good for us. If you can say it that way, I felt like we were feeling each other. She birdied, I birdied. We all knew that in order to win we had to keep on making those birdies.
So, yeah, it was great.
Q. When you progress in this game and all the streak of never missing a cut, two wins in nine starts, Solheim Cup, all that stuff, as you progress in the game, do your aspirations change any do your goals become any bigger or better?
BEATRIZ RECARI: No. My goals are big enough already.
Q. What are they?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Step by step. Let me answer the first question.
Q. Okay.
BEATRIZ RECARI: I just have goals. Every day I try to do my best in every single area of this game and of my life to make sure that I complete those goals. Every day is just an evaluation of what I'm doing and feedback. You know, obviously I feel that I'm in the right direction and I'm doing things right.
Like I said, I miss cut in U.S. Open. I felt like I had to approach something that needed to be approached. I did it, and obviously I'm in the right direction. I just bounce back with a win, so I'm definitely getting good and positive feedback.
And I'm not going to tell you the goals.
Q. But, I mean, my impression is maybe you're the best player on this tour that nobody has ever heard of ‑ at least until right now. I'm not trying to be dramatic or anything, but when you look at what you've done over the last couple years, the wins, the money, the rankings, the whole shot, is that in stratosphere where you want to reach into, where people are talking about you in that type of conversation?
BEATRIZ RECARI: Yes and no. Like I said, I have goals big enough that I want to accomplish. There are great players out there, you know, like Se Ri, like Annika, like Inbee. She's having a great year. All I want to focus is to be the best I can be, and I cannot control what other people, how other people think about me.
Some people are going to love me; some people maybe they don't value me the way they should value me. You can't control that.
So all I can do is put a good score out there, get those wins, and the wins speak for themselves.
But, again, I don't focus on how other people see me. I focus on how I see myself. That's what I learned. Just do what I have to do, you know, and not limit myself. Just go out will and be fearless and play my best and keep on improving and getting better every day.
That's all I want to do.
MODERATOR: I heard on the telecast there was the comment where you said ‑‑ maybe it was before you won at Kia ‑‑ where you said, Winning is easy. We just make it very hard on ourselves.
Now you have No. 2 under your belt. You are always in the zone and always like you're going at it. You're really, really fearless on the course. Talk about the rest of the season. No specific goals, but anything you want to accomplish throughout the second half of this year.
BEATRIZ RECARI: I mean, I have some goals I would like to accomplish end the year, but I don't want get too stressed about it. I wan to stay in the present as much as I can. I know that I get very intense and I don't smile very much. Sine people say, You're a businesswoman. You mean business out there. And I do. That's just how I am.
I like focus and do my job. Be respectful to the other players obviously, but just do my job. I'm really happy. I can't believe I'm standing right here. I felt great all week long. I didn't have winning in my mind. I really felt like being in the present every day.
This morning I woke up so chill. I had a regular day. I didn't even think about winning, where in Kia I did. So I think I'm maturing in a way and just feeling good. I'm happy to have a week off now and see my family next week.
MODERATOR: Will you go home to Spain?
BEATRIZ RECARI: For the one day on Friday.
MODERATOR: Okay. Very nice. Thank you so much for joining us. Congratulations on your win.
LEXI THOMPSON, Rolex Rankings No. 28
Q. A lot of pars today, but the ones that weren't pars were pretty memorable, weren't they?
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, I made a pretty good run at it mid‑back nine with a hole‑in‑one and then I ended on two birdies. It was just a little late for me. But it was the best feeling ever getting that hole‑in‑one.
Q. Walk me through that. What was it like?
LEXI THOMPSON: That was amazing. I can't describe the feeling in words. It was 179 to the hole. I hit just a little backed off 6‑iron and it just kept on rolling, rolling, and just disappeared. So I dropped my club and I just went crazy. It's the best feeling just to hear the crowd cheering. I went up the line just high‑fiving everybody. It was awesome.
Q. Was that your first one?
LEXI THOMPSON: No, it was my fourth. First in competition.
Q. There was some question about they had to run and find the insurance contract because they were saying, Wait a minute, it's only one car. Then they found out it was as many as needed, so you're good.
LEXI THOMPSON: Good.
Q. Talk about being the witness to a pretty good duel today. You played well yourself, but it was really a battle between those two.
LEXI THOMPSON: Yeah, Paula and Beatriz played really good today. It was great to watch. Unfortunately I didn't make a move on the front nine and I think I had to to get a good start.
Yeah, it was really awesome to be in the last group, and I'm very glad I put myself in that contention. Overall just taking positives out of this week.
JODI EWART SHADOFF, Rolex Rankings No. 59
Q. This set you up for two weeks from now?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, it's a huge confidence boost. I'm hitting the ball great finally; putts are dropping in. I can't wait to get out there. It's my home major, with my ties to Ricoh too, it's going to be special at St. Andrews.
Q. Where is the belly putter now? Did you bring it with you?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Well, yeah. It's going to be in the garage when I get home forever, I hope.
Q. We were talking the other day about Solheim Cup. Do you feel like you could make a statement?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, absolutely. I'm playing well right now. Anything can happen. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed, and hopefully I'll be in Colorado in a couple weeks.
Q. You were talking about the putter, when exactly did you make that switch again?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: The start of this week. (Laughter.) Yeah, on Tuesday.
Q. Was the belly putter just failing you?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yep. Well, I mean, last week in Canada, you know, I hit a lot of greens. I was hitting 15, 16 greens a round and a couple rounds had 35 and 36 putts. So really get any worse than that I told myself.
So it was just like I been working on the switch for maybe a month or so now. It just felt like the right time.
Q. When was the last time you used a traditional putter in a competitive tournament?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Like October of 2011.
Q. What happened that made you switch to the belly putter?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: I was having rounds like 37, 38 putts. It was at a time when the belly putter was really starting to come in. I thought I would give it a try. I tried it and liked it straightaway.
First year I saw it was pretty good for me and helped my confidence a lot. But the last maybe six or seven months it's kind of been not ruining my stroke, but it's not been consistent. It makes you take it pretty inside and push it out, so...
Q. That's a pretty bold move to switch in the middle of the season, right? Don't most golfers wait until the end of the season or the off‑season?
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I was going to wait until this off‑season, but it became so frustrating least week. I finished at 9‑under last week. Obviously the scores were so low. I gave myself so many opportunities, and it was just really frustrating. I just couldn't take it any longer.
Q. With that switch I remember you finished runner‑up; you're now third. It's not like the putter change...
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I was nervous switching. I kind of made it out to be more of a big deal than it should have really been. It wasn't a big deal for me. It was just the short putts that I was kind of worried about.
But it's been good. Now my tempo is good. Finally getting my putter on plane.
Q. When you look at how you've played over the past few weeks ‑ and I know last week in Canada wasn't exactly great ‑ but when you look at your position at the Women's Open...
JODI EWART SHADOFF: Yeah, I mean, I played well last week. I just wasn't holing any putts. I was still hitting 15, 16 greens a round, so I'm striking the ball well. Hitting a lot of good tee shots.
So it's a big confidence boost and excited to get out to St. Andrews.
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