0:00

The Koigigapod has made a new signing.

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0:06

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the OTB sports app now. golf

0:16

on off the ball.

0:17

In association with the KPMG

0:19

women's Irish Open. You're

0:22

very welcome along, golf on off the ball. In

0:24

association with the KPMG, women's Irish

0:26

open is taking place here in Dumoulin Castle

0:28

in Kempte Claire, and I'm delighted to be joined

0:30

by Pro golfer's Fiona McGuire and Katrina

0:33

Mathew. How's it going guys? Thanks

0:35

a loyal for joining us, Sienna. You're just back

0:37

out from the PROLAM. Hey, was it? Yeah.

0:39

We're lovely to and I hold

0:41

this morning. I hold in the afternoon. And

0:44

think everybody's so excited just to get going.

0:46

I think it's been quite a build up here

0:48

tomorrow, and so nice to get going tomorrow. And

0:50

here's the course. yeah, fabulous. I

0:52

think they've they've put in a huge effort. And,

0:54

thankfully, the weather has been quite kind to them. So

0:56

the greens are all nice. Of course, looking well. And

0:59

should come come across really nice and tidy in

1:01

the next few days. Brilliant, Tangerine. How was it

1:03

for you? Yeah. It was great. I played the front

1:05

nine this morning. you know, it's

1:07

tricky. I think off the teas, a lot of the fairies

1:09

are slipping. But as Liana

1:10

said, that's in fantastic shape and

1:12

the greens are really good actually. Really running

1:15

pretty fast, I would say, and a little bit undulating.

1:17

So And we're

1:18

hoping that there's no rain. We're talking about before

1:20

we we came on air that there's chance there could be

1:22

rain. And I was asking you just about your game then?

1:25

Would you adjust your game then if if there

1:27

is rain? I did

1:27

put in my ring gloves for this week, shall we

1:29

see? And they're watching Well, I'm prepared to

1:32

yeah, tomorrow is not looking the best, certainly.

1:34

We hopefully might luck out with having afternoon

1:36

time. So I think tonight and tomorrow morning

1:38

is

1:38

not looking wonderful. Okay. Well,

1:41

we'll hold out. Hope. Leon, do you like being

1:43

back home, playing here in Ireland? Yeah.

1:45

Absolutely. Don't get to do it too often.

1:47

So nice to be back up to playing

1:49

Galgorm. few weeks ago, and

1:51

then at the JPMorgan Managed Bureau

1:53

during the summer. So I mean, Irish Irish credits

1:56

are always really good to come out and support. So

1:58

hopefully, there'll be plenty out in the next

2:00

few days, and this was many

2:02

more at the weekend. Yeah. From the Galgo

2:04

arm, I was there, and there was few

2:06

calvularies. He spotted around the place. He'll be

2:08

hoping there's the same this week. Yeah.

2:10

Hopefully, it's a it's a bit of a spin down for people,

2:13

but now hopefully there'll be some people I

2:15

don't know. I mean, there's even a few people knock around

2:17

today during the the program as well. So

2:20

nice to people, see people sort of excited

2:22

about the event it's been been ten years,

2:24

obviously, since it's been on the schedule. So

2:27

I think people were looking forward to having it back.

2:29

So, yeah, nice to nice

2:31

to see everybody looking forward to some

2:33

Irish celebrities out there as well. Davy Fitz

2:35

was one of them that came down to offer

2:37

you some words of wisdom. Can you let us in

2:39

from what they were? Yeah. I mean, Davey's a

2:41

he's a competitive fella. He was just

2:44

raging that he's missing the the pro rame today.

2:46

They'd asked him to play. So no.

2:48

I mean, Nice to see him

2:50

out in support, and this is him, his

2:52

home course, I think. So he can give it

2:54

a nice puck. So but

2:56

yeah. No. Nice to see. and Nicki

2:58

was at today, Val was at, Jacki was at,

3:00

and Lisa was at. Nice to see some of our,

3:03

sort of, female authorization. Giving

3:05

her a go today as well. Yeah.

3:06

Absolutely. Nice to see all those athletes and

3:08

that brings us around to ten years since the

3:10

the last women's Irish Open.

3:12

It's so important to have this event and you are

3:14

the champion. Grena, so you're

3:16

back to defend your title? Yeah. Certainly

3:18

the longest I think between defenses. But,

3:21

yeah, ten years ago at Killeen Castle,

3:23

you know, that was a fantastic venue. It

3:25

seems amazing that we've not had an Irish Open

3:28

because it was so well supported as well. But

3:30

I think there's a real buzz about the place here.

3:33

You know, I think that if the players are

3:35

excited about it and think the whole community

3:37

seems right behind us. So I

3:39

think we are going to have some big crowds out here if it

3:41

should be good and hopefully it won't be ten years

3:43

till the next one.

3:44

Absolutely. Yeah. That's the plan. And,

3:46

Liana, you were seventeen at the time of

3:48

the last one. You played as an amateur. So

3:50

for you, how important was it to have an event

3:52

like that? Yeah. It was massive. I

3:55

got to play in, I think, two or three of them. I got

3:57

to play in Port Mariner Linx and played

3:59

at LoRa and

3:59

was was quite intimidated she was

4:02

at her two hour and around, and I was just trying to keep

4:04

it in about twenty yards over with my driver

4:06

and and got to play with Sophie

4:08

and Susan, and I think Lisa played with beanie.

4:10

And we got to play with all the big the

4:12

big names Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson. They

4:14

came over to get ready for the sodom cup. So it

4:16

was our sort of first big taste of

4:19

a big event like that and like

4:21

Trina said, there was there was big crowds back

4:23

then as well ten years ago, and you

4:25

had to play in a big venue like that at a big stage.

4:27

It was it was definitely a big learning experience.

4:29

And We had natural

4:31

ball. So it's nice that there's a few of the young

4:33

Irish girls getting a chance to do this in this week.

4:36

And

4:36

it's almost that if you can't see, you can't

4:38

be it and Did that almost, I

4:40

suppose, light that hunger for you to say, wait,

4:42

this is possible to go on and do this?

4:44

Yeah. Absolutely. It was it was big at that point, getting

4:46

to suited see where you were against the best players in the

4:48

world and and then obviously get

4:50

to

4:51

walk around and watch the solo album. In two thousand

4:53

eleven, we were a part of the junior team and than

4:55

getting to watch the girls when the the big one as

4:57

well was was big as well. So

5:00

yeah. Hopefully, there'll be a lot of young

5:02

young girls and boys come out this week to -- Mhmm.

5:04

-- to watch along and maybe take up the game

5:06

because of it. Yeah. Absolutely. And the

5:08

hope is that it's a three year deal here at

5:10

Drummond and Castle. So hopefully, it continues

5:12

on each and every year to

5:13

come. Yeah, that would be great to see. I mean, I

5:15

saw a lot of juniors obviously outplaying the program

5:17

today. And as you said, there's a lot of

5:19

Irish amateurs playing in the main

5:21

event. So I think it's

5:24

great, hopefully inspire them and and show them

5:26

what they can what they can achieve in the future.

5:28

Absolutely. Well, go off on and off the ball in

5:30

association with the KPMG, women's eyes

5:32

open. Can I take your boat back to the

5:34

Solomon Corp. success last year? It

5:36

must have been a pretty proud moment for

5:38

both of you and for you, Katrina, as

5:40

well to be able to captain the team. Yeah.

5:42

I mean, I I love captioning both

5:44

times, Glen Eagles and then Inverness last

5:47

time. Obviously, we've got Leonor here who's

5:49

one of the stars of the team at Inverness. in

5:51

her debut. So, yeah, I

5:53

mean, it was just fantastic

5:55

honored build to Captain. You know, I

5:57

was fortunate I played in a few and

6:00

just kind of caps off your career. And then

6:02

to get the two wins, I thought Inverness

6:05

last year was really

6:07

an amazing victory considering we had no

6:10

no support really. We maybe were lucky if

6:12

we had a hundred European fans

6:14

out of the fifty thousand that were there. So

6:16

I think it just shows how well Liana played,

6:18

you know, to come out of that unbeaten in that

6:20

kind of atmosphere and in her first Soul Hang

6:22

Cup. So Yeah. It was an it was

6:24

an amazing experience and yet

6:26

I'd loved every moment.

6:27

It was incredible here in Ireland to

6:30

watch on and obviously then the the homecoming

6:32

was something else. It was scenes

6:34

in Calvin. I was there to see it. It was

6:36

probably bigger than the the Tulsa and Copeland

6:38

this year, the lads. It was amazing

6:40

to see all the supporters there with your

6:42

friends. family take us

6:44

back to that moment for you and I suppose where

6:46

does that achievement rank in your

6:48

achievement so far? Yeah, I mean, it

6:50

was kind of a dream of a week. probably

6:53

we were all in our little bubble over there in Toledo,

6:55

I think, because it was it was quite a

6:57

tight knit group, and there was only a few of us. So

6:59

we didn't really Well, I didn't anyway

7:01

grasp the enormity of it at the time. I don't think we

7:03

realized how many people were sort of following along

7:05

at home and and cheer us on. I think it's

7:07

kind of snowballed over the weekend and the fact that

7:09

it was Monday finish as

7:11

well. In the eve Monday, I think a lot of

7:13

people here at home sort of went sort

7:15

of some the die hard people were watching

7:17

Saturday and then a few more Sunday. And

7:19

then people went to work on Monday and then came

7:21

home and watched after work Monday. So

7:24

I had no idea there was something planned when I

7:26

landed home. But, yeah, it

7:28

was nice to open top glass. Yeah. I mean,

7:30

pictures. Right in around with granny in the front.

7:32

The the the gold BMW ronda,

7:34

but it kinda was was pretty special. I think it

7:36

it's sort of time nicely, but kinda left

7:38

them coming out of lockdown and getting to see people

7:40

that you hadn't seen in a while and and all of

7:42

that. And and, yeah, I think the

7:45

a few of the girls were quite jealous. I think they

7:47

they kinda just went home when there was no friends

7:49

and no friends. I kinda

7:51

got all the all the fun for I think they

7:53

were they sort of were disappointed.

7:55

They didn't rearrange their trip to all come back

7:57

to back to Dublin. Yeah.

7:59

It was it was my reason to be there and to

8:01

to witness it and to see it unfold. And

8:03

for you was that literally drained

8:05

off? Is that what you dream to have grown up?

8:08

Yeah. I

8:08

mean, I've never been warned of sort. I

8:10

love being center of attention, so it's

8:12

definitely a bit of sort of added my element,

8:14

but I'm no. I mean, I loved every moment

8:16

and so I'm happy. I think it it could have

8:18

possibly gone much better for us as a

8:20

team. And everything came together

8:22

so nicely. And

8:25

yeah, it was just one of those weeks that that

8:27

everything sort of fell into place. at

8:29

the right time and had eleven

8:31

great teammates and obviously he was a

8:33

great captain and a great assistant captain. So it was

8:35

it was a big team effort. Yeah.

8:37

What is Katrina like as a captain? I

8:39

mean, you know Too much,

8:41

too big. You know, it's not so

8:44

severe. It's not severe. her. I

8:45

mean, she And she's managed to do incredible

8:48

wins. So you can't really

8:50

can't really fault that. No. She she

8:52

let me verify matches as well. So

8:54

whether it was me, in her madness. I

8:56

don't know, but yeah. I know she

8:58

was she was a great captain. Yeah. Well, they're most of

9:00

in method to that madness. They're most absolutely

9:02

been a lot of planning. I think that

9:04

shows how well Leona was playing this year. We're going

9:06

out there and played five matches. But yeah.

9:08

I mean, it was great. I mean, Leona,

9:10

you know, especially in her debut you know,

9:12

to go out there and and play all five

9:15

games. I mean, it's tough to play all five games,

9:17

just the the mental strain, I think, more

9:19

than anything, but Leonor was up for

9:21

it. And you know, you you just relied

9:23

on her to go right there and get a point, which was

9:25

great. Well, I haven't

9:25

even heard her question. Do you see

9:28

a future cap in Solamco captain

9:30

Iliana. No. No. We're

9:32

a long way of that yet. I think

9:34

she's gonna be playing in a a few more before

9:36

she's think worrying about being a captain, but

9:38

I'm sure is there in the future. And where

9:40

would this at that moment for you? Where did that sit

9:42

in your golfing achievements? Obviously, you had done it

9:44

the previous year as well or twenty nine was that

9:47

Yeah. I mean, I think, you

9:48

know, golf such an individual

9:50

sport that when you have that, you know, chance to

9:52

do something as a team, it really is

9:54

very special because you've got all the you

9:56

know, the players and the Caddies and the assistant captains

9:58

all there to help celebrate with

9:59

you. So, yeah, on a

10:02

personal level, I think the two captaining the

10:04

two were or kind of an

10:06

actually probably times I could enjoy it more because

10:08

I'm not actually when I when you're playing in it,

10:10

you've got the pressure of playing in it. And

10:12

even though you love playing in it at the

10:14

time, as a captain, you can really enjoy it

10:16

the whole thing work because you just send them

10:18

off to play. Go on. Bring your point

10:20

and then So, yeah, I mean,

10:22

right up there at the very top. Mhmm.

10:24

When you're talking about it as as a team

10:26

there for this online coke, Is it hard time

10:28

to squick off that it's such an individual

10:31

sport can not be told at times?

10:33

I think, you know,

10:35

I think as Europeans were so used to

10:38

-- as amateurs playing a lot of Tim Gulf

10:40

that -- you know, then you turn pro and there isn't

10:42

really Tim Gulf. So I think

10:44

the European team really did come together

10:47

because they all, I think, enjoyed playing Tingo off

10:49

as amateurs. So to get that opportunity as a

10:51

pro as a pro is so special that,

10:53

you know, I think everyone just

10:55

whether you're great buddies with a person,

10:57

fifty the other fifty one weeks of the

10:59

year, everyone just kind of comes together that week

11:01

and has a great time. and mentally

11:03

going out onto the course, Liana,

11:05

for you, when maybe there's a bit a

11:07

few more eyes watching you nowadays,

11:10

obviously after that's success as well? Is that

11:12

something that you're comfortable with?

11:14

Or is it taking your time, I suppose, to

11:16

adjust to that as well? Yeah. I

11:17

don't think it's something you probably ever get

11:19

used to. like I said, I've never been one

11:21

that's been a massive fan of the spotlight.

11:23

So but, no, it's nice to

11:25

nice to see people excited about golf and and

11:27

tune in and showing an interest and all

11:29

that. So I definitely get stopped a

11:31

little bit more often now to to sign something

11:33

or take pictures, and I'm sure there'll be

11:35

plenty of that this week, but it doesn't

11:37

seem that long ago since I was the

11:39

one walking around asking Katrina

11:41

or Suzanne or Sophie or whoever it was

11:43

for pictures at an Irish open. So

11:46

I know exactly the position they're in.

11:48

So I think yeah, you have a little bit more

11:50

patience and a little more all

11:52

of that sort of this week with that sort of

11:54

thing. And you would have been about a year

11:56

old when to train a u- term fashion on

11:58

nineteen ninety five. That

11:58

was nice of you.

11:59

There you go. But

12:01

it's as opposed to bring

12:04

up the the growth of the game. And where

12:06

it has come from from from then to to

12:08

now? So what challenges

12:10

did you face when you turned professional?

12:12

You know, I think well, what was

12:14

that back in ninety four, I went to q school

12:16

in the states. And I think in a

12:18

way, it was nearly easier

12:20

for me because I was kinda naive and didn't know

12:22

there wasn't all the social media. There wasn't as

12:24

much women's gold from television. So

12:26

in a way I didn't know what I'd be

12:28

missing as much if I didn't make it through q

12:30

school, which probably actually made it easier because

12:32

you just were a little bit more relaxed.

12:34

I think the biggest difference I've seen

12:36

over the twenty five, thirty

12:38

years I've been in pro is just It's

12:40

a strength and depth, the number of

12:42

different countries playing now. I think when I first

12:44

started, there

12:46

was probably ninety percent of the

12:48

tourism is American. We had a few Europeans

12:50

and the odd kind of Japanese

12:53

player. And now I think there's like twenty nine

12:55

different nationalities that play on their and

12:57

the LED. So I think it's

12:59

just that all the different countries

13:01

now you're getting all the players coming from and

13:03

the strength and depth and everyone just pushes

13:05

each other on. And I think kind

13:07

of every year on year and

13:09

the standard of play is just getting better and

13:11

better. When I first went on,

13:13

you probably ten or twenty people

13:15

could perhaps win each week, but now probably

13:17

anyone in the field is good enough to win. So

13:19

for me, that's probably the biggest difference

13:21

I've seen. from that,

13:23

Leonor, have you seen a lot of change, say,

13:25

from what Katrina has said to when you term

13:27

pro then twenty eighteen? Yeah.

13:30

I mean, I think that like she said, that there

13:32

is that depth there that on any given week,

13:34

anybody can tee it up and have a chance to

13:36

contend. And I think the great

13:38

thing now as well is we're starting to play on sort

13:40

of bigger stages. There's more TV

13:42

coverage. We're getting to play some of those bigger

13:44

venues like like this, you're getting to play the bridge open

13:46

up your field. That that wouldn't have

13:48

happened five years ago, let

13:50

alone ten years ago. So

13:53

We got to play a congressional issue for the the

13:55

KPMG PGA championship and

13:57

got a ball strong extra pebble beach for the

13:59

years over

13:59

getting to play the biggest and best venues

14:02

in the world. So we're definitely

14:04

sort of making progress all the time.

14:06

When you were growing up, was

14:08

could you see that? Could you see the likes of

14:10

Katrina Turner Professional? Was that

14:12

visible to you? back then or was it on? I

14:14

don't think there was a lot of women's

14:16

golf. No. I didn't start playing

14:18

until I was ten, but let I got to

14:20

actually was there when when Katrina won our British open and

14:22

let them, we were playing the home internationals just

14:25

down the road. We we went on the Sunday to

14:28

watch and we were planning over at Fair

14:30

Haven. So I did get to that was probably

14:32

my first time seeing women's golf in

14:34

in real life. And and

14:36

then sort of bridge open it beyond the BBC

14:38

and things like that. So and

14:41

then obviously the Irish opens, that

14:44

was sort of my real taste of moments

14:47

professionals off. And do you remember the

14:49

first time that you both met? It

14:52

was probably at one of the Irish showman's actually

14:54

Yeah. Yeah. remember I used to I could never tell

14:56

you apart. So I knew I played with

14:58

one of you, the Irish Open, but yeah.

15:00

At least I played with them. I'm probably at

15:02

an Irish Open And do

15:05

you have a best memory so far of

15:07

your girlfriend career? You've had many

15:09

achievements, so I'm sure it's a a tough one for

15:11

you to take just one. You

15:13

know, right with the sawhomes, probably,

15:15

obviously, it would be winning the British Open in

15:17

two thousand and nine. You know, I

15:20

just had Sofia in a second daughter.

15:22

So to come back

15:24

and and win that just probably eleven weeks

15:26

after that was is kind of probably one of the

15:28

the best moments in my career. My

15:30

husband carrying and that was funny

15:32

you're saying you were there because I remember seeing the the

15:34

Scottish team they all had their faces

15:36

printed with the the salt tires. I was walking

15:38

down eighteen in front of my kind of

15:40

memories of coming down the last tool there at Lidham.

15:42

And that's incredible that you know you're able

15:44

to go on and have the family and still

15:46

still be playing professional golf. That's amazing.

15:48

Yeah. I think that's one of the beauties of of golf,

15:50

to be honest, is that you can play so many

15:52

sports. You're you're finished by the time you're

15:54

thirty. And go if you can keep playing

15:56

for, you know, you can have a longer career. You

15:58

know, the tears were great having

15:59

having day care systems and things in

16:02

place, you know, to let you have a

16:04

family. So, yeah, I've been I've

16:06

been lucky. Am I using? And Leon, a

16:08

few, do you have a memory that

16:10

sticks out that's head of the rest?

16:13

I mean, solar line is going to be pretty hard to

16:15

top, and that's probably the highlight

16:17

so far. Obviously, getting the wind earlier in the

16:19

year is and that was up there as

16:21

well getting over the line there in Florida. So,

16:23

yeah, hopefully we can add some new

16:25

memories this week to to the bank as

16:27

well. That'd be amazing. Yeah. What would it mean to be able to

16:29

get the win here this week at home?

16:31

Yeah. Obviously, to when your national

16:33

open is is a huge honor. And probably up

16:35

there with the majors, it's it's up

16:37

there. So, try and

16:39

play as well as I can this week, and and we'll

16:41

see what happens. Not not gonna put too much

16:43

pressure on myself. Just enjoy the week for what

16:45

it is. And yeah. Hopefully, it'll be as

16:47

well as I can. Absolutely. And are

16:49

there there's only positives to golf? Is

16:51

there twelve sides to to be in

16:53

a program or would you say, Katrina? Yeah,

16:56

definitely. I mean, like any any

16:58

profession, it's not as glamorous, perhaps as you

17:00

think. I think the travel can get a bit worrying

17:02

at times. you know, you're kinda distant that you

17:04

can be basing in a different country every week, so

17:06

I think the travel does get wearing. And

17:08

like anything when you're playing well, everything's

17:10

great. But, you know, if they're

17:12

weak or or little stretches where you're not playing quite so well.

17:14

Like anything, it's tough. You just have

17:16

to kind of battle through it. But yeah.

17:20

I mean, the the rewards are

17:22

there and the all

17:24

the the great things you can get out if you play

17:26

well. So this just kinda pushes

17:28

you on to keep practicing and keep trying to

17:30

get better. Yeah. Absolutely. I'm Liana,

17:32

for you. Is there times there are still times

17:34

in golf too? Yeah. Absolutely. I mean,

17:36

it's it's one of the sports that even if

17:38

you're at the top of the game, you still lose more than you win.

17:41

So it's sort of managing all of

17:43

that, taking the the good times with the bad

17:45

and not getting to sort of dying

17:47

on yourself. And things of that, obviously, yeah,

17:49

travels a little tricky. This is my fourth

17:51

week in a row just came from the West Coast to

17:53

America, so not quite sure what time

17:55

it is to where I am, but No.

17:57

I mean, we're incredibly lucky

17:59

to

17:59

get to do what we do and get in to

18:02

travel the world and play golf for

18:04

eleven. It definitely beats

18:06

been stuck in an office nine to five, so still

18:08

wouldn't wouldn't change it for the world. Brilliant.

18:10

And who's cutting for you this week? Dumbs

18:12

on the back. My usual cutting.

18:14

So Mhmm. Nice to

18:16

have a fellow Irishman out there walking the furnace with me

18:18

this week. Brillianta and Katrina who's on

18:20

for you. Yeah. I've got a local guy, Darren

18:23

Moelens. So I'm definitely gonna be outnumbered with

18:25

only Irish in my group tomorrow. But yet,

18:27

he's a a member here, so

18:29

he's he's great to have, actually. Brilliant.

18:32

And we do have a lot of irish amateurs

18:34

that are gonna be included as well

18:36

this weekend as important for them to be able to get

18:38

out and get this experience as well.

18:41

Absolutely. I I mean, I really enjoyed my

18:43

experiences, and I'm sure I think it'll it'll be a

18:45

big learning experience for them either way whether

18:47

they play well or not, or whatever it is and and

18:49

hopefully they can sort of soak it all in and

18:51

not put too much pressure on themselves

18:53

and and enjoy it as much as

18:55

they can. And what is the toughest thing I

18:57

suppose to break through from

18:59

being an amateur to be ComenPro? What's

19:01

the most difficult thing do you think? I

19:03

think it's probably managing all the extra

19:05

stuff that you have to do, all the different travel

19:07

and the proams and planning extra

19:10

weeks, and I mean, I went I went straight from college to pro, so

19:12

it all of a sudden, you you

19:14

didn't have classes

19:14

anymore to deal with, or exams, or paper

19:17

assistants, you had a lot more free time.

19:19

So planning out your weeks. And as

19:21

was that really the thing with maybe some of the

19:23

girls this week, the amateur's playing. They'll try

19:25

maybe nearly over prepared this week, try and do

19:27

too much because they want to do so well. And

19:30

Sometimes you just have to take a little step back

19:33

and take a little breather and

19:35

and figure out what works best for you because

19:37

that's that's different for everybody. So

19:39

definitely finding finding that what works

19:41

for you and that that can take

19:43

time as well. I'm still still figuring it

19:45

out, but sort of every year you learn

19:47

a bit more That was gonna be my

19:49

question. Obviously, you grew up beside the golf course

19:51

and you just used to walk over with

19:54

Lisa after school. Did it take

19:56

you time, I suppose, to

19:58

figure out you were doing right, what you were doing wrong? I'm sure it's a

20:00

process too. Yeah. It's all a little bit of

20:02

trial and error. You sort of figured out

20:04

I've been lucky that porter

20:06

Karen and Tomagedale have given me great

20:08

advice over the last few years, and they're always

20:10

there at the end of the phone to answer any questions

20:12

they have. They've obviously been there in Ghana, it's a little

20:14

different on the men's side, but there's a lot of similarities

20:16

at the same time. And

20:18

it is nice for some of the, like, the Americans

20:20

and the Swedes that have

20:22

have players that are already on tour or

20:24

things like that when you go out as as a Irish

20:26

person, there's there's me and Stephanie, and that's that's

20:28

it out there. So we are kind

20:30

of trying to help each other out as much as you can

20:32

and learn as you go. I can train a few

20:34

who were probably the biggest influences to

20:37

you when you were growing

20:37

up looking to become a pro

20:40

golfer? Yeah. For

20:40

me, obviously, you know, there was

20:43

a lot of men's golfer watch and

20:45

television when I was growing

20:47

up, but obviously, you had players like

20:49

Laura. She probably turned

20:51

probably five, six years before me.

20:53

So Laura, you know, Helen Alford's

20:55

and Chris Johnson. They were

20:57

all players, you know, I remember playing in

20:59

my first British Open as

21:01

an amateur. think I was paired with Tricia. think

21:03

I was absolutely terrified kind of

21:05

going around trying not to do anything wrong.

21:07

But yes, I think there's always players

21:09

that just kind of years older than you that you kind of look up

21:11

to and that you watched. So yeah.

21:14

And for you, Leona, who were the main people that

21:16

probably were the biggest influences to you on

21:18

golf? Yeah. I think Patrick was a

21:20

big influence. He he was one of his majors

21:22

right when when we sort of started playing

21:24

golf. So he was a big figure out here

21:26

in Ireland, and then supposed

21:28

growing up with a twin sister. The William sisters, they weren't

21:30

golfers, but they were still a big inspiration.

21:33

And yeah. I

21:35

mean, I need the European players

21:37

that that were playing

21:39

played with Suzanna at the Irish Open

21:42

when she won in In Killeen. So

21:44

she was always someone

21:46

that we'd looked after as a as a fellow European.

21:48

And, yeah, I need those I need the girls

21:50

on the Soul uncapped team early didn't

21:53

really matter. What country specifically

21:55

they were from? It was kinda well, if if

21:57

they can do it, we can do it too.

21:59

Yeah. Absolutely. And you met Tiger Woods as

22:01

well. You didn't mention that. So what was

22:03

that like? A few weeks ago on a day? Or Yeah.

22:05

You met him twice. Was that Yeah. We met him at the

22:08

router cup and And great. But, you know

22:11

Yeah. The router cup, I

22:13

mean, Yeah. Lisa and I were fortunate enough to bring up

22:15

the router cup that time in in o six and got to

22:17

meet all the guys and get a pictures. I mean, we had the

22:20

pictures on our wall for a good number of years after

22:22

that. So yeah. And

22:24

then got to got to meet him

22:26

again. And there Couple of

22:28

months ago, yes. And he was just

22:30

there, sorta chipping away, just sat

22:32

and watched him for a bit. And, yeah,

22:34

I got a picture taken and and another

22:36

pretty pretty good moment to have. could you

22:38

learn anything from him from watching him?

22:40

He was he was talking about bumping rons and

22:42

stuff. He was more talking about Link's cough because he was

22:44

getting ready for the the British open.

22:46

And so he was kinda talk talking about sort of little

22:48

four hour chip shots and six errands and stuff

22:50

that he does he does practice for, which is a

22:52

little different than what he needed in Adaire. But

22:55

He was mentally already -- Mhmm. -- preparing for the

22:57

British open. And what is all of

22:59

this like for your family? Like,

23:01

obviously, having the success that you've had

23:04

to be common homeowner, to play locally,

23:06

and, you know, for people to be common homeowner,

23:08

what is it? Like, for them,

23:10

is it surreal? Or are they

23:13

if they expected it? No. I

23:14

don't think you ever expected. I mean, mom and dad have

23:17

done so much for me and for

23:19

Lisa. And they

23:20

spent all our teenage years tracking around, bringing

23:22

us here there and everywhere around the country,

23:24

for coaching, for tournaments, all of that. So

23:27

it's nice now that they can kinda

23:29

sit back and come and watch and and enjoy it a

23:31

little bit more. Dad was dad

23:33

was disappointed. He wasn't down on Monday to meet

23:35

Davey. And, yes, that was That was a

23:38

disappointment for him. He was gonna open up

23:40

here today, but yeah.

23:42

No. It's nice to they

23:44

got to see me in a day. They got to come up to Galvan. They

23:46

actually came over to the bush open this year for to

23:49

see me for the first time in in a

23:51

number of years, but they didn't travel

23:53

COVID. So Yeah. Nice

23:55

nice to have them there this week and

23:57

and that they can enjoy

23:59

too. And I think if you're enjoying your sports

24:01

and you wanna incorporate your family

24:03

and want have them involved.

24:05

I was it for your family. I know you have

24:07

two young girls and obviously your husband as well would

24:09

have been catty in for years with you as well, so it's

24:11

nice to have them involved. Yeah. It's great to

24:13

have them involved. And, you know, my parents would come

24:15

out and watch. They probably try they picked a different

24:17

place in the states every year and came and, you

24:19

know, made a big holiday off it and came and

24:21

watched here three weeks. and did some sightseeing

24:24

round about it, and then we brought

24:26

them into day care helping. So

24:28

yeah. It's always nice to have family around. Doesn't

24:30

it? I mean, I think professional golf can be quite lonely.

24:32

So it's nice to have I was fortunate

24:34

my husband carried for me most of the time,

24:36

which was great. most of

24:38

the time. So, yeah, it's

24:41

nice to have have family out there watching you

24:43

and and just being there. because you're away so

24:45

many weeks from home that you

24:47

know, if they don't come out, you do you do miss a lot at

24:49

home. And would you encourage your young girls

24:51

to get involved in the Gulf?

24:53

I think even only as

24:55

I'm finding out, encourage them

24:58

in what they want to do. You

25:00

know, I'd love for them to play golf,

25:02

you know, just for fun,

25:04

but is perhaps not passionate there is quite

25:06

yet, but I'm still working on them.

25:09

There's hope yet. What

25:11

advice would you give Leona, if I'd

25:13

ask you to give a piece of advice for you've

25:15

you've done a lot in the game, Katrina. I

25:18

don't know if Leona leads such advice,

25:20

to be honest, think she's forging a a very

25:22

good career for herself there and, obviously,

25:25

just keep doing what she's doing. You know,

25:27

she's only just going on the

25:29

up and I'm sure the next kind of

25:31

ten, fifteen years are going to be very

25:33

successful for. And what are the

25:35

aims or the goals, Liana?

25:38

to keep enjoying my golf and keep

25:41

contending as much as I can on the

25:43

LPG. Yeah. Just trying to

25:44

get that that little bit better all the time

25:47

making those small sort of gains

25:49

and made some

25:51

some nice gains this year of getting my first

25:54

win and of the top tens in the majors and stuff. And, yeah,

25:56

you just wanna be trying to compete with the best

25:58

golfers in the world. We can, we can, we can,

25:59

and the more often you do it, the more comfortable you

26:02

get, and the more you

26:04

want to be in those positions. So, yeah, just trying to do that

26:06

as much as I can. And you're constantly

26:08

trying to improve your game too. Is it something

26:10

that you constantly work on when

26:12

you're not competing? Yeah. I think you're all just

26:14

sorta tweaking little things. I

26:17

was trying to if you didn't put well

26:19

one week, spend a

26:21

little bit extra time or if it's on your

26:23

driver or wedges or or whatever it is, you're

26:25

all just trying to just get that little bit

26:27

extra. Golf is so competitive.

26:29

Now you can play your best and someone can

26:31

play just that little bit better on

26:33

on any given week. So

26:35

you really have to be sort of at the top of your

26:37

game to to win or or to do well

26:39

on on any tour now. So

26:41

you're always just trying to trying to improve

26:43

all the time here. And I

26:45

would think that mentally, it's so important too because there's days

26:47

you're you're gonna play the best golf. And then there's days

26:49

you're gonna go out and you're just not

26:51

gonna be on form. how important is it just to be

26:53

able to put that aside and look to the

26:55

next day then, Katrina? Yeah. I think the hardest

26:57

thing I found was I think as a golfer

26:59

or certainly myself, you're always trying to

27:01

be perfect. And I think it took me

27:03

probably a long time to realize you're never

27:05

gonna be perfect at golf. And

27:07

I think one of the the

27:09

keys to being good professional probably

27:12

is your bad shots not

27:14

being too bad and being able to grind

27:16

out when you're not playing your best you

27:18

know, be able to grind out a score.

27:20

And, you know, you you do

27:22

begin to realize that sometimes you'd actually

27:24

have your best score, and you're not perhaps playing your

27:26

best eye for drones for felt so I've hit the ball

27:28

great and could barely couldn't have done it

27:30

any better and perhaps a putt didn't go in, but and

27:32

then other days, I'll think it didn't really hit it

27:34

great, but you hold a few pups and you

27:36

scored less. So it's a it's a crazy game.

27:38

Yeah. But it gets to you in the head. So I think

27:40

you've just you've I

27:42

mean, you've got to try and really stay positive

27:44

the whole time and always look

27:46

for the things you've done well each

27:48

day, which, you know, it can be difficult at

27:50

times. I think it's hard being

27:52

a professional golfer. There's a a constant battle going on

27:54

in your head the whole time. Yeah. Do

27:56

you find that side of things difficultly

27:59

on You're trying to always stay, I think, as

28:02

level as you can, not getting sort of

28:04

too high when things are doing well and not

28:06

sort of instead of getting too down on

28:08

yourself and Sometimes,

28:10

yeah, sometimes you feel like you can't miss

28:12

a shot on a given week and sometimes you'd the

28:15

whole seems tiny, so it just it really

28:17

just depends. And weeks,

28:19

it's it's more about the bogeys you don't make rather

28:21

than the bogeys you do and

28:23

by keeping it all quite quite tight.

28:26

So yeah, you just kinda have to roll

28:28

with it and and try and do the the

28:30

very best you can every

28:32

week and some weeks that's that's better

28:34

than others. And do you feel like there

28:36

today? Can you almost get a sense when you're out on

28:38

the course, when you arrive to an event, how you're

28:40

feeling, how things are going or cannot

28:42

change tomorrow, all of a

28:44

sudden? I think it can change kind

28:46

of day to day, really. I think, obviously, you

28:48

have an idea of how you're playing by

28:50

the start of the week and probably

28:53

the before you've got an idea of what your forms

28:55

like, but every course is slightly

28:57

different, some fit your eyes better than

28:59

others. So I think you

29:01

know, you just gotta go out there and you know what you're

29:04

wanting to do to play the golf course. You've got

29:06

your your plan in place. It's just going out there

29:08

and trying to exit you too. That's difficult

29:10

bit at times. Yeah. Absolutely. We'll

29:12

go off and off the ball in association with

29:14

the KPMG, women's Irish Open, taking place

29:16

here in Warren Castle Inn, Kasty Claire.

29:19

By thanks to Jan Moir. I'm Katrina Mathew for joining me. I'm

29:21

a wish you both. Very best of luck. Thanks

29:23

very

29:23

much. Golf. On

29:26

off

29:27

the ball. In association with the KPMG women's

29:30

Irish Open.