August 19, 2014
An Interview With:
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM
SUE KIM
Q. Sue, Rebecca, I wanted to talk about the health of Canadian golf, obviously two finalists at the U.S. Am, men's and women's. What does that say about the health of Canadian golf right now?
SUE KIM: I think it just says a lot about our program building up. We've had a good program ever since I was a junior golfer, and it has developed a great many elite players throughout these years, and some of us are on the LPGA now, and I think it's just growing more people into having better and more efficient backup plans with their programs that we have. They just go so far up the World Ranking levels, and I think it shows that Canadians are growing.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: I thank Golf Canada so much for development of golf in Canada. When I was growing up, I wanted to play on Tour so bad just because of who I saw on Tour, and I think the more and more girls on Tour from Canada, I think it inspires the younger generation, so it's just kind of an upward trend.
Q. I spoke with Brooke Henderson, and she mentioned the mental aspect of being within the Golf Canada program, how it really makes her mentally tough from tee to green. What's the biggest thing that you would take from being with the Canadian program when you're competing? Is it the mental part of the game?
SUE KIM: I think there's definitely a different part of the game that the Golf Canada team has provided us, like from a nutritionist to a psychologist, also a fitness trainer. I think they look after all those things outside of golf so that we can just focus on golf itself on the course.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yeah, I think when you have the support of a team, you feel stronger just in general.
Q. Coming home to kind of your national championship, is there more pressure on you two being Canadians in the field?
SUE KIM: I wouldn't say the pressure, but I love being home. Like as soon as I step right on to the land of Canada, I just feel like I'm relaxed, I don't really take up I think it actually puts less pressure on me. I just feel more at home and relaxed.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yeah, I don't know if it's pressure, if that's the right term. But I do feel a little different playing at home in front of my friends and family. I, I think, do put extra expectations. I do want to play well with the people around me supporting me, but then again, I'm just grateful for just the opportunity to just be home and have that support behind me.
Q. We have obviously Lorie Kane in the field this week. She'll turn 50 this year, a veteran on the Tour. She's been a real mentor. Have either of you had a chance to have a nice chat with Lorie, get a little bit of advice?
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Of course. She's so outgoing. She approaches us. Ever since I've been on Tour, she's always been there telling me I'm there for you whenever you need me. I mean, you can't ask for more than that from a veteran.
SUE KIM: It's just great to have someone who's just there for you. She won't come after you or like go out of her way, but she just lets us know that she's always there for us. It's a great thing to have. Pretty much she was the woman of Canada for golf, and having that inspiration, being there at the same place, you just feel like you're home, and looking up to her, you just want to be up to her level.
Q. You two are some of the younger players on Tour. You've only been on a couple years. Does it help that this championship changes tracks each year to where maybe when you go to Marathon or something where there's girls that have played that event for 15 years, some of them, does that help just kind of no one has seen this golf course except people that played here in '06?
SUE KIM: I think it differs. Depends if you're a veteran or not. But I'm pretty rookie on this Tour, and I love seeing different courses everywhere. I do see a lot of girls moving to places to play when it's a new venue. They want to get more rounds in, they want to see the course a little bit more. But I think when it comes to getting used to the tournament, I think all the girls do a pretty good job by Wednesday, and they get on it on Thursday no problem.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yeah, I personally like new golf courses just because it does make all the players more even, no advantage, and it's kind of whoever takes the time and effort into planning out their schedule for the week.
Q. What are your impressions of London Hunt Club?
SUE KIM: It's a great course. It's a great track. I heard that they did a tremendous amount of work on the greens when they had a really bad winter this winter, and the greens look amazing right now. I probably would have never tell.
Q. They had 16 greens almost completely gone.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: I came and played a practice round in the spring, and I just got to hit like two greens then, and knowing the condition that it was in then and now, I can see how much work they had to put into it. I'm very thankful for the staff here. They did an amazing job.
Q. Quick question about hole No.18. You both had a chance to practice there. Have you both been off of 18 tee?
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yes.
Q. So back in '93 when we had this event, they were hitting driver off the tee. In 2006 mostly they were hitting 3wood, but now with the equipment changes and everything, are we seeing a lot of hybrids? I'm just curious what you're hitting there.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: I actually hit driver.
SUE KIM: I don't remember hitting anything other than driver.
Q. I know you guys were both named earlier this year to the young pro program. Talk about that. You mentioned you came up through the national team program. To be back part of a team program, what does that mean to you?
SUE KIM: Actually I kind of felt like I was left out after I left the team and turned pro. I'm not going to lie, I'm very honest about it. Like all the support we had, I kind of took it for granted to be honest. It was all there all the time, and when I completely lost it, I have no help on nutrition, fitness, psychologist, or any financial help at all. It was a little bit difficult to focus on golf. All I had was parents, which was great, but it's definitely more I would say I can focus on golf a lot more than I used to be able to, not worrying about the financial part or actually getting my head back into the game, and I knew talking to Adrian, who's the psychologist, and Tristan being at the venue of the tournament, it's great help with all the tips that he's been giving us on practice rounds.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yeah, I feel the same way. You kind of take it for granted when it's there and then you realize how much was given to you when it's not there. Yeah, I was on it for five years of my amateur career, and so grateful for what I had, and to have it back is just a great opportunity, and I feel so much support from Golf Canada.
Q. You mentioned Tristan. Talk about Tristan a little bit and what he's brought to this program from he came over from the Irish Ladies Golf Union. What has he meant to the program and to you guys personally, and what's he like?
SUE KIM: I would say I went through three different coaches on Team Canada, Dean Spriddle, Derek Ingram, and now Tristan. There's definitely different parts to all those three people, and I think Tristan does a great job like in and out of the golf course, trying to keep in touch, make sure everything is on the right track in order for you to perform as well as you could at every tournament.
I think it's kind of lack of contact in the past few years, but I think he's doing a great job keeping on track with all of us.
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: Yeah, I agree. He's always there for me 24/7. I can text him whenever I want. He always lets me know he's a call away, and since I've been working with him, I can see he has a lot of experience. He knows what he's talking about, and he's just someone I can trust out there.
Q. Rebecca, three cuts in the last four events. Where is your game? Do you like where you're heading?
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: I do like where I'm heading. I went through a rough patch, but I think that was just a learning experience that's only going to help me get better. I feel more confident in my game knowing I could finish on top of the leaderboard and handle that kind of situation. I'm still learning how to get four good rounds in week to week, but I can definitely feel that the more work I'm putting in is paying off gradually.
Q. What do you think the weekend at Marathon, what did you take away from that, being on the leaderboard going into Saturday?
REBECCA LEEBENTHAM: I guess I wasn't used to having cameras on me like on every shot. That was a good experience for me. I guess just realizing it's just the same round, it's just golf. You just try to hit the best shot you can on each shot.
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