LOW SCORES AND COCO POPS

Q

It sounds like there might be quite a lot but is there a single highlight of your career?

A

My first win was one of them. That was the Daikyo Ladies Challenge in Cairns (in 1991). There were a lot of great players in the field like Juli Inkster and Jane Geddes. It proved to myself and others that I could win tournaments. The other was the first ever Australian Ladies Masters. I set a course record of 7-under, with my family there watching. That was the lowest round I’d ever hit.

Q

You hit a hole in one at the Ladies Masters too but didn’t quite get the prize you wanted ...

A

It used to be the 14th hole at Royal Pines and was sponsored by Jupiters. The prizemoney would jackpot in those days. So I hit my hole in one and turned around to look at the sponsor of the hole and it was Kellogg’s. Nothing against Kellogg’s but I got a year’s supply of cereal so my kids were full of Coco Pops and Froot Loops. But I would have prefered the $45,000 from Jupiters.

Q

You played with some great players but who rates as the very best of the lot?

A

I remember in 1991 I played with Karrie W e b b (right) and she was an amateur. I was playing reasonably well and Karrie took a 10 on the first hole. But at the end of the tournament I only beat her by three. At the 18th hole I remember she had this shot, the ball was below her feet over a water carry and she smashed it on to the green. I looked at Warren and I said, ‘who is this girl?’. At one stage Karrie came to our home and asked for some advice about turning pro and I said ‘we should sponsor that girl and take a percentage of what she earns’. She went on to be world No.1. I was just in awe of her and she was an amateur at the time. I played with Annika Sorenstam and she hadn’t won a tournament at that stage. I finished about seventh and Annika won and she went on to become world No.1. So her, Karrie and Laura Davies would be some of the best.