WEBVTT - Ashleigh Buhai 0:00:06.040 --> 0:00:08.600 It's the Son of a Butcher podcast. I'm your host 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:14.560 Claude Harmon. This week's guest Ashley boo High, the two 0:00:15.120 --> 0:00:18.520 Women's British Open champion. It's her first major and UM, 0:00:18.600 --> 0:00:22.279 what a cool story. Um, just I watched she she 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:25.360 wins in a playoff. The playoff goes, you know, four holes. 0:00:26.600 --> 0:00:29.080 She's going up against a major champion, one of the 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:32.960 best players in the world, and UM, just what a story. 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:37.400 What a what a life changing event, UM, life change 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:40.480 event from winning a major, which she talks about too, 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:43.760 the prize of of winning a million dollars which is 0:00:43.840 --> 0:00:47.879 life changing for her. Um. And it was just it 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:50.640 was a really really fun tournament to watch on a 0:00:50.680 --> 0:00:54.520 great golf course. Um, your field, And UM, I think 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:59.360 it was a really really good performance. And UM, if 0:00:59.400 --> 0:01:01.160 you don't know about Ashley, that's why I wanted to 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:03.800 get her on the podcast, because, UM, I'm a fan 0:01:04.480 --> 0:01:07.600 and I watched that playoff and and afterwards I was 0:01:07.800 --> 0:01:11.800 really really impressed. UM. I want to thank everybody for 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:15.920 listening to the first episode Son of a Buch last 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:17.679 week with my dad butch Arm and if you haven't 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:20.240 checked it out, check it out. Lots of stuff to 0:01:20.240 --> 0:01:23.440 talk about from that, But I'm really excited for everybody 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:26.399 to hear Ashley Blue High and for everyone to hear 0:01:26.440 --> 0:01:30.440 her story and her journey to becoming a major champion. 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:39.200 So my guest is the twenty twenty two Women's British 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:44.040 Open champion, Ashley you High. I hope I got that right. Yeah, 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:48.640 it's all good. Um, I mean your week out from winning, 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:51.520 I'm sure the last week has been somewhat of a 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:53.760 world wind. Um. I've been lucky enough to be worked 0:01:53.800 --> 0:01:55.880 with players that have one major championships. I don't think 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:59.320 the fans realize that. Um, not only how much winning 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:01.360 one of those from aly takes so much out of you, 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:05.360 but also all of the stuff that goes along with 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:09.400 winning one. Obviously great problems to have, but um, it 0:02:09.480 --> 0:02:13.079 still takes a lot of hard a lot of work. Yeah, 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:15.079 I'm sure it does. Um, you know, a lot of 0:02:15.760 --> 0:02:18.320 time management. I think that's going to be something I'm 0:02:18.320 --> 0:02:21.919 going to have to learn to do a little bit better. Um. 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:23.840 There might be a few more things asked to me 0:02:23.960 --> 0:02:26.400 when I get to tournaments. But you know, it's been 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:28.680 a very busy week or so. There's a lot of 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:30.919 press out of South Africa and with the six hour 0:02:31.000 --> 0:02:33.440 time change, I was waking up early to do those 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.120 interviews and then had interviews locally here in the US. 0:02:36.200 --> 0:02:38.680 So but like you said, it's all good problems to have. 0:02:39.680 --> 0:02:42.160 I mean, are you still kind of pinsion yourself that 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:44.560 for the rest of your life you will be called 0:02:45.040 --> 0:02:49.720 a major champion? Yeah, definitely. Um, you know when I 0:02:49.760 --> 0:02:51.640 think about that, and you know I said to mys 0:02:51.680 --> 0:02:53.840 when the cool thing is, nobody can ever take that 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:57.160 away from you. So to be called a major champion, 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:00.720 it's it's a dream come true. I mean's and there 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.080 are there are golf courses that you win majors on, 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:05.760 and then there are golf courses that you win majors on. 0:03:06.600 --> 0:03:09.880 Gary Player in nine, Ernie Els in two thousand, soil 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:11.440 I was there in two thousand and two and Ernie one. 0:03:11.520 --> 0:03:14.880 The weather was Atrocis on the on the Saturday. But 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:20.000 it's almost like those two kind of trailblazers for South 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:23.840 African golf. For you to win another major chance or 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:26.720 win a major championship your first at a venue where 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:30.280 two of the icons of South African golf have one 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:33.320 before that, I mean, it's almost like there are times 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:37.720 where things line up and it's like lined up for you. Yeah, 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:40.760 they definitely odd times like that, you know, Like I said, 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:43.600 they were my idols growing up, and you know, it 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:45.800 was huge for us for the first time to be 0:03:45.840 --> 0:03:48.800 able to go to Murfield the women's game, and for 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.440 me to be the first female winner it and again 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:54.720 alongside Gary and Ernie. There were a lot of things 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:57.280 when I look back now that you know, sometimes it's 0:03:57.280 --> 0:03:58.960 a little aerie or however you want to look at. 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:01.880 That's may be. It was just meant to be my week, 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:06.000 and I think it's it's it's important to to say 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:09.160 that was it. Two thousand seventeen was the first time 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:10.640 that they allowed I think it was two thousand seven 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.440 and the first time they started to allow women to 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:16.200 be members at Merefield. It was it was a staunchly, 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:21.120 staunchly men only club, um where all of you um 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.160 that we're playing their conscious to the fact that this 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:26.440 was obviously a major championship venue for the guys, but 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:28.760 for the for the ladies to be there for the 0:04:28.800 --> 0:04:31.440 first time and to be the one that won the 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:34.599 first one as a woman there that that that's also 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:37.520 I mean, that's that's you said in one of your interviews. 0:04:37.520 --> 0:04:41.039 The times are changing, and um, listen, I was there 0:04:41.080 --> 0:04:42.840 in two thousand two, and then when Phil one in 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:47.159 two thousand thirteen. Um, that place can be kind of stuffy. Um, 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:49.479 it was kind of the one in the road of that. 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:52.440 Everybody kind of knew that you know your field. Um. 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:55.120 You know, at times they can be not the most 0:04:55.240 --> 0:05:00.960 user friendly, especially um um if you're a female. Yeah, 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:04.560 you know where. Like you said, times are changing, and UM, 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:07.880 I think they've obviously realized that, and in order to 0:05:07.960 --> 0:05:10.000 get back on the Open roster, they knew what they 0:05:10.000 --> 0:05:12.760 had to do and provide us with an opportunity to 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.839 play there. And I'll tell you what then, we didn't 0:05:15.880 --> 0:05:20.000 feel unwelcomed the whole week. They were fantastic. Um. That 0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:24.159 opened us. They welcomed us with open arms. Um. And 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:27.320 obviously you know, being there, what a fantastic golf course. 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:29.440 And I think so it's even it's one of the 0:05:29.480 --> 0:05:32.440 fairest links golf courses I've played. But obviously it's the 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:35.599 history and how old it is, and you know, it 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:37.640 just creates us all around it. And for me to 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:41.520 be able to call myself the first female Women's Open 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:44.760 champion there, Um, I know I'll go down in history forever. 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.599 It is a very very difficult golf course. You said 0:05:48.640 --> 0:05:51.600 that it is very very fair when you got there. Um, 0:05:51.680 --> 0:05:53.920 had you played there before you? Had you ever seen 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:56.120 the golf course before? Had you only seen it on 0:05:56.480 --> 0:06:00.920 maybe television? And yeah, I only see it on television. 0:06:01.680 --> 0:06:04.440 My husband, he carries out an LPGA to He managed 0:06:04.440 --> 0:06:06.000 to play it a few weeks before that, and he 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:08.080 told me it's going to be firm and face, which 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.159 is what I was excited about. Um. And then once 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:13.080 I got there, I just love the look of it, 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:16.159 the layout and how it was playing from the first day. 0:06:16.360 --> 0:06:19.280 I think one of the things links golf is almost 0:06:19.320 --> 0:06:21.720 it seems like, at times an equalizer, because there are 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:25.560 golf courses. If you have a tremendous amount of length 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:28.520 off the t it gives you a huge advantage. If 0:06:29.040 --> 0:06:32.279 you know short game, if the roughest thick similar to 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:37.440 a US Open style, Um, you're not nearly short, but 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:40.440 you're certainly not one of the bombers at the LPG game. 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:43.440 So I think one of the things I like about 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:47.120 the Open Championship is that it does test every single 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.839 part of your game that you have to be able 0:06:49.920 --> 0:06:52.839 to have all of the shots. So when you got 0:06:52.880 --> 0:06:55.120 there and you kind of saw that it wasn't going 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:59.320 to be a bomber's paradise, that length was necessarily going 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:02.680 to be a huge advantage all of a sudden, it's 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:07.200 so like the playing field is is leveled when that happens. Actually, 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:09.240 as a player, when you say, okay, listen, I don't 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:11.320 feel like I have to do things I can't this week. 0:07:11.720 --> 0:07:15.080 I feel like everybody is kind of pushed towards the 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:19.280 middle as opposed to pushed kind of short hitters, long hitters. 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:21.600 Does that give you a lot of Does that take 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:24.320 the pressure off? Does that give you more confidence? What's 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:26.600 the kind of mindset when you get to a golf 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:29.320 course where you say, listen, everybody's got a chance this week, 0:07:29.400 --> 0:07:34.240 not just these kind of players. The office starts. I've 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:36.440 always loved links golf, and like I said, I think 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:40.119 it does even the playing field. I'm not obomber, and 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:43.520 for me, links courses about plotting your way around and 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:46.920 you have to be smart, and that's kind of golf 0:07:46.960 --> 0:07:50.680 at once tournaments on on links courses. So we worked 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:52.720 my coach and I dug where we work very hard 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.760 on having an arsenal a lot of shots in my bag, 0:07:56.440 --> 0:07:59.560 and I feel that Open Championship has always catered towards 0:07:59.560 --> 0:08:02.880 that favors me. Um, and also I love to be 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:05.920 creative and have to have that imagination and when the 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:08.280 wound blows and you're able to run it up and 0:08:08.320 --> 0:08:10.400 you don't have to fly it at the pin, I 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:12.800 think it definitely does favor me. And that's why I 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:15.800 always love every time I stand up at a Woman's 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:18.320 British Open, I just get a really good feeling about it. 0:08:19.200 --> 0:08:21.080 One of the things I've heard, Um, you know, some 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:24.040 of the guys uh you know, when they go to 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:27.000 the Open Championship, they always say that it kind of 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:30.600 makes him feel like because the challenge is so different, 0:08:30.760 --> 0:08:34.040 because it does test all the different aspects of your game. 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:36.480 It almost I mean, DJ was saying this year he 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:39.120 had a chance to win at St. Andrews. This year 0:08:39.160 --> 0:08:42.000 at the Open Championship said he kind of likes links 0:08:42.000 --> 0:08:44.560 off because it makes him focus more because he feels 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:46.760 like he can't take any holes off because every t 0:08:46.960 --> 0:08:50.120 shot kind of demands that you say, Okay, where do 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:51.800 I want to be on the green? What do you 0:08:51.840 --> 0:08:53.640 feel like that as well that it kind of makes 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:56.480 you focus maybe a little bit more that you can't 0:08:56.520 --> 0:09:00.400 take some holes off. Yeah, I definitely. Um. A field 0:09:00.400 --> 0:09:02.880 in particular was like that every T shot you're going 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:04.800 to stand up, You've got to commit and hit the shot. 0:09:05.559 --> 0:09:08.320 Lucky for us, the one was the same direction every day, 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:11.240 So I just try to emulate and hit the same 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:13.920 shot every day or every T shot um that I 0:09:14.000 --> 0:09:17.560 had so um, you know. And I also think you 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:21.600 have to have that concentration um like you said. And 0:09:21.760 --> 0:09:24.640 there's just something about links golf that I just love it. 0:09:25.040 --> 0:09:28.160 And I think it's also the history about it. You know, 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:30.760 it's where and especially playing in Scotland, it's where the 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:32.920 game started and I'm a golf nerd, so I just 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:35.520 love it. What kind of golf course did you grow 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:37.040 up on? Did you grow up on a golf course 0:09:37.120 --> 0:09:41.240 that had some links characteristic to it, which which is 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:44.640 why you like links golf? No, not at all. I 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:48.080 grew up in Johannesburg. I mean where at altitude the 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:52.760 ball goes forever, park Land, Kakoi Fairways and Bank Green. 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:57.400 So nothing like links courses at all. Um. Let's go 0:09:57.440 --> 0:09:59.680 back to the beginning. What dot you what got you 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:01.920 into off for you into other sports? When did you 0:10:01.960 --> 0:10:04.640 start playing? What was kind of the catalyst that that 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:09.560 got you towards this path of being a professional golfer. Um. Yeah, 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:12.360 from a young age, I always had very good handbar coordination. 0:10:12.880 --> 0:10:15.679 My parents picked that up and I loved all sports. 0:10:16.040 --> 0:10:18.960 Um could hit. You know, South Africa, we played crickets. 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:22.000 That was so it's like picked up a cricket bat 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:24.440 or a baseball bat. I could catch a ball my dada, 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:26.160 so let me see if she can hit a golf ball, 0:10:26.480 --> 0:10:30.320 because he plays and I could. And then you know, 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:32.000 at the age of three, I was hitting balls, and 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:34.400 about the age of six, I was saying to my dad, 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:36.880 let's go play golf. Let's take me to the driving range. 0:10:36.920 --> 0:10:39.840 So it always came from me. But I played um 0:10:40.559 --> 0:10:43.800 tennis and field hockey at school until the age of sixteen. 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:46.160 But I knew from a young age that golf was 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:47.680 going to be it and I wanted to be a 0:10:47.679 --> 0:10:50.840 professional golfer. Did I read this correctly? When you were 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:53.679 fourteen years old, you won the In two thousand four, 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:58.720 you won the Women's South African Open at fourteen. Yeah, 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:02.240 at my home course. It was I mean, nobody expected 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:04.160 that I should sixty three on the last day on 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:07.760 my home course, to come from behind and win it. Um. 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:10.720 And at the time, there was a bunch of ladies 0:11:10.760 --> 0:11:13.200 European to a place. They come down that we played 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:15.120 the four events in South Africa at that time of 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:17.760 year because the weather were still bad in Europe. So 0:11:18.600 --> 0:11:20.680 that was kind of the start of it for me. 0:11:20.720 --> 0:11:23.560 And then went on to win some professional tournament in 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.360 South Africa as an amateur every year until her termper 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:29.600 at eighteen. Do you even remember as a fourteen year 0:11:29.640 --> 0:11:32.079 old what you were thinking going into you know, the 0:11:32.760 --> 0:11:37.760 national championship of your country. Um, your fourteen I'm sure nobody. 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:39.920 I mean even if if, even if you're a really 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:42.200 good junior, I'm sure nobody expects a fourteen year old 0:11:42.240 --> 0:11:45.040 to win their national Open at such a young age. 0:11:46.200 --> 0:11:49.160 It's definitely not. I was just the fact that I'm 0:11:49.160 --> 0:11:52.000 playing at my home course. This is so cool. I 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.720 remember obviously signing my car and shooting sixty three and 0:11:55.840 --> 0:11:57.600 I was hanging out with my buddies and we were 0:11:57.640 --> 0:12:00.360 having a coke afterwards. The next but somebody and told 0:12:00.360 --> 0:12:02.560 me you won, and I was like, excuse me, and 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:04.760 it's a kind of giving for the prize giving. So 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:07.480 it was all a little sereal, you know. It was 0:12:07.559 --> 0:12:09.680 part when back in the day I used to work 0:12:09.679 --> 0:12:10.959 with Trevor and the woman who is still one of 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:13.240 my very good friends, and Trevor one back to back 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:16.320 essay opens at his home course, Aaron Vale. So I've 0:12:16.640 --> 0:12:18.679 never really been to South Africa. I went down and 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.600 stayed with Trevor. We rented a house in Somerset West 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:24.280 that week and um, you know he was going to 0:12:24.320 --> 0:12:26.079 that golf course and it's like he was like, listen, 0:12:26.080 --> 0:12:30.280 I know every single shot on this golf course. I 0:12:30.320 --> 0:12:32.960 know we're all the putts break. I mean, when you 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:36.240 play a big tournament at your home course, regardless of 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:38.880 what age you're at, do you feel like it kind 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:40.720 of takes a little bit of the pressure off to 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:43.080 where you say, listen, I'm I've played here a million times. 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:45.160 I kind of know what this golf course it does. 0:12:46.760 --> 0:12:49.679 Thank yes, I know, because obviously there's an expectation from 0:12:49.720 --> 0:12:51.840 everybody around you to do well with it being your 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:54.600 home of course. But I think also you play the 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:56.560 course as it is, like you would on a Saturday 0:12:56.640 --> 0:12:59.800 or Sunday. Um, Whereas I think where we played tournaments 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:02.760 ready to go into the details and you know, try 0:13:02.800 --> 0:13:04.960 to figure out where the exactly hit it. But when 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:07.800 you played so much, it just naturally stands out and 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:10.200 jumps out at you, and that's what you try to do. 0:13:10.760 --> 0:13:13.080 So you're fourteen years old, you win, you know, the 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:17.240 South African Women's Open. Did that make you think, okay, um, 0:13:17.320 --> 0:13:19.160 I can go on and do this, this is where 0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:22.480 my pathway is. I can be a pro, I can 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:24.840 have a career. Was that the thought or did you 0:13:24.840 --> 0:13:27.200 just say listen, I'm just gonna see what happens and 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:30.920 and see where things take me. Well, I mean from 0:13:30.920 --> 0:13:33.240 a young age, like before that, I was telling my 0:13:33.280 --> 0:13:36.079 parents I wanted to be a professional golfer. Um. So 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:38.400 the thought was always there. And then I think when 0:13:38.440 --> 0:13:41.880 in that tournament again some really good players from Europe 0:13:41.920 --> 0:13:44.640 at the time, obviously made me think, well, I really 0:13:44.679 --> 0:13:48.160 can do this, um. And then I went on to 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:52.640 when many tournaments in South Africa represents South Africa in 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:54.160 the world and we won the world them in two 0:13:54.200 --> 0:13:56.960 thousand and six, and you know, it was like a 0:13:56.960 --> 0:13:59.239 cross roads. Do I go to college dot im professional? 0:13:59.360 --> 0:14:02.160 But I knew that I just wanted to play golf. 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:05.520 So at eighteen, I made the decision to turn professional. 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:08.120 And I started off saying, you're about to that. Did 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:10.079 you have any offers to go to college in the States. 0:14:11.000 --> 0:14:13.160 I don't. I had a few, but my grades were 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:16.280 never going to be good enough, unfortunately. And like I said, 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:18.280 you know, I was just wanting to play golf, and 0:14:18.320 --> 0:14:20.520 I felt I was really I've proven that I could win, 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:24.080 proven I could win against you know, players playing in Europe, 0:14:24.120 --> 0:14:27.320 and that's where I wanted to start off. So I 0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:29.560 kind of felt that it was the right progression for me. 0:14:30.280 --> 0:14:33.320 Two thousand seven, in your third start on the Ladies 0:14:33.360 --> 0:14:36.280 European Tour, you win the Catalonia Masters. So I mean, 0:14:36.880 --> 0:14:40.520 what a what a progression, right? I mean, most people 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:42.840 it takes them a while to get out on tour 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:46.880 find their feet. But you win in your third tournament. 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:51.480 Did did it feel like, Okay, I wanted an early age, 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.040 I want a big tournament. Now I've turned pro. I 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:57.920 one in my third event, did it just seem like, Okay, 0:14:57.960 --> 0:15:02.400 that's the natural progression. Where you surprised? Were you shocked? 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:05.920 What was the feeling, you know, winning so soon on 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:10.680 a big stage after you turned prom Um. Yeah, I 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:12.680 think it definitely was my thought of all, this is 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:14.360 the progression, and this is how it's going to be, 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:15.840 and if this is how it's going to be life, 0:15:15.840 --> 0:15:19.840 it's going to be great. Um. Things happenuntil the in camera. 0:15:19.920 --> 0:15:21.880 It's so easy, but as we all know, in this 0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:24.400 game doesn't always work out like we want too and 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:28.240 there's ups and downs and we've got to ride them. Um. 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:30.560 And then you know, that year it was great because 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:33.960 I had the expectation of my shoulders. I had secured 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:35.880 a Europeans to a card for two years, so I 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:38.080 knew I could go to lpg Q school and play 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:42.000 free um, knowing that I had a fallback plank kind 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:44.840 of thing. Um. And then I went to lpg Q 0:15:45.040 --> 0:15:47.120 school and was in it all the way until the 0:15:47.200 --> 0:15:49.600 last two holes and finished BERGI bergie and missed out 0:15:49.640 --> 0:15:52.440 by one. And you know that that was eyebreak. That 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:56.280 year there was also only I think sixteen cards nowaday well, 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:59.240 then years after that there was always guaranteed twenty. So 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:03.480 I was like the first real heartbreak and lodge ship 0:16:03.560 --> 0:16:08.360 that that I felt in Professional Goal. Did you feel like, Okay, 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.840 I need to reset, kind of re kind of evaluate 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:14.800 my goals or did you say, listen, go back to Europe. 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:17.360 I'll keep playing. Um I know my game is good 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:19.480 enough because I've always won. Because a lot of people, 0:16:19.680 --> 0:16:23.080 you know, they they do that, they went early, they 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:25.840 get that. So the next stage, Okay, you're secure in Europe, 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.560 but obviously everybody wants to play on the LPGA in 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:32.520 the States. Did you feel like, okay, do I just 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:34.760 keep doing what I'm doing? Did that force you to 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:38.960 maybe say, okay, maybe I need to make some changes. Um? No, 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:41.840 I kept doing what I was doing That next year wards, 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:44.120 so it was two thousand and eight conditional status, but 0:16:44.160 --> 0:16:47.360 I still managed to play fourteen events. But it was difficult. 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:49.680 I was living in South Africa. You only need two 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:52.480 weeks before if you're in the event, You hop on 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:55.880 a plane, you flower over eighteen years old, conran a car. 0:16:56.320 --> 0:17:00.040 You know. It was a lot um, but hey, it 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:03.000 made me who I am today a short add resilience. 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:05.160 I went back the next year. I got my card 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:09.800 for full card and played what twenty ten, four, two 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:12.920 dozen and nine full season, but I still wasn't quite 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:15.800 quite ready to compete on the LPG. I lost my 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:20.240 card and then I decided I'm gonna take a step back. 0:17:20.320 --> 0:17:23.439 I switched coaches, and I went back to Europe and 0:17:23.480 --> 0:17:27.840 played there for three years. And did the switching coaches 0:17:28.720 --> 0:17:32.159 payoff immediately? Did you? Did you see immediate results or 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:35.040 was there kind of that kind of period where you're like, okay, 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:38.639 you know, maybe switching coaches big decision. You know I 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:41.760 had successful early because I always think that's interesting actually 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:44.680 as as as someone that that is a as a coach, 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:47.199 you know, the thought process from a player's standpoint. I mean, 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:49.560 I've been fired by guys that you have been number 0:17:49.600 --> 0:17:52.919 one in the world, and um, that process is the 0:17:52.960 --> 0:17:56.520 player to say, Okay, I feel like I've got to 0:17:56.560 --> 0:17:57.959 make a change. I feel like I've got to get 0:17:58.000 --> 0:17:59.960 to the next one. Talk me through what that process 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:02.720 this is like. I actually don't think I've ever asked 0:18:02.760 --> 0:18:04.280 any of the guys that have fired me what what 0:18:04.359 --> 0:18:06.760 the process is like, because you know, after what you 0:18:06.760 --> 0:18:10.720 don't really talk to him that much after they fired. Um. 0:18:10.840 --> 0:18:13.320 For me, it was a very difficult decision because my 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:15.880 coach at the time is it was a very good 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.080 family friend of ours, was very good friends of my dad, 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.520 and but I knew in order for me to progress 0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:23.080 in my career that I needed to make a change. 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:26.200 And you know, at the time it wasn't easy and 0:18:26.280 --> 0:18:30.160 we were both hurt, but you know, later down the line, 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.960 he knew that it was the best thing for me. Um. 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:35.520 And then in terms of when I switched coaches, that 0:18:35.600 --> 0:18:38.359 took some time. We had to do a few changes, 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:40.560 and then I took about a year and then I 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:42.560 want in two thousand and eleven again on the Ladies 0:18:42.600 --> 0:18:46.159 European Tour. UM. So it showed well, what I was 0:18:46.200 --> 0:18:49.760 doing was working. And I've been with you, my coach 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:52.320 that I'm currently with since then, since two dozen and ten. 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:56.280 And Doug, I mean he works with some very very 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:59.440 good players. I've seen them, you know, on European Tour. 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:01.200 I used to see Doug a lot when he used 0:19:01.200 --> 0:19:04.040 to go over to Abu Dhabi or Dubai with the guys. UM. 0:19:04.080 --> 0:19:06.040 I think he's done a fantastic job with Eric van 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:08.480 Roy And I mean I love Eric's golf swing, right, 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:10.879 I mean, I mean it's pretty. I will sit and 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:13.200 watch Eric at golf balls, you know, if I'm sitting 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:15.119 on the range and stuff, and Eric's hitting balls and 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:17.560 I'm waiting for somebody. I'll go stand, you know, twenty 0:19:17.680 --> 0:19:19.840 thirty yards away and watch Eric hid golf balls. I mean, 0:19:19.920 --> 0:19:22.920 I think his his golf swing is is really really good. 0:19:23.080 --> 0:19:24.879 So you you make the change, you go from the 0:19:24.880 --> 0:19:28.520 coaching change, Um, you win again. So again more validation 0:19:28.560 --> 0:19:31.720 that you're on the right path. And you know, from 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:37.399 two thousand eleven until two were there more winds and 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:42.000 where they're more near missus? Or did you just feel like, Okay, 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:45.119 I'm just kind of plodding along and just seeing what 0:19:45.200 --> 0:19:48.880 I can kind of get out of this. Yeah, there 0:19:48.920 --> 0:19:51.840 was plotting. I mean I was pretty consistent, and I 0:19:51.840 --> 0:19:54.080 mean I finished top fifteen I think every year on 0:19:53.840 --> 0:19:56.600 the on the money lost day, so I was competitive. 0:19:57.040 --> 0:19:59.640 There was a setback in I had to have hip 0:19:59.640 --> 0:20:02.160 surge reef, so that put me out a good six 0:20:02.200 --> 0:20:05.880 months left left labor and shave of the bones. So 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:10.320 I kind of played half of injured and when knew 0:20:10.320 --> 0:20:11.679 I needed to get it done, so I did it 0:20:11.720 --> 0:20:14.160 in the off season and then yeah, we went back 0:20:14.200 --> 0:20:16.679 to Q school at the end often and got my 0:20:16.760 --> 0:20:19.640