KARRIE WEBB
TEASE
KARRIE WEBB IS PLAYING THE KIND OF BREATHTAKING GOLF THAT HAS US COMPARING HER WITH THE LEGENDS OF THE LPGA.
SHE KEEPS IMPROVING HER TECHNIQUE. SHE STAYS OUT OF HER OWN WAY. SHE DOESN'T FORGET HER FRIENDS. AND SHE TREATS US TO MAJESTIC GOLF NEARLY EVERY TIME SHE PLAYS.
MEET KARRIE WEBB ON GOLF TALK LIVE.
UNKNOWN ANNOUNCER:
NOW THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE IN WOMEN'S GOLF, THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND LEADING MONEY WINNER ON THE U.S. TOUR LAST YEAR WITH SIX TOURNAMENT WINS INCLUDING THE PRESTIGIOUS DU MAURIER CLASSIC, FROM QUEENSLAND, KARRIE WEBB.
WHY DO WE INSIST ON COMPARISONS AND SPECULATIONS WHENEVER A PLAYER GETS OFF TO A GREAT CAREER START? THEY BECOME THE NEXT NICKLAUS OR NEXT MICKEY WRIGHT.
WE STUDY THE STATS, CHECK THE RANKINGS AND COUNT MAJORS. AND YET THE MOST FUN IS ALWAYS HAD BY JUST WATCHING THE SHOW.
AND IN THE CASE OF KARRIE WEBB, THE SHOW GETS BETTER WITH EVERY RUN.
LIKE A GREAT NOVEL, HER STORY TEMPO QUICKENS UNTIL WE'RE STARTLED BY THE SPEED. THE VICTORIES AND CONFIDENCE SERVE EACH OTHER AS THE CLIMB STEEPENS ON HER RARELY TRAVELED ROAD.
AT TWENTY-FIVE, KARRIE WEBB IS CERTAIN TO BE A HALL OF FAMER BY SEASON'S END, THE YOUNGEST PLAYER TO GRACE THE TOUGHEST HALL IN SPORTS.
THE SWING IS MAJESTIC AND UPRIGHT AND ON PLANE AND POWERFUL AND MERELY UNERRING IN ITS EFFICIENCY. AND THE PUTTING MOTION HAS NOW REACHED THE SAME POINT OF BRILLIANCE.
THE LITTLE SPHERE DISAPPEARING MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. SHE LOVES HER WORLD. HER WORLD LOVES HER BACK.
KARRIE WEBB NOW MAKES US FEEL LIKE SHE'S ENJOYING HER PERFORMANCES AS MUCH AS WE ARE. AND WHY NOT? THEY'RE THE FINEST IN THE WORLD.
PETER KESSLER
WELCOME TO GOLF TALK LIVE. I'M PETER KESSLER. GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD, KARRIE WEBB. AND GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
KARRIE WEBB
THANKS PETER. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
PETER KESSLER
YOU KNOW, WHEN BYRON NELSON WAS WINNING EVERYTHING IN 1944 AND '45, HE SAID THAT HE ACTUALLY GOT BORED HITTING SO MANY PERFECT SHOTS IN A ROW. ARE YOU BORED YET?
KARRIE WEBB
OH NO, I'M LOVING IT.
PETER KESSLER
WALTER HAGEN SAID AFTER HE WON HIS SECOND MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP THAT ANYBODY COULD WIN ONE BUT IT TAKES A REALLY GREAT PLAYER TO WIN TWO. THINK HE HAD SOMETHING THERE?
KARRIE WEBB
(CHUCKLE) WELL UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A - A GOOD RIDE. AND UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY HAVEN'T - I HAD A DOWN YEAR UH SINCE I'VE BEEN OUT HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW UH . YOU KNOW, AFTER LAST YEAR UH WINNING SIX TIMES AND PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND - AND ALL THE HONORS THAT I RECEIVED AT THE END OF THE YEAR,
YOU KNOW, IT WAS UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASKED ME WHAT I WOULD - UM, HOW THIS YEAR WOULD BE. AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO LIVE UP TO SUCH A GREAT YEAR THAT I HAD LAST YEAR,
THAT I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS BUT HOPED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE - THE GOOD GOLF I PLAYED LAST YEAR. AND UH, YOU KNOW, SO FAR I'VE SEEN A - A LOT MORE OF IT.
PETER KESSLER
SO THAT MEANS YOU'RE HAPPY THAT YOU WENT WITH THE DECISION TO BE A PROFESSIONAL GOLFER INSTEAD OF THE MOTORCYCLE COP YOU WERE ORIGINALLY THINKING ABOUT?
KARRIE WEBB
(GIGGLE) YEAH UM, 'CHIPS' (TV SHOW), YOU KNOW, THAT - THAT (LAUGH) . THAT UH, I'M GLAD IT DIDN'T SWAY ME TOO MUCH WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
PETER KESSLER
SO THE HALL OF FAME MUST BE TOO EASY NOW. IF YOU'RE GONNA BE IN BY YEAR END AT THE AGE OF TWENTY-FIVE, IS IT TOO SIMPLE?
KARRIE WEBB
NO UM, I THINK THAT IT'S JUST MADE IT MORE OF A UM, A LONG TERM GOAL FOR - FOR SOME GIRLS THAT UM, HAVE A LOT OF TALENT AND A LOT OF AMBITION. AND UH,
YOU KNOW UH, WITH ANNIKA GETTING IN EARLY THIS YEAR AND - AND IN VERY QUICKLY AND - AND HOPEFULLY ME IN THE - IN THE NEAR FUTURE UM, WELL AHEAD OF THE TEN YEARS UH, THAT IT - THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO BE ON TOUR,
UM, I THINK WE'RE JUST TWO OF THE EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE. I THINK UH, AND THAT'S ALWAYS GOING TO COME ALONG. UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORT OF PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS GONNA COME ALONG AND - AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA SAY THAT IT'S TOO EASY.
BUT UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SAY IT'S TOO EASY. LOOK AT JULI INKSTER. UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NEVER TELL HER THAT IT'S TOO EASY 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS. AND I THINK SHE DESERVES TO BE IN THE HALL OF FAME JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE.
PETER KESSLER
I WAS KIDDING A LITTLE BIT.
KARRIE WEBB
I KNOW, BUT IT'S - IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A SERIOUS TOPIC UH OF THE - IN THE - IN THE UM, JUST IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS YEAR AS FAR AS UM, BEING TOO EASY OR TOO DIFFICULT.
PETER KESSLER
YOU'VE PREPARED YOURSELF TO PLAY THE BEST GOLF THAT YOU CAN, TO BE IN CONTENTION, AND TO BE ABLE TO CLOSE AND WIN GOLF TOURNAMENTS. YOU GOT READY TO DO THAT.
BUT COULD ANYTHING HAVE PREPARED YOU FOR THIS INTENSE INTEREST IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAY, THINK AND DO?
KARRIE WEBB
NO UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID THIS QUITE OFTEN, JUST AS FAR AS UH . UM, YOU KNOW, COMING TO THE STATES WHEN I WAS TWENTY-ONE AND UM, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT I DID IN MY ROOKIE YEAR,
UM, I THINK I, SUBCONSCIOUSLY, WAS PREPARED TO - TO PLAY WELL DEEP DOWN. UM BUT, TO - TO DEAL WITH UH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT UM, SOME - SOME PLAYERS ENJOY THAT AND - AND THAT COMES NATURALLY TO THEM, TO BE ABLE TO - TO SPEAK TO - TO STRANGERS ABOUT THEIR LIFE AND - AND THEIR GOLF.
AND UM, FOR ME IT WAS - IT'S - IT'S BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE EVER SINCE IT STARTED HAPPENING TO ME. AND UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I'VE - I'VE DEFINITELY GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT MORE USED TO IT EVERY YEAR AND A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
AND UH, I THINK THAT PART UM, FOR ME, I'M JUST GROWING WITH IT AND - AND FEELING MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE EVERY YEAR THAT I - THAT I'M DEALING WITH IT.
PETER KESSLER
PEOPLE WOULD SAY ABOUT JACK NICKLAUS THAT HIS GREATEST STRENGTH WAS THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIND. YOUR MOM SAYS THAT YET - THAT IS YOUR GREATEST ASSET. DO YOU AGREE WITH HER?
KARRIE WEBB
UM, I THINK SO. UM, AND I THINK UH, MY MOM UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THREE DAUGHTERS UH, DEFINITELY RAISED ALL OF US TO BE PRETTY UM INDEPENDENT AND - AND TO GO AFTER WHAT WE WANTED TO. AND UH, BOTH MY MOM AND DAD NEVER UM,
EVER . YOU KNOW, STOPPED ME FROM PURSUING AT ELEVEN YEARS OLD COMING HOME AND TELLING THEM THAT I WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL GOLFER, NEVER UM ONCE STOPPED ME FROM UM DREAMING OF THAT AND THEN ACHIEVING THE DREAM.
PETER KESSLER
STEVE ELKINGTON SAID ABOUT YOUR GOLF SWING, 'IT'S INCREDIBLE AND SHE'S THE ONLY WOMAN I'VE EVER SEEN WHO SWINGS LIKE A MAN.' HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT AND WHAT DO YOU THINK HE MEANT BY THAT?
KARRIE WEBB
(CHUCKLE) WELL UM, I - I LOVE WATCHING UH STEVE SWING, AND I THINK HE'S GOT ONE OF THE BEST SWINGS IN THE GAME HIMSELF. BUT UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT COMPLIMENT. AND UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT UM,
JUST IT - IT GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE UM, YOU KNOW, A BIT OF NATURAL ABILITY OBVIOUSLY BUT UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD ONE COACH MY WHOLE LIFE, KELVIN HALLER.
AND UH, YOU KNOW UM, HE HAD A VERY GOOD VISION BACK WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD TO - TO DEVELOP THE SWING THAT I HAVE TODAY.
PETER KESSLER
IS IT HARD FOR YOU TO KEEP YOUR OLD FRIENDS FROM THE TIME THAT YOU WERE GROWING UP? CAN YOU STILL BE YOU?
KARRIE WEBB
YEAH UM, I'M FORTUNATE UH, IN A WAY THAT UM, MY HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS UM, AND - AND THE FRIENDS THAT I GREW UP PLAYING GOLF WITH UM, HAVE REALLY UH NEVER STOPPED TREATING ME ANY DIFFERENTLY.
UM, AND UH MY HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS ARE THE BEST BECAUSE THEY NEVER UNDERSTOOD GOLF WHEN I WAS AT HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEY STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND GOLF, JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, I MAKE A LOT OF MONEY FROM IT NOW AND - AND AM UH, UM, SUCCESSFUL AT IT.
BUT UM, WHEY I GO HOME BACK TO AYR, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, WE REMINISCE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL AND CATCH UP ON STUFF THAT EVERYONE'S DOING IN THEIR LIVES. AND UM, IT'S - IT'S A GOOD REALITY CHECK JUST TO - TO GET BACK AND SEE THEM.
PETER KESSLER
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME CELEBRITIES SAY THAT 'IT'S NOT TRUE THAT YOU CHANGE. IT'S THAT EVERYBODY AROUND YOU SEEMS TO CHANGE.' HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THAT AT ALL?
KARRIE WEBB
UM, I DON'T THINK FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO ME. I THINK UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE DEFINITELY TRIED TO BE THE SAME PERSON THAT I - THAT I WAS FIVE YEARS AGO. BUT UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT THEY KNEW ME BEFORE I AM WHO I AM AND NOW CLAIM TO KNOW ME.
AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE CHANGED, UM, JUST BY UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN - I CAN BE BACK IN AYR AND WALK UP THE MAIN STREET AND TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW.
UM, BUT THEN I CAN BE STOPPED BY PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW, BUT KNOW - SAY THEY KNOW ME, AND OUT OF THE BLUE STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION WITH ME AND I - I DON'T KNOW THEM FROM - ABOUT THEM (???). SO IT'S - IT'S REALLY HARD TO - TO HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY BACK TO THEM.
PETER KESSLER
IS IT HARD TO TRUST PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME? DO YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS?
KARRIE WEBB
UM, NOT NECESSARILY, I THINK UM . I MEAN, THERE ARE TIMES THAT I THINK I - I HAVE A GOOD FEELING UH WHETHER SOMEONE IS GENUINELY MY FRIEND OR UH MY FRIEND BECAUSE OF WHO I AM.
AND UH, YOU KNOW UH, I - I HAVEN'T HAD TOO MUCH TROUBLE WITH THAT. I'M A PRETTY TRUSTING PERSON. BUT UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T - I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE UH, THAT HAVE BECOME MY FRIEND JUST BECAUSE OF WHO I AM.
PETER KESSLER
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VERY SHORT BREAK. AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH KARRIE WEBB. STAY WITH US.
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