CATRIONA MATTHEW HAS WON MORE THAN ONCE OVER OLD COURSE

     Catriona Matthew in relaxed mood at today's Media Centre Press Conference.

                              Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Inbee Park, bidding for a unique four women's Major titles in a row in the Ricoh's Women's British Open which tees off tomorrow, THINKS her game is suited by the Old Course, St Andrews.
Catriona Matthew, from North Berwick - one of only two Scots in the field of 144 at the Home of Golf, KNOWS she has the game to win over the Old Course.
Twice a winner of the prestigious St Rule Trophy 54-hole event as an amateur, Catriona reckons she has played between 30 and 40 competitive rounds over the Old Course in her career.
The Scot has already lost a Major tournament play-off to Inbee Park on the LPGA Tour earlier this season.
Here are some points from Catriona's interview in the RWBO Media Centre this morning.
CATRIONA:  Yes, I am really looking forward to it. I have played well in all the Majors this year. Nice to be back at St Andrews, which has always been one of my favourites, going back to my amateur days. You get a buzz no matter what you are playing in when you go down the first hole and then, later, come up the 18th, so very excited about playing this week in particular.
"This is my 19th year on the LPGA and LET Tours and the overall standard and depth of of very good players has increased dramatically from when I first started.
"There were maybe around 30 potential winners in any tournament field when I  started but nowadays just about everyone who tees it up on Tour has a chance of winning. The LPGA has become a world tour now and more and more players with world-class potential are gravitating towards it.
"So it you don't keep improving, you are going to lose your place on the tour because the standards
are going up every year. I find that kind of spurs you on.
"I am still working to improve my own game. When I get to the stage when I don't think I am improving or can improve anymore, that will be the day to consider retiring.
"It is disappointing that Carly Booth and I are the only Scots in a tournament of this quality at the Home of Golf. I don't know why this is. I think there are some good Scottish youngsters coming up. I played with the new Scottish girls champion, Connie Jaffrey, yesterday and she is a very good prospect.
"Where they seem to struggle is making the transition from the amateur ranks to the pro game.
"Hopefully, we will get a few more Scots coming through in the years ahead.
"I don't think it is fair to compare South Korea with its huge population and lots of girl golfers, amateur and professonial, with Scotland which has a  much smaller population.
"I do think that we have to get more Scottish girls taking up the game of golf, which would increase the possibility of the best ones going on to play professionally.
"To win the Ricoh Women's British Open over the Old Course this week would be a very big deal for me. When I won the title for the first time I had just given birth to Sophie, our second child, so that was a very big deal."Maybe I need the big occasion to win ... but I think I'll stop at having two children (laughter)!"