Women's World Cup of Golf Gary Player Country Club Sun City, South Africa Jan. 21, 2007 Final-round leader quotes: Team Paraguay | Team USA Paraguay wins Women's World Cup of Golf Granada, Troche start season with a seven-shot victory The dream of playing in the 2007 Women's World Cup of Golf wasn't good enough for the young team from Paraguay, they decided to make the dream even better on Sunday at the Gary Player Country Club at the Sun City Resort. Twenty-year-old Julieta Granada and 25-year-old Celeste Troche used a four-shot lead going into Sunday's final round of the better-ball competition to extend their victory to seven shots and finish the tournament at 9-under-par 279 (139-75-69). 밯alking up the 18th fairway was a relief,?Troche said. 밳ou can enjoy the moment with everybody cheering for you. You can actually embrace that and I got a little emotional.? The dream began for Granada early last year at her first rookie meeting as an LPGA Tour member. She raised her hand and asked LPGA Tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens how Paraguay could get into the Women's World Cup of Golf. 밪he told me Paraguay had to qualify and that meant I had to play very well,?Granada said with a laugh. 밒 asked Carolyn so many times during the season if we had qualified and finally one day at the end of the season I saw her and she said 몑ou are in!'? Once she got the invite, picking Troche as a partner was not a hard selection for Granada. 밯e have gone through a lot together and we've played a lot together when Julieta was in junior golf,?Troche said. 밯e just know each other and we know our games. It's all about having fun and if you can enjoy each other's company that is what it takes.? And they did just that. Smiling and laughing during the three-day tournament in their matching outfits, which they designed themselves and had made back home in Paraguay. The duo began the week by setting the tournaments singles record, coming in at 5-under-par and four-shot lead on Friday. They held on to their four-shot lead going into the final round, but both bogeyed the first hole to cut the lead to three. 밯e made a positive out of something that we don't want to happen again,?Troche said. 밒t showed us that bogeys can come very easily and you still have to focus.? Granada then made four birdies on the front nine, including a 25-foot putt on 3 and a 20-foot putt on 8, and Paraguay made the turn at 5-under-par. Troche played very well on the back nine with three birdies that included a chip-in from 12 yards out on hole 17. 밫hat chip just felt good and it made us realize really where we were. It wasn't just a dream, it actually was happening,?Troche said. For Granada, who is entering her second season on the LPGA Tour, winning has become quite familiar recently. Just over two months ago at the season-ending ADT Championship she became a Rolex First-Time Winner and earned a $1 million paycheck, the biggest first-place paycheck in the LPGA Tour's history. 밐opefully I will keep this streak going. I'm enjoying this,?Granada said. 밒've been working really hard on my game in this off-season and (this week) showed me that I've been working on the right stuff. Hopefully it will continue.? Winning as a professional is new for Troche, though. Although it is an unofficial event on the LPGA Tour, it marks Troche's first victory since joining the LPGA Tour three seasons ago in 2004. Troche, a two-time All-American at Auburn University, has made $48,080 total and had her best season in 2005 when she earned $34,829 and recorded a career-best tie for 20th at the Sybase Classic presented by Lincoln Mercury. Last season was a disappointment for Troche as she only competed in seven events and earned $6,832 as a non-exempt member. 밒've been struggling the last few years and been wondering what to do with myself; what to do with my life and whether I should play golf or not,?Troche said. 밫his is a great feeling. It shows me that I can do it. It gives me a little push to keep going and keep trying and hopefully it will be a good year.? The United States of America and South Korean teams showed hints of a comeback on Sunday, but never got close to Granada and Troche. World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst made an early charge, but finished second, carding a 2-under-par 286 (149-70-67). The South Korean team of Young Kim and Ji Yai Shin made a late rally, but finished third at 1-under-par 287 (143-77-67) after a double bogey on 17. 밫he first day killed us, we both played horrible. But we came over here with the attitude that we've both never been here, it was our first tournament of the year and we didn't really know what to expect and we've had a blast,?Inkster said. 밯e are disappointed we didn't win, but Paraguay deserved to win. They played great three days in a row.? Giulia Sergas and Veronica Zorzi of Italy and late qualifiers Scotland, Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay, tied for fourth at 1-over-par 289. Final-round leader quotes: Team Paraguay | Team USA Team Paraguay: Julieta Granada, Celeste Troche, 139-75-65=279 (-9) Scorecard: Hole 1, 547-yard par 5: bogey ?52-degree wedge to five feet, missed putt (Troche), 52-degree wedge to 50 feet, three-putt (Granada) Hole 3, 172-yard par 3: birdie ?made 25-foot putt (Granada) Hole 5, 492-yard par 5: birdie ?7-wood over green, chip to one foot (Granada) Hole 6, 395-yard par 4: birdie ?9-iron to five feet (Granada) Hole 8, 398-yard par 4: birdie ?pitching wedge to 20 feet (Granada) Hole 10, 393-yard par 4: birdie ?made six foot putt (Troche) Hole 11, 490-yard par 5: birdie ?chip to four feet (Granada) Hole 17, 386-yard par 4: birdie ?chip in from 12 yards (Troche) Hole 18, 458-yard par 5: birdie ?on green in two, missed putt, made five foot putt (Troche) MODERATOR: Perhaps the first question should be to Celeste to ask if she has recovered enough to answer questions. CELESTE TROCHE: (Laughter). Don't push me too hard! Yeah I'm fine. MODERATOR: We did speak about this on the television, but for those who didn't hear you started with a four shot lead and you both three-putt bogeyed number one. Were there a lot of nerves going out today? JULIETA GRANADA: I wasn't nervous I just hit a bad putt and then I couldn't make my second one. It was kind of a rough start and I think we kind of needed that to keep working on it. Don't take it for granted and think it's already done. I think we needed to work hard for it. CELESTE TROCHE: We made it a positive. Out of something that we don't want to happen again. It showed us that bogeys can come very easily and you still have to focus. MODERATOR: Celeste, you had a disappointing year last year in terms of your golf. What does this mean to you personally, to kick-start not only your season, but also perhaps your career? CELESTE TROCHE: It's a great feeling. I've been struggling the last few years and been wondering what to do with myself; what to do with my life and whether I should play golf or not. This is great. It shows me that I can do it. It gives me a little push to keep going and keep trying and hopefully it will be a good year. MODERATOR: Julieta, where you really made the difference was on day one. Shooting five-under-par which was the best singles score in the history of the World Cup. How important was that for your confidence going into day two and three? JULIETA GRANADA: I think it was key now looking back at it. It was very important. I wasn't expecting to have a four-shot lead with the five-under, but I'm glad we did. Looking back now it makes a huge difference because the alternate shot was such a hard format. MODERATOR: Let's just talk about your experience of South Africa as well. Your first time in South Africa will be a wonderful memory from a golfing perspective, but somewhere you'd like to come back to? JULIETA GRANADA: Oh yeah. The people are so good. The crowds were awesome this week. They were cheering us on and they liked our outfits. It was a lot of fun. And the baboons?I liked the baboons. They are all my friends. CELESTE TROCHE: The hotel was fantastic. I've never been in a place like that. The whole resort is just amazing. Tomorrow we are going on a safari at 6.30 in the morning so we are looking forward to that. Hopefully we'll wake up! MODERATOR: What's it like to walk down the 18th hole with a six shot lead knowing that you can virtually do anything and still win? JULIETA GRANADA: Well it feels good obviously ?that's what we're working for! CELESTE TROCHE: It's a relief. You can enjoy the moment, you know, everybody cheering for you. You can actually embrace that and get a little emotional. You can three-putt and still know you will be okay. So I really enjoyed that moment. Q. There has been a lot of talk about changing the format for next year. They have said that the singles takes too long and is too difficult. How do you feel about that? JULIETA GRANADA: I like the singles personally, because you can play your own game and you're still a team but you concentrate on your own game. It's a very tough format and it takes forever, I'll give you that. But I think its good to?alternate shot is such a hard format and then the best ball?You know there are a lot of birdies. So I think the singles is kind of in between. CELESTE TROCHE: I think you need the singles. I think the three formats is just what you need to be able to see everything about the team and how those players play. MODERATOR: But you did shoot five under in the singles. JULIETA GRANADA: Thank you. We like that. (Laughter). Q. Celeste you were obviously very happy out there. That chip on 17, it seemed as though there was a weight dropped when you got it in. CELESTE TROCHE: Yeah we were trying to push each other, you know, saying, let's keep going, let's keep going. I think that putt just really? JULIETA GRANADA: It was a chip! (Laughter) CELESTE TROCHE: I'm sorry. That chip just felt good and it made me realize?made us realize really where we were. It wasn't just a dream, it actually was happening. Q. Julieta, the great finish last season at the ADT Championship. Now the World Cup. Where now? JULIETA GRANADA: Hopefully one more! Keep on going, keep this streak going. I'm enjoying this, going to press conferences after and giving the interviews. I enjoy winning! The check is also very nice! (Laughter). I've been working really hard on my game in this off-season and it showed me that I've been working on the right stuff. I have two-and-a-half weeks to get prepared for Hawaii and start the season nicely. Hopefully it will continue. Q. Celeste, where will you be playing your golf this year? CELESTE TROCHE: Well I have conditional status on the LPGA so I'll be playing LPGA events whenever I get in. I'm not sure when I'll get in so I'll just wait until they call me. Meanwhile I'll be playing on the (Duramed) Futures Tour just trying to keep up the competition and just playing. That's the plan for the year. Q. Have you played a lot of your golf on the Futures Tour? CELESTE TROCHE: Last year, yes. Last year I probably played half and half. Both tours, yeah. MODERATOR: The spectators got behind you and gave you great support, but I think one of the reasons for that was obviously you played great golf. JULIETA GRANADA: The outfits. MODERATOR: But you did seem like you were enjoying yourself. You had a smile on your face all the time. Was that part of the game plan as well to just go out and enjoy it? JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah you're here to enjoy the week; to enjoy the tournament. We love playing golf; it doesn't seem like a job to me and I don't think it feels like a job to her. When we come to golf courses it's all about having fun and keeping your head up. Making people cheer for you and enjoy the moment. It's tough coming here with the hot weather and following. We appreciate it so that's why we try to make it as fun as possible for them. Q. Do you not feel sorry for your poor mother carrying that big bag in the heat? JULIETA GRANADA: No, I actually explained this. I pay her good enough. She gets a good percentage trust me! Q. Are you going on the elephant backs tomorrow? CELESTE TROCHE: Can we do that? JULIETA GRANADA: Oh that would be fun. CELESTE TROCHE: That would be fun, yeah. We can do that. Anything different. JULIETA GRANADA: (Inuaudible) Team USA: Juli Inkster, Pat Hurst, 149-70-67=286 (-2) Q. Juli, it looks like you are going to finish second here this week, can you tell me a about your round today? JULI INKSTER: Well, I didn't play very good. Pat played good. We bogeyed 9, which killed us. I think I only made three birdies, I just didn't hit it that great. Q. Your team gave it a run real early on in the round, you were looking very good out there. PAT HURST: Yeah we were. We had a little oops on number 9, but overall we played pretty good we just needed a couple more putts to fall. Q. It is a matter of combining well, and a matter of making the right putts at the right time, isn't it? PAT HURST: Definitely. The more putts you make the better it is out here. You want both in the hole so you could have a go at it. Played OK, we ham and egged it as well as we could. JULI INKSTER: I hammed. PAT HURST: And I was the egg. Q. You two have played this format in Solheim Cup before. With the switch of the format, did you enjoy that, getting out there and having a real go at it? JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I like best ball, but I also really like foursomes, I think it is a great game. There is a lot of strategy going on. Best ball is a lot of fun, though. I didn't play great today, but Pat played great. Paraguay deserved to win. They played great three days in a row. Q. Pat, can you talk about what happened on 18? PAT HURST: The caddie from one of the Korean players stepped on the ball. So we tried to get the same lie as it was and it took a while to convince the rules official that the lie wasn't the same as it was before, but he turned it around and gave us a lie that was comfortable to what it was. I hit a 9-iron from 144 yards into the green. I was about 18 feet, but I missed the putt. Q. Overall, how do you both think you performed this week? JULI INKSTER: The first day killed us, we both played horrible. But you know what, we came over here with the attitude that we've both never been here and it was our first tournament of the year and we didn't really know what to expect but we've had fun. We've had a blast. PAT HURST: A great time. It has been the best.