By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Columnist
You could close your eyes on the first tee of the Kapolei Golf Course yesterday and almost imagine yourself in...
North Berwick, Scotland?
"Well, it was too warm, but it was sure windy enough," Catriona Matthew said.
Yes, there was a definite North Sea-feel to the Cup Noodles Hawaiian Ladies Open yesterday. There was enough of a wind-thrashed quality to play to make the Scottish lass feel right at home on the ‘Ewa plain.
"I live right on the coast there, so there’s always a bit of a breeze," Matthew said with what-me-worry lack of concern about the conditions.
Yesterday, it was her turn to breeze. While the rest of the 144-player field was left blowing in the 20-to-30 mph winds, Matthew punched her way atop the leader board with a remarkable 5-under-par 67 for a two-stroke lead over Hee-Won Han.
Remarkable because while most everybody else was just hoping — most without much success — to stay around par in a first round where gusts roared through at 35-40 mph, here was Matthew with six birdies, including an eagle-3 on the 17th hole, and only two bogeys.
On a day when the winds bent both palm trees and players’ resolve with merciless regularity, Matthew, 11,100 miles from home, was still never far from her comfort zone.
On a day when the weather assured that the title sponsor’s booth did a booming business in noodles, the 31-year old Matthew found in Hawai‘i a reminder of home and an edge on the field.
"Maybe it (the wind) gave me a bit of an advantage, but just slightly. It was pretty windy out there (but) I’m used to it," Matthew said. "This is the kind of wind I grew up in. Just like home."
While others tried to hold onto their caps and their composure, neither of which came easy, Matthew said she approached it like, "just another day. Days like this you just get out there and get on with it, really."
Matthew said, "I think growing up there (in Scotland) helps you learn to punch shots and things. You just have to play a lot of punch shots. If you try any kind of normal shot, the wind just takes it. I was out there just trying to hit fairways and greens.
"Just about every iron shot I hit was a punch shot. I think I only hit about one normal shot. You just have to try to keep it (the ball) a bit lower in the wind — in the gale."
The curious thing is that now, with six years on the LPGA Tour behind her, while this is the kind of weather she grew up with, you would no longer find her playing in it there.
"I don’t play in weather like this now when I’m home," Matthew said. "I’m too spoiled."
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