Pretty Woman
Gulbis: now a winner as well as a looker
As a good-looking golfer who is not afraid to flaunt her assets, Natalie Gulbis was in danger of becoming remembered as a calendar girl and a star of her own Golf Channel reality show rather than as a serious player on the LPGA Tour. But her win in the Evian Masters in France – the richest tournament in women’s golf in Europe – marked a memorable turning point in her career. During her visit to St Andrews Ricoh Women’s British Open, Gulbis took time out to chat exclusively to bunkered.
First of all, sum up your visit to the Old Course for the Ricoh Women’s British Open.
It was such fun. I’d been looking forward to the British at St Andrews for years and to go there just after I had won at Evian was really awesome. My mum and some friends came with me and we had a great time. St Andrews is just filled with so much history and tradition and to be part of the first women’s professional tournament to be played there was awesome.
It is the place to play golf.
Evian must also now have a special place in your heart. How much relief was there in achieving your first win?
Winning the Evian Masters was the achievement of a lifetime goal. On the final day, I lived the dream. I had managed a lot of good finishes in my career, and learned a lot from them, but there was pressure to get the first win. I know a lot of people, especially in America, had been questioning if I could win a tournament. It was great to do it.
You have often been compared to Anna Kournikova – a good-looking player who never won a title. Again, it must be great to have shaken off the tag?
I’m just pleased to have won. It was very motivating. Now, I want to do
it again. Also, the win secured so many goals at once. It made sure that I retained my Solheim Cup place and got me into several big tournaments, including the Samsung World Championship and the end-of-season ADT Championship.
Strangely, the win also
came after a season wrecked by injury?
Yes. I had to take a few weeks
off due to back problems. But
it was maybe a blessing in disguise. It forced me change my swing a little and work on my posture. So, it actually worked out pretty well.
You’re one of the most sought after players as regards sponsorship, including Sky Caddie.
It’s a fantastic product. It’s
like having a Tour caddie in
your hand. It works by satellite
and really helps when you
are playing a new course.
For example, I used it at St Andrews. You stand on the first tee and it tells you the length
of the hole, where the trouble
is and pinpoints the bunkers. When you are faced with somewhere such as the Old Course, which has so many blind shots, it really is a huge help. I use it every week, on practice days and in the pro-am.
We don’t get long to get to know courses, and it’s just such a bonus. When my friends went to Carnoustie, I gave them a Sky Caddie - they loved it and found it a great help. It also keeps updating every so often and really is an invaluable gadget for every level of golfer.
St Andrews wasn’t your
first visit to Scotland, was it?
No, I came over for the Women’s British Open at Turnberry in 2002 and did really well to finish in the top 15. I loved that whole experience. The Scottish links courses are so different. But that’s what I love about golf. Every week,
you have a new challenge – not like tennis or other sports where you play on virtually the same type of stage every week.
You were only 18 when you turned pro in the summer of 2001. Very young, wasn’t it?
I was at the University of Arizona, but I was old enough
to turn professional [18 is the minimum age for the LPGA Tour] so I decided to go...
