THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the 2022 Aramco Team Series Jeddah, the fifth and final event of the ram team series having previously played in London, Sotogrande a, Bangkok, and recently New York. Delighted to kick things off this week with two great golfers who have a great reputation around this golf course particularly, Saudi Ladies International Champion this year, Georgia Hall, and recent LET winner for the first time, Olivia Cowan.
Q. First question to Olivia, many congratulations on your win last month at the Women's Indian Open. What confidence does that give you going into this week here?
OLIVIA COWAN: Yeah, I obviously playing this course. I play quite well around here. I feel quite confident coming here and coming off a win as well, I think it gives you that little bit extra confidence. So looking forward to playing this week.
THE MODERATOR: And you mentioned you like this course. You were a runner-up last year. Same game plan going into this week? Anything slightly different?
OLIVIA COWAN: So I've played this course many times. I know it really well. I have the same game plan every year. Yeah, just sticking to the same.
THE MODERATOR: Georgia, you also are a fan of this course, I think, having won just in March earlier this year. I think you finished top 10 every time you've teed it up here. What is it about this course you love so much? What suits your game?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, I think the course is always in great condition. The weather is always good and the wind can get up quite a bit. So sometimes it feels a little bit linksy to me which I really enjoy, and you do get some tough holes out there, and for me, I can reach pretty much every par 5 which is nice. It gives me some eagle opportunities.
And every time we come here as players, we get really well looked after, so it's just a really fun week.
Q. Any advice you're giving to your team this week?
GEORGIA HALL: Just enjoy it. I've played a few of these now, and I think that's just the main focus. Really, if you end up playing well individually, your team is not doing too bad. Yeah, I look forward to seeing who my team is tonight.
Q. And so we are coming to the end of the second full ATS Series. How have you enjoyed adding that to your golf calendar with the international travel, the team element, the new concept?
OLIVIA COWAN: Yeah, I really enjoy coming to these events. It's different to every other event we play. There is an individual event this week as well but it is fun, some of us can pick our friends, so it's nice to play with them and have -- kind of enjoy it a bit more. And it is nice to also have other people that are willing you on to play well and yeah, it's just different. It's nice to win a team event. It's something that we don't really get to do very often so I think we just enjoy it when we come here.
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, I've played this week and obviously the one in Centurion in London, and for me, I hardly get to play at home. I really, really enjoyed that week. The events are always nice as well, and like Olivia said to, play on a team, something different and it makes it a bit more relaxing and fun.
So yeah, I have personally really enjoyed coming to these events.
Q. What do you think of the support that's been happening for the LET and for the U.S. golfers from Saudi investments and from Aramco? How has that been for you both?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, obviously fantastic to get the support. Having four or five events on the calendar of the LET has really boosted the Tour, and I know speaking to a lot of players, really grateful that we have that support.
Yeah, really looking forward to next year to see what happens. All the players just really enjoy coming to these events, and like we said, it's something different and just brings a different aspect to the game and hopefully it will help push other companies to kind of raise their standards for the LET next year.
OLIVIA COWAN: Yeah, I agree. And I think also just the setup and everything they do are to us here, it's set up like a major. It's amazing what they do and they really put a lot of effort into it and looking after us for the week. We just really appreciate that and we hope that other -- as Georgia says, other companies kind of step up and do the same.
Q. Your last win and your first win on the LET, how will this encourage you playing in the ATS in the coming couple of days?
OLIVIA COWAN: Yeah, I feel really confident about my game. It was only two weeks ago, and I was obviously waiting a long time for this win. Came close a few times and had to take some knock-backs, but I think you learn from them.
And I'm just really looking forward to playing this course. I really love playing it. It's challenging and fun to play in. Also being a team event as well, it's a bit more relaxing.
Yeah, I love coming back here and looking forward to getting the week going.
Q. The conditions can be a bit tricky with the wind, and it can be hard for you or challenging. How will that make you feel or how are you trying to challenge yourself on that?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, I feel like the weather is very similar every time we come here, not a lot of wind in the morning and the wind gets up in the afternoon, especially on that back nine, 16, 17.
So there's definitely some holes that you have to be careful of but for me, I've been back home for a few weeks, so it's really nice just to get some sun. It's not too bad, not too hot. So yeah, it's just about managing your ball around the course. But apart from that, the weather is pretty good.
OLIVIA COWAN: Yeah, I think you just need to kind of stick to your game plan. You need to kind of know where to place your ball and when it gets windy are, maybe not get too greedy and just think about what the smartest decision would be and just stick with that really and I think you should be fine then.
Q. The team format with one amateur on your team, how are you looking to give advice to that amateur with you? Does it excite you? Do you see any differences for each time you're playing with another amateur?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, I mean, I love meeting different people and it's exciting to see who is on your team. Believe it or not, the amateur has a big impact on the team score. It's really good if you get an amateur who is playing well. It's nice, and obviously we are not used to playing with amateurs apart from the Pro-Am. So it's nice for them to be able to contribute to the team.
OLIVIA COWAN: I think it's important to also just make them feel comfortable throughout the two days, because I mean from what I've experienced is that they are really -- they are quite nervous at the start because they obviously know that they do have an impact.
So it's just trying to make them feel comfortable and trying to make them have fun and enjoy it, really because it isn't something that you do every week, so making them feel good about being here, and I think that helps.
Q. With all the tournaments happening here in Saudi and the region and the changes, how are you perceiving that just from an outside perspective?
OLIVIA COWAN: So do you mean the events that are happening here in Saudi?
Q. In general.
OLIVIA COWAN: I think it's really good. They are trying to really push the game and put golf in Saudi on the map more which I think is great. I think we are using -- we are trying to promote that as well. We are trying to get more people in the game, the game of golf and loving it. We hope that us playing here will also help that as well.
It's great to see other tours, as well, coming over here and playing and trying to grow the game that way.
Q. Also, about the amateurs, do you have any advice or do you have any special advice to them? How will your playing with them impact their career for them to be professional at the end?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, just to enjoy it. We get a whole range of different amateurs at different levels, so I think it really depends who we get drawn with. But most importantly, just to enjoy it. And if they can put their ball in the fairway, that would be awesome.
Q. Do you think you can repeat your success in March? And Olivia, do you feel pressure after winning the Indian Open?
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, for sure, I really like this golf course. It's one of my favorites I play in my season.
Obviously a lot of confidence from last time being back here, I had a really good performance. It would be really nice to get two out of two but you know, long way to go and obviously the team event to think about. So it's just really nice to be back here twice in a year, and yeah, see what happens.
OLIVIA COWAN: Do I feel pressure? I wouldn't say so.
I mean, I had a good week in India but I came out on top. I mean, this is a new week and anything can happen. There are great players here, and all I want to do is just continue what I did in India and have fun playing golf, really. If I end up at the top in the end, that's great.
But yeah, I just want to be here and I just want to enjoy it and just see what happens.
Q. Another question, do you have any general advice for anyone wanting to practice the sport and just get into it? What advice would you give someone who doesn't know much about golf?
OLIVIA COWAN: Need a lot of patience, I would say. It's probably not the easiest sport. I believe you need to dedicate a lot of time to it and just be patient with it, and most of all just enjoy the journey of it.
GEORGIA HALL: Yeah, I think if you can have other friends or people to go with it definitely helps but first just start on the driving range. Don't even think about going to the golf course. Try to make contact with the ball and yeah, just most importantly enjoy it and see where you go from there.
Q. You've been coming here for a few years now. Have you managed to get out and explore Jeddah and the Red Sea yet, and if so, what are your thoughts of the area?
OLIVIA COWAN: I haven't really. I would love to. I would love to go and see it, yeah.
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