Catriona Matthew interview: Career highs and Solheim Cup hopes

Catriona Matthew's list of wins and accolades is beyond impressive.

The first Scottish golfer to win a women’s major (11 months after giving birth as well), Captain of the winning Team Europe at the 2019 Solheim Cup, honorary member of the R&A and TEAM GB representative at the Rio Olympics, the 51-year-old tells me she never imagined she’d go on to achieve so much when she was first starting out on Tour.  

“Would I ever have dreamt I’d go on to do all that? No,” she says laughing.

“I just wanted to get out there, play as well as I could and see how good I was against the best in the world.” 

“It’s amazing how fast the years tick by, before you know it it’s been 10, 15 years. I think travelling all the time and being somewhere different every week, makes time go very quickly.

“I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve had a great career, great life. I maybe would have liked to win more. If I could tell my younger self anything it would be to concentrate on my short game in a bit more, like all of us I preferred to practice what I was good at.”

Catriona Matthew isn't done competing

Still a regular competitor on the Ladies European Tour, almost always with her husband Graham on her bag, Catriona has no idea when she’ll retire from playing on Tour completely.  

“I just like to take each year as it comes,” she notes. 

“I have no particular goal, but I am really looking forward to playing in the US Senior Open this summer. It will be fun to play with people of my own age for a change, and people who I grew up playing with.” 

"Graham has caddied for me for most of my career. It's really helped me, he knows my game better than anyone and being on tour can be lonely too. I’m fortunate that I’ve played well most of my career, but I can see that if you didn’t it wouldn’t work so well having your partner on your bag [laughs]. But 99% of the time it was great playing with him."

Playing with the younger stars  

Competing against much younger players, many of whom less than half her age, also doesn’t faze her.  

“It’s fun actually and it keeps me young,” she smiles.   

“Besides, I can still throw in a good round every now and again, it’s just playing four rounds in a row that gets a bit more difficult as you get older.” 

She’s not oblivious to the extra pressure the Solheim Cup hopefuls will feel when playing with her at events like the AIG Women’s Open, where last year she came within six shots of the lead at one point. 

“I’m sure it does make them a bit nervous,” she reflects. 

“I remember what it was like when the captain would come out and play with me. It puts that extra bit of pressure on them which is great because I want to see how they react in high-tension, tournament conditions.”

The 2021 Solheim Cup 

Speaking of the 2021 Solheim Cup, set for Toledo in Inverness, Ohio this September, she seems exceptionally relaxed and confident. 

I’ve very excited about it,” she grins. 

"We’ve got some great players and I’m feeling very confident we can get another victory, retain the trophy and inspire the guys at the Ryder Cup to do the same a few weeks later.” 

However, she’s remaining tight lipped about who her captain’s picks might be (she has six this year).  

“It’s too early and I’ll need to see how they play first,” she says. 

“Last year it was fantastic to see Mel [Reid] win after being vice captain at Gleneagles, and Georgia [Hall] and Emily [Pedersen] too. Carlota is also playing very well. It’s been a strange year, but it’s really great to see the LPGA get going and the players jockeying for positions in the teams. We have some great stars.” 

Catriona is hoping to travel over and check out the course later this spring, and despite the obvious challenges that come with playing away, she’s still tremendously upbeat.  

“It’s very different playing away, the crowds make a huge difference and you see that in the results,” she notes. 

“I think this year it will be especially difficult, as I can’t see loads of fans being able to get out there due to Covid restrictions, but I think maybe that will spur us on to try even harder for everyone back home.” 

In contrast, 90,000 spectators watched the amazing victory at Gleneagles; the highest attended women’s golf event ever to be held in the UK.  

Coming down to Suzanne Petterson’s famous last putt, I ask Catriona if she’d agree that it was literally one of the greatest moments in sport... 

“To be honest, at the time it was all just a blur of excitement,” she admits. 

“But I’ve watched the re-runs of the Solheim and that final putt a few times, and every time I watch it I still think ‘ah I hope she holes it!’ 

“It still gives me tingles. To come down to the final putt and for it to be Suzanne, a slightly controversial pick and then for her to retire afterwards. The whole story just makes it, as you say, one of the best moments in sport.  

“If this year is half as exciting as it was at Gleneagles it will be a victory for women’s golf.” 

Golfer's CBD 

Like many professional golfers, Catriona has turned to Golfer’s CBD to help manage her nerves on the course.  

“I haven’t played competitively a whole lot since I started using Golfer’s CBD but I’m looking forward to trying it out this season," she says.

“I mean, everyone suffers first tee nerves, whether it’s your monthly medal or a major championship, it’s the same feeling.  For you, that’s what’s most important at that moment. 

“I asked a few players who also used it before I tried it and I just thought that anything is worth a try if it helps you play better. I think CBD will become more popular, even this last year it has become more common. Like we have Bryson with his protein shakes, I think it will just become another piece in every golfer’s arsenal and a way to try and get one shot off a round. 

“It’s really helped my sleep as well and I have a great balm to help with aching muscles after doing my home workouts,” she smiles, gesturing to her spin bike behind her in her home gym.

I mention I’ve noticed the friendly spin bike rivalry that's emerged with English star Charley Hull over Instagram.

“We have a fun thing going on, she laughs. 

“It would be great to have a little race, a cycling competition between the youngest Solheim Cup player and the oldest!” 

Now THAT I would love to see.  

Interview arranged courtesy of Golfer's CBD - find out more at golferscbd.co.uk.