Hi everyone,

A Happy New Year to you all! I know it's already February and this is my first blog of 2013 but I'm happy to be able to start off on the right foot with a win!

Last Sunday I captured my 8th Australian Ladies Masters title on the Gold Coast. The Royal Pines Golf Course has definitely given me some very special memories over the past 20 years or so! I can't explain why I've played so well there over the years but I definitively have produced some of my greatest golf.

For the first time in quite a few years, I felt really ready to start the year. I felt good, my game felt in good shape and I didn't really feel like I had a lot of rust to shake off early in the tournament. The past few years I've teed it up in the first tournament not really knowing what to expect. I have played well under those circumstances but it generally is a surprise. Last week I felt comfortable right from the word go and enjoyed how I felt out there. It's really a good space to be in and is probably why I played so well. The back 9 charge on Sunday was one that I will remember for awhile. I really didn't have much going on during the front nine but after a great up and down from a bunker on 10, I knew I had to get something going. It's really rewarding to be able to sense that you have to make a move and then you're able to do it.

There are many reasons that this win is special to me. The main reason was that I had my family down there. Both my sisters and their families came down for the weekend an it was great to be able to share the experience with all my nephews and nieces! I've definitely set a high bar for myself the next time they all come down to watch!

Another reason the 8th win was special was because I tied a record with Sam Snead as the only 2 people to win the same event 8 times! I was only informed that I had a chance to do that on the night before in my press conference. One of the reporters told me what I would achieve if I were to win the next day. Up until then I had no idea. So I think that gave me some extra motivation the next day.

Apart from last week, I had a great off season, that went by really quickly! I had a great break over Christmas with my family and enjoyed some unusually warm weather to practice in when I was in Florida in January. There wasn't anything crazy done over the break to report. Just was quite a laid back time really.

So I think that's it for now. I'm just headed down to Canberra today to get ready for this weeks Australian Open. It's the first of 3 in a row for me with the next 2 in Thailand and Singapore. Looking forward to hopefully producing the same sort of golf in those 3 that I did last week.

Karrie

A few pictures from my visit to the Parliament of Australia with the Australian Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy: