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U.S. WOMEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

August 15, 2004

Amanda McCurdy

ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

RHONDA GLENN: Well, Amanda, you just did a great job today. I know you're disappointed, it was so close, but at the same time you've got to feel really good about what you accomplished this week.

AMANDA MCCURDY: I do. All the experience that I got really is what it is. I feel like I'm a lot better player than when I got here. I think I've got, gained a lot of friend while I've been here for the rest of my career. And it was a good week. I just wish it would have ended better.

RHONDA GLENN: All right. Do you have questions for Amanda?

Q. Did you sense the crowd really supporting you today? It seemed like the claps were much louder for you than Jane.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Oh, yeah, they have been that way all week, really, especially towards the end. I guess today, yeah, when I walked on the green, if I was on the green and she wasn't, I there was a lot of cheers. I'm not going to say I didn't like that, I did appreciate it. I just, it made it even harder to not win today. Because I wanted to win for myself, but I felt like I was playing for them as well. And to not come out on top was kind of disappointing I think for me for them.

RHONDA GLENN: Well, you had such an opening, I think especially going into the 32nd hole, the par-5. You hit the green, in two. And Jane hit it in 3. You just won a hole a couple holes back. Did your heart kind of sink when you couldn't get down in two putts?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Yeah, that putt was just so fast, I barely hit it. I didn't want to hit the club I hit out of the fairway. And I ended up hitting it, which I shouldn't have. Because it was too much. That putt, I barely hit it. That's when I said as soon as I -- I didn't think it was going to get to the hole and all of a sudden it's 20 feet past it. And that just kind of showed me that it's not over yet, but I'm going to keep trying my best, but it was just like, it might not be meant to be today.

RHONDA GLENN: But on the next hole you stood up there and sailed it right at the hole.

AMANDA MCCURDY: That was big for me just to get it closer. But then 16 I really felt like I needed to birdie that one and I hit another good putt and it didn't go in. And that seemed to be the trend for the day. I made a lot of putts all week, I guess I just finally ran out today.

RHONDA GLENN: Your game became a little ragged, I felt, on the back nine, in the morning a little bit ragged and in the afternoon on the front nine. But then you really turned it on on this back nine. You were hitting your approach shots closer. For instance on the 34th hole you had a good shot at birdie. And then on the 35th hole, the 17th.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Yeah, I think on the back nine though the last few holes I really think I pulled it together. Because I didn't want to be down going into that afternoon match and I hit some really good shots coming in. And she hit some not so good ones. Uncharacteristic of her. But I played, I don't know if it was the crowd -- I really haven't been nervous all week and I don't know if -- I hit a freight train really on that front nine on the afternoon to make three birdies on this golf course. And I was giving myself opportunities and they weren't going in. And then to come through, to be on the back nine like I did again, but I knew as soon as I got on that left side on 18, that, oh, unless this is going to be a miracle putt, it's probably not meant to be. I gave it a run and I had nothing to be short for. And she is a great champion, so.

Q. You kind of dropped your head when you hit that shot on 18. Did you just sense that, you knew you had to hit it close and you just couldn't pull it off?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Especially me being behind her I knew, like I had done on 17, I hit a good shot in, and then she kind of went over and I knew I probably needed to do the same thing again. Because she is so steady of a player. And it's going to take a lot to rattle her. And when I hit it I was kind of in a we're weird lie on the first cut and thicker rough and pulled it a little bit. When I went left I knew it was where that pin was, I knew where it was and I knew when she hit it on the green and it rolled down the slope I was like, all I can do is make a run at it. But I was very frustrated after that shot.

RHONDA GLENN: This week you've gone from being an Arkansas women's amateur champion, which is an accomplishment, in itself, and a fine collegiate golfer, but now you're right up there maybe in the top-5 players in this country. How does it feel to elevate yourself to that level?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Well, it feels good to come in I guess as a no name, I guess. In my own eyes I'm not. And to maybe leave here with more people knowing me and maybe not under estimating me in the future. But that's all I can say is how much experience I got this week. And what great players I played against. And played around just in the tournament. And I know I'm going to be better for this. And hopefully I'll be back next year and I'm so excited I get to play in the Open next year. I don't have to qualify. How great is that? So of course I wish I could have won, I'm a competitor, and I hate to come this far and not come out on top, but second place isn't always that bad. But it's just part of it. So she's a great champion.

Q. Her chip in on 12 kind of like a dagger there. And that's match play, I guess.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Yeah, I just told my dad, which I tried telling myself every time that she will probably make this. And that's one thing to say it and to actually take it to heart. And then when she did it, I was like, oh, no, but it was a great chip, and I gave my putter a run and just went with the trend again and it didn't go in. And I gave myself another opportunity on the very next hole and didn't make the putt again. The next opportunity. And it just wasn't my day. It was her day to win and at least I pushed her to the 36th hole though. That's what I'll take away.

Q. Does it kind of snowball when you're not making putts, does it get in your head and it's like, you know.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Yeah, it was he very frustrating because I had made them all week. I still didn't really miss any short ones which I was pretty proud that I didn't do all week. But when you hit it close like that you hit it inside 15 feet and if you want to win a tournament you have to make them. And me she made them and I didn't. And I made them a lot this week, so I wish I could have made more but I wish I would have made some of the ones I made before today. That I took for granted. But it did get very frustrating. But to not putt anywhere near my potential and just still push it to the last hole. I'll carry that away.

Q. There was a quite a contingent from Arkansas out there, did that help you out?

AMANDA MCCURDY: It was pretty neat. I found out last night they were going to fly up and they got in here about 1 o'clock last night and it's always good to have nor supporters, but I could fairly find them amongst all the other supporters I had. Because all the marshals had on red shirts and they seemed to blend in. They said they did it for the Hogs so I appreciated that. And I just really can't say enough about the support that I got from this crowd and hopefully that will continue. They were just unbelievable. And that helped me a lot. And that's why I made it so hard not to win.

Q. Who all were they?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Well, I don't know how to say this. There was five daughters, the dad and thinks oldest daughter has just signed to play golf with us, she will be there in August.

And then other lady was the person who signed me to play at Arkansas and then she quit right before I got there.

Q. What's her name?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Ulrika. U L R I K A. B E L L I N E.

Q. Where is she now?

AMANDA MCCURDY: She's still in Fayetteville, she just doesn't coach any more.

Q. They chartered a plane to come up here?

AMANDA MCCURDY: Yeah, he's a big time guy up there, so.

RHONDA GLENN: And how many people came?

AMANDA MCCURDY: It was five daughters, he and his wife, and Ulrika. So 8 people. He chartered a nine seater airplane. It's pretty nice support right there.

RHONDA GLENN: It sure is.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Real Hogs. Right there.

RHONDA GLENN: All right. Thank you so much, Amanda, you've been charming and lovely and we all wish you well.

AMANDA MCCURDY: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.

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