WENDY'S CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CHILDREN

August 11, 2001

Michelle McGann

MICHELLE McGANN: Started on 1, hit a 9-iron to 15 feet. 3, hit 3-iron into about 18 feet, made eagle there. 7, I hit lob wedge to about three feet. Then 8, I hit lob wedge, I had about 80 yards, put it in the hole. Then I bogeyed 10. Well, I had a little bit of a lost ball there, found it, had to go back and re-tee. I made probably about a 20-footer there for 5. Then the next hole, I hit 7-iron, hit the pin, was about a foot. I tapped that in. 13, I hit another bad tee shot left, you know, dropped it, knocked it up, 2-putted for bogey. 16, I just 3-putted from just off the fringe. You know, obviously I didn't play as good on the Back 9. I think I've been trying to work on my tempo. Got quick on a couple holes. On 16, I just -- it just was lack of concentration. I hit two good shots short of the green, 30 yards, and just hit it a little thin. Didn't really take enough time over my putts. Walked away with an easy 6. Overall, though, I feel like I struck the ball well, I putted well. Obviously, not as well as Wendy. Pretty impressive 10-under. You know, we have something to chase tomorrow. Just keep the same game plan: keep swinging well, keep putting the ball on the fairway. Greens were really good today. They were a hundred percent better than yesterday, I'm guessing just because of the amount of moisture. We didn't have any rain, they didn't bruise as easily today. Obviously, a lot of people made a lot of putts today. You know, just got to get some good rest tonight. It was really hot out there again today. Do the best you can tomorrow.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, you know, probably, you know, unless she falls on her head and does something crazy (laughter). Anytime you're in position, you're under par, you're double digits under par, you know, go out tomorrow. The course, you know, you can shoot 10-under. It was proven by a couple 9-ironers today I think I saw. You know it's out there. You know you can do it. Maybe just try to go out and do your best, have a good tournament.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I hit the ball left. I hit the ball left there yesterday. I got up there, and the marshal had no idea where my ball was. It's not a short walk back to that tee box (laughter). You know, like there wasn't really any effort to help me find the ball. I happened to see it on the other side of the fence, so I had to walk back. I know that I didn't carry the ball there. It had to hit just off the -- you know, there's a lot of hills over there on the left side. It's very hard and very dry. You know, you hit there. You know, I assumed that it was okay because he was standing right there, so I didn't even think twice about hitting another ball. I get up there, you know, just the aggravation of having to walk all the way back. I made a heck of a 5. But, you know, it does, my head is hurting me right now. Going from 6-under, hitting a lot of great shots, to the timing, the tempo was just a little too quick, and on a bad hole. Any other hole, maybe I could have gotten away with it a little more. Maybe hitting on the car path. Just the fact that you have to truck all the way back by yourself, hit another good shot - takes a lot out of you, to be honest with you. That's the one thing, I guess you keep learning. Maybe I should have hit another one. Like I said, he was standing right there. You have to assume that you're just right there. I mean, it couldn't have been 15 feet left of where he was. I mean, there's not a ton of room. I don't think I said anything I shouldn't have said, but I wasn't happy. It was a tough, tough situation to be in. You know, it's hot, you're playing great, and now you've got to go reload. It took a lot of energy (laughter).

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I spoke to him. I don't know if it was directly at him. I didn't say anything that I would get fined for or shouldn't have said. But I just was letting people know I was irritated. You know, "You're standing right here. You didn't see it, you only see two balls, start at least helping us look for it." It's a tough situation to be in, to be honest with you. They try their best. I understand that. Like it was a visual. The blue shirts really do stick out. I hit a couple drives yesterday that weren't so great either. You know, they're giving you signs, "You're okay, you're whatever." It was a tough thing. I'm glad I walked away with 5. Almost holed it on the next hole. It was good recover. You can't do anything about that now (laughter). At the time, you're very uptight, but...

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I say the same thing. You know, a bunch of the TV guys asked the same question. I think that we are on a golf course that is lending to a lot of birdies, obviously. But we're good players. The conditions are perfect. There's hardly any wind today. It's hot. If you ask any of us, we totally prefer to play in the heat than the cold weather, where we've played here before with sweaters on (laughter). I don't think you can say that it's an easy golf course because just as quick as you can make an eagle, you can turn around and make a quick bogey or double. I think it's a totally different course than what we've played in previous years, though. The fairways are firm. Even though we've had some rain. Holes where I've hit 5-wood, I'm backing down to 3-iron, almost 4-iron, because they're releasing a lot. The greens are holding great. That's what makes good ball strikers - good shots hit are rewarded. Playing in England last week, totally different situation. Weather is different. The wind's blowing. You're hitting a wedge 80 yards, and it's flying 120 yards over the green. You can't even compare them. You know, at the Nicklaus golf course, you have to hit the ball high, hit good shots into the greens. Fortunately, they're holding. If they were firmer, I think it would be a lot more difficult to score, just because there were some good pin positions out there today. You could be aggressive, you could throw the ball in there, whereas if you had to land it short, might be a little more difficult to get the ball close. But I think the point that -- 10-under, gosh, you've still got to make the putts, still have to hit the shots. I don't care how easy a golf course is, you know, you're the one rolling it. There's a lot of great scores that we shot out here. This probably I would have to guess is going to be one of the lower cuts this year. You know, I think our play is just getting better every week, every year, more good players are coming out, young players, and even Wendy has been out here a well, I've been out here a while, Leta is up there, I saw Rosie Jones. All kinds of players. I think that we have a wide variety of different talent, different types of games, that are just -- everybody's starting to play really solid.

MICHELLE McGANN: You know, I think I had a little bit of break after those three weeks. I had a couple weeks off. I don't think I really ever got my momentum going again. Like I said, the last couple weeks I've been really struggling trying to figure out why I'm playing great for 14, 15 holes, have a couple doubles here and there. Same person. What happened? I just really tried to focus on my timing. It's not mechanical, it's more pace. I think when I flew home early after the British, just worked on that a couple hours a day, trying to set the club at the top, then hit it. Just really slow my swing, get a good tempo. I generate a lot of club head speed. If you're a little off, it's going to be way off. I just tried to narrow that down. I've been actually hitting the ball pretty good, putting well. Like I said, just a couple holes have been killing me. If you don't make a few putts, shoot even par. Make a few putts, shoot 4- or 5-under. Next thing you know, the momentum totally changes. I've been feeling really well. Insulin pump has been working great. Hasn't been my health. More than anything else, just a little confidence. When you see a few putts go in, it's easier to keep going than just seeing them miss. That's basically what's been happening. It's just been okay. Holing shots, hitting pins, making 15- 20-footers, even 10-footers. Next thing you know, you hit 5-, 6-under every day, that momentum changes, your confidence changes.