U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 3, 1999

Wendy Ward

WENDY WARD: Same year, too.

WENDY WARD: My golf pro and I, Laurie, have been working extremely hard being creative, fighting the fairway, because that's been the missing link in my game thus far. This year I feel like that's kind of holding me back and putting pressure on the other parts of my game. I'm hitting a lot of cuts and hitting a lot of draws, and being really creative with my shots in the fairways, because for so long I saw everything outside of the fairway, and now I'm working back to it.

WENDY WARD: I thought the course was going to play a lot longer because of the two rain showers that we got yesterday. But all in all, I think it played about the same. I left probably three or four putts right in the jaws or, you know, just short of the hole. We can always say that, but I think the rain might have slowed down the greens a little bit. They were holding better than I'm used to seeing U.S. Open greens holding. That's why I think you're going to see some low scores today.

WENDY WARD: I'm sweating just like everybody else. Being from Texas, I'm more used to it or acclimated to it. I think you just have to pace yourself. Our group was talking today -- I played with Liselotte Neumann and Dana Dormann, and we were all giggling of how much water we drank. And no one, none of us had to use any facilities. We were sweating up a storm. I think it's important to keep water down when it's this hot. You can't be drinking the cokes and the Gatorade doesn't seem to be doing me any good; so lots of water.

WENDY WARD: I think the players like it now. But I know the USGA wants it up. There are some spots where the ball will sit down a little bit. I have tended to get more fly or lies than anything, else and you just have to gauge your thoughts. In fact, one of my birdies on 14 came off of a fly or lie. I had about 20 yards to the hole and played about 105 and hit it six feet. You've just got to have fun with it. Some good holes and good birdies out there this week.

WENDY WARD: I think just mentally my toughness has become stronger. I think I'm using strategy to an advantage, versus in amateur golf, I might have gotten a little maybe too aggressive with my game. I definitely have learned course strategy and then this week, like I was telling Rhonda and the rest of you that I'm just learning to be creative off the tee and playing the hole the way it was built. I tend to see a lot of Nicklaus in this course. I guess Robert Cupp was one of the designers, and I see a lot of left-to-right tee shots off the box, and that's what Laurie and I have been working on. We were close. I missed a few drives real close today. I just eliminated one side of the tee today, which is essential.

WENDY WARD: I think I've seen a few different areas that I didn't think I'd see so soon. I did get two victories under my belt pretty quick, but there's a lot more I want to see and a lot more potential I know I have that I just have not reached yet, which is exciting but it can also be frustrating at times. I'm enjoying it. I'm really just kind of being extremely patient, and that's probably been my biggest challenge. You know, you just expect to keep progressing. You never expect to plateau, at least that's been my thinking, and God has certainly humbled me and let me plateau a little bit. I guess it's that humble pie, I guess you could call it. You know, the victories later on down the line will be that much more special because of the growing pains along the way.

WENDY WARD: I tended to overcut the ball today when I missed a fairway, but to me that's good progress, because I've eliminated the left side. About three weeks ago, I could not stand up on the tee box and tell you which way I was going to miss it or even hit it. That's how the -- lack of confidence that I didn't have and there's a lot of visualization that helped me find the fairway, or at least keep it on the side of the fairway I want.

WENDY WARD: You know, I'm not hitting as many short irons as I'd like to, but I know the irons that I am hitting, there are still players hitting longer irons and woods into greens. Fortunately, I thought some of the holes that have played long on Monday and Tuesday, and even yesterday played a little shorter today. And I think there was a little change in wind, and maybe just hitting a little bit better drive.

WENDY WARD: No. You just eat a little bit more out on the course.

WENDY WARD: You know, today I forgot to pack a lunch. I feel like I left home without my brown paper bag lunch. So I just grabbed a granola bar. It was oatmeal raisin, and it was supposed to be good for me, but it tasted like a cookie; so I thought I was getting a treat all in one. I worry if I eat too much on the course it's too much of a change in blood sugar or whatever the technical terms are. Just a little nibble and that's just good to go.