CURTIS CUP MATCH

August 1, 1998

Barbara McIntire

RHONDA GLENN: Barbara McIntire, the American Captain currently has a lead of 5 1/2 to 3 1/2. I'm just going to ask you right off the bat, Barbara, tell us how you feel about how things went today and about your position now.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, Judy Bell just told me this is the first time in 14 years we've had the lead after the first day. I don't know if that's really true but I'd be silly if I don't say I was thrilled to death to be ahead, wish it was maybe a half a point more.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I was a little surprised at our first foursome this morning but our girls certainly pulled it out on the 18th hole. And Jenny certainly made a wonderful comeback this afternoon in the singles and Beth played very well.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I thought they were going to win.

Q. Barbara, did you sense that Beth was quite nervous this morning?

BARBARA McINTIRE: I think she was, and I think we overloaded her computers and I've told them both that. I think we maybe -- you know, it's great to be there for your partner, but I think we maybe consulted a little too much, took a little too long. I've spoken to them both about it. I think they both agree now in retrospect when we were practicing, they both -- you know, line up their own putts and sometimes when you get too many people involved in putting, it becomes more difficult and not easier.

BARBARA McINTIRE: You know, you say whatever comes into your mind at the time and if they are doing well you just tell them to keep doing well and if they are behind you encourage them to get ahead in whatever manner, you know -- I said something to somebody -- when the going gets tough, the tough get going and I believe that thoroughly.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I think with when we get ahead in the last two match this morning, you know we started out ahead the first three holes and then we got behind and then suddenly, you know we got -- went ahead in the last two matchs. And I think we're not known for our expertise in foursomes and we play very little. I doubt that Beth and Jenny -- well, I shouldn't say that, but I don't think they played too many foursomes before this time. Some of the other girls have played in state -- interstate team matches where they have played foursomes.

Q. Do you think there was a lot of pressure on Carol or too much pressure on Carol going into this, being her last Curtis Cup and record number of Curtis Cups and so forth; was that too great?

BARBARA McINTIRE: That's really easy, but if you look at the score board, Carol did not play badly. Elaine played well this afternoon, and Elaine is a wonderful player as Carol is. I don't think -- I mean Carol lost but Elaine really won.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I think the hardest thing about being captain is to sit players down, any players. I want to give everyone a chance to play. I haven't guaranteed how many chances they will get to play at all. But somebody has to sit out or else the two girls who sit out this morning would have to sit out this afternoon, and I think it's very difficult when you don't get to play all day.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I try to get them to enjoy what they are doing. They have got to have fun at this. It can't be all work and we -- we have worked very hard at this golf course since we've been here, and I think they've gotten very tired of getting up real early in the morning. I've forgotten your question. I'm about brain dead right now.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, you know, I expect them all to have great confidence in themselves. I have great confidence in them. Although I must admit, I was probably the most nervous person on that team this morning. If you've played and been an official and been a captain, you know how it feels from all sides of the ropes. And it is nerve-wracking, particularly when there really isn't much you can do about it. You've put your faith in the team and they have got to have faith in themselves and that's what I've been saying. In this game, trust is a must. They have got to trust themselves, trust their partners and trust their swings.

BARBARA McINTIRE: When we came here the first three days, Brenda Corrie Kuehn made a book of this golf course anybody would be proud to have. She had -- I can't remember pages -- she had everything. She had everything marked off, the greens paced off and she did this in the course of practicing in one day. And they put that into a booklet for the rest of the team.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well it was pleasing to they didn't have such great success in Killarney so I think this was a chance now.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, it's obviously a great pleasure for me. I feel very strongly about the Curtis Cup. It's been a part of my life since 19 50 8 and, in fact, I went to see the Curtis Cup the first time in 1952 as a junior golfer. And you know, I was hooked at that point. So it's been a great thrill for me to be a part of this. It means a great deal to me.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I think that they have to stay in focus and I think the most important thing is not to get too he lateed and not to get too down. Even in is this game you really have to stay in a moving keel.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I don't think they are going to need it. I think they had a mission in mind and I think they are satisfied the way today turned out. They are pretty well receive-disciplined.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I couldn't believe it when Rebecca hit it out of bounds off the first tee and then Jenny hit it out of bounds right behind they are. Her. I thought they played -- they had a good match. Obviously, you know, the momentum had to swing in Jenny's favor because to be four down and comeback and be all squareed, I'm sure Jenny probably felt better about it than Rebecca did at the end. I don't know I haven't talked to Rebecca.

BARBARA McINTIRE: I'd find out if that ball went out of bounds where I teed my ball up. I'll tell that you and I've told them. I had two players that immediately teed the ball up when their opponents ball as out of bound off the first tee and probably all they had to do was take a 5-iron off the first tee and hit a 7-iron on the green. Yes, I would have found out where that -- where my opponents ball was before I teed off.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Nervous.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well maybe a little calmer than this morning.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, it's little easier to be a little more calm if you have a little bit of a lead and I don't think this is any huge lead, believe me.

Q. You're putting pressure on yourself, obviously. It's coming because you want this win so much and the Curtis Cup. I mean, what do you do, you go on, you take care of the lead ease. But what do you do for yourself to keep you on an even keel and face tomorrow with a great attitude. How do you do that?

BARBARA McINTIRE: I try to appear very confident, as much as I can and I don't sleep very well.

Q. Barbara, what do you notice about teams from GB&I in the late 90s compared with the once in let's say the receive tees or earlier?

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, the swings are much better, much better than they were and the putting, I think their putting is terriffic. Terriffic. I think they have been well-trained. They have a squad that gets together a training squad before their team is quicked. They have a great person in Mickey Walker who helps to coach them. They have a great captain in item abutler, who is one of the nice estimate human beings I've ever met in my life. I think that, you know, after 1982, they got together and decideed they were tired of what was happening and I don't blame them and they have done a fine job of doing something about it.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Well, they go hands and hand don't they. I'd say you know if you want to look at it from the very positive side which I'm sure is the way they have done it, is from, you know, more confidence. Once you win, once you know you can win, I think that, you know as Carol Thompson said, more and more girls from overseas are coming to our universe tees and playing on our golf teams so we're all competing together and we all know how the other person place before we can, you know -- back in the old days what I played, we don't do didn't do that. You know I think this is going back a long ways, when the world started playing the same size golf ball, it became much easier. It used to be plate for us to go over there and play the small ball but I think it was much more difficult to come over here from the small ball and play the big ball. Now we all play the same size so there's no adjustments to make.

BARBARA McINTIRE: Thanks.