NEW ALBANY GOLF CLASSIC

September 30, 2000

Shani Waugh

SHANI WAUGH: Yeah. I think hit a sand wedge to about three feet on the third, the par 5. Hit a 6-iron to about 15 feet on the fifth. I hit a 4-iron on to the green to about 15 feet for two on the sixth and 2-putted. The 8th, I hit a lob-wedge to two feet. 13, I hit 9-iron to four feet. And 16, I hit sand iron to three feet.

SHANI WAUGH: I think the golf course is drying out a lot and so it is playing shorter than the front nine. There was some tough pins out there, but I made up my mind at the start of the day that I was going to try to be aggressive. So the tough pins, I went for and luckily managed to pull the shots off. But I can see what she's saying, because there were some tough pins, but when you make up your mind you're going to go at them, you don't have a choice.

SHANI WAUGH: Because I have nothing to lose in this golf tournament. I'm 53rd on the money list. I'm going to keep my card. Unless I win the tournament, I can't finish in the Top-30 for the Tour Championship, so I have to win. And the only pressure I would actually have is winning the tournament. That's the only thing I can gain from this golf tournament.

SHANI WAUGH: I was a little nervous on the first tee. I think any time you're doing well in a tournament, you get nervous. I actually felt really calm most of the way around. I was nervous on the last green but I'm always nervous on the last green. But I don't suffer from nerves very often, so I like to be nervous. So having a little bit of nerves today was definitely a good thing.

SHANI WAUGH: No. Out there. I don't mind chatting, in case you haven't noticed.

SHANI WAUGH: I did. I learned -- I went out in that tournament, expecting to have to shoot 4- or 5-under to win the tournament, and as it turned out, if I had shot 72, I would have been in a playoff with 15 other girls, but even par would have been good enough. I think that was really important for me, because, I mean, tomorrow I'm going to have to shoot tomorrow under par there's no question, because I'm playing with Annika. But I think the more times you get in that situation, the better. I haven't had many opportunities to play in the last group. The few I've had, I've learned from. So I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I think in Toledo, I was actually really nervous about it.

SHANI WAUGH: I was shocked when the round finished and realized I only had to shoot 72 because when -- the conditions were perfect, I think everyone -- it doesn't happen very often on this tour, but no one played great. Just shot around par. The girls behind us shot a couple under, but no one went out there and shot 6-under. I was playing with Se Ri Pak, I just assumed, you know, she's a champion; she was going to shoot 4-under and it didn't happen. I think I went out there having to shoot a really low score and probably put too much pressure on myself.

SHANI WAUGH: Yeah, I think I shot -- I can't remember what I shot. I think I tried to forget it as soon as possible. But it was pretty ugly. It was like 5- or 6-, 7-over or something. I ended up finishing 20th, which is pretty disappointing.

SHANI WAUGH: Well, I'm a year older. I felt remarkably calm today, and hopefully I'll feel like that again tomorrow. Like I said before, I have nothing to lose tomorrow and I know Annika definitely wants to win this tournament because she likes setting records and winning back-to-back, and to be the only winner of this tournament, I'm sure that in her mind. But I've not nothing to lose, so I'm just going to go out there and be aggressive again.

SHANI WAUGH: I think if you ask me that question tomorrow 10 minutes before I tee off, I might have a better answer for you. Of course, I'd dearly love to win a golf tournament. I think the big thing for me the last few months is I've actually started to play as well as I think I can, and I know that one day, I will win a golf tournament, whether it's here or in Europe or wherever. I will win a golf tournament. And whether it's tomorrow, it would be a little bit sooner than what I expected, but I think it's going to happen.

SHANI WAUGH: Not really. I've been working with a new coach for about a year now, and I think the things that we've been working on took a while to click. And I guess it clicked the beginning of July, and I've just gained confidence from stringing a couple of good tournaments together. I. Played really well at the U.S. Open under -- I didn't have any pressure there, either. I put myself under pressure at the U.S. Open because I wanted to do so well to keep my card, and I did that. I just think little things like that just give you so much confidence. I know I must be confident considering how calm I was out there today.

SHANI WAUGH: I'd take 66 now. You can't tell with Annika. She's such a champion. She's done it before in the last round of a tournament, shot 6-, 7-, 8-under, it's pretty hard to compete with that. But yeah, if I could take 66 now, I do definitely finish second, I think.

SHANI WAUGH: Yeah, there's some players -- I haven't really checked who is right behind me, but I know there is a couple of girls who are going off to Scotland next week who obviously -- both of them I think have just been selected, just got the captain's picks and I know that they would be wanting to really give themselves some more confidence playing well tomorrow. And they are not out of the picture. And Annika, has shot 72 before and she could shoot 72 tomorrow and those girls could catch both of us. But any time you're up and in contention in an LPGA tournament, there's a lot of great players right behind you. Wouldn't surprise me if someone came out of pack tomorrow.

SHANI WAUGH: In five words? Depends what day you get me on, really. It's hard to describe yourself, I think. I think your friends can do the best job of describing you. I guess pretty happy-go-lucky suppose. A nice cliche a to use. I don't get too bothered about too much.

SHANI WAUGH: I think talking about maturity, I think I've become more serious on the golf course, because I tried for years to sort of use my personality that I have off the golf course on the golf course; I assumed that would work. But it seems in order to have the concentration necessary to compete on the LPGA, I had to get a little bit more serious. And I'm sure, you know, if I've been in this position a few more times, I might relax a little bit more on the golf course, but right now I'm just trying to get the job done.

SHANI WAUGH: I don't believe I have a prize. I would give anything to compete in an Olympic sport and maybe one day golf will be in the Olympics and I'll be trying my --

SHANI WAUGH: Yeah, I would have to think the Australian Olympians, just watching how they have competed the last few weeks, it is definitely in my subconscious. They have possibly motivated me a little bit. I know Karrie was saying when she was at the Olympics, it was just so motivating for her. I can't imagine that Karrie needs any motivation, but it's something special, and to have the Olympics in Sydney, I think that adds a little extra for all of us Australians.

SHANI WAUGH: A little bit. But I have my own chance now to, you know, get my name up in lights in Australia and I'm going to try and take that chance. But definitely been watching on TV and at times wishing I was in Sydney.

SHANI WAUGH: I wouldn't think so. Maybe in the Southwest Times, which is my local newspaper in my hometown in western Australia. Actually the media in Australia are starting to embrace women's golf a little bit better.

SHANI WAUGH: I'd take it tomorrow. I might never get another chance. So I'm going to try to take it tomorrow. Actually I think it would be -- the golf writers in Australia would probably -- they probably would write something about it considering the fact that the Olympics are doing on and the Australians are doing so well. I think there might be a story about other Australians around the world, because I know our guy golfers are doing well, watching the sporting stories in Australia.

SHANI WAUGH: Oh, yeah. I'm going to the Solheim Cup next week. I've been to every Solheim Cup except for the first one because I wasn't a professional then. I just love the competition. I grew up playing team sports and the Solheim Cup is the only team sport in golf, and I'm going there. I just love the atmosphere. I think it is a showcase of women's golf, and I love being outside the ropes and not having the pressure of playing, and watching my friends compete in the Solheim Cup.

SHANI WAUGH: I've been thinking about that. I grew up playing softball and cricket, field hockey and I played tennis. I was much better doubles player than I was a singles player. I was too lazy to play singles. And I've been thinking about what sport I'd like to play, and I think I watched that handball game and I think throwing and catching is probably my forte and I think that would probably be my sport.

SHANI WAUGH: I've actually learned a few things. I didn't know about the lost generation where the Aborigines were taken from their parents. I've been really, really impressed with that side of the coverage. It's been really uplifting sitting there at night and learning about your own country and watching. They showed a couple of areas quite close to where I live, and it's really nice to know that these areas are getting exposed to the rest of the world, and hopefully it will increase the tourism for Australia, because I think they made a pretty big loss on the Olympics, so need something to pay it back.