WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 9, 2002

Beth Bauer

CONNIE WILSON: Nice round today. General comments about the day today, about the conditions and certainly the way you played then we'll go into questions.

BETH BAUER: Just a really solid round. I drove the ball great today. I only missed two fairways, I think, and just played really solid. My putting has been great the last two days and I think that has been really key for me. The first, I am going to say the first 10, 11 holes today were playing really difficult because the wind was blowing 20, 30 miles an hour. I just tried to stay patient. I had a few good breaks and a few good putts; kind of -- just a solid round and really stayed patient with the round.

Q. Did you have to save par on those holes?

BETH BAUER: Actually I kind of played -- not that I really had a choice but a couple of times I had probably 190 to 200 yards on the par 4s. I was trying to play just to the front of the green so I could putt up to it. That way -- I only had 23 putts today and probably, I believe, six or seven 1-putts on the front nine but some of them are just off the green putting up, but like number No. 6, the par 3, I hit driver. I hit a punch driver because I felt that the 3-wood would not get it to the green, I'd probably hit it a foot. (Laughs). I hit 7-wood. So we had about 195 -- 200 to the flag and I was probably -- I thought it would play about 220 today. Driver down and hit it short of the pin, almost went in. The course can change so much in half an hour that you really have to pay attention to the wind and stay patient with the shots.

Q. What are your previous experiences on Links-style courses?

BETH BAUER: Almost nothing. I played in England in the 2000 Curtis Cup. I actually played well, the U.S. won that but I played well that week on that course. We never got wind like we have gotten here the last week. It's definitely a good experience.

Growing up in Florida is where I grew up, I played on a course that tried to be like a Links-style course but it used to get pretty windy there. It can blow in Florida too.

Q. Did you expect top be at �­7 at the halfway point at Turnberry?

BETH BAUER: I don't try to look at numbers or expectations or have, you know, a number in my head going into the round. I felt yesterday that playing conditions were very favorable and I think that's why the scores were so low. But today was definitely a great round for me to move up the leaderboard just because I think the conditions were a little bit tougher.

Q. Did the conditions stay similar throughout the round?

BETH BAUER: Actually the last five or six holes it started to die down a little bit, I'd say only a half club to a club. I would definitely say the first 10, 11 holes we played were really much more difficult.

Q. Karrie said that stretch of holes was some of the most difficult.

BETH BAUER: I was definitely hitting driver, 3-wood into almost every par 4 trying to get it there. (Laughs), you know, so it was definitely an unbelievable stretch there, yes.

Q. Did you experience any bunkers?

BETH BAUER: My only bogey of the tournament so far. I have only had one bogey, it came on 16 today. I hit it in the bunker off the tee to -- yesterday I had a double bogey on 7, hitting it off the bunker off the tee. But besides, that I mean, one a day, I am okay with that. The bunkers, it's an automatic penalty shot. You really lucky to make par hitting it in the fairway bunker because if you hit it there you almost always have to wedge it back to the fairway.

Q. In preparation for this week did you practice more bunker play?

BETH BAUER: I feel really good about my bunker play in general. I am always a pretty good bunker player. I didn't do any extra practice. When I got here I definitely practiced on the course.

Q. Do you have any goals for this year?

BETH BAUER: Goals, it's kind of changing as the season has gone along because it's my first year on Tour, but obviously earlier in the year I wanted to have enough money to retain my card. And I have had a well enough season where I am pretty set for that. I almost won a couple -- maybe like a month ago and ever since then I felt like I could win. I think -- I have been in the position twice this year and I feel like the more I am in that position the more comfortable I feel. So I'd definitely like to win before the year is over.

Q. This would be a good week to start?

BETH BAUER it would be a good week to do it.

Q. Did you watch any of the Open at Muirfield?

BETH BAUER: We were playing that week so it was kind of hard, but I guess saw a little bit of that Saturday and it kind of freaked everybody out. I only watched Tiger on maybe a couple of shots, a couple of holes, but I was a little scared, you know, I think everybody was. It's kind of-- I think if you came over here and it was calm all week it kind of takes away from the British Open. So I think the wind and the cold weather is what this tournament seems to be about so I enjoy playing the tough conditions.

CONNIE WILSON: Great. Thank you.

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