U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 5, 2002

Nancy Lopez

Q. Talked about the emotions of today; especially walking up 18?

NANCY LOPEZ: Well, 18 was going to be tough. I knew it would, but today was a day of just trying to make some good swings at it and I didn't do that too well, but I kept trying and I know walking up 18 was going to be tough for me because I knew that I won't be doing that anymore. But I guess I am just grateful so much to the fans. That made me so emotional. Thank them for their support all the years that I played this great game and it is just fun to walk up 18, you have tears in your eyes. It's a thrill to have that experience, whether you are winning or whether you are losing. It's always a thrill to walk up 18 and feel the love that the people have for not just for me, but for the LPGA.

Q. Was it like that all the way around today and did you find those emotions coming throughout (inaudible) --

NANCY LOPEZ: I felt like my emotions were under control pretty much all day. I know walking up to a lot of the greens there were a lot of ovations. That was tough but I knew I still had golf to play so it wasn't really the end at that time so I was able to control it. I would have liked to have played much better this week, but my game is just not right there right now, and I'd like to finish strong this year. I am going to keep working on it, just timing is off, and it's not consistent and I just need to make that consistency so that I can score well. But this golf course is a beautiful golf course, a great test of golf and it is a fair test of golf. If you hit the in the fairway or even in the shorter rough you are okay. If you hit it in that other stuff, you know, that's nobody's fault but your own. But it is a great golf course. I'd like to come back and I'd like to play it with my husband. I know I can beat him on it. (Laughter).

So I am looking forward to coming back maybe and getting to play here today, just for fun.

Q. Do you at all think back a little bit today and remember some of the great moments or that there's just no way to do that when you are trying to play golf?

NANCY LOPEZ: I think the great thing was playing with Betsy and Patty, two other Hall of Famers who I admire very much and who have done a lot for the game. I wish Patty would play a little bit more. I kept telling her not to leave when I did and she left a year ago or two years ago. She does come out and play every once in a while. But she's still got it. She can just come out here and work and practice I know she can win some more. But players like those two that you are proud to be a part of the LPGA because they stand for a lot of good things and always try, they never quit, and I think that that's -- I admire them because of that.

Q. What is going through your mind before that final putt? I guess you had a little bit of extra time there...

NANCY LOPEZ: I wanted to make that putt from off the fringe so I could go "yeah," you know, but darn, I didn't make it. But I was just excited because I hit a good tee shot and hit a good second shot even though it went over the fringe. I wanted to finish with some good shots into 18. Of course I would have liked to have made the birdie.

Just feel proud. I feel lucky that I was able to win the tournaments that I won, and be able to shine in this sport, which I think is a great, great sport, and I think you always reminisce on the good feelings of winning and walking out to 18 is always where you are winning, and -- so you feel some great emotions walking up 18 always. And I know when the (inaudible) it is very tough to control your emotions, for sure.

Q. (Inaudible)

NANCY LOPEZ: Patty came over and gave me a hug going down the fairway and she said she had a great time playing with me and she knows how I feel, I believe, and she's never really said she was leaving the Tour, she just kind of left it. So I think she knows the feeling of not really being in competition, you know, full-time and I know she has always loved competition also. I think that's what the toughest thing is just not competing anymore. But competing to the ability of, you know, really what I felt like I should be doing, instead of what I am doing.

Q. (Inaudible) how tough was it to keep the emotions in check being your last tournament --

NANCY LOPEZ: I felt so frustrated the last -- I guess the last oh, few months, but I felt like if I just keep working and keep trying something good will start happening. Sometimes when you are that frustrated good things don't happen because your emotions control so much of your swing, and the way you feel, but I never -- my dad always taught me never to throw golf club and never to get mad because I wasn't going to play better and I sure didn't want to shoot 90 if I was going to get mad (laughs), so he always taught me to try and control myself out there and you know, I just -- I feel real fortunate. There's nothing for me to get angry about. I am frustrated, but I have been able to do something that I love and I am just grateful for that. So the frustration is just, you know, I kind of ignore it and like I said, try and do better and hit one more good shot if I can.

Q. Get a chance to see Juli Inkster (inaudible) --

NANCY LOPEZ: No, I didn't see her. She's a great player too, and I have always admired her for the job that she's done and she's a great mom and to be able to compete and come back this year and play the way she has done, that's pretty tough to do.

Q. (Inaudible) is it a different world that players find it more difficult to say yes -- (inaudible) --

NANCY LOPEZ: I don't know, I always said yes because I enjoyed, you know, talking to people and I have always enjoyed people. So saying "yes" wasn't difficult for me. There's a few times I said "no" because I knew that if I didn't I'd be worn out, but I just always remember where I came from, I can only relate with that with my dad and my mom, and you know, what they taught me -- my dad was such a great inspiration to me because he always told me to keep trying and never quit, and always enjoyed what I was doing and always smiled. He was always positive and that's what I have always been taught. So when I am out here, if I can make somebody feel good by smiling at them or saying high to them, then I am doing my job at least for my dad.

Q. (Inaudible) inclining of what you were going to do --

NANCY LOPEZ: My first year on Tour?

Q. (Inaudible)?

NANCY LOPEZ: I really just wanted to win one tournament and I was hoping that I could beat the Carners and the Rankins and the great players on Tour, because I really didn't think I was good enough to beat them at that time but I sure was going to try hard to. So after I won my first one, though, it just seemed easier and just snowballed really. I didn't think -- I think after I won the first one it seemed very tough to win the first one, but then after I did, it just seemed easy. But when you are swinging good and your confidence is high, everything goes down the middle of the fairway and everything goes on the green and everything goes in, so -- and I love that. It was a lot of fun. I feel a lot of frustration now because none of that's happening. (Laughs), so, it is tough when you have played golf like that to have to play golf like I am playing it now, it is very frustrating and I am not really enjoying myself a lot, but I am glad that I can still swing the golf club and like I said, I can still work on it and hopefully finish this year up strong and play some good tournaments.

Q. Have you had a chance to talk to Ray during this whole time and what has he sort of told you to do?

NANCY LOPEZ: He said to enjoy my time out here and to play my best and not to worry about anything. But my best to me is, you know, in the Top-10, and I don't like just playing to miss cuts, but like I said, I love being out here. I really loved playing this golf course, and if I can get up there tomorrow I'd do it again.

Thank you very much.

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