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SYBASE CLASSIC

May 18, 2005

Sherri Steinhauer

NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK

JOEL LAMP: We have Sherri Steinhauer here in the interview area. Defending champion. Talk a little bit about coming back this year as the defending champion.

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Well, obviously, it feels great. Wonderful memories and great feelings. I have to say when I first stepped out onto the putting green, I looked down and it's so familiar to home to me. It's exactly like the greens that I grew up on. Just brought a smile to my face.

It's such a great golf course. I obviously love coming back here.

JOEL LAMP: We'll take questions.

Q. Just sort of assess the way you've played in the last year since you were here last year and winning leading up to now?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: You know, it's just I haven't played as well as I would have liked. Right now I'm working on some different things with my golf swing, trying to get better to keep up with all these young players. I obviously have to, you know, try to get a little more distance. Seems like the more I try to get distance, the shorter I keep hitting it, so things aren't quite working out there. That's kind of how golf goes.

But, you know, it's been just mediocre since the win. You know, that was undoubtedly the highlight. Definitely gave me a lot of confidence. So, you know, I had a lot of fun at the end of last year. Just unfortunately didn't have as many good finishes as I would have liked.

Q. What have you been doing trying to get distance? Is this a course where distance really isn't that much of a factor as maybe on some of the other ones you play?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: You know, I played this morning, and with the difference in temperature, it makes for me, it makes a big difference. The course, definitely it was playing longer those first few holes when it was cooler out. You know, extra yardage would help if it's going to be cooler like this.

You know, when it warms up, my bones and body loosen up. I seem to I'll hit it a little bit further. You know, that's going to play a factor, depending. I understand tomorrow morning it's supposed to be pretty cool, so...

Q. At the media day, I think a question was posed to you about the proliferation of the young players that are coming out. Are you surprised by how well most of them are playing, can play, and what the potential is there for them to possibly break through sooner than, say, it took you to establish yourself?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Well, nowadays, things are so different. You know, they're working out at a younger age. They're just so much more prepared than when I played junior golf. They have so many more events that they can participate in. So, you know, as far as the players coming from the States, I think it's wonderful that they're, you know, rearing the kids at a younger age, and they're just a lot more prepared. They have access to a lot more things that are getting them ready at an earlier age.

They're coming out much stronger, you know, they're working more closely with the sports psychologists. That wasn't something I thought of until I even got out on tour after a couple years. But they're starting out with that earlier. So I think it's great for the tour. You know, you're going to see a lot of the young players playing better.

Q. Michele Redman was saying, too, some of the players, you actually have teenagers out here now. She said possibly collegiate golf would benefit some, but not all. Do you favor one or the other or is it pretty much up to the individual?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Well, yeah, I think it definitely is up to the individual. You know, obviously, from a personal standpoint, I don't think there's any you know, I feel like going to college is a wonderful experience. I certainly wouldn't want to have missed that.

For the kids, the ones that do choose to forego college, you know, I think you know, I don't know if one day they'll look back. You know, obviously you take someone like Paula Creamer, she's making a lot of money and doing very, very well, and that's great. But, you know, money can't buy a period in your life.

You know, if a player comes out and they're winning every single college event, and it's not helping them to get any better, you know, maybe it is a decision. But I just feel bad because I'd hate to miss the opportunity.

Q. Are you a fan of the 16th hole here?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Am I a fan of the 16th hole (laughter)? You know, I think it's a great hole when the green is the proper speed. I hit some putts on it today. I didn't play a practice round yesterday, but I hit a lot of putts on it today. It's faster than I've ever seen it. And if they choose I don't see how, but if they do put the pin on the right side of the green, we may never finish (laughter). It was absolutely I was trying to get it to stop. I hit as good a putt as I could, and it still rolled off the green. They're going to have to keep the pin on the left side in the front.

But, you know, for that severe a green, I just think it just can't be quite so fast.

Q. I don't remember how it played out specifically last year. You're in contention late in the tournament. You've played 15 holes on Sunday, for instance. You come to that hole. Is it safe to say there's more trepidation standing over a tee shot on that hole than some other ones, especially because of where it is, 16th hole as opposed to the 3rd hole?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: I'm not as concerned with the tee shot. I think, you know, most players hit the green. But it's just the putting, you know, like last year, I had about an eight foot putt, and it was straight up the hill. I left it short, dead end, because it was so slow going up the hill. It's very slow. At that point, I think I'd lost my concentration.

Q. That's why I ask about the tee shot. Obviously, where you are on that green sort of dictates how aggressive you are.

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Right, absolutely. Yeah, you know, you definitely want to hit it short and to the right of the hole. It's a very difficult shot to hit, though, if the pin is in the front. Most everybody is going to, you know, if the pin is on the left side, have a right to left breaker past the hole.

Everybody has to play it. It's not an easy hole. I don't look at it like it's at the end of the round, towards the end of the round. It makes for exciting golf for the spectator not fun for the player (laughter).

Q. In the five years that you went winless between '99 and '04, you mentioned the young players before, has a lot of that been sort of trying to catch up to them by changing things in your game? Do you feel that's still an ongoing process?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Actually, that time, I was pretty much in a slump. I just was not I was not playing well. I'd lost a lot of confidence. Then you got the young ones coming out, passing you. Then your confidence goes down more. That's kind of what happened in that time frame. So it did feel good to just come out and win one, you know, get ahead of the young ones one week. I'd like to do it more than that, though (laughter).

Q. Do you feel like that's still ongoing?

SHERRI STEINHAUER: What's that?

Q. Just getting out of your slump.

SHERRI STEINHAUER: I've been you know, it's hard. I come in here today, I didn't hit it very well today. You know, that was a bit frustrating. But last week I played very well. I hit it very well. I feel like it's a matter of time, you know. Golf is a game of patience. One thing with golf, you can never force it. You go out there every day, and I do the best I can. Some days the putts go in; some days they don't. Sometimes you hit great iron shots and you look up, they're not close. Some days you hit bad ones, you look up and they go close.

Golf is a game where you just take what comes. You know, I'm always doing the best I can, and hopefully you look up and the putts go in.

JOEL LAMP: Thank you. Good luck this week.

SHERRI STEINHAUER: Thanks.

End of FastScripts.

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