U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 1, 1996

Pat Bradley

PAT BRADLEY: Well, I really felt pretty good this morning, obviously. I had a wonderful surprise, my brother, Chris, was on the putting green when I walked out of the locker room. And that was a wonderful surprise. He drove down from Boston. And so I really started my day on a really nice upbeat with him being here. I birdied the first two holes, which really kind of set the tone for me and got me off to a very fast start and helped build up some confidence for me. And then, of course, the pace of play was fabulous. You could get a momentum, you could get your timing and your rhythm down. So it was just a wonderful day to play golf. I am very pleased and very happy that I took advantage of some opportunities out there that came my way, and it just played -- the golf course played great. There's a lot of players that are taking advantage of the better play. This golf course just does some nice things for you. It flows nice, it's nice to walk. And I'm just happy to be playing it.

PAT BRADLEY: It sounds it. I just played very solid golf, and my course management was exceptional today. And, of course, in an Open, that is always very, very important. And some days are better than others. But today was one of my better days in course management this week, and because of that I was rewarded quite nicely.

PAT BRADLEY: I hit a three-quarter wedge into 1, and I made about a 3-footer there for birdie. I hit a driver 4-iron into 2, and I made probably a good 20-footer from behind the hole. Actually, it was probably the easier putt, because I was going back uphill instead of being in the front and putting down, away from you. So it turned out to be a blessing in disguise being behind the hole, and made that putt. And then just kind of had it in cruise control. On 13 --

PAT BRADLEY: I birdied 10 to par 5. I hit a 9-iron in there about 15 feet, and made that 15-footer. And then made a 20-footer on 13. So my birdies weren't gimmees, by any means. So it was nice to take advantage of it.

PAT BRADLEY: I bogeyed 15, which I am a little disappointed because I hit a great drive. I thought the wind was a little more helping, right to left, and I was just thinking for the front of the green. And I hit a 7-iron, and I played a little too far to the fat of the green, which was the longer route, and it turned out not to be enough club when I did it that way. I chipped up and 2-putted for my bogey.

PAT BRADLEY: Well, when I say take advantage, I mean in terms of the pace of play. It was a wonderful pace, as I say, to play today. It was a wonderful pace to get a momentum, to get your timing and your rhythm, and that's what I mean. The golf course wasn't set up anymore unusual than the first two days, it just -- it was just a pleasant day to play. And as I say, people are feeling that and realizing it because the scores have come down quite a bit.

PAT BRADLEY: I tell you, I'm not really sure, because Open -- it's really difficult to predict in an Open. Who would predict first-time winners would win at an Open? But more times than not they hold true. Annika is maybe young in age, but she's very, very mature and very seasoned and very veteran in her mental approach to this game. She is very poised. And as you watch her play, she has everything very well in perspective and never gets too riled, too excited, too down and that's a perfect way to approach any golf tournament, but especially the Open. So I really think it's difficult to really kind of predict. Who would have predicted Patty Sheehan having her disaster a few years ago? I would have bet the farm that that wouldn't have happened. So I think it's harder to predict today because the quality of play is so much stronger, and at any given week it could be any one of these players.

PAT BRADLEY: I was a little surprised. I mean, it was a great -- it was a great reaction, and I could feel it. It, like, hit me in the face like a big, huge wind. It was a great moment, and I enjoyed it, and tried to soak it up. But I tell you, I got great a reception all day long when I approached every green, and that's very encouraging. It's nice to know that people appreciate your talents and appreciate what you're doing. It was a nice feeling today to be received that way.

PAT BRADLEY: Well, I have one here. He drove in this morning. From what I understand, he saw my birdie on 16 yesterday afternoon, and he and his buddy hopped in the car and they headed down. And they drove in this morning. And my brother, Chris, is with me. And that was a nice surprise.

PAT BRADLEY: Well, all right. Congratulations. Great. I saw a few people with Planters Pat Bradley hats on, that was nice today.

PAT BRADLEY: I tell you, I didn't start out my career writing that history, but as it has turned out, I've won 31 times and I think 28 of them have come from behind. As I say, I didn't plan for that to be written like that, but that is how it has evolved, in whatever way it takes to win a golf tournament, you take it and you're very pleased with it. There's so much golf yet to be played. There's a lot of 18 -- 18 holes tomorrow, and I'm just happy that I'm in a position where if it's meant to be, it will be. And I'll be there and trying very hard, and we'll see what happens.