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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA

June 10, 2004

Karen Stupples

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

Q. Karen, great playing out there?

KAREN STUPPLES: Thank you.

Q. 4 under, 67, 5 birdies, one bogey, can you talk about your day and what was the key for you?

KAREN STUPPLES: I really hit the ball well today, sometimes too well. I hit over a couple of greens when I really struck it well. I hit it close, and I know I had a chip in.

Q. Able to stay out of the nasty rough?

KAREN STUPPLES: I hit it in a bit, but if you have a 9 iron and a wedge, it's not too bad coming out.

Q. You shouldn't be surprised you're in here. You have had a good season, even though last week you missed the cut.

KAREN STUPPLES: I felt good about it. Even though I missed the cut, my coach was in town, he only arrived on Thursday. It was almost like I was working on my game and seeing how I went. Last week I really stood in good position for this week, even though I didn't make the cut.

Q. What's been the difference for you this year, and can you pinpoint anything you're doing differently?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's a little change of attitude. Last year I knew I wanted to win a tournament, and I tried so hard, and I think you can try too hard that you end up in more trouble. This year I wanted to play well and play consistently. That was my plan.

I got off to a really good start. It's amazing what a little bit of confidence will do for you. I've worked hard on my game in the winter and a lot of physical fitness. I feel like it's all now hitting where it's supposed to be. I feel really good about it.

Q. Does that confidence manifest itself on the course even in deciding I'm going to try this shot, because I think I can do this now, as opposed to maybe before you wouldn't take that risk?

KAREN STUPPLES: It's more just trusting it's more about trusting that you're going to play well. I have had always felt like I can take on any shot. That's kind of a problem at times. I would take any possible shot and end up with a double bogey instead of accepting a par. I always felt like I could play all the shots.

Sometimes you have to take your medicine, and I think it was learning that and accepting, okay, maybe I can play the shot, but this isn't the time or place to do it.

Q. You did, obviously, very well here two years ago. Do you look at that as one of the breakthroughs, too?

KAREN STUPPLES: Very much. I was very excited about coming here and playing here this week. I love the course. It suits me very nicely. I like the atmosphere I get from here. It's a tough course, big course. You have to hit quality golf shots in order to score a round here. I almost think it makes you concentrate a little bit harder. The fact it's a major is a good thing, too.

Q. Speaking of the course, how did it affect your strategy and your round?

KAREN STUPPLES: The greens are a little spotty in places. I felt they had done a really good job getting to the point where they were rolling pretty good. They weren't bad. I hit the ball close. My birdies were all pretty much because I hit the ball close. I didn't really see much of that. I hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in, too.

I felt they did the best job they could do with the greens to get them as they are now.

Q. Karen, was there a point in the first part of your round that you built up momentum?

KAREN STUPPLES: The first hole I played well. Anytime you hit a good drive down the first hole, you think that's a good start. I'm being patient here, and everything is good.

The next hole I hit a big drive down almost in the hole, and I thought, okay, that's even better. Every hole I hit the ball really well. Anytime I strike the ball well it builds, because you feel any time you're going to hit it close. There is no pressure then. You can just open up and hit it.

Q. The second shot you almost hit it too well.

KAREN STUPPLES: I had 200 yards to the flag. I hit a 7 wood. It came up like an absolute rocket and way over the back green. There is another one on the front 9, I think it was 6, that I hit I had 125 yards, it was an in between club for me anyway. I hit a little 9 iron. My wedge will go 120, but my 9 iron will go 135. I had to try to fit it in, and I nutted it and it went over the green. I was like "oops," but I was calm about it. In the past, I maybe would have gotten too stressed about that.

Q. Do you feel like this is a score that could hold up today?

KAREN STUPPLES: I think there will be some other good scorers out there today. The playing conditions are very scoreable. You have to hit good iron shots. You have to get the ball in tight to the holes and take advantage of the par 5s, because you've got to be close. The greens are tricky. You have to be close.

(Scorecard read.)

Q. Anything else? All right. Thanks, Karen.

KAREN STUPPLES: You're welcome.

End of FastScripts.

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