U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 1, 1996

Brandie Burton

BRANDIE BURTON: I felt pretty good. The putter worked really well today, and I was real excited about that. That gave me a lot of confidence. A few errant tee shots. Just didn't have as good of rhythm as I intended to have. But I think the big key today was making 4 on 18. That was huge for me. I don't want that shot over, I can tell you that.

BRANDIE BURTON: That was a great pace.

BRANDIE BURTON: Like I said, the pace was the key the first two days, and it was nice to be on a little even walk today. I think we waited maybe once or twice. And you probably almost needed it. It almost went the opposite way, because sometimes you feel you're racing a little bit, especially to me. I should have gone to the beach today as many bunkers as I was in today. You had to take a few seconds on the tees every now and then.

BRANDIE BURTON: Okay. No. 4, I hit 8-iron to about 20 feet, made that for birdie. No. 7, I hit a bad tee shot right, in the bunker, hit it out about 15 yards short of the green, chipped up to about 15 feet and missed that and made bogey. No. 9, hit a 9-iron to about 30 feet, made that for birdie. No. 10 was pin high left in two, chipped that to about three feet, made that for birdie. No. 11, hit an 8-iron there to about 15 feet, made that for birdie. No. 16, I hit a 5-iron right in the bunker, hit it out about ten feet and missed that and made bogey. No. 17, I hit it in the left bunker, hit it out about 10 feet, missed that and made bogey.

BRANDIE BURTON: Actually, I hit probably one of my best swings of the day. That thing was hunting down the pin. I had 159 to the hole, and I just had a little 7, and I just crushed it. My ball mark was, like, two feet behind the hole. So it was probably the best shot of the day and ended up in the worst spot. But that's golf for you anyways. But with the Donald Ross greens being -- rolling over on the ends, the ball rolled back behind and on a downslope, so I had to hit back on the downslope, back up the green, and probably hit about the best chip that I could in that type of a situation. Although, what I was thinking was just don't end the day bogeying 15, 16, 17, and 18. I hit a great chip shot there and just had a right edge putt and put it right in. That was a good ending for me.

BRANDIE BURTON: Hopefully 75 and clear.

BRANDIE BURTON: We'll find out when I tee it up on the first tee tomorrow. I'm just going to go out and try to beat the golf course. I'm going to try to make as many birdies. And when the ball hits the bottom of the cup on 18, see what happens. That's all I can do.

BRANDIE BURTON: No, I wasn't playing against her, today, I was playing against myself. And that's also a big key, because it's not match play, you've got to beat the golf course. I was so into my game, that doesn't even bother me.

BRANDIE BURTON: I don't think you'd call it attack. You cannot be a hundred percent aggressive on this golf course. I think I've had a pretty good game plan for the last three days, and I'm just going to go out and try and approach it the same way I have the last three days.

BRANDIE BURTON: See, that's the way I think everybody is getting a little out of control about that. I'm not worried about Annika, I'm worried about the golf course. The golf course is tough enough, and to have two variables come into play -- some players may think they need to catch that person. If you get wrapped up in that person, you're not going to put a hundred percent in your game. That just adds to another variable that I've worked on this year, just to beat the golf course and make as many birdies as you possibly can.

BRANDIE BURTON: You guys want Annika up here right now? I'm not describing Annika's game, and I'm not talking about her game. I'm up here to talk about my game.

BRANDIE BURTON: I'm not comparing myself to her either. I'm playing the golf course, and I have great distance off the tee. And I think that's a plus. But the way this course is set up, you've got to have a short game here, and you've got to have some touch around the greens to make birdies.

BRANDIE BURTON: Well, yeah, the delicate shots and the pressure shots. They're shots when you can lay that flange open and take a whack at it and hit it up in the air. And other shots you have to let the tilt of the club do the work. It's the percentage shots. I can easily have took a downhill bunker shot where you lay the club flat open and whale at it and pop it straight up in the air. That's not the shot. You've got about 20 percent chance of succeeding, if that. I decided to close down the club face and hit a skip-and-run shot. If all came to worse, I would have had a 30 or 20-footer, but still had my chance for par.

BRANDIE BURTON: I'm sorry, can you repeat that?

BRANDIE BURTON: I would say it would be 50/50. Today I went into it with a whole different attitude. I got up there and put 17 behind me, put 16 behind me when I stepped up on the 17 tee. Yeah, it probably would have eaten me up.

BRANDIE BURTON: No, I don't think so at all. The course is running even faster today. A few shots today, if you hit it to the wrong side of the pin and it released, with the -- on the edges, they roll right over the green, and it gives you a situation just like I had on 18. So you've got to be really careful where you're going to be placing the ball on the pin placements tomorrow.

BRANDIE BURTON: I saw that quite a bit today.

BRANDIE BURTON: There hasn't really been injuries. Just a so, so achy body as anybody would if they wake up in the morning. But I always said I'm 24 with the body of an 80-year-old. I just went through a little low period where I just wasn't enjoying the game, and probably just put a little too high expectations on myself, which if I didn't go out and shoot 66 every day, it tore me apart. I know it wasn't pleasant for my family when I get home with being a grump. I just let it affect my whole life if I didn't play well and found out that that wasn't very healthy. And decided to do something about it this January. I'm pretty sure that I'm this close to being back a hundred percent and enjoying the game and enjoying other things besides the game of golf, too.

BRANDIE BURTON: I don't think there is. I really don't. It's not like there's four or five par 5's where you can be aggressive and go for it in the tight areas. Perhaps coming down the stretch -- actually I can't actually envision any place where you can like make the extra step to be overly aggressive. This course is -- it's plain and simple, it's just right out in front of you on the map and you play it, like a traditional golf course, and I think that's the way it should be played.

BRANDIE BURTON: It's going to play an important part on the club selection. Coming down the stretch like on 15 today, I had 148 yards, and I hit 9-iron, knowing that I only hit it 130, I was aiming for the front of the green, because I know it's straight down grain and it's going to release. I think more than anything you've got a club selection that's going to be extremely important tomorrow. As far as the speed of greens with the putter, I liked them pretty good today, but they might change a little bit tomorrow. But I think they're a perfect speed.

BRANDIE BURTON: Must be all the great people.

BRANDIE BURTON: I don't know. This place has always welcomed me with open arms. From the first tournament I've ever played here I've had success. It's a great feeling.

BRANDIE BURTON: I think that -- the only thing I can think of that -- Donald Ross is one of my favorite architects, and Pinehurst No. 2 is probably one of my top-ten favorite golf courses. I've had success there. And another Donald Ross track, which is Pine Needles, and I've had success here. That could be an influence.

BRANDIE BURTON: Thank you very much.

BRANDIE BURTON: Lake Pinehurst is right out my back door. A little fishing rod and a little worm and I'm set.