THE NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 26, 2000

Karrie Webb

KARRIE WEBB: Thanks, Connie. Well, I stink right now, but I'm very happy that I do. This week has -- you know, after I had had such a good start to the year, I did wonder if I had peaked a little too early for this week, but you really can't help things like that. And I was hoping that my game would still be in shape this week, and it was. I mean, I played tremendously well, especially the first three days. Today was, you know, I was more excited just to get in to the clubhouse and hold up the trophy more than anything else. But things went very well for me, and I'm extremely happy with what I've done this week.

KARRIE WEBB: Well, actually I nearly missed it, because when it landed on the green, I saw it roll up fairly close, and I looked down to get my tee out of the ground and then I heard Evan say "Get in" and I looked up and saw it drop in the hole; so I nearly missed my own hole-in-one. But, you know, I think when things are going well, they certainly go well for you, and that's just a sign of it.

KARRIE WEBB: Well, you know, it's such a good feeling, a rewarding feeling, I guess for all the hard work that I put in and, you know, I'm just receiving so much back in return for the work I have put in. And, you know, I love to win golf tournaments. I love to be in the situation that I put myself in this weekend, four or five other times this year. It's just something I dreamed about doing. And to win The Nabisco Championship so early in my career, that's just a blessing in itself because I really enjoy playing this golf course, but to put everything together in one week and win a golf tournament takes a little bit, and especially at a major.

KARRIE WEBB: I guess anything is possible. It's very generous for Nabisco to put up $2.5 million. But I think with the odds on winning four majors in one year, I'm not saying it's not possible, but they have got a pretty safe bet.

KARRIE WEBB: For the last couple of holes, Evan and I had been talking about it. We didn't know how deep the water was. I just said, "I want to run in do and a big bomb dive or jump off the bridge or something," but I don't think the water is deep enough to do that. And then I didn't know if I had to sign my card first before I could do that, and then when Dottie started pushing me, I just thought, what the heck, get wet now, and get it over and done with. But there's a pair of sunglasses at the bottom of the lake right now. I'm sure when the mud settles, you'll be able to see them. I couldn't see them after Evan and I were in there.

KARRIE WEBB: I think the fact that we both -- our careers have paralleled very closely, and I think when things like that happen, it's only human nature for people to compare us. But we are two different players on two different tours; so the comparison probably stops there, I think.

KARRIE WEBB: I think when I made the turn and I was still 8 shots, 9 shots up. I think I wasn't playing bad enough to do anything drastic, and I think Dottie would have had to make four or five birdies in a row, and me not answer to any of those to really make me think about it. But I didn't it actually talk to Evan about winning or jumping in the lake or anything like that until the 16th, 17th hole. So I wasn't going to jinx myself that early.

KARRIE WEBB: It's tiring. You know, I think it's just like any job that anyone has. There's a lot of work that goes into it. There's a lot of stress involved. And, you know, the more work you put into it, the better the results, the more results you see, I guess. You know, I think what is hard for people to understand sometimes is why you don't play 30 or 40 tournaments a year. It's just because physically, you can't do it. You can do it, but then those extra tournaments that you play, you're expected to play well, even though you're tired, and you know, it's just not possible to play good golf and play a lot of golf all in one year. That's why you see a lot of the top players have maybe not as big a schedule as other players.

KARRIE WEBB: Well, there was me and Evan and then Celine Dion came in. I don't know why she ventured in the water. She could have waited until I got out because she had to jump in the mud as well. Actually, I didn't get to meet her the first two days of the Pro-Am; I didn't get to meet her. I guess that was a fitting way to get to meet her.

KARRIE WEBB: Aree, well, she's an amazing talent. On the 1st hole today, I had the biggest smile on my face when she just ripped it off the tee, straight down the middle, no fear at all. And then I was standing a little bit ahead of her when she hit her second shot in, and it just whizzed past my ear, and I was like, that was impressive. I was already impressed after two shots, because to hear that sound of a pure ball strike at 13, not many -- not many kids, male or female, can hit it like that that young. I think like I said before, the TOUR is lucky that they can't be out here for another five years so we can make some money before both of them are out here.

KARRIE WEBB: I think so. I think that just comes part and parcel with playing good golf. I really enjoy playing good golf. So I know that there's a lot more responsibility and commitments, and as long as golf is still No. 1. I think, you know, I'm fine to do as many things as I can do without it affecting my golf.

KARRIE WEBB: I think I can understand where people are coming from there. I think the thing that impressed me more than the way she could hit the ball was the way she handled herself. It was like she had played a professional tournament before. She marked the ball, didn't stand in anyone's way. It was like she had been out there forever. Just talking to her, she still is just a kid, but my advice to her parents is -- to both Naree and Aree's parents, you know, that they are only 13, and you can play golf for a very long time. You only have so many years out of your childhood. I just hope that they -- you know, have a childhood along the way, as well, because they will be out here when they are 18, and they will be on tour for ten years and look back and they have been playing golf all their lives and maybe not done as much as she wanted to as a kid. I just really hope that even though they work hard at their game, that they are just being kids, as well.

KARRIE WEBB: The boat that I have is a 23-foot Mako and it's just a -- just a sport fishing boat. And hopefully the weather in Florida the next four weeks is good enough for me to be out there a few days a week.

KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, deep-sea fishing. I've been fresh- water fishing. Only since I've been over here on the States because I grew up on the coast and those one- and two-pound fish just don't cut it for me. I have to try and get as big of a fish as I can.

KARRIE WEBB: Well, I have a month off now and my first tournament back will be the Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta.

KARRIE WEBB: No, I think they were both -- well, I know Aree was looking forward to just being out there and I got to talk to her a little bit. But they are both pretty shy, which I can't imagine how overwhelming this whole experience is for them. But I got her to say a few things to me today. And their English is great, and I found out that they spoke English before they came here; so I guess that's been a big benefit for them.

KARRIE WEBB: On 2 I hit my 53-degree wedge to about 12 feet. 4, I missed the fairway right, again. And missed the green, again. And hit my -- I hit a sand wedge to about 40 feet and 2-putted. 5, I hit a 6-iron in the hole; so it was -- unbelievable. That's only my second hole-in-one on tour, so it came at a very nice time. I think it was 170 yards. 10, I missed the green left with an 8-iron and chipped it to about six feet and missed the putt. 14, I hit a 9-iron to about four feet. 18, 5-wood, 5-wood, 9-iron to, I don't know, 30 feet; 2-putt.

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