U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 9, 1997

Michelle McGann

MICHELLE McGANN: I'm feeling pretty good. I went home last week after I won in Atlantic City. I took the week off and worked on my game a little bit and came here to find a great golf course, and I'm looking forward to starting home.

MICHELLE McGANN: You can hit your driver, which a lot of times, of course we play it's kind of taken out of our hands. It requires a lot of accurate shots into the greens, a lot of placement, and I think that it's going to -- the cream is going to rise to the top, here, and it's just a matter of the putts. The greens are very fast for a Wednesday, and I'm sure will get faster as the week goes on. But we're just hoping that the weather kind of holds out a little bit for us, and make some birdies.

MICHELLE McGANN: They're holding really well, which is great. But you have to understand that we play Pro Ams every week and the greens aren't as fast as they usually could be, because there's so much traffic on them. So for us, yeah, they're a little fast right now. Not too fast, but what we're used to.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I think playing yesterday and playing today, the wind changed a little bit, some of the holes that were downwind are into the wind today. There are a couple of holes you have to watch it; you can hit it through the fairway. But there was a lot of mud on the balls today. And I think that's -- it's almost a disadvantage to somebody that hits it long and high. You get down -- you're in the middle of the fairway and you have a clump of mud. I don't know. I usually carry the ball a long way, so it doesn't matter if it's really hard or if it's wet. That's an advantage to someone who carries the ball. But I think that it's a great layout. The USGA set it up. As far as we can see just playing the practice rounds now, where they put the tees tomorrow, we don't know that, but I'm assuming in somewhat the same spots as we have played the last two days. And I just -- I think that it's going to take some -- it's the second shot into the green that's really going to make the big difference, and whoever is making some putts.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I think once you get to 14, I think that that's a pretty good hole. And once you kind of -- 14, 15 is a good par-3, 16, 17, 18 is a great finishing hole. Not to take away from any of the holes previous to that, but I think you really need to think, you can't let your guard down at any time, and especially once you get to 14. The last two days the pin's been on the right side so it's been fairly easy, but you know it will be tucked left or back right. It's a good second shot in there, the tee shot you have to position yourself in there well. And don't fall asleep out there.

MICHELLE McGANN: I don't think we really had that much of an off-season unfortunately, or fortunately, the better you play. The more tournaments you get invited to, special events. I've always been like that. I've always been kind of willing to give back. The people that were there to help me when I first started my career, help them out with their tournaments, and as well I have my own tournament for diabetes research. We raised over $300,000, and this is the second year. That's my charity that I work for and that's what it's all about. We're out here to play every week and have fun and make some money, but also we've got to give back, as well.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, I've been feeling really well. I took a lot of time off the beginning of the year, and I've pretty much paced myself, playing four weeks at the most in a row. I have to be careful. Fortunately I came out early enough with the time change, as much as you don't think three hours affect you, but it does. We're out here at 6 o'clock putting the other night and getting tired. Well, it's really 9 o'clock. So I've been feeling well the last few months, checking my sugar twice a day, shots twice a day and just trying to watch what you eat, trying to keep a balance. So far this year has been going really well.

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, it's a matter of patience. Anytime you enter a major, it's definitely patience. The weather conditions play a big factor, speed of the greens, hitting the ball in the right place on the greens. It's fun to be able to stand on a tee, though, and hit your driver and know that you've got a little room to play with. And if you hit a good drive you're hitting a 9-iron, where maybe a shorter hitter is hitting a 5- or 6-iron, which is a big difference, because these greens require a lot of placement. I'm going to go out like it's any other tournament, go out and play my best, and do my best every day and who knows what might happen. I feel like I'm swinging well right now and putting well.

MICHELLE McGANN: This week?

MICHELLE McGANN: Well, almost every hole. There's probably only three or four holes, and just depending on the wind. Yesterday I hit driver on 17. Today I hit 3-wood just because the wind switched. And it wasn't a real big change. There's a lot of bunkers that kind of come into play out there, so walking down the fairway, going to the next tee, it could be driver, and by the time we get up there it could switch again. But for the most part I'm going to hit it as much as possible.

MICHELLE McGANN: I don't think so. In a practice round we had a little match going, and it's -- the pin placements are going to be the toughest. It's going to be tough to make some birdies, I'm sure, where the USGA is going to put the pins. I think a lot of us will take pars and a few birdies and be happy with that. Possibly maybe somebody can get on a roll and make five or six birdies. The rough isn't as thick as it could be. So there's a little room to play with off the tee, and the par-5s, they're not really -- 18 is fairly reachable. I hit 5-wood in there the last two days, but most of the par-5s are three shots. One more, I think number 4 on the front 9 is reachable. Even if you reach number 4, the green is so big you'll be lucky to get it down in two. So I think that -- there might be a few low ones, maybe not just 64 yet, but a few birdies can be made out there.

MICHELLE McGANN: My brother.

MICHELLE McGANN: JC.

MICHELLE McGANN: Right.

MICHELLE McGANN: You know, you show up at a tournament and you've got to go with your game, tee it up. Whatever happens before, happens before, you know. You can't control that. And nobody even asked me to come to the media room Saturday in Atlantic City. And I walk in on Sunday the winner, and "Where did you come from?" That's how crazy this game is. And hopefully I'll be asked to come in here all four days. If not, at least Sunday I'd love to be here. We just have to go out and play. If Annika wins again, good for her. It's something for us to work even harder to try and accomplish. But you just have to take it one day at a time and take what the course will give you.

MICHELLE McGANN: My first year on Tour, you mean?

MICHELLE McGANN: 19.

MICHELLE McGANN: No, probably not, because we play here I think in --

MICHELLE McGANN: September.

MICHELLE McGANN: Right.

MICHELLE McGANN: I think it always helps. Coming off that high, I mean I played great. A lot of birdies and enjoying my week off at home. I think when you come into a tournament well rested, especially a tournament that's going to require so much energy, plus mental discipline this week, trying to be patient, it's good to be well rested. And like I said, I'm really looking forward to it, this is a great golf course, and it's in fabulous shape and looking forward to hitting some good shots and making some putts.

MICHELLE McGANN: Just a few years ago. That was ten years ago.

MICHELLE McGANN: Like I said, I'm hitting the ball very well, feeling confident with my putter and just go out and see what happens.