U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 6, 2002

Juli Inkster

JULI INKSTER: I'm just hoping tomorrow it will be a little easier. I don't know what to say. I'm trying my hardest out there. It's just not going where I want it to go.

But I'm still only two shots back. The thing with me, it takes just one or two good shots and I'm on my way. So I've just got to remain positive and go from there.

Q. Being down two instead of one, does that change anything for tomorrow?

JULI INKSTER: No. I mean, I'm going to have to play better than I've played the last two days. You know, I felt in love with the line and I forgot to hit the putt. I played really well out there as far as what I had to work with. You know, I've got to -- I definitely have to play better tomorrow, because Annika is not going to make any mistakes, and I'm going to have to play a good, solid round tomorrow.

Do I think I have a chance? I do. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Do you feel like you're getting close?

JULI INKSTER: I hit a couple good shots and then I hit it in the rough. Then I hit a couple good shots -- so, I don't know if I'm any closer than I was yesterday. I'm just shaking my head out there, that's all I can do.

Q. Would you say your short game has carried you?

JULI INKSTER: Short game has really carried me. Get it going tomorrow and have that short game, I could have it a good round.

Q. What do you feel like you're going to have to do tomorrow?

JULI INKSTER: I'm going to have to shoot under par. I'm going to have to just play a solid round of golf, which I think I'm capable of.

Q. Where can you make up ground -- where can you score and make up ground?

JULI INKSTER: You don't know. I don't know how she's going to play. You can't go out there and say you're going to make up ground on a couple of holes out there, because, you know, you just don't know how you're going to play each hole. I have just have to make up ground when I get a chance and go from there.

Q. You've mentioned that the wind on the range has been going right through the ball flight?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I'm not going over there today. I did last night just because I felt like maybe I could find something, and I think I'm just going to forget about it and go home.

Q. Do you think you missed some chances?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I did. I was there for it. I hit some good shots. I had some birdie putts on 4, 5 and 6 and I hit some good putts that didn't go in.

Then I birdied 7, then I hit it rough on 8 again. You know, I made a good par there.

9, you know, I had a perfect club in and I had a sidehill lie. So I'm thinking the ball is going to go a little bit right on me and it goes left. Now I've got a possible chip shot; so I made bogey there.

You know, I had some chances on that front side to get some things going. But, I don't know what to say. Just have to hang in there like I did today and hopefully something will turn around.

Q. (Inaudible.)

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, 14, I hit a good putt there. I had a birdie chance on 15. 16, I hit a good shot in there, but just didn't stop. I had a good putt on 17, and then 18 I hit it in the rough again. You just can't hit it in the rough on that hole. You've got to hit it in the fairway. I had a good chip shot up there, about 8 feet, but forgot to hit the putt.

I hit a few more curlers out there, so I guess that's encouraging.

Q. Looks like you are going to be the second to last group. Do you wish you were playing with Annika?

JULI INKSTER: I don't really care. I don't care what I play with. I enjoy playing with Annika. I enjoyed playing with Laura today, too. Doesn't matter to me. I'll enjoy anybody. As long as they hit the ball in the fairway, I'll enjoy it.

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