JOHN Q. HAMMONS HOTEL CLASSIC

September 9, 2006

Cristie Kerr

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for coming in and joining us today; great round out there. Ten under. One shot lead. Just talk about your round.

CRISTIE KERR: Well, it was kind of a shaky start on the first hole. I had to make about a 10 footer for par on the first hole, Par 5. Then I got in a groove with my swing and hit it close a bunch of times and made a bunch of close putts; made some really good putts.

You know, hit it good at times; didn't hit it close, but I made the putts. Career low round 10 under. So this is officially my low career round.

THE MODERATOR: And it breaks the course record as well.

CRISTIE KERR: Probably.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Cristie?

Q. (Inaudible).

CRISTIE KERR: It did. And the last 3 holes 18 we have a shorter iron into, but 16 and 17 are really tough holes. Had a lay up on the 17th hole and made par.

So it did cross my mind, and I just knew that I was going to have to play that much better to be able to make in this case, because it's a par 71, two more birdies. But officially on a par 72 it would be 13 under. So I knew I would have had to birdie in almost.

And I just, you know, I said to myself, don't play overly aggressive just to try and get it. You're still in the golf tournament.

The last 3 holes, being tougher holes, it was a good score on those holes. I was happy to get my career low round, and I was happy to play great out there.

Q. (Inaudible).

CRISTIE KERR: Well, you know, I made that putt to shoot 6 under on the front, but I had it going. I was 5 under when I came to the 9th hole. Any time you're early in the round, you know, 3 or 4 under, you have a chance to get it going. So I was happy to keep it going.

Q. Talk about hole 13.

CRISTIE KERR: Yeah, because I hadn't reacted with much emotion on the other putts. You know when you're shooting a low round you just know everything's going to go in. I don't know how to explain it. I wanted to give the crowd a little acknowledgment that I knew they were there.

And, you know, it's business out there, definitely, but that was a lot of fun to make that putt the way I did. And I just wanted to let them know that I knew they were there.

Q. You ever stop to examine why it is you just have a magic day?

CRISTIE KERR: Well, I mean, it's preparation meets opportunity is really what it is. You know, when I'm very, very blessed to be able to have the talent that I have. I work really hard as well. And when all those things meet, you get to a higher place where anything you want to do you can do.

That's what we as aspire to be able to reproduce. So that's the thing that all pro athletes, and especially golfers, chase, I think. And we got to keep chasing.

Can't really examine it too much, because there he is a mystical element to it that you can't put your finger on.

Q. What was your attitude coming into the day? Did you bring any (inaudible).

CRISTIE KERR: I wasn't hitting it particularly well on the range. But I said, Well, you know, can't do anything about that now. We've got to just play with what we've got on the course. Once you've found your groove with your swing or your putting or whatever it is, it can be easy to reproduce.

I'm always optimistic person. I always bring a great attitude every day to the course. I had to play with what I had, and that was obviously good enough today.

Q. What kind of Sunday player have you been this year?

CRISTIE KERR: I think the statistics should speak to that. I've had a pretty good scoring average on Sunday.

Q. Good enough to suit you?

CRISTIE KERR: My scoring average on Sunday has been pretty good. I think you have that an LPGA.com. You know, I'm just having a lot of fun playing golf right now. It's hard to explain, but I'm just looking forward to every opportunity to play because life's too short, you know what I mean?

Regardless of what happens tomorrow or next week, whatever, I'm giving it my all every day. That's all you can ask for. I like I said to the Golf Channel, I relish these opportunities because I'm not scared to go out and play against the best in the world.

You know, I feel like as time's gone on I aspire to be what I'm becoming. So I'm not afraid to play on Sunday and try and win a golf tournament. I'm old enough and been on the tour long enough now to know that you just got to bring your game to the course every day. Try to shoot as well as you can.

Q. Tomorrow is going to shape up as you versus Annika, because everyone else is back in the pack. You're going get that head to head.

CRISTIE KERR: Absolutely. But on this kind of golf course and I know this and she knows this certainly it's whoever plays the course better. It's the media and the fans and the crowd, all that, Oh, Cristie versus Annika, Annika versus Cristie.

But on this kind of golf course you can't get let yourself get wrapped up in that. It's a tough golf course. You need to play it well. You need to hit the tee shots where you're trying to hit them. Hit your spots on the greens. I've done that really well the last two days.

I don't tend to get wrapped up in all that stuff. I just try to be really competitive with the golf course and go out and do what I know I can do.

Q. Is the fact that you and Annika have separated yourself from the rest of the players, seems to be you almost need to shoot a course record to get away from anybody. No one else is even close to you guys right now. (Inaudible).

CRISTIE KERR: Yeah. I think that's the case of I mean, I don't toot my own horn ever. I'm not like that. I'm pretty humble in a sense, and you know, that's how good we are. I think people need to realize how good we are on Tour, and that at any moment any of us can do that.

Especially ten or fifteen of us every week. I'm proud to be one of those players that can get the notice of everybody here. That's what we on the Tour deserve. We deserve to be recognized for how good we are.

Q. Today was your career low. Where would you rank your performance today?

CRISTIE KERR: This was definitely on a day to day performance it was awesome. Absolutely awesome. I've shot 9 under probably six or seven other times, but had a chance as of late to go ahead and break that today was great. It was a magical day out there.

Q. Do you celebrate this in any way, or are you too busy

CRISTIE KERR: No. I'm definitely going to celebrate it. You have to appreciate the days like this in golf, and that's why golf is a 4 letter word. I definitely am going to celebrate it. You know, come tomorrow, it's a whole new day. It's me trying to play the course and like I know I can, and I don't typically put a number in my head when I go out and play. Just try to play the best I can tomorrow on the golf course.

Q. (Inaudible).

CRISTIE KERR: Oh, yeah. I knew I had to shoot 4 or 5 under to move up, to have a chance for tomorrow. So to shoot 10 under is absolutely an added bonus, gravy. I love the position I'm in.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else? Thank you.

CRISTIE KERR: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.