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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 2, 2006

Pat Hurst

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

RHONDA GLENN: Pat, last night we were talking about the endurance of getting through 36 holes, and you've done that. Now you've got to go another 18. What's that going to be like for you?

PAT HURST: You know, I don't know. I can't wait for tomorrow. I didn't mind the 36 holes, and I can't wait for the 18 tomorrow.

Q. Were you surprised at all when Annika bogeyed 17, a player of her caliber?

PAT HURST: You know, 17 and 18 are tough holes, so anything could have happened out there. It doesn't matter what type of player, I knew that those holes coming in were tough. Anything can happen. You can make birdies, too. But par was your friend out there, and it was definitely my friend.

Q. How long was that putt of yours on 18?

PAT HURST: It may have been this far but it was that far (laughter). Three and a half, four feet, five feet, I don't know.

RHONDA GLENN: What were you thinking from the time that ball came to rest and you knew you had to make that putt? What was your thought process?

PAT HURST: I was just trying to go through the motions of all the other holes and just I was just looking over the putt and thinking about speed, thinking about line, and I felt good all day over the putter. I wasn't thinking about my stroke at all, I was just thinking about the speed and the line and just trying to focus on that.

RHONDA GLENN: So many little girls and little boys practice and say, "This one is for the Open. That one was for the Open." Was there any thought about that?

PAT HURST: Like you said, we all say, "This is for the Open," and that definitely was for the Open. The feelings that you get, it's indescribable. It's what we play for, something like that, and having that opportunity. Just to have that chance to make that putt and make it to go into a playoff, I mean, it's something that you do dream about.

Q. Does it matter who may or may not be the favorite in a playoff situation like this?

PAT HURST: You know, it's 18 holes. It's whoever shoots the lowest out there. You know, obviously I'm playing up against the No. 1 player in the world, but I'm still going to go out and play and do my best.

Q. A follow up, as far as Annika, she chases majors, her major count and everything like that. What is this for you?

PAT HURST: What do you mean?

Q. Well, Annika has got history, the ten majors and all and stuff like that. But for you obviously this is important.

PAT HURST: I had one in '98, so I've won a major. But to win another USGA event, I've won the Juniors and I've won the Amateur, and this would be the icing on the cake.

Q. Your husband said that your daughter waved to you just before that putt. Did you happen to see her by any chance?

PAT HURST: I didn't. There was too many people out there, so I didn't see her this time. Usually I do. Usually I hear her, but I didn't hear her or see her this time.

Q. What has been the strongest part of your game this week?

PAT HURST: I'd have to say my putting. My putting hasn't been the most solid thing in my game as of lately, but this week I actually did get a lesson before I came out to Rochester last week and still didn't feel that comfortable last week, but it definitely turned around this week.

RHONDA GLENN: Who gave you the lesson, please?

PAT HURST: I go to this guy at home, Doug Brook, who I grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, and he was from there, and now he also lives in Arizona. I went to him and he looked at my putting and we talked about it and worked on some stuff.

RHONDA GLENN: Is he a teaching professional?

PAT HURST: Yes, he is. He's in Scottsdale now.

Q. Just wondering what was going through your head, your heart and maybe even your throat as you watched Annika's birdie putt leave the putter and get closer to the hole and roll right over the edge?

PAT HURST: I wasn't at the right angle to really see how close it was going, but I knew by her reaction it was pretty darn close. I was just like focusing more on my putt and what I had to do, and I was looking at my line from behind the hole. I wasn't on a good angle to see her ball.

Q. I asked the same question of her so it's only fair to ask it of you. What do you know about Annika personally, and what did you talk about out there today?

PAT HURST: Well, first, what did she say (laughter)? I'd like to know that first.

No, Annika and I have been out here for a long time, and we both lived up in Incline Village for a while. She still has a place up there, we don't. We hung out when we were there. We actually did a little Ryder Cup deal one time with her husband and my husband during Ryder Cup week one time, and that was a lot of fun. But we haven't done much. I've got kids now so my life has changed.

My friends have changed, where we don't do dinner anymore and stuff like that, but it's more because of my family life has changed, but we get along well.

RHONDA GLENN: Did you say anything to her after the round was over today?

PAT HURST: You know, just, "See you tomorrow and looking forward to it," basically is all I said to her, and "Good playing."

Q. What was the lie like in the rough on 18 and the chip on 18? Was that rather straightforward or what?

PAT HURST: The line, I thought it was okay. It didn't come out as well as I'd have liked it to, but I saw a lot of the ball so I thought it would be okay. I'm glad I left it short more than long. I think it was a lot easier chip that way. The chip was just a right to left you didn't want to hit it too hard. As you saw, Shi Hyun's went over, but I had a good feel for it and it was nice to have a good feel for that chip.

Q. Even though you were tied for the lead going into today, so much of the focus was on Annika and Michelle Wie. How much did you feel like an underdog, how much motivation did you draw from that and have you felt like an underdog much of your life?

PAT HURST: Much of my life (laughter). No, I don't feel like an underdog much of my life. I've got a family, got great support. Golf wise, if I quit today, I'd feel very accomplished, so I don't feel like that big of an underdog.

I try to let my golf do the talking. I'm not the flamboyant type of girl, and I just would rather sit in the back and not be the one who's sitting up front getting all the attention. That to me does not bother me one bit.

RHONDA GLENN: It's worth noting that you have as many USGA titles as Annika has.

PAT HURST: Yeah.

Q. And 5 and 0 in the Solheim Cup.

PAT HURST: Yeah.

Q. How long do you think that chip was and what did you use?

PAT HURST: I used a wedge and the chip was quite long. You're asking me how long? I'd say I don't know what the pin was on. It was about 20 some odd.

Q. So like 40 yards?

PAT HURST: I wouldn't say it was that far. I would say I was probably 10 to 15 off the green, yards off the green. Yeah, you might be right, 40. Okay, you're right.

RHONDA GLENN: What club did you use?

PAT HURST: I used a wedge, a little chip and run.

Q. It took a fair amount of time before you could finally stroke the final putt, and you looked very relaxed. Were you? What is that like, to wait that long to make a four footer or a five footer?

PAT HURST: Let's say I wasn't really thinking about how long, I can't wait to putt this or anything like that; I was more focused on my line, and like I said, my speed. I think if anything I had probably I'd say one of the easier putts because it was kind of going up, and it was pretty straight so it didn't break very much. I think what I was looking at, I was trying to find break and I just couldn't.

I'm glad I did have the straight putt and that I didn't have to worry about the speed too much.

RHONDA GLENN: You birdied the first hole. Just give us the clubs and the length of your putt, please.

PAT HURST: Actually I hit it out of the bunker. I hit it in the bunker on my second shot and then hit it out to about a foot.

No. 2, I hit my drive in the bunker again and I hit it out to about three feet.

Then 4, I hit it in the bunker again (laughter), but this time I didn't get it up and down.

5, I birdied and I hit 4 iron to about 40 feet.

8, I chipped in; I was just long, 20 feet I can't remember what I said.

Then No. 9, I three putted from the front from about 36 feet.

Then 11, I hit it left off the tee into the rough and just kind of chipped it out and hit a wedge up on the green and two putted for par.

14, I hit 6 iron to about 20 feet.

RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much, and good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts.

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