U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2005

Morgan Pressel

Q. Morgan how did you feel about your round today and how you played?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I played all right today. I got myself, again, in a little bit too much trouble with the rough. But it was a steady round. I tried to stay pretty calm, made some bogeys, but hey, that's going to happen; it's the Women's Open.

Q. Still putted pretty well except for the three-putt on, what was it, 14.

MORGAN PRESSEL: 14, oh, yeah. I had a real -- it was about probably a 70-foot putt and I just lipped out a 5-footer. I thought it was in, but...

Q. When you start tomorrow you are going to see your name top of the leaderboard going to the weekend, how do you think you are going to react to that situation?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't see why I would react any differently as if my name wasn't on the leaderboard. I am going to go out there and try to play the best that I can. We'll see how it goes from there, see if I can put my name higher on the leaderboard.

Q. What do you like best of what you are doing out there now?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I love to compete. I like the thrill of having to hit a good shot when you got a tight driving hole or just playing against the best players in the world. It's wonderful.

Q. Do you see anything that you are doing out there that you are saying, wow that's going really?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, my putting, like I said, this week has been pretty good. I have made some good saving putts. I don't really know. I haven't done anything really spectacularly this week. We'll see how it unfolds this weekend.

Q. Usually you hit about 85 percent of your fairways?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I usually hit more than that, which is why it's not very good this week. I am usually a strong driver.

Q. Did you miss-hit your drive on 18? On TV it looked awfully low.

MORGAN PRESSEL: It was a little low and I actually thought it was going to be fine, then it barely cleared the water. I was like, oh, maybe I should have been a little bit more worried.

But I don't know, I don't know. I didn't hit it perfect, but I mean, I hit it pretty decently.

Q. Did you hit driver?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yes. I have to hit driver.

Q. At this point in the championship is the golf course winning?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, the rough is definitely winning. I don't know if you can say the golf course is winning. I mean, I am playing my game and right now it's not the best that it could be. I don't know. I have never really thought about it that way.

Q. Did the delay hurt you or help you?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know if it did either. I was on the 12th tee and hit a good shot after that and I don't think it hurt me, no.

Q. You played against Nicole, was it in a girls' junior?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yes.

Q. What was the result and what was the round?

MORGAN PRESSEL: (Laughs). She beat me 7 and 6 and she was 6-under through 12 holes.

Q. Which year was that?

MORGAN PRESSEL: 2001. In the semis.

Q. You have also played with her now, you played the first two rounds with her at Nabisco, what do you think about the way she's playing?

MORGAN PRESSEL: She's obviously playing real well. She didn't make very many mistakes today. She stayed in it. She made some real good putts. She has got a great game. We'll see how it holds up.

Q. Are you happy with where you are at?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I am okay with where I am at. I am not that far off, four shots right now, that's with two days, that's not bad. I definitely could be higher, but I am not. I have to deal with it.

Q. Do you use a different strategy tomorrow being four shots back or would you continue with the same strategy you have had?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I mean I am going to try. I have got to make birdies and things like that, just try not to make any big mistakes. I think that's the key to playing any golf course like this, just stay out of a lot of trouble and just stay patient.

End of FastScripts.