U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 26, 2005

Brittany Lang

RHONDA GLENN: Did your emotions go up and down while you were waiting for the championship to end?

BRITTANY LANG: Surprisingly no, I was happy with my week, so just watching see how they finished.

RHONDA GLENN: You seem to be a pretty even-keeled person. When do you get exited on the golf course?

BRITTANY LANG: Maybe when I win, I don't know. I don't have an answer for that.

Q. When Birdie made that bunker shot, you were kind of smiling there. What ran through your mind because --

BRITTANY LANG: Like I said, I was happy with my week so I wasn't disappointed she made that bunker shot or how they finished up. I don't know what to tell you. I was --

Q. Did it enter your mind? Were you surprised?

BRITTANY LANG: I was surprised she made a bunker shot on 18. That's a tough hole. I was shocked, but that's how things go.

Q. As you are sitting there what do you think are the chances of all them coming back to you?

BRITTANY LANG: Coming back?

Q. That other players would come back to you. You are already in the clubhouse at 5-over, what did you think the chances that --

BRITTANY LANG: I didn't look at the leaderboard 'til I got finished on 18 and I saw that Birdie Kim was 2, so I figured there was no way. I figured it was a good week, top 5, top 3, whatever. I didn't think there was anyway anybody would get close to me.

Q. You had that bunker shot pretty much the same one that she did, didn't you? Can you tell me how that played out for you?

BRITTANY LANG: That shot?

Q. Yes. Pretty good place to be?

BRITTANY LANG: Definitely. Because it's not in that thick rough. You have got to get it started out there. It kind of takes a slope to the hole, so it's not a very difficult bunker shot.

RHONDA GLENN: What will you take away from this week?

BRITTANY LANG: A lot of confidence, definitely, and just a lot of experience. It was fun playing with a lot of new players, and just getting experience with the crowds and everything like that.

RHONDA GLENN: You probably realize you played what is the most difficult course of the year and you played it well. That should help you going into professional golf, shouldn't it?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, that definitely gives me a lot of confidence.

This was a very difficult golf course, and I played great today.

Q. The bunker shot you played had a lot of loft and sort of fed to the hole. Hers came out low, and really scooted across to the green. From a player's perspective does that look like a miss that went in?

BRITTANY LANG: I'd actually didn't see her trajectory, so can't tell you that for sure. I did catch mine a little bit fat so that's why it was a little too high. She made it, so I can't really say anything.

Q. How optimistic were you after yesterday and when you woke up today that you could win?

BRITTANY LANG: I was very optimistic. I mean, it's an Open golf course. I figured I would have to go out and shoot like a mid to high 60s number and I guess that was right, 69 probably would have got me in a playoff, but I had it to 3-over early and so I was just proud that I stayed with it and I was patient and just kept going.

Q. What do you think of the group performance of the amateurs?

BRITTANY LANG: I think the amateurs had a great showing this week and I think it's wonderful for women's golf, so I think it's not going to do anything but help the LPGA.

Q. What is your schedule going to be the rest of the summer now? Are you going to stay an amateur through the U.S. Amateur and then go pro?

BRITTANY LANG: I am not going to play in the U.S. Amateur. I am hoping -- I sent out a bunch of letters for sponsor's exemptions so I am hoping to get into many LPGA's as I can. Jaime Farr would be my next one, which is the next week after next in Toledo, Ohio. I am for sure in the State Farm in September.

So just LPGA tournaments.

Q. Do you have an explanation why you think the amateurs are playing so well at this high level, so many of you?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, I just think that they go out with the mentality "nothing to lose" and just kind of "ignorance is bliss." They just go for everything and they -- I mean, they have a lot of fire in them, a lot of fight and they don't give up, so I think that's why.

Q. How do you see the younger players on the Tour changing the Tour in the next decade or so?

BRITTANY LANG: Well, I mean, just I think definitely the golf, the golf aspect they are just getting stronger every year, so more people are going to want to come out and watch I think that's going to help the LPGA. Yeah, I think that's it.

Q. You were talking about how the amateurs are playing with such a "nothing to lose" mentality. I am wondering, do you think you are going to be able to carry that mentality over when you turn pro or do you think the dynamics are going to change when you are out there playing for money?

BRITTANY LANG: I definitely hope that I can keep that mentality because it's a strong one to have and I hope when the amateurs come out they are not playing for the money, they are playing for themselves and for the love of the game, but you never know. I definitely hope that I am still -- I play with that mentality.

Q. Morgan's committed to Duke, your old school, have you guys talked about, should she go or should she turn pro?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, I mean, Morgan is a great player, she could turn pro right now and be very successful on the Tour. I am glad I went to two years of school. I was not ready when I was her age. She's a better golfer than I was when I was 17 years old.

I mean, if you are going into Duke, with that kind of program, you can't really lose. If she went for a year or two she'd only get better, but if she went out right now she'd do great. So it's a win/win situation.

RHONDA GLENN: Is there a special significance to your bracelet?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, it's just a bracelet my dad gave me.

RHONDA GLENN: For good luck and love?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah.

Q. Was the course considerably more difficult today than it's been or what would you account for why the scores were so much higher today?

BRITTANY LANG: Probably just Sunday nerves. I mean, I thought the pins were very difficult the second day. They were difficult today, they were tucked in some nasty places but they were also a lot of pins that were in the center of the greens, very favorable that you can go at. I would just say Sunday nerves, that's all.

RHONDA GLENN: Were the greens more firm and were the greens faster?

BRITTANY LANG: I would say they were a little bit firmer. I don't know if they were that much faster but they definitely were firmer.

RHONDA GLENN: For the benefit of the reporters, do you still pursue that really extreme workout regime?

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, I do. I work out pretty hard. I am trying to find a balance out here on the Tour when I am travelling to work out. But yeah, I work out very hard.

RHONDA GLENN: Briefly tell them what kind of routine you have.

BRITTANY LANG: I do a lot of cardiovascular like running or the elliptical, stuff like that. I go off and on with weights. I will lift them pretty hard for all kinds of weights, a lot of free weights for a few months then take some time off and then a lot of core stretching work.

RHONDA GLENN: I know Michelle says "Brittany Lang has a body of steel."

BRITTANY LANG: (Laughs).

Q. I know you said you thought you were out of it when you were in the clubhouse. When they got to 4-over and knowing they had to play 18, I am talking about Morgan, and Birdie, did the thought about playoff enter your mind then?

BRITTANY LANG: Definitely. But obviously it entered my mind but I thought at least one of them was going to par 18 and take it, yeah.

RHONDA GLENN: Let's go over your card. Bogey on No. 2.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit it in the rough, I tried to hit a 5-iron up there. I wasn't going for the green and I hit it. I short-sided myself in the rough and hit a chip long and then two-putted from like 60 feet.

RHONDA GLENN: No. 4 you three-putted for bogey, is that all there is to that story?

BRITTANY LANG: Yes.

RHONDA GLENN: 6 bogey.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit it long on that hole and had to take I took relief from the TV tower and kind of hit my chip a little thin, two-putted.

RHONDA GLENN: 7, birdie.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit a pitching wedge to about four, five feet, made that.

RHONDA GLENN: No. 10, birdie.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit an awesome shot out of the trees, little 6-iron to like tap-in range.

RHONDA GLENN: You birdied that whole twice this week.

BRITTANY LANG: Yeah, I like that hole.

RHONDA GLENN: No. 12, birdie.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit a 6-iron on that par 3 to about four feet.

RHONDA GLENN: 17, birdie.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit a little lob wedge from like 50 yards to about three feet.

RHONDA GLENN: You really didn't make any long putts, did you?

BRITTANY LANG: I did not putt that well today. I just made the short attempts that I stuck.

RHONDA GLENN: 29 putts on the day, just for our files, if you will just go over 18 the bogey again please.

BRITTANY LANG: The entire hole?

RHONDA GLENN: Second shot.

BRITTANY LANG: I hit 3-iron into the green right and I hit a sand shot onto the green and missed probably like a 7-foot putt.

RHONDA GLENN: Wonderful performance. Good luck to you. Thanks so much for being here.

BRITTANY LANG: Thanks.

End of FastScripts.