ASAHI RYOKUKEN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

September 22, 2001

Laura Diaz

LAURA DIAZ: We get to see the course with the least amount of people on it; that's definitely a large advantage on the greens. You know, especially as wet as it is, the more people on the greens, the more aware -- it was definitely an advantage. And unfortunately, it happened that way, but I think everyone -- it happens to somebody, unfortunately, and it happens to us all at some point during the year.

LAURA DIAZ: No. I didn't know what the lead -- I didn't know who anyone had shot yesterday. I don't usually look at the scores. So, you know, midway around out there, or like third hole or something, there's a scoreboard. I don't have go out with a number in mind. I will try to make as many putts as I can.

LAURA DIAZ: Well, it's definitely warm out there. It was warm out there on Thursday, as well. So I think everybody just accepts that we are going to sweat a lot and drinks a lot of water.

LAURA DIAZ: Slept in a little bit. We called for a long time to see what was going on. We didn't have a final decision until around 12:30. So we got some lunch and came out here and practiced for about two or three hours.

LAURA DIAZ: Patience has been a thing for me all year -- I guess all my life. So, you know, just be aggressive, be patient and, you know, it's all about making birdies. So go out and try and birdie as many holes as possible.

LAURA DIAZ: I hope not. I try very hard not to watch the scoreboards. I don't think that it benefits me in any way to know what someone else is doing. You know, obviously if you're playing with somebody who is making a lot of birdies, generally, you know what they are doing. But as far as, you know, trying to win a golf tournament, I'm just going to go out and try and make some putts and birdies and add it all up when I get done.

LAURA DIAZ: Well, I've played golf all my life, so I think patience is definitely the name of the game. You know, there's been a few times this year where I think I've gotten a little quick down the home stretch when I was in contention. So I think that I just mean like anyone who plays golf knows that you need to have a lot of patience, and I know it a little better than some.

LAURA DIAZ: No. Just the normal practice day. A lot of short game and hit a few balls.

LAURA DIAZ: He's doing what a normal caddy would do that you would have caddy for me. We pick targets off the tee. We discuss targets on approach shots. We go over yardage to the green. I generally read all my own putts anyways. I've called them in on a few and that's what I generally do. He's acting in a way that I think any caddy would act, and then a little more because he is my husband, and, you know, he wants to see me do well.

LAURA DIAZ: I didn't see it today, so hopefully, I don't tomorrow. (Laughs).

LAURA DIAZ: I have as good a chance as the other 70 people who make the cut, 70-plus. Obviously, everyone is playing very well, and just because there's a few of us at 8-under doesn't really mean anything. There's 18 holes of golf left, and, you know, everyone is going to go out there and try and make as many birdies as possible.

LAURA DIAZ: I don't have any expectations about that, sorry. The first hole, I hit 9-iron in. I had about 123 to the pin. I made a seven-footer. I hit 8-iron from 145 on the second hole to about three feet. I 3-putted on 3. I hit 5-iron into the green. The putt was forever and a day away, very long, about maybe 50 feet. I bogeyed 9. I never was on the green. So I tapped in for a bogey. I hit 3-wood under the tree and tried to hit a shot out, came up short, chipped, came up short, whatever, missed my -- I don't know, I had probably 15, 20 feet for a par and I was off the green. Birdied 10. Made a 12-footer. Hit 6-iron in. Birdied 17. Hit 7-iron in from about 150 to about 20 feet. Oh, I hit it over the green so I made about a 4-footer for birdie. I hit 3-wood into the green, but it went over and then I chipped -- or then I putted, but I was off the green.

LAURA DIAZ: No. My personal belief, if you don't have that -- you hope that when you make a birdie, it helps to make more birdies and make more putts. But you don't want to -- if you don't make putts going through the day, you don't want to say that, "Well, I'm not going to make the next putt." So, no, not for me.

LAURA DIAZ: No. He enjoys this occasionally. But he enjoys it a lot more from outside the ropes.

LAURA DIAZ: I think any time you win, you look back and say, "That was a successful week." I can't answer that now because I don't know how I'm going to feel. I haven't felt very good after some of my seconds and I've felt really good after some other seconds.