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LPGA NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY JOHN Q. HAMMONS

September 6, 2007

Juli Inkster

ROGERS, ARKANSAS

THE MODERATOR: Juli, thanks for coming in and joining us today. You're a member of the LPGA Tour and World Golf Hall of Fame. 31 wins in your record, and next week you'll even be on the Solheim Cup for the seventh time. You want to talk about your season and what it's like to be in Arkansas this week?
JULI INKSTER: Well, you know, I'm excited to be here. It's the first time I've ever been to Arkansas, so it's been very special. You know, I wanted to play this week just to see where I'm at for the Solheim Cup and get ready for that.
You know, my season-wise, it's been kind of up-and-down. I feel like the last month the six weeks I've played a lot better. I've kind of struggled with my putting at the beginning of the year, but I feel like that's coming around. So I'm looking forward to this week.
You know, I play late tomorrow, so we'll see how things go, and, you know, see if I can shoot three good rounds here and take it over to the pond.
THE MODERATOR: All right, do we have any questions for Juli today?

Q. You've been in the top 35 the last five tournaments and made all the cuts with your putting. What else is it that's helped you?
JULI INKSTER: My wedge game has been kind of a little comme ci comme ca. But it's kind of a shot here a shot there. You know I get it going, and where I should make par I make bogey, and where I should make birdie, I make par. So it's a little momentum thing. But that's golf. Hopefully I can straighten that out and have three consistent rounds.

Q. Do you have any preference of 64 over 72?
JULI INKSTER: I totally prefer 72. I think it's a better test of golf. You get four rounds. It's not like the first eight you feel like you have to go out there and shoot 66 to be in the hunt. So I totally prefer four rounds.

Q. I didn't ask this for a while, but is it kind of weird to see how young the other golfers are?
JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah, it's incredible. But mostly I'm their parents' age, so I talk to their parents more than them. No, just kidding.
You know, but I've got a daughter that's 17 and a daughter 13. So, you know, I can kind of relate to them, you know, what music they listen to, and you know, what they're into and stuff like that. So it's pretty cool.

Q. How much do they look to you for advice? Do you talk to some of them?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, they definitely ask a lot of questions and a lot of advice. And I just try to tell them, you know, what I did and how did I it and why. And, you know, it's hard for them.
You know, some of these girls, especially the Koreans are 18 years old. And they're over here in a new country, trying to play golf. You know, they don't speak the language very well, and it's got to be difficult. I picture my daughter going over to Korea trying to do something, and it's got to be hard for them.

Q. Do you think you could have handled it at that age?
JULI INKSTER: I wouldn't have wanted to handle it at that age. I really enjoyed going to school. I enjoyed my four years of college. It was different. I knew golf was going to be here. I knew kind of that's what I wanted to do. But I enjoyed my college life, so.

Q. You got to play this course wet and dry?
JULI INKSTER: Well, I just played it yesterday morning before the Pro-Am where it was wet, and today where it was really wet. Tomorrow, I think it's going to be really, really wet, so. I mean it's a marsh out there, but what can you do? There's a lot of rain.

Q. In terms of the ball moving better, you're kind of playing along even though it's 200 yards?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, you're not getting any roll. You get your drive and then smoosh, and then you hit your shot on the green, it's smoosh. But, you know, you can't control mother nature. I think the course is draining pretty good for as much as much rain as you have had.

Q. What does the Solheim Cup mean to you? Do you get up for it every time?
JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah, God, it's so stressful. But it's so much fun. It's like you work so hard to get there, and then you're like there, and you're just gagging. And you're like why did you work so hard to get there, you know? But it's so much fun.
You know, I've always loved team sports and golf is so individual. It's nice having a partner. It's nice being part of the team, you know. Even though there's a huge age difference and stuff, we all get along really well and so, I mean, it's a lot of fun.

Q. Are you all going over Sunday night or is there a plan?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, we're going over Sunday night.

Q. So if you won this tournament, that would be difficult?
JULI INKSTER: No, that wouldn't work very well. But the first obligation is to finish the tournament and then move on.

Q. How's your game of golf? (No microphone).
JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah, I workout quite a bit. You know, I don't think my game has changed that much. I think maybe the -- and I don't think the work ethic has changed. I just think maybe I don't get as high and low as I used to if that makes any sense. I mean, I still get mad and I still want to play well, but to me it's not life or death.
I mean, I play because I want to play. I play because I love the game. But it doesn't really determine who I am, if that makes any sense.

Q. How much longer would you like to be here on this tour?
JULI INKSTER: I don't know. I don't know. I just play every year to see where I'm at and see if I'm still competitive. And if I am -- you know, the way I figure, I work 18 weeks out of the year. Get the rest of them off. My kids come with me probably ten of the weeks. So it's just a pretty good gig.
I just wouldn't be very good just staying at home just doing -- I'd have to coach, or I'd have to do something.
THE MODERATOR: All right, thank you for your time, and good luck this week.
JULI INKSTER: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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