U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 26, 2008

Pat Hurst

FULL AUDIO INTERVIEW

Q. Start us off with some general comments about the round. At what point did you realize today that you were -- that you had a good opportunity to go low?

PAT HURST: I don't know at what point, I was just out there playing it hole by hole and like I said I got frustrated a little bit in the beginning and I was 1-over after I think four and started complaining and arguing -- not arguing but I guess whining to my caddie and then next thing you know I knock in a birdie putt and it just turned it all around right there.

So there was never a point where I felt like I was going to go low but I just I played it hole by hole.

Q. Does the golf course set up well for your shot shape?

PAT HURST: Yeah, I like to fade the ball off the tee and even the holes that don't require a fade that you have to draw it around it they're not the longer holes, so I can -- I draw my 3-wood pretty well of the so it sets up good off the driving for me.

Q. Did you have a good day with the putter today?

PAT HURST: I had a great day with the putter. Went back to my B-60, Redwood, it's actually a new putter for me. I played with the B-60 pretty much my whole career but just changed to a B-60 Redwood and it's just the feel has been great.

Q. Was there anything about the way the golf course played today that surprised you, was unexpected?

PAT HURST: The golf course, the greens weren't as firm as I thought they would be. But the golf course when you're hitting the ball well and putting well it seems like the golf course is playing pretty easy. So as long as I keep it in the fairway and keep making putts it's always going to be easy.

Q. What's it going to be like starting the second day tied for the lead?

PAT HURST: There's a lot of golf left. There's still 54 holes left. So I wouldn't put too much pressure on myself. I'm just going to go out and play the best that I can and like today just take it hole by hole and not think about the outcome. There's still a lot of golf left. If it was the 71st hole it might be a little bit different but it's only the first round.

Q. That being said how imperative is it for you to get off to a really good start?

PAT HURST: I think any time you're -- in any tournament if you get off to a good start it's always good, build some confidence and like I said 72 holes is a long time, but if you can get off to a good start it's always a bonus.

Q. What were your expectations coming into this week?

PAT HURST: I missed the cut last week and when I played well at Newport I missed the cut at Rochester, went there early and I did the same thing here. So I wasn't expecting much and I guess this week I wasn't expecting much, like I said I just want to go out and play the best I can. I've been hitting the ball really well, just not scoring. So if I, like I said, if I can keep that flat stick going it's going to be good.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAT HURST: I was watching the leaderboard but it's still early so to look at it doesn't mean much right now. I don't really study it, I like to see where I'm at, but didn't really notice who was up there and who wasn't.

Q. What did you hit into 9?

PAT HURST: I hit 8-iron.

Q. Scary shot? With that pin?

PAT HURST: It can be at times, yes. You don't want to be above the hole but you need to get it there. So it's a good green. It's a fun hole. So as long as --

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAT HURST: No.

Q. You have to rely on the gallery.

PAT HURST: Definitely. Yeah.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAT HURST: No, they were, I mean, I hit 8-iron in so it came back a little bit, but when I hit it I knew I hit it pretty good and I didn't hit -- I knew it was going to be somewhat close, so it was nice.

Q. You said you were arguing with your caddie?

PAT HURST: Not arguing, that was the wrong word. I was -- what's the right word? I wasn't discussing anything, I was whining. I was being a golfer. You know whining about being 1-over after four holes. I can say other words that a woman does, but I'm not going to.

(Laughter.) Which is what I was doing.

(Laughter.) You can if you want.

Q. Was that on the fifth hole that you did this?

PAT HURST: On my fifth hole. So I played the back side first so on my fifth hole, yeah.

Q. (Inaudible.)

PAT HURST: The greens will be getting firm. If this is the way it stays, it's getting warm, they're drying out a little bit. But it's the USGA event and that's what you expect it to be that way. So it wouldn't be a surprise if it was firm.

Q. Newport, you did so well, I was curious how much different this is?

PAT HURST: This is a lot different. It's a lot different. I played USGA events well. I won the U.S. Junior, the U.S. Amateur, I like fast greens, seems like the tougher the course, I don't know, I tend to play better. I don't know why. I think the more wide open a golf course is, the more my mind kind of gets away from me. So I can focus a little bit more out here and I feel very comfortable on USGA courses for some reason. Most of them. I can't say all of them. We switch every year, so, but a lot of them I feel very comfortable.