U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 11, 1997

Alison Nicholas

ALISON NICHOLAS: Obviously after having a good round yesterday, I was excited, a bit early, the tee time. I'm not good in the mornings, so I had to really shake myself. But I was ready to play and hit it well on the range. And I hit as many greens as possible.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Yeah, I hit a 5-iron to about 8 feet.

ALISON NICHOLAS: On No. 3, I drove it into the right-hand trap off the tee, decided to play short of the water, the creek running across there, and hit a wedge to about 8 feet and holed that to save par.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Just a wedge out of the bunker. Then on No. 4, I hit half a sand wedge to about two feet. On No. 5, I hit a 6-iron to about 12 feet. Then No. 8, I hit it in the fairway bunker and then into the green-side bunker with a 7-iron and nearly holed any bunker shot. So I knocked it to about six inches. It ran over the hole, apparently.

ALISON NICHOLAS: I did at 7. But I managed to get that out down the fairway in a reasonable distance, and I hit 9-wood in for my third. And then I knocked it close on No. 9, to about 12 feet and had a chance there. And on 10, about the same distance, I just had a few miss reads there. And then on No. 12, I knocked it about ten feet there. On No. 14, I hit a driver and an 8-iron to about 6 feet but misread the putt, so I was pleased with that, because that's a good hole. And then 15, hit a 6-iron to about, probably about 14 feet. And then 16, I hit a 7-wood to about 25 feet. On 17, I hit a 7-iron to about 12 feet, had a chance there, but misread the putt again. Then 18, obviously I got up-and-down from the front -- well, just short of the front edge and holed quite a long putt for par.

ALISON NICHOLAS: I try to drive the ball left center, and then a 4-wood over and then just -- I have half a wedge in. But unfortunately I didn't hit a good driver, just cut it a little bit and was in the rough, so I had to lay up. There's no point in me going for it, because I couldn't get over. I could have got on on my third shot, but I didn't have a great lie. But I managed to make par, anyway.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Yeah.

ALISON NICHOLAS: About 15 feet, maybe.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Yeah.

ALISON NICHOLAS: No, I didn't, no. It was just 7 and 8. It felt like more.

ALISON NICHOLAS: I'm not one of the shortest one's, either. I'm sort of average, and when I do hit one, I can hit it 250. On 17, I hit it over 250.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Half an 8-iron into 14. So I think basically you've just got to keep it on the fairway and go from there. I think straight is probably more appropriate.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Definitely, without any bogeys, that's probably one of my best rounds.

ALISON NICHOLAS: But you can't -- don't make everything, that's just golf, and try my best is all I can do. And I came in with a 66.

ALISON NICHOLAS: A little bit. Probably a more difficult golf course this week. I've been playing well in Europe. I was here in America last week. I played in the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic last week, and I was in Europe for three weeks prior to that and I've been playing very well there. I lost in the playoff to Ayako Okamoto in the Evian Masters, and I came in third in Ireland. So I've been playing quite well, and putting quite well. So last week I was a little bit jet lagged and I was preparing for this week.

ALISON NICHOLAS: The Evian Masters.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Obviously you're always looking to the majors to play well. I came over last week on the Tuesday, and didn't really expect to play that well last week, because of jet lag, really. And I already had three weeks on the road. So I just took it easy last week. And that was really my preparation for this week, for the time change and just to rest up.

ALISON NICHOLAS: It would be a bigger thrill, probably.

ALISON NICHOLAS: Because when I won the British -- that was my first win ever, the British Open in 1987. And it will be probably a great memory, but I think this is probably -- we've got a better field.

ALISON NICHOLAS: I got up at 5 o'clock and drove to the course and had some breakfast here. And just practiced as normal. I was very quiet for about an hour after I got up, because I couldn't cope with talking to anyone, particularly. But I'm not that good at getting up in the mornings. But I was okay. I went to bed early last night. I just did as normal, really, but it took me a bit longer to wake up.

ALISON NICHOLAS: I won't be teeing off at 7:19 tomorrow. I can have a lie in tomorrow, I'll probably wake up at 5 o'clock, but nevertheless --