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SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC

June 5, 2005

Juli Inkster

ABSECON, NEW JERSEY

PAUL ROVNAK: Great effort today. Was it just one of those days when Annika was rolling everything in?

JULI INKSTER: She made some long putts. I played really well. No. 6 killed me. I hit it there about six feet and made bogey, I three putted. I thought I hit some good putts they just didn't go in. But she made some long putts when she needed to, and she made some putts, 12 footers when she needed to. I played good. I just needed to play great to win. A couple of those long putts she made. A short putt I missed on No. 6, it would have been a different ball game. But it's golf, and I'm very pleased with the way I hit the ball and I'm pleased with the way I rolled the ball. I just didn't make as many putts as I had been.

Q. Take us over your score card.

JULI INKSTER: No. 3, 7 wood short, chipped up, I had probably a 15 yard chip shot to the pin and left it about four feet short, made that for birdie.

No. 6, 9 iron to six feet. Ran it past about two feet and missed it. Ouch!

No. 10, I hit a great 7 iron in there about a foot, made that to birdie.

12, sand wedge to 10 feet, made that for birdie.

17, I hit sand wedge in there about six feet, made that for birdie.

Q. I hate to take you back to the 6th green, but I'm going to do it. You were really in pretty good shape looking like you had a pretty good shot at birdie there on 6. Emotionally that had to put you through some changes going from looking like you're going to make birdie and ending up making bogey. Talk about that a little bit.

JULI INKSTER: Yes. I have been putting so good. I just knew I was going to make it. Then to walk off of there with bogey. You have to play really well to win, and you can't give shots away like that. I still felt like I was playing well enough and I was hitting the ball good. She makes that long putt on 9 and 10, and I'm going to make birdie on 10, so I'm thinking I'm going to be one shot back.

And I hit a great shot on 12, a good putt just miss read it. Even though it was bad it wasn't the tournament. I had a lot of holes to make up for that, even though you don't want to have to make up, you want to keep going forward. You know what? It's golf.

Q. Laura Davies made three birdies in a row the first three holes. Did you know that?

JULI INKSTER: No, not really. I saw the leaderboard that she was 3 under, but I didn't know where she made her birdies or anything. I really figured.

JULI INKSTER: You know, I knew I would have to shoot 5 to 6 under to win today. I shot 3 under. If I would have shot 6 under, it still wouldn't have been good enough. Annika just made some putts when she needed to make them, and that's what you need to do to win.

Q. More importantly, did your daughter win her softball game today?

JULI INKSTER: She did, both of them.

Q. How frustrating is it you lost a stroke on No. 10? It seemed like you were in a position to get a stroke on Annika and then she would make a putt or make an impossible shot. How frustrating is that?

JULI INKSTER: I guess that's why she's probably the best player in the world. She plays her own game, doesn't get riled up one way or another. It's frustrating, but, you know, you can't tell her, "Annika that doesn't count, you can't make that." That's part of the game. I've done that to other people, so when it gets down like that and you know your opponent has a birdie and you can make something right on top of her, that's good golf.

Q. What was your reaction to her shot at 18?

JULI INKSTER: It was funny, because I was talking to Greg, my caddie, and I said, "Gosh, I played good today." He said, "You did play good. If she didn't make those two long bombs," as she's putting, "you're right there with her," and we're looking and I said, "I think it's going to be 3 long bombs." And sure enough, it went in. She's worked hard on her putting and it's paying off.

Q. What's it like playing against her? She's won 5 of 7 tournaments this year. It seems to us it must be like playing against a machine sometimes?

JULI INKSTER: She is, she doesn't make any mistakes. She's just very consistent. She doesn't have too many off days. She doesn't struggle very much. But she's beatable, it's just you can't 3 putt from six feet, you've got to make a few more putts.

Believe me, she's got the game. Week in and week out she's going to be there. She drives the ball very straight, hits her irons very solid and has worked on her short game. She's very impressive. She doesn't vary her shots one way or another, they're all right down the middle.

Q. As somebody who has played at that level for a number of years, what's most impressive to you about watching her do that, forgetting the fact you're trying to beat her, just playing at that level?

JULI INKSTER: I don't know. I'm very pleased with the way I hit the ball today. I haven't hit the ball like that in a year. I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. If I keep playing or hitting the ball that way, I'm going to be right up there next week, too. She's going to have to watch her back this week too, I'll give her this tournament but I'm taking next week.

Q. You mentioned earlier in the week that it's been a while since you guys have been paired together in the final round. Did you talk much?

JULI INKSTER: Yes, we're friends. I have nothing but admiration and respect for Annika, not only as a golfer but as a person. She's got great morals, she's a nice lady. She works hard at her game. I enjoy being out there with her. She's very relaxed and not uptight and always says "good shot." And "nice putt." I enjoy being paired with her.

Q. Which daughter had the game winning home run?

JULI INKSTER: Haley, my oldest.

Q. You've won this event a couple of times and also you finished second to Annika a few times now.

JULI INKSTER: You know what, I finished second to her in '92 and then I won the Open the next week. I'm building off of that.

Q. At this event, even though it is frustrating

JULI INKSTER: Right now, I'm disappointed I didn't win, but you know what, she made some putts when probably she didn't have any right making them. But that's golf. I hit the ball well. I made one mistake and I'm going to build off of that. If I just keep playing the way I did, I'm going to be right there.

End of FastScripts.

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