U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 1, 2004

Juli Inkster

Q. 71 today, you started on the back 9, kind of an up-and-down round, but birdie, bogey, par, eagle. You hit them all --

JULI INKSTER: Bogey.

Q. First of all, No. 10, par-3?

JULI INKSTER: I hit 6-iron in there. And made about a 18-footer for birdie. You know what, I hit a lot of good shots out there. I hit some shots probably wouldn't be classified as good shots. But I managed it get it around. I made a few boo-boos. I 3-putted 18 for bogey.

No. 3, I was just short in 2, and I chipped it over the green and made bogey.

I had some boo-boos out there, but overall I played pretty solid.

Q. Tell us about the eagle.

JULI INKSTER: The eagle I hit a very good drive and hit a nice high 7-wood in there about 12 feet and made it for birdie -- eagle.

Q. Nice sound to it.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, it does.

Q. We were saying to Michelle Redman, that old age and treachery will defeat youth and skill every time. Do you believe that will happen this week?

JULI INKSTER: I don't know. There's a lot of good players out here. They're just starting. And you guys have to give them some time to develop and learn how to play. Hitting shots and having a pure golf swing sometimes doesn't get it in the hole. There's a lot of good, young talent out here, and it's exciting for women's golf. I think everybody needs to be patient with them.

Q. You've pointed toward this championship. It's one you love. What did you do to get ready?

JULI INKSTER: This is my fourth in a row. I don't do that often. But I just -- I feel like this spring was hectic with the kids, we had graduation and confirmation and basketball. I felt like I wasn't getting in much of a golf mode, playing mode. I decided once they got out of school, once I played McDonald's I'd get four in a row and get my game in playing shape. I still feel a little bit off, but I feel like I can grind it out out there.

Q. You were working hard yesterday?

JULI INKSTER: It was better today. It still has a few kinks in the armor. Hopefully I can work that out.

Q. Will you do more work today?

JULI INKSTER: I will.

Q. (Inaudible).

JULI INKSTER: The greens are firming up out there. There's a couple of hard spots out there. No. 8, bad pin, I think. But other than that I thought it played -- what you see is what you got.

Q. One of your good friends on Tour told us today she's hanging it up at the end of the year, Dottie. Can you comment on what she's meant to the Tour and to you personally?

JULI INKSTER: Well, I mean, Dottie is a competitor. I'm a competitor, but she makes me look pretty docile. I hate to see it because I know how much the Hall of Fame meant to Dottie. But I think with her criteria and her credentials, I think sooner or later she'll get it in there and she deserves it. Solheim Cups and tournament wins and she has a Major. I think it will be good for Dottie. I think Dottie wants to do other things. And I think golf was in the back of her mind, now I think she can focus on her personal life is going well and I think she can focus on doing other things.

Q. Did she talk to you at all when she was contemplating retiring?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, you know, she -- I just never believed it. I've been saying I'm going to retire for the last four years, and here I am. It's just hard. It's what she loves to do. She loves to compete. It's really hard to find that in other areas.

Q. (Inaudible).

JULI INKSTER: I'm not going there, it's done, it's over. I just think that there's -- I think the Open Championship is -- everybody earns their way in. I had to qualify. I remember the first time I qualified and I wasn't playing well and had to requalify. It's just -- that's what it's all about. We have a lot of young players that are good players, who knows if they played out on our Tour a few times could have made enough money to qualify. It's over with, Michelle Wie is an excellent player. She's a very nice girl. She's great for our Tour. And -- but I think we have a lot of good, young players coming up.

Q. How did 16 play?

JULI INKSTER: I hit a nice driver, 6-iron in there, about 12 feet and rolled it in. Tomorrow I'll probably hit 3-wood in. But I hit a perfect drive and the wind was kind of down. And I think I had like 177 or something like that. I hit a 6-iron in there. Hit a very good iron in there.

Q. Is that the least club you hit in practice rounds?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I've been tugging on it most of the time.

Q. (Inaudible).

JULI INKSTER: I'd take a birdie there. I'd take par there the rest of the three days and call it a day.

Q. Talk about patience. Is 13 a hole you have to be more aggressive and take advantage of an opportunity?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, when you get in the fairway, there's some holes you can be aggressive on. But 13, first of all, it's not an easy driving hole, because everything slopes to the right. But all three of us were in the fairway there and I think from there you have to have a green light and go for it.

Q. 25th U.S. Open, do you walk away thinking even par is my friend after one round?

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I'm very happy with it, yeah.

End of FastScripts.