DU MAURIER CLASSIC

July 31, 1999

Juli Inkster

JULI INKSTER: Basically I thought I hit the ball better today. I didn't putt as well as I have been putting. I was above the hole a lot on my birdie putts. I thought I drove the ball better today. I thought I hit my irons better. I mean, out of the first 10 holes, I was in four divots on the fairway, so that kind of -- it is kind of hard to play from there. But other than that, I don't know, I just -- I didn't think I played that bad. I think I was kind of overreading the putts a little bit today, but I don't know what to say really, because I just -- I thought I played really better than I played yesterday, but it just didn't get the same results.

JULI INKSTER: I thought the course played great. I thought it was in good shape, greens were nice. I thought the pin placements were fair. I just kind of got off to a bad start in the fairways and just kind of had a hard time. You know, when you are hitting it out of the sand divots, it is kind of hard.

JULI INKSTER: I was in on 3, 4, 5, and 10, so then other three are par 3s. So really -- so I mean, that is going to happen. That is part of golf, but I don't think I have ever been in four of them in one round.

JULI INKSTER: No, not at all. In fact, I thought we were extremely lucky this morning. When we woke up, it was raining, and I just thought it was going to be a long day out there. Come tee-off time, I thought it was perfect.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I don't know. I have been putting so good that I just -- I really can't let it wear on me, because I feel like I am stroking it good. Some days you can really see the line, and other days it is kind of like you can't see it. I just feel like that was one of these days. I just was having trouble picking my spot out and stroking it there. But you know what? I am encouraged the way I hit the ball. I hit it a lot better today. I am 4 back, but I think I am capable of going out there and shooting a good score tomorrow.

JULI INKSTER: I called him, but Brian -- we kind of figured out what I needed to do. I just -- just trying to work on some side hills, trying to get my hands out on my swing a little bit. But I did call him and ask him.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I think so. I just know that I am capable of shooting some good scores and I'm capable of getting that putter going. I just was just like this all day (indicating an inch), just a little bit off. Thus, the 74. So it is my first over-par round in a while. And hopefully it is my last in a while. I will go out there tomorrow, and I look forward to trying to play a little better tomorrow. Score a little better.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know, looks like a pretty impressive leaderboard. Any golfer out there that is out here is capable of playing well. As far as -- I really don't --

JULI INKSTER: She seems to be hitting the ball fairly well. She is putting good. She had a lot of long putts that she 2-putted today. So she is just picking her spots and playing very consistent.

JULI INKSTER: Laura is playing very well. She is going to be a tough one to beat.

JULI INKSTER: I mean, I can't play her game. I have got to my game. She likes to overpower these par 5s which she is capable of doing, but I -- just she is playing very well and she is putting well, so she is going to be tough to beat. I think she is the one -- she is leading, but still sometimes you get a leader and you think that you are still okay. But she is going to be tough to beat.

JULI INKSTER: Well, thanks to you guys, I am very aware of it. It is a privilege of having the media around. They let you know. So I knew.

JULI INKSTER: No, not really. I go out there trying to shoot under par every week. It is just something it doesn't work out.

JULI INKSTER: (laughs) That is right. I got an Australian, so what the heck.

JULI INKSTER: I think it is a good spot to be in. I have won quite a few tournaments in that second to last group. Plus I am playing with Karrie and I think Cristie Kerr, so it will be a good pairing. 3, I hit in two, hit 5-iron out of a divot onto the green. Two putted. I sunk about a 2-footer for birdie. 4, I hit 6-iron to the right, chipped out of the rough, and missed about a 15-footer for par. 7, I drove it in the rough, hit out in the rough. Hit on and 2-putted for bogey from about 25 feet. 10, I chunked a 9-iron just short, hit out about 30 feet, 2-putted from 30 feet. 14, I hit pretty good iron in there, just went a little left, just short, chipped up and missed about a 2-footer for par. Made bogey there. 16, I hit 7-iron in there about eight feet; made that for birdie.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I have been the leader. I have been in the hunt and now I am coming from behind, so if you can win all three you might as well do it a little different each time. So I am going to have to go out there and shoot a real good score tomorrow because I just don't see Laura backing up. She can play these par 5s. She has got the length. But that is why they make it a 72-hole tournament.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah.

JULI INKSTER: Not to shoot 74s. (laughs). I don't know, I just -- I am just happy the way I am handling everything. I like my attitude. I like my position. I am enjoying -- I am trying to enjoy it.

JULI INKSTER: No, I think it would if I was tied for the lead or in the lead or whatever, I think that would weigh on me. Being this far back, I have got a lot of work to do before I can think about -- before I can think about that.

JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah, I always watch -- always peak make sure what is going on and who is doing what. These are great leaderboards out here, they keep you up-to-date. So, yeah, I will be watching. I think -- it is important to get out and try to get a good start, but if you don't just -- thing with me, I feel like I can roll off a few birdies in a row. I am just going to go out there and try to hit a lot of greens tomorrow and try to give myself some chances.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I just think you get going the right direction and it is, you know, it loosens you up a little bit, able to play a little freer. The thing is, I mean, if you play par 5s out here, you can shoot 67, 65. You got 5 of them. Really only one - except Laura -- Laura almost reached 9 today - is reachable. So if you birdie all those, that is how you get the low scores.

JULI INKSTER: Very much so.

JULI INKSTER: What do you think? (laughs) I think so. I think so. Definitely.

JULI INKSTER: I am going to have to shoot probably 65, 64, something like that. 65 would -- 65 I think would give you a good shot.

JULI INKSTER: I think this is one of the best ones we have played as far as toughness, as far as the way it is run. I mean, the volunteers have been just awesome, from the locker room people, the transportation people, and it is a beautiful scenery, I mean, I think it has been great.

JULI INKSTER: It is tougher. The rough is up. The greens are hard. I definitely think it is tougher.

JULI INKSTER: I think this is the toughest one. Been the toughest one -- but I think Mississippi would have been tough if the weather wasn't what it was, with the rain and everything, because Sunday the greens were drying out and only five or six people broke par. I think that one and this one have been really tough.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know, I just -- I can't worry about her. I think with her length, it would help her if it rained tomorrow.