U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 1, 1999

Juli Inkster

JULI INKSTER: I feel good going into this week. I think at the Open you've got to do everything good. You've got to get some breaks. You've got to make some pars where you don't think you're going to make pars. But, you know, as far as my game, I've played once in the last four weeks. I'm very rested. I don't know, I feel good. I feel like I can score on this golf course. And I feel if I can hit a bad shot, I can get away with it and still make par.

JULI INKSTER: I'm getting a lot of sleep, which is great. I don't know. It's hard. Wendy's last week of school is this week, and Cori's last week of school is next week, and Brian has got the Invitational. It's just a bad time for them. I'm just out for one. I like having them around. I don't focus on golf so much when they are around. I can get away from it. When you're in your room all by yourself, you have a tendency to stew on the bad side more than I would if the kids were out here. But c'est la vie; move on.

JULI INKSTER: It's a completely different golf course than last year's course. I thought last year's course, it was just tough. It was a great Match Play course. But medal play, I thought it was just too tough. I think this golf course, you can make some birdies out here, but I still think it's got the toughness. If the wind blows, that makes it tricky. But I think this is a little better test.

JULI INKSTER: I think you've got holes on -- I think 4 and 5 are good holes. I think the par 3s are great out here. I think 11 is a great hole. I think if you're going to play this golf course you have to take advantage of the par 5s. You can make some birdies on the par 5s.

JULI INKSTER: Not compared to last year. No. Last year was not only getting the ball on the green but it was like once you're on the green, then the game began. And most of us didn't get it on in regulation; so then we had a tough time. But, you know, severity-wise, this is not as severe as last year's course. But that's the beauty of a U.S. Open. This changes every year. And one course might not suit one person, but the next year it might suit them. So you've just got to go out there and get what the course gives you. I think this course you can play more aggressive on. You don't need to play as conservative as you did on last year's course.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know. I don't think I've changed that much. The last three years, I've had good years. I finished sixth last two years on the money list. This year is good. I think I'm just more confident in my golf game. I know if I start off bad, I can come back and make it up. And I think I'm just being more patient out there, and I am enjoying it more. When you're playing better, you enjoy it more. And I don't think I'm taking it week to week, life-and-death situations as I have been.

JULI INKSTER: Se Ri, you see her kind of as media, but she's got a great personality. She came in here and knew what she could do, but she also respected the older players. I think she's fit in great. I think it's great for her, too, to have her out here. She's a phenomenal player. You know, this year I think there is a lot of pressure on her to come out and play well at the end. And if, you guys know in golf, it's just not that easy to keep it going year to year to year. And you've got to still remember, she's young. I'm just worried more about her getting burned out than her golf game. I'd like to see her just take some time off and not play as much and enjoy what she's got.

JULI INKSTER: I think she is. I think she's enjoying herself more out here. She's not -- her life haven't -- I mean even though it is golf-oriented, she is getting out more and enjoying our country more, and I think that's good for her, good for her mindset.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I played nine holes with Nancy. I think she's hitting good. She seems like she's putting well. I think she's got all the capabilities of doing it. But as I said in the beginning, you've just got to have all the arrows pointing in your direction. You just can't make too many mistakes out there, and then she said she's been making little mistakes and she usually doesn't. I think Nancy has a great shot of being in contention and winning this thing. You know, she wants it bad, but I can think of about 148 other women that want it bad, too. I think if she just goes out there and plays her own game, she's got a great shot.

JULI INKSTER: She's a great amateur player. I haven't seen her game. I don't know what her strengths or weaknesses are. She's a great amateur player. I don't think she'll have too much trouble just fitting right in. You know, I think it's hard playing week-in and week-out. I know that's what I struggled with coming out here. I liked to play Match Play, because that's all the amateur tournaments were. She's just got to get used to playing week-in and week-out. She's got a great head on her shoulders. Most of the girls come out here that have a great head on her shoulders, she's going to do very well.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know what her expectations are. I think she's got capabilities of making a run for it. But will she do it? I don't know. I think if she finishes in the Top-20, I think that's a great tournament.

JULI INKSTER: I was my own worst enemy. I wanted to come out here and win right away. She said the same thing. I was all-American at San Jose State, and that's medal play. I think you've just got to play your own game and come out here and I was in awe of the other players. I respected what they did, but on the other hand I knew that I could compete with them. That's kind of the approach Jenny has to take and Grace Park has to take. I know deep down inside they know they can compete with us, and it's just learning the ropes and getting some experience.

JULI INKSTER: You know, I look back at my career, and, you know, the '92 Open was really tough. I still think about it a lot. I would not trade my career for anything. I've got two great kids. I've got a great husband that's very supportive. I've won 19 tournaments, three majors. I just think when you grow up as a little kid, you want to win the U.S. Open. That's what you practice for. That's what you watch. That's what you see. And, you know, I think to get your name engraved on that trophy is the ultimate. If I don't get it done, I gave it my best shot and tried my best. It just didn't happen. You know, I think it's great that the younger players are coming out. I know when I came out and got coached by the older players and now they are -- it's tough. With the foreign invasion and the amateurs coming up, you've got to stay on top of your game to compete out here. I'm just proud of myself that I can still do that; still compete out here; still have my family and enjoy it.

JULI INKSTER: That was a good week to take off. I was off that week. (Laughter.) I really don't think you can tell a top player changed their attitude on the golf course. That would be like us going in and telling you guys you need to write different; you need to be a little more serious out there instead of being a jokester. You need to joke up your articles a little bit. I don't think you can tell somebody how to play the game. I think the top players, Annika, Karrie and Kelly, you've got to realize, they are young, and they are learning all this. They are foreign. Annika and Karrie are foreign. They haven't been over here. Personally, I think they do a great job. I know them being a top player, when they are on the driving range and someone comes up and says: Hey, can I have 10 minutes of your time and somebody else comes up to them, they are trying to do their job. Personally, I don't think you can try to change somebody's personality. I think this is their job. You know, this is how they play. I don't think you can change that. I think they are doing a good job, and I think as they get older, they are going to get better. I think as you mature and they understand that we really need them to take it to the next level, I mean, you're never going to have another Nancy Lopez. She's the ultimate. And I just think if the girls can take a little bit of responsibility on their shoulders, and between the four and five of them carry the TOUR, I think they can do that. Between Se Ri and Annika, I think they can do it.

JULI INKSTER: I don't. I really don't. I just started golfing at 15; so I wasn't really focused on that. But I remember Pumpkin Ridge, and she played her heart out. That's the thing with golf. There is one person that plays just a little better, and you get that close at her age, you just don't know if you're ever going to get another opportunity. And I think that's why it hurts so bad is you just don't know if you're going to get another course that fits your game, or that you're playing that well coming into that. When I lost the '92 Open, just in the back of your mind you say well I'll have another shot but you just don't know.

JULI INKSTER: As far as players, I don't think it means anything as far as how I think of Nancy. I think that maybe she would think -- to me, she's done it all. She's had her family. She's played great golf. I don't know sometimes how she gives everyone the attention that she gives them and still is the same person. You know, I just think -- I don't think I'd treat her any different and would still give her a hard time after she won the U.S. Open.