U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 11, 1997

Juli Inkster

JULI INKSTER: Well, yesterday I played real well, too. I played real solid and just really didn't make very many putts. And today kind of started off the same. I hit 8 greens on the front side and was hitting the ball close, and really didn't make anything. I 2-putted No. 4 for birdie, and I bogeyed 8. And then all of a sudden I made a putt on 11 and I don't know if it relaxed me or just kind of made the hole look a little bigger, and I birdied 11 and 13 and 15 and 17 and 18. So I tried to just stay patient, because I was hitting the ball well and see what happens.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know if it's a swing change. I worked with Mike McGettrick starting about two years ago. We're trying to get it on a little better plane, maybe flatter at the top, so I can bring it more inside. And I'd say for the past year I've been striking the ball a lot more consistent and playing a lot more consistent, so I think in the long run it's paid off for me.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I was thinking on the tee I've been aiming at that far left-hand bunker and it seemed like it was playing a little shorter today, so I went a little left of that. And I hit a very good drive, probably one of my most solid drives of the day. And I got up there and I had 225 to the front, which is a go, for me. I just feel that hole, if you can get it out there far enough, most of the trouble is kind of right in the middle coming up. You either have to get past it or lay up short of the trouble. And I've been hitting the ball fairly well. So I felt -- I hit a great 3-wood on No. 4 and hit that in two. So I felt pretty good about it. I just hit a great shot. I hit it right where I was lined up, and hit it about 18 feet past the hole. And I had about a 4-footer left. I made that. It was great. It gave me goose bumps, because the crowd was building, and Lopez was playing good, Michelle is playing good. And I think we were all kind of feeding off of each other. It was a great pairing to have this week.

JULI INKSTER: No. 4, again I hit in 2. I had 225 to the front. I hit it on the green and I had probably about a 40-footer; the pin was way right and I was way left. And I knocked it down there about 5 feet and made that putt for birdie.

JULI INKSTER: 3-wood. No. 8, I was in the fairway, and I was kind of between a hard 8 and a little 7. I tried to hit a hard 8 and hit it heavy and it plugged in the front bunker, and I didn't quite get it out. And I had a tough chip shot. But I chipped it up there about 3 and a half feet and made that for bogey. So that was -- because I was kind of struggling with my putter, so that was a good putt for me to make. No. 11, I hit a 9-iron probably about 20 feet, but it was straight up the hill. It was the first putt I could get aggressive at, I felt, because it was straight up the hill. And I made that for birdie. So that kind of took the cellophane off the lid of the cup. 13, I hit 9-iron to about 12 feet and made that for birdie. 15, I hit a little 6-iron in there about 8 feet and made that for birdie. 17, I hit 7-iron in there about 15 feet and made that for birdie. 18, I hit 3-wood about 20 feet and 2-putted for birdie.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I kind of figured I really didn't have anything to lose, kind of like the way Annika kind of came in here. They can't take those other two away from you. And it's a little different in matchplay than it is in four rounds of medal play. Matchplay it's just "mano a mano", you against the other person. And you might not have your best game, but you kind of survive the day, and move on. I just remember just my first round was my toughest. I had to play 19 holes. And I birdied the first hole and then after, that it was just -- I got some momentum going. And I played great all week. What she's trying to accomplish, just doing one U.S. Open, to win two is phenomenal. And I think she's had such a great year, I think anything she does this week is just icing on the cake, as far as I'm concerned.

JULI INKSTER: I've played really consistent this year. I've had a lot of top 15's, a few top-10s. I'm just trying to put everything together. It's kind of like I'm trying to win my first tournament again, because I had a few years that I was struggling. And I feel like the kids are growing a little bit more and I can concentrate maybe a little bit more on my golf. And I'm just trying to put everything together. I'm really enjoying playing again. If I could blink and be there instead of traveling, that's the hard part with the kids, but I really enjoy come Thursday. I'm looking forward to playing golf. I have to say it's been a while since I've done that, probably because I feel more confident with my golf game and I feel like a have a chance to win.

JULI INKSTER: Yes, they are. Hayley was watching the telecast yesterday and she told me I made a great chip on No. 15. She said, "That was a great chip, Mom." I said, "Thanks, mom."

JULI INKSTER: Brian is in the back. It helps. He's a very big supporter of mine, so it makes it easy to come out here it and play.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I think this golf course is really tough. I think the pin placements -- Judy is here -- they were very tough today. I don't think they can get any tougher (laughter.) I thought that the pin placements were very fair. I thought there's a chance to make some birdies out there, which is what you want. You want to see the girls make -- I thought coming in today. If anybody says women's golf is boring, I'd like them to watch this round, because I think with Michelle making birdies and Nancy making birdies and myself making birdies, it's fun to watch. And it's not like -- you're hitting some long irons into these holes and stuff. I think the pin placements were very fair. I think you had a chance to make some birdies today. As far as my yardage, I had 232 to the hole on 18.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I think with golf you've really got to want it. You've got to want to travel, because there's so many down points in golf. You have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday where you travel on Mondays, practice round on Tuesday, Pro Am -- it gets monotonous. It's kind of routine. And I think the more years you're out here, the more doldrums you get. And taking time off to have the kids, and I finally feel like my game is heading in a direction. For a while, there I just felt like I really didn't have a direction of really what I wanted to do. And I didn't know if I just wanted to kind of just stay at home and was it worth hauling the kids around for me to play golf. And I finally feel like Hayley loves it out here traveling and Cori has been great traveling, too, and they seem pretty well adjusted kids. So I felt like -- I finally feel like -- it's been good for them and it's not hurting them being able to travel a little bit. So I kind of got the guilt of that off my back. I decided if I'm going to do this, I want to do it and enjoy it. I finally feel like -- I finally feel like I'm there. I really look forward to playing a golf tournament and just having a chance to compete for a title. It's been a while since ill felt that way.

JULI INKSTER: I think the young phenoms has been great for women's golf. I think you need some new blood to keep the veterans going, and I think the veterans feel like they've still got a lot of golf left, too. I think it's a great mixture, having the Europeans coming over here and the Australians and then the Americans. It's just a lot harder to win a golf tournament these days. When I was winning a lot of tournaments you could afford to have a 73 or 74 and still win. These days you just can't do it. You've got to play four solid rounds of golf. And I think in majors I think maybe the veterans are maybe a little more patient. I don't know. I'm the most impatient person out there on a golf course. I don't know what I'm trying to say. But I just think that it's great for women's golf right now with the Kelly Robbins and the Annikas and the Karrie Webbs and the Michelle McGanns, I'd pay to go see those girls play. They've got a great golf game, and they all have a great attitude, and I think that helps women's golf.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I don't see how you can put a career on one tournament. I think there's not a golfer out here that wouldn't want Nancy Lopez's career. She's a phenomenal player; she's very competitive, and she still enjoys playing. At her age -- just kidding (laughter). But I played with her the last couple of days, and she's hitting her irons good and she's putting great. When Nancy Lopez putts great, she's one of the best.

JULI INKSTER: I was telling Greg teeing off today, this is so much fun being able to play with crowds like this and play on a great golf course where every hole you get up on the tee shot and your heart's pounding and your blood's -- you can just feel the blood running through you because it just makes you think. Every shot out here, you just can't get away with a bad shot. And it's fun to play courses like that. And I think the girls are really -- they're really playing well. I think -- look at that leader board, there's a lot of birdies out here on a tough golf course. I think that says something for the way we've been playing.