DU MAURIER CLASSIC

August 13, 2000

Rosie Jones

ROSIE JONES: I started off with the first hole, actually the first three holes playing fairly simple for me, since they've always been fairly tough. I had a 9-iron into the first hole. I had about a 10-footer, and missed that for birdie; made par. No. 2, I hit 7-wood up about 20 feet and 2-putt for par. No. 3, I hit a 5-iron on to the back of the green, just off the fringe; made about a 25-footer for birdie. No. 4, the par-5, knocked it up there about 8 feet with a 9-iron, and missed that for 2-putt for par. No. 5, I knocked a 9-wood on the green, had about 25-foot; 2-putt for par. No. 6, I hit 6-iron about two feet; made that for birdie. No. 7, I hit 8-iron about 10 feet; 2-putt for par. No. 8, I hit 3-wood about 6 feet; made that for birdie. And then on No. 9, I was in the hazard and pitched out on to the green; 2-putt from about 30, 35 feet for par there. No. 10, I hit a 3-wood, wedge to about 12 feet, and made that for birdie. No. 11, I hit 7-iron -- no -- No. 11, I hit 5-iron about 25 feet short, and made 2-putt for par. No. 12, I hit 7-iron about ten feet, smack-dab underneath the hole, and missed that for birdie; 2-putt for par. No. 13, I hit 3-wood on the green, and 2-putt from about 40 feet for par. No. 15, I had to pitch out of the trees and hit wedge on to the green about 20 feet; 2-putt for par. No. 15, I hit 5-wood on the green about 20, 22 feet; 2-putt for par. No. 16, I hit 5-iron short, came out of the rough, and made about a 18, 20-footer for par, which was huge at that moment. No. 17, I hit 6-iron about 20 feet, and 2-putt for par. Then 18, what did I have? About a 15-footer for birdie and missed that; 2-putt for par. 18 ,I was really kind of crummy, because I hit two good shots down there, and right in the middle of a huge divot, and I hit a three-quarter 9-iron out. I hit a really good shot. I really couldn't have asked for anything more, unless it was right next to the pin, but I thought that was good.

ROSIE JONES: No, actually, I can catch the buzz from the crowd. All of a sudden, there's a lot of reporters out there and photographers. And I just -- I didn't look until 15. And I was really kind of surprised, because I thought Annika or Lorie was just going to inch away from the field and someone was really going to have a hot round. I kept trying to tell myself: The leaders are at 8. I'm at 5. I need to make a couple more. And I couldn't stand it any longer, and about the 15th hole I looked up and checked it out.

ROSIE JONES: Well, I've been playing really good all month, and really the last six weeks. But when I got here this week, I really, like, lost my swing. I just -- in a panic by the time I was in the first round. I kind of scraped around at 74 and thought I was really lucky to have that. And I put a call into my pro back home, Jeff Peltz, and he -- we talked a little bit about stuff. And each day I got a little bit more comfortable and more confident with my swing, and it started to work. It's not absolutely perfect, and I didn't hit a lot of great drives out there, but I managed myself well and really am kind of surprised that I could bring it back this far and this good on this golf course.

ROSIE JONES: I didn't realize that until you said that. I was just really in the moment, staying on each hole, and didn't even realize I didn't have a bogey. Pretty good on this course, because you just don't feel like you can go out on a golf course like this, as tight as it is, and the rough is thick as it is, and not think you're going to have a bogey or two. But that one on 16 was about as close as I got.

ROSIE JONES: Well, it's big. I didn't think it was that big a deal when I was playing in the practice round. But the last couple of days, it's like 8 inches in places. You don't want to be there.

ROSIE JONES: No, it's not. I just -- I was going to come out and play my best. I think you can shoot 68 on this golf course, and I thought I was capable of that. I really wish it was 67 right now. I had chances. I left a lot out there. It's really frustrating to be so close and, never having won a major, I just really didn't want to be this close again and not be taking home that trophy. I look back at all those 10-footers, those 8-footers I missed, and it's going to eat at me a little bit tonight, that ride over to England.

ROSIE JONES: It's not disappointing, because I really got myself in position, and I really don't have any control over what Meg is doing. What did she birdie out there? Like the 15th or 16th hole, something like that. You don't expect birdies on those holes. I thought if I could hang in there, those are bogey holes. And with the pressure on -- but she's really -- she wants it really bad right now. And I know the U.S. Open she was playing well. She's got a bad taste in her mouth. So it's going to be sweet from now on, I'm telling you.

ROSIE JONES: No, not too sad at all. Meg is a great player, a good girl. And I wish all the best for her. But right now I just wish it was this Buckeye.

ROSIE JONES: Well, I've played really well. I've had -- I'm telling you what, I've had my last four events had top fives. And it's hard to keep that momentum, but I'm just riding this wave. And I'm going to take it over to the British and give it a go over there. I definitely still have several tournaments to play -- a lot of big tournaments. And sure, I'm going to use this experience as a stepping-stone to get me -- get me to the winner's box this year. I haven't been there yet, but I'm dying to get there. I don't care what tournament it is. This would be the sweetest one to win right now, but there's still more out there for me.