U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 23, 2000

Cristie Kerr

CHRISTIE KERR: You kind of feel like the caliber of play is better on the LPGA Tour than in amateur golf, but you're young and you're stupid and you really have no clue that it's going to be that much different. So is was a big shock to my system when I came out and didn't start performing right way. But it took a lot of hard work and a lot years of learning how to play out here to where I feel like I can get comfortable and perform under pressure, and I've done that the last year or so, and it's just maturity, that's all I can say. Like I said, when you're young and stupid, you have really no clue how good these girls out here are and you think you can compete with them.

CHRISTIE KERR: I'll tell you what, there are some putts that you don't think are going to be fast, and then you're left with a 4- or 5-footer coming back for par; and then some putts that didn't look like they break that much, and then you see them creeping away from the hole.

CHRISTIE KERR: Well she has been playing great for the last few years, and she just has a knack of making not too many shots to where she loses momentum. And I think that's what -- the big thing that she's got going for her now is she's got so much confidence that, you know, it's just like the Tiger scenario; you've got how many people in the field, and how many people that actually have a legitimate shot to beat her on any given week. And again, she finds herself on top of the leaderboard week every week.

CHRISTIE KERR: Thank you.