U.S. GIRLS' JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

July 24, 2004

Julieta Granada

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to the 2004 Girls' Junior winner and champion. How does it feel?

JULIETA GRANADA: I don't really know yet. I don't think I got it, that I just won. I mean, it's just such an honor. I see all of the names on this trophy and I feel so special winning this. This is awesome. I can't describe it.

Q. When the match went to extra holes, what was going on inside your head?

JULIETA GRANADA: Well, I was kind of glad that it went to extra holes. Because on 17, it looked like pretty much it was, I mean, she was on the green and I had like a 12 footer for birdie. It looked like it was all done. But I was really happy that we went to extra holes.

Q. Would you say that you played as well this week as ever?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, I mean, I was only the first hole, I missed the fairway really bad. All the others that I missed the fairway were like barely out of it. I'm hitting the ball great. Putter is good, but I putted great all week. I mean, my mindset is just different this year than any year or any week.

Q. What's different?

JULIETA GRANADA: I don't know. I think I'm more prepared to win. I wanted it I wanted it like a little bit more than last year. I don't think last year I really understood what this tournament was all about.

Q. Was there something that made you realize, hey, this is more important? Was there an event, was there something that sort of registered, hey, this is a really big deal and I need to be more prepared?

JULIETA GRANADA: It was probably getting past the quarters. I felt so close the two years before, but, I mean, so close that you're so far. And this year, when I got through the quarters, I mean, I felt it right there.

Q. Julieta, second day in a row, 17, really pivotal hole, talk about the putt you had on 17 and just how big was that to keep the match squared then?

JULIETA GRANADA: That putt was like a 12 footer. I don't really know how to break. I just stepped up and was like, let's just hit it firm and see what it does. When I see that ball go in, I felt, "Tiger," I felt the greatest thrill of your life. It was such a great feeling, because I thought everything was over if I didn't make that putt there.

Q. You posted one of the three medalist scores, you were out and beating people pretty badly; you didn't exactly sneak up on anybody this week. How does it feel to basically take over the top spot the first day and end up winning the tournament?

JULIETA GRANADA: It feels great. All week, my ball striking was good, and my putting was good. So, I mean, winning stroke play, it's a plus to all this. It's just so unbelievable.

Q. We talked all week about your game plan or sticking to it or deviating from it or whatever. Looked like you pretty much did everything today that you've been doing most of the week; you stuck to it today.

JULIETA GRANADA: I got to 11 and I was like, let's just hit a bad drive here because you don't want to have a chance to go for it. I thought that was pretty funny.

On 16, I stuck to my game plan. I took the driver out. I was hitting driver fine. So, I mean, I pretty much learned from my mistakes from yesterday.

Q. In the playoff, any changes there, or again sticking to the game plan? Did you get more conservative?

JULIETA GRANADA: No, no, no. I've been hitting 3 wood for the last three or four days on 1. So I thought it would be a good play.

On 2, I hit my driver every day, and it was actually one of best holes I've played the whole week. 2 was just so nice to me. I think I birdied it three or four times, three times I guess. And then I parred all of the other ones.

Q. You said yesterday the match with Paula, it was every shot, every putt was so big and that you could hardly breathe the pressure was so big. How did you feel today with the championship on the line? And the match, you guys were one hole apart or all square for most of the match, how did it feel that way?

JULIETA GRANADA: You know for some reason today it didn't feel as much pressure as yesterday. I tried to forget that it was the finals. I just thought, okay, we're the two, only two girls playing today.

But, I mean, I didn't feel as much pressure until the 17th when I made that putt. Then I got really nervous.

Q. How about the second shot on 17, you knocked it out a long way and got it how long was your approach into the green on 17, how far?

JULIETA GRANADA: I had 102 and the wind was with me, so I hit a hard 54 degree wedge. But the second shot, laying up, that was the best shot of the week, I think. It was just impossible, and I hit a pretty good shot over there. I hit 8 iron.

Q. Were you in the trap or were you on the side?

JULIETA GRANADA: I was on the side, but my left feet was on the trap. I was kind of sideways and downhill.

Q. Because you knocked it up within 100 yards, because you knew she was going to get on in two or really close to it, and you had to get that shot close; so you had to do something on the second shot. And you said that was the best one of the week, you think?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, I knew she was going to get on in two on the green, so I just had to pull it out somehow to make birdie on that hole.

Q. How different is your game now than it was a year ago at this time?

JULIETA GRANADA: It's so much different. I'm so consistent now with my ball striking. I'm hitting it 30 yards further than last year. I mean, hitting it further, the courses seem so easy. It's just such a big advantage when you can get it out there somehow.

Q. Is that just from growing up and getting older or do you have a new physical routine? Where did you gain the length?

JULIETA GRANADA: I started working with Pat Etcheverry. He is the trainer of Justine Henin, the tennis player, No. 1 tennis player. We have been working out hard for five months now, and I mean, he's just great.

Q. How big will this victory go over in Paraguay?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yesterday I got phone calls from my friends and they were like, "Come on, you can do it." It is so great to win such a big tournament like this. It's going to inspire a lot of kids and so I can work hard for the dreams because there's no opportunities over there. So, you have to do something really special to come here and win a couple of tournaments and get in with the best players in the world.

Q. And how will this go over with your father?

JULIETA GRANADA: I don't know. He's going to go insane. I don't know what to expect from him right now. He's going to be so happy. Because he's alone there and he made so many sacrifices for us, and for me especially, and to win this tournament, such a big tournament, it's just amazing.

Q. When was the last time you spoke to him, and when you did, did he have any words, what kind of words of encouragement did he give you?

JULIETA GRANADA: Actually he called me this morning, a little early, by the way. (Laughter.) It was like, it wasn't that he didn't wake me up, but I was like trying to, you know, keep it moving. It was like 7:00.

Q. What did he say?

JULIETA GRANADA: He just said go out there his word is "killer." I think that's the only word he knows in English. (Laughter). But he's been saying that all summer, and he stuck he said it again today. He was like, you can do it, you're a great player, just go out there and play your game.

Q. Did he follow it?

JULIETA GRANADA: I don't know. I bet. He was actually in a golf tournament like in my home course that was like a weekend tournament. I think he's there.

Q. How much did it mean to have your mother here?

JULIETA GRANADA: I mean, my mom, she goes with me everywhere. She's like my best friend. We get along so great, and we have fun traveling around, and meeting some new people. I mean, my mom is just she's great. She did so much for me, and we have a great time together.

Q. Could you can you hear her all the time out there when she yells "super"?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah.

Q. And other words of encouragement?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, I can hear her pretty much every time she says that. I mean, it's so great, everybody collapse and you can hear her little voice, "Oh, super." It's just so special.

Q. You took down two of the biggest names in junior golf this week. Did you prove something to yourself, do you feel like you've proved something to other people with this huge win?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, I mean, I proved to myself I'm good enough to play out there and I can go any day, any time, again the against the best players in the world. Oh, that was a good one. (Laughter.)

Q. It's probably going to take some time for this to sink in, but to go back to that feeling that you're having right now, can you describe it? Is it just kind of you're off your feet on cloud nine? What are you feeling?

JULIETA GRANADA: I'm just talking here. I don't know I don't know what I'm feeling. I seriously can't describe it, on the course, on the 17th hole coming down the fairway, I said to myself, "How bad do you want it?" And when I made that putt on 17, I was like, "Well, you want it really bad."

So I just kept saying that to myself all during the three holes left.

Q. Was that after the second shot or before the second shot?

JULIETA GRANADA: No, that was right after the driver.

Q. With the way that you tied it up and you're happy that it went to extra holes, the first hole I guess was the 2 putt par, were you surprised when it ended? Were you surprised when it ended with one miss left and then a missed chip by her? Are you surprised it ended right there or were you surprised that, boom, it was over just like that?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, when she did that chip, and she went way past the hole, I thought if she makes it, I thought I can still make it and win. Was really surprised that she hit it in the right rough again. I mean, when she missed that par putt, I was like just, just 2 putt it, don't do anything too crazy now.

Q. How far was your putt on 18?

JULIETA GRANADA: 18, it was like downhill, though.

Q. What's the rest of your schedule?

JULIETA GRANADA: I don't know. It might change now. But I might get a little bit of rest, I've been playing so much. From here I go to Betsy Rawls and then I play U.S. Am and then I was scheduled to play two little AJGAs, but I don't think I'm going to do that now.

Q. To follow up on that, beyond the summer, what do you see in your future?

JULIETA GRANADA: I'm going to be a senior next year. I don't know. I'm just happy to be here right now. I don't know what to expect for anything.

Q. Nothing planned?

JULIETA GRANADA: No.

Q. Your mom was saying that you've really upped your schedule a lot. Normally you would play and then have a few weeks off. What's the theory behind playing so many more events this summer?

JULIETA GRANADA: I felt really close to playing my best game after Orange Bowl, I came in third; and MCI, I came in third; and Thunderbird, I came in third. So I felt realistically close. I was not going to play Tournament of Champions but I decided it was good to go and try another major. I mean, it's hard to I just felt so close that I thought I needed a little bit more tournaments to get there.

Q. Just to confirm a couple of notes, your dad runs a restaurant in Paraguay?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, in the mall, like a food court type of deal.

Q. And your mom's caddie was once Carlos Franco; is that true?

JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, that's true, in the 80s. And he's leading that tournament (U.S. Bank Championship).

Q. And Paraguay's flag is the only flag in the world that has two separate sides; right?

JULIETA GRANADA: I think so, yeah.

Q. Thank you.

JULIETA GRANADA: We're special.

End of FastScripts.