THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 17, 1998

Tammie Green

Rosie Jones

TAMMIE GREEN: Actually, I feel great. This is a physical golf course and I do notice my feet hurting a little bit at the end of 18. Other than that, I'm striking the ball well and everything seems like it's all natural. I've been progressing over -- it's not just all pregnancy right now. It's 6 months worth of gradually getting bigger, I guess, popping out there. The swing really hasn't changed much and I feel good about the week.

ROSIE JONES: You've got special shorts.

TAMMIE GREEN: Yeah, I do. I have special shorts.

TAMMIE GREEN: Yes. In case I grow any this week.

TAMMIE GREEN: When I first found out back in April -- I had been planning on playing the SOLHEIM CUP for so long that I thought: Well, gee, I'm going to be 6 months, how am I going to be feeling or whatever? I've talked to players that have played pregnant and everybody seems to play up until their eighth month, seventh and eighth month, and play the best golf that they've ever played. So I was very encouraged by that and I've been playing some of my best golf. So I'm really -- everything I -- I hope that continues and I keep getting better as the week progresses and I plan on even playing the Tournament of Champions in -- which I'll be seven months pregnant. I thought if there was any danger to the baby or myself, I will put myself out of the competition. But the way I feel right now, feeling healthy and strong, I don't foresee any problems.

TAMMIE GREEN: Yeah, he's going to be here this week.

TAMMIE GREEN: Dr. Paul Detty, Lancaster, Ohio.

TAMMIE GREEN: I don't believe I'll be playing 36 holes a day. I believe I will be playing every day, but she is not sure, really, after -- after the first day whether I play the second day. She wants me strong for the singles matches. But I really believe I'll be playing every day, at least 18 holes every day.

ROSIE JONES: Hardly any. We had the opportunity, maybe, once -- one day after the MEMORIAL, but I think that happened maybe once or twice. I only remember playing over here twice and, being so in awe, I hardly remember any of the golf course when I got here about a month ago.

ROSIE JONES: Yeah, it's a great golf course. It's a lot of fun. I think it's a really neat golf course for a player like myself.

ROSIE JONES: Well, I think the driving situation -- I think if I've got a good driver, then that's going to set up my whole game and, right now, you know, there is some spots out there where if you hit it here, it's going to run, and if you hit it here, it's kind of wet. You know, everybody is having to deal with that, but because I don't carry it quite as far, sometimes I'm lagging behind a little bit. So if it puts a little longer iron in my hand and that makes it a little tougher for these greens. But I feel like I've got a club for any shot I need on this golf course and it's a matter of going out there and hitting it. So it's not like -- I don't see anything that I can't do on this golf course.

ROSIE JONES: How when we get here we're the best of friends and when we leave, we're not? (Laughs).

ROSIE JONES: My experience in SOLHEIM competition is like that -- I mean, not, you know, to an extreme. Actually, I think everybody has a lot of respect for each other on these teams. You've had to play some pretty damn good golf to get here and we play with each other quite a bit. When we're out there, we're playing good golf and going to be in the same groups a lot. But we're all 12 different individuals and, you know, some hang out, some don't. It's just like any other group of people that work together. As competitors out on tour, we have our own -- you know, our own circumstances. But when you put us together out here on a team, you put those personalities away a little bit, back pocket, and you bound and unite as a team and it's really a neat thing because you get to see a lot of personalities that you really don't see out on the tournament -- out on tour because they, you know, we're looking at a lot of game faces. When you're living with these girls this week, everybody is more relaxed around each other. I feel the best part and worst part about SOLHEIM is that I'm vulnerable emotionally. I feel vulnerable to these people that don't really get to see that part of me year in and year out and that my game and my soul is right there for everybody to see. And sometimes that's good and sometimes that's bad.

TAMMIE GREEN: I think as far as the team situation goes, we are living as a team, the U.S. team and the European team is over here. So we don't interact as much as we normally do on tour. I think, like Rosie says, we'll have certain friends out there on the EUROPEAN TOUR and AMERICAN TOUR, but this week there is so much patriotism and pride involved that we want to win and they want to win and it's the spirit of the competition that sort of dictates that -- I don't know -- that separateness. We'll speak and be very cordial to the European team and we respect their play. We know they're great golfers and it's going to be a great match. A lot of tough matches. But for the most part this is a team competition and we stick together as a team and they stick together as a team and that's the spirit.

TAMMIE GREEN: I've never had that problem. It's a mutual respect.

ROSIE JONES: Yeah.

TAMMIE GREEN: This is golf. You never know what's going to happen in golf anyway.

ROSIE JONES: You just kind of have to be careful in the locker room. Did you see what what's-her-name did? You have to be a little bit, you know -- what was it that happened out there and on and on, and you just kind of -- for about a couple of weeks, you kind of have to look around before you start talking about something because everybody is talking to you about it like, hey, how did it go.

TAMMIE GREEN: Lucky, it's towards the end of the year.

ROSIE JONES: That's probably the best thing. We're kind of in and out for the rest of the year.

TAMMIE GREEN: I think the personality of the team, the way I feel, I played, I guess, at White Sulphur Springs under JoAnne Carner and I think the team captain sort of sets the mood for our team and that's the way I feel.

ROSIE JONES: I miss that mood. I miss that one.

TAMMIE GREEN: I don't know. (Laughs). I think it's a great group. There was a great group there and it's a great group here. And you talk about mutual respect. I think everyone on the SOLHEIM team respects our team members and we feel confident in our team members to play the best golf.

TAMMIE GREEN: They're getting there.

ROSIE JONES: They're here.

TAMMIE GREEN: I would say from yesterday's practice round to today's practice round, they're rolling at least a foot and-a-half farther. Just off my putter blade, anyway way. The feel is that they're rolling pretty fast and I would imagine they'll continue to do that as they firm up during the week.

ROSIE JONES: The last two weeks that we've played have been pretty awesome. They've been very similar to this, and two weeks ago I didn't play in Portland, but they're probably the fastest greens we've ever seen, faster than here. And last weeks, were -- were top quality. So we're getting some courses that are, you know, periodically -- even the OPEN and a couple -- the DINAH and a couple of other courses that we have been lucky enough to have the good greens and it's been -- we're getting better. What was really nice getting into here was that those two tournaments out in Portland and Seattle were top notch.

TAMMIE GREEN: As the greens are firming up, it is tougher to spot, and naturally with the longer shots, it will be more difficult. Definitely it would favor a longer hitter. But certainly these greens are definitely receptive to a high fade. Yeah, that's a surprise. (Laughs). But the severity of running through several of these greens is unbelievable. You get above the hole and you think they're -- 12 and 13 is fast on the -- on the -- this time they're running 20 and 30 down that hill. It's difficult to get up-and-down. And the severity of the iron shot, if you're in the wrong position, if you hit good shots, you're rewarded. If you hit bad shots, then you're going to be penalized and have a very difficult up-and-down.

ROSIE JONES: Yeah. I think positioning is everything. Not only your approach into the green, but what club you're hitting. Definitely it would be a lot easier for me to go after some pins or just parts of the greens with an 8-iron rather than a 6-iron. But what happens if the track gets a little bit fast is all of a sudden the longer hitters start having a -- the fairways are getting tighter. So it kind of brings the game back a little bit. We're all hitting from the same place. That's always been my key on my game, is that driver. If I just get that -- if I feel good with that and putting it where I want it to be, then -- I'm just not strong enough out of the rough to be hitting these greens with 4-irons all day. It's just not going to happen. I can do it, but it's not as much fun.

TAMMIE GREEN: I actually think it's been turning around all year long and Se Ri has definitely been a great asset to the tour. What she has done is just phenomenal for any golfer to do and she is handling it very well. The sponsorships coming into the game are very encouraging. I've got a great sponsor in Draper's Diapers that just came on at the beginning of the year. And, hey, I don't know if it was an omen or not -- (Laughs). -- to see more product companies come in that are really geared towards females. It's very encouraging to me. There is a lot more sponsorship individually and the tour seems to be stronger than it ever has. We're gaining more tournaments each year and the strength of the tournaments are very strong based tournaments.

ROSIE JONES: I was going to say that I thought our tour has been turning corners ever since I've been out here, for 16 years. We've had a lot of good plateaus and a lot of peaks, valleys. Definitely, right now, we're on that peak and Se Ri has really kind of busted through a little bit for us this year and -- not that I feel like we've ever been really stale, but now it just feels like there is a lot more energy out there. And we can tell by the crowds we're getting, things like this. We're having to deal with a lot more attention than we're used to and we're expanding ourselves as players and marketing products that -- further than we ever have before and it's really different for us. Sometimes it's not as much fun because you're not used to all of that attention. You're not used to giving up so much time and energy, but it's really what the men have been doing for so long and really what's needed if we're going to -- as we step up, we're going to have to, as players, step up with it.

TAMMIE GREEN: I think we're playing better golf courses, venues and shooting better scores as well. I think everything is going in a positive light right now.

ROSIE JONES: I found myself -- and as I remarked against yesterday -- as we get more and more people out on practice rounds, I'm not used to that. I'm used to having practice rounds by myself and I found myself getting irritated because there's all these people and they want to stop you every chance they get to get an autograph. And we really weren't always used to that. When we got to the OPEN this year, it was just like, wow. You wanted to take your hat off and your glove if you're ever walking outside the ropes because by the second day it was just overwhelming and we realized, this is really what we've been wanting all along and this is where we're going. So let's get used to it, to give myself a spanking out there and say: Let's deal with it and get going and not have a bad attitude about it.

TAMMIE GREEN: They usually wait to come out when the match -- you'll see a good number of people in the practice rounds because that's when everybody can get their autographs and so forth. But when the competition starts is when you really see them. I thought there was a pretty good crowd around 18 today. And there were several following. This is a tough golf course to walk and there were a good many gallery fans that would just follow each group, which was very encouraging as well.

ROSIE JONES: I was at the first SOLHEIM in '90 and there has already been more people than there was at that one. (Laughs). So we've come a long way, baby.

TAMMIE GREEN: Well, it definitely does for me. Four years ago when I heard it was going to be at MUIRFIELD VILLAGE, I wanted to be here. That was my goal was to get here. I love to play in my home state of Ohio. I generally play well here and it's nice to have family and friends come and support me. Not always do they get to see me everywhere around the country and they seem to come out in droves to watch me play and give me a lot of support. When I first was on tour, it put a little added pressure on me, but as I've matured with the game, I just feel so much energy from them. And I'm sure this week you're going to see a lot of Perry County patriotism as well.

TAMMIE GREEN: You know, it's so special to have your family here and, you know, when you walk off, wherever you've shot, it doesn't matter if it's good or bad. They're still going to love you and support you and be in your corner, and it's nice to have those people around you to really support you like that.

TAMMIE GREEN: It's just great to see that our programs are working, the junior programs are working. That's what competition is all about. As they get better, it makes us better. We have to be better. Depending on how we mature, if we don't get any better, then you can just see us going back down the money list.

ROSIE JONES: Right.

TAMMIE GREEN: That's very encouraging for the tour itself, for women's golf in general and all of the college programs that are working out there, all the junior programs that are working. That's a plus for women's golf and all golf.

ROSIE JONES: I feel that when they -- those players go into college and then come out to our tour, every year for probably the last 10 years, it's just gotten better and better. And as these young players come out better golfers than when I came out when I was in college -- that it's only made me have to step up in a level of play each and every year I tee it up. I've been out here 16 years and it gets harder and harder to really pull the motivation out each year to the position that you have to play at. It's hard -- gets harder and harder to really be able to step up to that next level and get yourself going one more time because they just get better and better. You cannot sleep one minute out here.

TAMMIE GREEN: You stand back there hitting 4-iron, you look over and you see a 20-year old hitting a 7-iron, 6- or 7-iron. You just know that -- but if you hit the shots, we just have to get better with your long.

ROSIE JONES: They last longer. They play 8, 9, 10 in a row and I'm playing 3, got to go home and rest. Your lives change after a while and you don't need to be out there that long. But I'm not complaining.

TAMMIE GREEN: We've done quite well and we're still holding our own at this point.

ROSIE JONES: We're at SOLHEIM, aren't we?

LAURA NEAL: Thanks, Tammie and Rosie. Thank you very much.