THE SOLHEIM CUP

September 19, 1998

Juli Inkster

Meg Mallon

TIM MCNULTY: At this point, we'd like to open the floor to questions.

JULI INKSTER: Well, I had some lunch and I actually took a shower, which really helped, you know. And then I just went out and hit a few balls. Meg and I have never really played best ball or really teamed together ever. So we were kind of just kind of decided whether we wanted -- if she wanted me to hit off first or if I was going to get the putt. So we went over that and that's about it. It's the hardest thing. Emotions are just a roller coaster out there. Playing with Dottie, she is not -- she is very emotional, too, so I kind of get dragged into that. Meg is a little more low-key, so it was a little easier this afternoon.

JULI INKSTER: We had a great match. Charlotta really played well, probably the first five holes, kept Liselotte in there. And then they both started playing good and that's when I knew we were in for a long day. Because Meg and I both played really well today. We had a lot of birdies --

MEG MALLON: A lot of chances.

JULI INKSTER: Meg says 50. I say 40.

MEG MALLON: So we split it: 45. (Laughs).

JULI INKSTER: We're going in at 18 1-up. I mean, Meg's chip-in and putting, there is no way we were both going to make bogie on that hole. My speed was a little off in the middle of the round and it's been really good lately; so I just tried to get it up there and tried to feed it. Making a putt like that is luck. I mean, get it on the right roll and you've got to have everything working for you. I could drop a hundred balls there and probably make a couple of them from there.

MEG MALLON: You were pretty good, though.

JULI INKSTER: Just picked the right time to do it.

JULI INKSTER: Go on, Meg.

MEG MALLON: She had to go up a little tear on the back there. So it was uphill most of the way and then I just noticed at the end that the cup was sitting a little bit. So I said, It's going to move a little left at the end. And she just hit it perfectly. I thought: Just get it close because I had a chip and I could go for the chip. And it's getting closer and closer and then the thing went in and she started dancing all over the place.

JULI INKSTER: I know. I've got to work on that. Bad move. Bad move. (Laughs). Children should be seen and not heard.

JULI INKSTER: I just -- you know, we go out there and we play for to the titles and we play for ourselves and I tell you: This crowd has just been awesome. It's just so much fun to do good for them. And I've got our whole family here; Meg's got her whole family here and we never get it -- we hardly ever get an atmosphere like this where we've got 12 girls working as one unit. It's such a great feeling. The crowd has just been behind us the whole way.

MEG MALLON: They've helped a lot. Especially both of us playing in the morning and our legs weren't quite with us this afternoon on a few shots. Just to get that emotional adrenaline towards the end of the round, I think, helped us both so much. Even on the 17th hole, we both hit almost 1, 2 clubs shorter because we had adrenaline going.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah.

MEG MALLON: That was another factor to play in there, too.

JULI INKSTER: And it's hard. We're so used to playing yardages and, all of a sudden, you've got this yardage where you know it's an 8-iron but you're thinking: it's not an 8-iron, it's going to be a wedge. It's just -- and the caddies have been great. The caddies have really gelled and really worked as a team. Dottie doesn't have a great personality. You can go ahead and put that in there. I tell her that all the time. But she is developing one. She said on the first tee -- she said to Don Wilson, my caddie: Don't leave your wing man. So, you know, we work as a team out there and that's what we're doing, working as a team out there. But she does have a good personality. (Laughs.)

MEG MALLON: It's different because now we're on our own. We cannot make the mistakes that you can get away with a little bit in the team competition. On this golf course, you know that par is going to win a lot of holes. We kept that in mind all week. It's not a golf course you go for things. You have to respect the way it's laid out. I think, so far, we've done that really well and if we go out and do that in our individual matches, we'll be fine.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah. I was really nervous the first day. I mean, it was like a hangover nervous where you can't even swallow, it was so dry. I just --

MEG MALLON: You're fried, aren't you? You better stop talking (Laughs).

JULI INKSTER: After that, I felt good. I mean, this morning I felt good, this afternoon I felt good. You know, I don't even know what the score is. What is the score? Does anyone know the score? I mean, we just -- we've got a lot of good players on this team and I don't know how it's going to stack up individually, but I think if we just go out there and play our own game. I don't think you can play conservative on this golf course because I think that's really when it -- you've got to stick to your game plan and the way I think our team is playing right now, I think we've got a good shot.

JULI INKSTER: Judy won't let us be overconfident.

MEG MALLON: From what happened last time, most of the team is here from last time and we know how we overcame that deficit. So we have to take care of that tomorrow. We've got to start out fast again. We cannot let them get the first 3, 4, 5 matches under their belt and get that momentum. That's the key to the whole day tomorrow.

JULI INKSTER: And I tell you, they're very capable. They've got some great players and they don't give up. They're -- nothing to lose right now. So they're going to come out hungry.

MEG MALLON: Why is that? I never understood that. You know, I guess it's something to write about. I mean, Donna Andrews has had a fabulous year, 3rd on the money list, she's an American player. We've got great American players. I think our country is doing just fine as far as bringing out players. Maybe the Swedish invasion has created a lot of press, but I mean, I think we're doing just fine.

JULI INKSTER: There's going to be a lot of things I remember. The putt yesterday on 15 where I made it, that was the biggest roar I've ever heard. The lag putt -- I'm so out of it. It's great. I'll tell you, it's great. Great to be able to play with Meg and play with Dottie. We don't get it out there. We don't get that team thing. I can see how the baseball players and football -- it's great to have some partners.

MEG MALLON: Well, I mean, it all starts from zero as far as we're concerned tomorrow. I think we're going to go in with the attitude that it's an even match and start from there.

MEG MALLON: I don't know. I didn't see it.

JULI INKSTER: I didn't see it, either. I didn't know that was happening. I mean, I went a little crazy, but that's me. I didn't see that. So I can't really comment on it.

JULI INKSTER: I tell you, that's weak. That's a weak dance. That's all I had right there. Have to work on that. Honey, I need a little Spice Girl dance there. (Laughs).

TIM MCNULTY: Are there any more questions?

MEG MALLON: Everybody want to go to dinner?

TIM MCNULTY: Thank you.