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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY AIGJune 21, 2001Akiko FukushimaWILMINGTON, DELAWARE LAURA NEAL: Could we go over your score card first? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: The second shot on No. 1, was a 9-iron, six meters above the pin. No. 4, three meters in front of the flag, below the flag. The second shot was an 8-iron. Second shot on No. 6 was a sand wedge, 1.5 meters. (Five feet). No. 10, second shot, 9-iron, above the flag about one meter (five feet). No. 13, tee shot, 5-iron, three meters. Q. Any miraculous saves? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I would say No. 11. The tee shot went to the left and I used a 5-iron for the second shot, and it was right before the right-hand side bunker, and it went to a foot or so, 30 centimeters. But that hole, I felt very, very long. Q. Can you talk about coming to the area and playing here down in Wilmington, Du Pont Country Club and fan support? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: This is my fourth time to play at this championship, and I like this course very much. The conditions is wonderful and I was looking forward to coming here and play. I had many galleries around me today and that felt like a strong support and I really appreciate it. Q. Is it the charity itself that makes it fun or just the overall atmosphere they put together down here? This is one heck of a show. AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Yes, I do feel it very strongly, the support from the charity and all the volunteers. The whole atmosphere is wonderful. Q. How difficult did you think the course played? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: The rough is very tough. To get it out from the rough is very hard, to get it on. Q. How had you been playing coming into this week and do you have confidence? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I was second at The Nabisco Championship this year, but after that, it wasn't so great, and I went back to Japan for five days and trained myself. Last week, I was the sixth at the Evian Masters. So I'm in good condition. Q. Have you ever discussed McDonald's or Du Pont with Okamoto? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: No, I have never talked to her about that. Q. You list your hobbies as driving cars and playing the piano. Are you an accomplished pianist, and does driving cars, does that mean race cars? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Not like car racing or anything. Q. Could you describe what it is? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I just like to drive myself around. Like in Japan, I drive to the other tournament sites by myself. Q. What about the piano? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I haven't had time it to play the piano these days, but I have been playing the piano ever since I was a small child, and it is classical pieces that I play. Q. Do you perform in concert? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: No. I've never performed publically. Q. The other players in your group were playing well. Did that have any impact on your round today? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: It was very, very easy to play, to be with all those good players, and then everybody is hitting good scores. So it helps me and then, as well as help each other. Q. What do you think about the American culture and what do you miss the most when you are over here? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I'm just very happy that professional golf and the status of the professional golfer is very high and everybody respects the status. I thought that was very impressive in this country. What I miss the most is the food, No. 1, and friends, in Japan. Q. The women golfers in Japan, how are they viewed? Are they respected there as highly as they are here? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Over here, everybody gathers -- the top players gathers in the States and I wish the Japanese tour will come closer to that level. Q. Is Okamoto still revered over there the way she was? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Yes, she's very popular now. Q. In Japan, are you known as Akiko Fukushima the golfer, or are you still known as your father, the baseball player's daughter? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Sort of like the same amount because everybody who likes golf knows me as a golf player. But baseball fans, I'm known as the daughter of a famous baseball player. Q. Can you tell me which team he is the general manager, and can you spell his name for me? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: It's Hisaki. That's the first name. He's coaching the Honda Motors. Currently it's an amateur team. Q. For those of us who are not familiar with him, was he a famous player? Who did he play with and what position did he play? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Catcher. He was a catcher for the Yokohama Taiyo Whales (Pacific Whales). Q. What league is this? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Japanese Central League in Japan. Yokohama, and Taiyo Whales. Q. How long did he play? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: 19 years he played as a catcher. Q. Does he have records? Is he a famous player? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I'm not really familiar with his records. Q. Did you start playing golf with him when you were younger? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Yes. Q. How old were you? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: Ten years old. Q. Is he like a celebrity over there? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: No, I don't know. Q. How do you get around the circuit around the Tour? Not being able to speak English, how difficult is it? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: I'm trying to communicate as much as possible by using the vocabulary, the words that I know at this point, and I'm traveling with a friend who speaks English. But with other players and caddies, I'm trying to speak, trying to make a conversation as much as possible. Q. Where are women golfers ranked in terms of popularity among women athletes? Distance runners have become very popular, but where do women golfers rank in popularity among the female athletes in Japan? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: It would be more toward the top levels. It's not as -- in other words, popular as other sports. Q. What was the most -- how many times did you win on the Japanese Tour, the Asian Tour or whatever? AKIKO FUKUSHIMA: 14 wins. End of FastScripts.... |
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