NEW ALBANY GOLF CLASSIC

September 28, 2000

Wendy Ward

WENDY WARD: Birdie on 1. I hit a great drive starting out, about a 135-yard 7-iron into the wind to about eight feet and made the putt. And then another birdie on 5, the par 3, 146 yards. It was playing a little downwind, and I hit an 8-iron to about 15 feet. Made a lot of good putts that didn't drop until 15, was my next birdie. Good drive. 133 to the pin, a little 9-iron. That was just about a 12-footer, and then 16, the par 5, hit a good drive; had about 235 to the front. Pulled a 3-wood in the rough and hit a little 25 yard lob-wedge to about four feet and made the putt. Thought I got another one on 18 but just stayed up. Very solid day, though.

WENDY WARD: Yeah, I missed a 9-footer, two 15-footers. And the other two were about, you know, 20, 25 feet, still what I consider makeable. You are not going to make them all the time, but definitely good attempts. The greens are in fantastic shape and they just not giving anything right on the edges. The edges of the cup are very sharp; well cut.

WENDY WARD: I think the stretch of 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, those were good, solid holes. Last week in Portland our finishing holes, 15 through 18, you had to golf your ball very well. And this week, I think those are the hearty holes. 10 is usually into the wind. It wasn't playing that way today. 12 and 13 were tough. It might have helped to be a little warmer. We go off the back tomorrow. You know, you just -- the routine fairways and greens; if you can do that, then the rest falls in place.

WENDY WARD: I don't necessarily care for the Buckeyes because they beat my Sun Devils a few years ago in the Rose Bowl. But the State of Ohio has been good to me. The golf courses are great here. The fans are good and my putter seems to get hot in Ohio. Good conditions, I don't know.

WENDY WARD: I guess I've never really thought of it that way. Not necessarily. I love the foliage out here. This is awesome. You don't see this in Texas or Arizona. I guess in my time away from the ball is kind of entertaining to see all of the bright colors.

WENDY WARD: I would probably say -- I switched coaches mid-year last year, and we've made some swing changes and I'm finally becoming comfortable on the course with those. And it's funny, because I look at the stats, too, because I see every one of them has got a down year in there. And I'm hoping that was my down year. Just kind of growing. First year of marriage. Just learning a lot, yeah. I don't blame it on that -- definitely not. My husband was not out here last year which was an adjustment for me, and he is this year. So just human, I guess. Got a human year in there.

WENDY WARD: I had graduated, but it was a fantastic game; I'll give you that. That's got to be one of the great games. I finished up at ASU in '95.

WENDY WARD: Definitely. That's what I've come here to do. Staying relaxed -- we haven't played a 72-hole event in a number of weeks. So there's 54 holes left of golf, and that's a lot. A lot of birdies.

WENDY WARD: Yeah, I had to drive back up on 17 today. And I'm using the red Callaway ball which is supposed to run a little further. Yeah, I was looking at a few of the holes -- just depends. There's a few of them that played shorter today because the wind was different than last year. But very few of them are playing shorter.

WENDY WARD: Annika was 19-under last year?

WENDY WARD: So it dropped off. I would say it would take 12(-under) to win.