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SPRINT TITLEHOLDERS CHAMPIONSHIP


May 1, 1997


Lisa Hackney


DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA

LISA HACKNEY: No. 5, hit a 4-wood to the first two putts in for birdie.

KERRY FELLENZ: How far was first the putt?

LISA HACKNEY: 18 paces back or something. Just rolled on the top. Tapped it in for birdie. And then, Number 7, I made bogey. Actually hit a good shot just in the divot. Hit it into the bunker pretty good. Shot out of the bunker from about 5 foot, but missed that. Number 8: Hit an 8-iron to about 20 foot past the pin. Rolled that one in. Number 10: Hit A sand wedge to about 4 foot. Number 13: Par 5, hit wedge to about 6 foot. 16: Hit 3-wood off the tee, 6-iron to about 15-foot. 18: Hit 4-wood second shot to about eight foot. Just missed the putt for the eagle and tapped it in for birdie.

Q. How many woods did you use?

LISA HACKNEY: 3.

Q. How far in did you have at 18?

LISA HACKNEY: I had 198 to the pin. 183 to the front.

Q. Talk a little bit, I guess, about joining the Tour this year. And, I mean, given your experience, do you really not feel like a rookie out here?

LISA HACKNEY: Yeah, no, that is true. Obviously, having played in Europe, for five years, so I have that experience of playing like on the Tour type of lifestyle. Then I think also the last couple of years the successes I have had in Europe as far as playing the Solheim Cup and winning the tournaments in Europe, I think that has helped me to feel I can come out here and play well from the start. It is like I have done my learning time elsewhere and ready to play from the start over here.

Q. Did the Solheim Cup help make that decision easier.

LISA HACKNEY: The decision?

Q. To come here.

LISA HACKNEY: I have been to the Q-School a few times, so it was always ultimately to play over here. I think it, perhaps, helped me get through Q-School.

Q. How many times did you come over to the Q-School?

LISA HACKNEY: Five.

Q. How tough was that, you know, want to go play over here and --

LISA HACKNEY: I mean, personally, I find Q-School difficult. Obviously I think having gone five times, each time you miss it, the next time comes -- I think, obviously, if you breath through the first time, you think, "Oh, it is not that difficult. What are they all worried about"? But, you know, I have always tended not to play my best or things would happen. But perhaps, with hindsight, my game wasn't ready at that stage. And I think, you know, perhaps did me a favor as far as being able to achieve some success in Europe and feel ready to compete when I did get out here rather than sort of struggle, you know, miss cuts or not make the money. And so, hindsight, maybe things happen for a reason. But, easy to say afterwards. At the time I didn't feel like that.

Q. Did you play real well here last Q-School? Play well during --

LISA HACKNEY: I played better today. I don't know. I mean, this is obviously a big tournament, but, you know, I enjoy playing today a lot more than any of the days at Q-School. Seems a lot easier even though there is obviously a pressure as far as a big tournament. But, from my point of view, I'd rather play last round in a major than fourth round in Q-School. But I think I am a better player than I was then anyway, so.....

Q. How much will you be playing here this year?

LISA HACKNEY: Well, I am playing - I plan to play maybe half dozen back in Europe. And so that could be - equal out to be maybe about 20 over here. Something like that. Maybe a bit more. I started here as a conditional player. I wasn't sure as to how many I would get to this year. But I happened to get more than I thought. So maybe I would end up playing 23, 25. I am not sure.

Q. Establish a living base over here?

LISA HACKNEY: Yeah, my boyfriend and I live in Stuart just couple hours from here. And I have spent winters over here. So playing in Europe in summer. Then spend winters here. Better weather over here than in England.

Q. Seems like more and more of the European Tour players are coming to the LPGA to play. I mean, is that a good thing for the LPGA and perhaps a bad thing for the European Tour?

LISA HACKNEY: I think it is a good thing for the LPGA. But, I think Laura and Trish a lot of the other players are going back to Europe. I am sure it does make it somewhat difficult for tournaments week-in and week-out, because so many players are here, but there are also lots of good players coming through in Europe as well. And I think, you know, a lot of the European players have still been willing to go over and support a number of the tournaments there.

Q. Pretty tough to do though, isn't it? I mean, not everybody is Laura Davies and can be transatlantic as often as she is. It is expensive, right?

LISA HACKNEY: Well, yeah, but if you are making points -- but I think it is more the time and the travel rather than the finance of it. I suppose it comes down to each individual. Somebody like I think Annika Sorenstan says she feels happy playing over here and perhaps only play 1, 2, 3 in Europe; whereas, Laura is, you know, is able to do the travelling and she is willing to do that so she plays more.

Q. What is the biggest transition for you coming over here to play? It is the golf or off the course?

LISA HACKNEY: I wouldn't say so much the golf. I think it would be more a question of scheduling. Over here you have the option to play every week for six months or seven months. Whereas, in Europe, since I have been there, it has been okay. There is a tournament this week. Okay, you play, because there could be a couple of weeks without one. So you have to play all of them. Whereas, I think, here, it is going to be a question -- I have played in Asia and played five in a row, three-round tournaments, but I have never played anymore than say 5 in a row. So I have got to decide what works best for me in that respect as to how many I play and not to play - realizing I have got to take sometime off at some points.

Q. Who are the people that you are close to?

LISA HACKNEY: Good friends with Laura, Trish, Dobo, Mardi.

Q. Who did you play in Solheim?

LISA HACKNEY: Four-ball with Laura, yeah.

Q. Does she just amaze you in what she does; how she trots all over the globe?

LISA HACKNEY: Yeah. I mean, I don't think -- I don't know any other player what would be willing -- who might be able to do that. I think she goes to Japan next week then back, but I know a lot of the other Americans but spending time over here anyway, tend to be European.

Q. Are you surprised as to what you did? Had you been playing well coming in this week?

LISA HACKNEY: Yeah, I have been playing well. I played well at Dinah Shore. That was a few weeks ago. Myrtle Beach I played well. But, yeah, I have been playing well. I have struggled with my putting a little bit. And like today, I mean, I could have made more today, but I mean, at least I made some. Obviously you could make some. From day to day you never know, I mean you could be playing well and then suddenly next day it can be horrible, but I have been fairly happy with how I have been playing.

Q. This style of golf course is completely opposite of probably what you are used to playing in?

LISA HACKNEY: I'd say not really. I mean, perhaps the mounding that they do along the fairways, I don't know, that is supposed to be of a Links-type, but not even very close --

End of FastScripts....

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