WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 1, 2003

Heather Bowie

NEAL REID: Why don't you talk about your round and what was working for you.

HEATHER BOWIE: Yeah, I just kept it in play. I hit a poor tee shot on 13 and was able to scramble for par. I hit good tee shots, with the exception of that one, so it set me up for a good opportunity on each hole.

NEAL REID: Sounds like the premium is placement off the tee and course management this week.

HEATHER BOWIE: It is. I've hit two lay-up shots on par 5s with 9-irons just because you can't try to do too much. You just have to keep it in the fairway and try to make some putts.

NEAL REID: How are you putting it?

HEATHER BOWIE: Quite well. Better than I usually do. Better than I usually do.

NEAL REID: What do you think you have to do on the weekend to hold on?

HEATHER BOWIE: Keep playing like I am, I guess. I'm trying to pick conservative targets and swing aggressively. Trying to respect the golf course but not be afraid. It's a fine line that you have to walk. If I can continue to walk it, I should be okay.

Q. You had a pretty good round at Turnberry on Friday last year.

HEATHER BOWIE: I did. Prior to today, I would say that was probably my best competitive round, and this one was just as good. I don't know what it is about Friday here at the British, but the previous two years, I've played very poorly so I didn't have very high expectations last year or this year.

So just trying to go out and play conservatively, but not too conservatively.

NEAL REID: You've had a pretty good season so far, three Top-10s and a tie for second. Do you feel pretty confident coming into this week?

HEATHER BOWIE: Well, I'm happy with my year thus far. I do feel at the beginning of each week that I have a chance.

And I went and saw my teacher two weeks ago, and practiced specifically for this event. So I'm glad it's paid off to this point.

NEAL REID: What did you do as far as that practice?

HEATHER BOWIE: He's on Long Island at a links course. It was right on the sound. It's very windy there. There's no sprinkler heads. You just have to go out there and feel the shots. That's what I did for three days prior to coming over here. So, that was the difference this year from last.

Q. What's the name?

HEATHER BOWIE: Friar's Head.

NEAL REID: What's the name of your coach?

HEATHER BOWIE: Michael hunt.

Q. Do you like links golf?

HEATHER BOWIE: I do like links golf. That's the biggest challenge to play, to see if we can handle the challenge. It's difficult, but it's very fun. And when you play a good round, it's very rewarding.

Q. When you were practicing, were you playing knock-down shots and half-shots?

HEATHER BOWIE: I did. I hit a lot of shots from 40 to 190 yards and I wouldn't let myself hit a sand wedge, because in America that's what we go to. We hit a lot of sand wedges and fly to the hole. I hit a lot of shots with a pitching wedge that I would usually hit with a sand wedge or a gap wedge. I've hit my 52-degree wedge a lot this week, a lot more than usual.

Q. The wind was not quite blowing as much today as yesterday, was it?

HEATHER BOWIE: No. It's definitely perfect out there right now, and there's a lot of shots that are either into the wind or downwind. Yesterday we had more crosswinds, which I find a little more difficult. It's out there right now. I know Lorena shot 65, I saw that coming in. I won't be surprised if that there's a lot more out there.

Q. Do you have any British relations?

HEATHER BOWIE: I think I do. I think I'm Scottish. My father's side of the family is Scottish and my mother's is Sicilian. Quite a mix.

Q. Do you know where from in Scotland?

HEATHER BOWIE: I don't. I could probably find out because my grandmother has probably done a genealogy but I don't know. I think Bowie was the American pronunciation, because I'm told that I say it incorrectly.

Q. Have you ever listened to David Bowie songs?

HEATHER BOWIE: Sort of. I live in Texas, so I listen to a lot of country music.

Q. What's your favorite David Bowie song?

HEATHER BOWIE: Clearly I'm not a big fan. I don't know.

Q. Since you live in Texas, why were you playing at Friar's Head?

HEATHER BOWIE: That's where my coach is in the summer, so I just went up there for the week.

Q. When was this?

HEATHER BOWIE: The week before Evian. Two weeks ago, I took the week off and went up there and spent it with him.

Q. It was windy?

HEATHER BOWIE: It was very windy, and it rained. I played in a turtleneck in a rain suit, so it was definitely good preparation.

Q. It's quite windy in Texas too, isn't it?

HEATHER BOWIE: It is, it's quite windy there, but I guess you don't have to be so precise. So there's more room for error, or since there is say lot of wind. Here, you can hit a shot down the fairway and it could end up in the bunker. And there if it's in the bunker, it's pretty flat and you have a shot out; whereas, that's not the case here.

Q. Were you in bunkers today?

HEATHER BOWIE: Twice. 13 off the tee, and I just wedged out and got up-and-down from I think 88 yards.

And then I was in the bunker on 17, which really I thought was my best tee ball of the day and I ended up in the bunker on the left. It was right in the middle of the bunker. It didn't have a face, so I was able to hit a 6-iron.

Q. What about yesterday?

HEATHER BOWIE: Yes, quite a few. I know I was in one off the tee on 14. I've been in more green-side. And I was in one on 17 yesterday, as well and had to just punch out of that one.

Q. Are you laying up on the par 5s?

HEATHER BOWIE: It all just depends what the golf course gives me. Today I almost laid up on 6, and I ended up -- I was just like, you know what it's downwind, I'm just going to take my chances and it worked out.

But I'm not going to force anything. If I have to lay up with a 9-iron on the weekend, I will. Pars and bogeys won't hurt you. You just have to stay away from the others.

Q. Is that respect for the course?

HEATHER BOWIE: That's respect for the course, yeah.

Q. You got a taste for this event last year, didn't you?

HEATHER BOWIE: Yes, I played great on Friday, but then didn't play too well on the weekend. I don't remember what I did. I just know I played early on Saturday and Sunday. This is by far the best position I've ever been in.

NEAL REID: Let's go over your birdies.

HEATHER BOWIE: I birdied 1. I hit a 3-iron, I was on the front of green, from about 30 feet and made it.

Birdied 4. I hit a 7-iron to about 20 feet.

6 was the par 5 where I got up-and-down. I was on the back fringe in two. Chipped to three feet.

8, I hit a wedge to four feet. Made birdie.

10, I hit a wedge to about 10 feet.

17, I hit the 6-iron out of the bunker to probably 35 feet, 3 0 feet.

NEAL REID: What did you hit off the tee on 6?

HEATHER BOWIE: Driver, 5-wood.

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