PAGENET CHAMPIONSHIP

November 14, 1999

Karrie Webb

KARRIE WEBB: Obviously, I came into this week, and I knew what was -- what was up for grabs. I knew I had to have a decent week to win the Vare Trophy, and I had to have a really good week to win Player of the Year. I was pretty nervous out there today, I tell you. And you know, Juli and I both played like we were pretty nervous, I think for the first few holes, and we started to get a couple birdies going and that calmed me down. And I probably hit it the best today that I hit it all week. But as far as how the year has gone, you know, it's definitely been a year -- a year to remember, for sure, and you don't know how many of these years come by. It might only be one; there could be more down the road for me. But 69.43, I haven't had too many days where I've had to struggle too much, which, you know, is something that, you know, I've worked hard to achieve. But it also makes things a little easier throughout the year when you get those birdies rolling and you see the putts going in. But, you know, even though I had it in my sight, it's going to take me a little while to really appreciate what I've done this year. It might not even really sink in until a few years down the track, but it has been just definitely a year that I'll always remember. When I won du Maurier; was definitely very special for me. I just hope there is more years like this to come, because there's not much more of a better feeling than being named the best -- best Player of the Year and to set a scoring record like I did.

KARRIE WEBB: I was telling someone that Se Ri had four wins this year, and three of them I finished second, two playoffs, and finished second to her at Samsung. She's got my number right now. But I've got to get myself up and play Wendy's the next two days, which I know is going to be a little difficult because right now, I'm just pretty mentally drained. But actually, I was pretty happy with the way I handled things today because I tried -- it was probably a good thing that I was in contention to win the tournament and not having to try and finish a certain place to win it. You know, that helped me out a lot, the fact that earlier I got close to the lead, and even led for a little bit. It helped me out that I could just think about that.

KARRIE WEBB: Definitely. I think that any time you break a record set by previous players -- you know, I've always said that records are made to be broken. But it's going to be definitely interesting to see how long this one lasts. I've said that I might not even -- I might never break my own scoring average. So right now, this could be the lowest it ever gets, but I could break it myself. But I think as much as I wanted to set a low scoring average, I really wanted to win Player of the Year, as well. But I also feel that winning Player of the Year, and there's always only one winner, but I really think that if we could, Juli and I really deserve to win it together because the year that she's had, I mean , I've never seen anything like this it. She wins the U.S. Open and she goes to McDonald's and all they are talking about she win's this week, she wins the Grand Slam; she does it the first try, which is unbelievable. And she has to win one more tournament to get into the Hall of Fame, and the very next time she gets into a decent chance to win, she does it. That was probably what was in the back of my mind today, because she knew she had to win today, and I knew she could do it. I just needed to concentrate on trying to win the tournament myself, and, you know, just the way things turned out is obviously the way it's meant to be. But I really think that it's hard to say that one person this year was Player of the Year because I think there was two.

KARRIE WEBB: Not really. I mean, that's just a really hard question to answer because, you know, Tiger has had a phenomenal year. He's won eight times, including a major, and I don't think that's including international tournaments. I don't think that -- I think it's hard that -- I think what needs to happen is that we just stop comparing the two TOURs. Because we don't ever play -- we play against each other once a year at the Wendy's 3 TOUR Challenge. I think we all have different aspects of each TOUR that are good, and we have great players on both tours. And I don't think that you can really compare a man and a woman. It just -- we weren't made to be the same. We're just not. But we all get the job done the same way.

KARRIE WEBB: I think this year she's just grown up a little bit. I think last year, I think -- not that she didn't know how to win, but her first two wins on the LPGA were majors. And sometimes I think that she might not -- they are important to her, but maybe not as -- growing up in Korea, didn't really know how hard those tournaments are to win. And I think winning four times this year, she learned last year how to win. And this year she did it because she's -- I mean, she's as good as she was last year, if not better. She's grown up to the fact that she -- I think she plays her own game more. I think she doesn't really on Tree as much anymore. I think she does a lot more of her own thing out there.

KARRIE WEBB: No, I didn't have a bad lie; I didn't have a great yardage, and I had a yardage that I had to hit a decent 9-iron, and I needed to get all of it get it there and just caught it a little thin.

KARRIE WEBB: Well, I had a pretty good putt, a chance at it on 16, too. Just totally misread it, I guess. I thought it was just inside right, and it went to the right. So it wasn't -- wasn't a good read there. And same with the next hole. I hit a poor tee shot, but hit a great 9-iron out of the fairway trap to about 10 feet. Again, just read it to left-center, and it probably was a left-edge putt. You know, at that time of the day, it is hard, I think, to read the greens because there's either shadows on the greens, or the sun is at such an angle that it's like the greens are really glary. I found that every day coming in; that I was misreading a lot of putts. But I'm glad I gave myself a chance on last two to actually get into the playoffs.

KARRIE WEBB: 5, I hit wedge to about 20 feet and made that. 7, I hit an 8-iron to about five feet. 8, I hit a wedge to 10 feet. 13, I missed the fairway left in the fairway trap and missed the green left, just over the fairway trap, and I actually couldn't believe my luck there. I was in three divots, right on the edge of the bunker, which I don't know how anyone was ever there before. Just got it on the green and missed the par putt, about 15 feet. 15, I actually hit the fairway there today and hit 5-wood on the green, and 2-putted from 20 feet. And 18, I hit wedge to five feet.

KARRIE WEBB: That was exactly the same putt I had, and I knew it was a right-center, right putt. She would have had to hit a pretty bad putt to miss it, I think.

KARRIE WEBB: It was about 20 feet, maybe longer.

KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, obviously, with the year that I've had, I am the best player out here, by the way that points and stuff go. But, you know, I never really think that going into a tournament, just because, you know, the year that I'm having, that I am the best and no one can beat me because I think that's just not the right attitude to have. I think, you know, there's too many good players out here for me to start thinking like that, and I've never thought like that before. You know, hopefully I can ride this wave of good golf for as long as I can, because it has been incredible. There's definitely going to be a time where it's a down; I know that for sure. But I'm just going to enjoy it while it lasts. Obviously, when I'm playing well, I know that I can beat anyone if my game is on. You know, that makes things a lot easier when you're out there in the heat of the battle, because I've done it, and I know I can do. It's that belief that I have in myself. It's not something that keeps getting -- has grown a lot in four years.

KARRIE WEBB: I don't think so. I think I've just been myself, and maybe I feel that I might have opened up a little more to the media. But I think the media has asked me more questions that I can answer so they can get to know me as well; it's a two-way street there. I'm not giving the information because it's not being asked of me. And to a certain degree, I'll answer most questions. You know, I think it's pretty hard to criticize someone who comes over here, anyone that comes on TOUR at 21, and does what I do, and then on top of trying to come to grips with the attention of playing so well, to think that they are just going to waltz in here and be everyone's dream person that talks to the media and is outgoing. Sure, that happened with Nancy Lopez. It happens with a few of the girls out here, but it's hard. It's a learning process to talk to the media and know the things to say and how to say it and to talk to different people every week. You know, I don't feel like I'm a shy person, but I tend to be shy to people I've never spoken to before. I think every time I come into the Media Center, I think I get more and more relaxed with the role that I have sitting up here.

KARRIE WEBB: Yeah.

KARRIE WEBB: She hit an iron.

KARRIE WEBB: You might have to ask her that question, because I was just worried about where I was hitting mine.

KARRIE WEBB: I think I've had quite a bit of experience, and I can tell you right now that golf is always going to be No. 1. How I play on the golf course is the most important thing to me. Sure, I know there's going to be requests of my time, and I'm gladly going to give it to people, if I also can feel like I'm prepared to play golf tournaments. If I feel like my time is too precious at that certain moment when I'm requested to do something, golf is No. 1, I will always stick to that, because you won't want to talk to me if I'm not playing well. So to me, I play well, then we work together. And I will try to fit in as many requests that I'm asked of, because I feel that that that's good not just for myself, but for the LPGA. And I understand that's something -- that's one of my duties as being one of the top players on TOUR.

KARRIE WEBB: I think it's too early for that. I don't have much of an off-season, but I hope that I can continue to play the golf that I've played this year. It's certainly going to be very hard to top this year, but hopefully I can give myself a few chances next year to win some tournaments. Now that I've won one major, now I can have some more good showings in the major next year.

KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I played in the Wendy's two years ago and Jack played, and that definitely was a treat to actually be in that -- in the same field playing against Jack. You know, it's courses that he's designed. You know, just at the players meeting, sitting there with Jack Nicklaus, and he's one of the people that you're playing against. I didn't get the chance to play with Jack, and I don't get a chance to play with him this year, unfortunately, but I definitely have high respect for Jack Nicklaus. He definitely is probably the best player who ever lived, and some day, I hope that I'll get to play with him.

KARRIE WEBB: I have Wendy's and I'm playing Diners Club in December.

KARRIE WEBB: I'm staying over here for Christmas. My family is coming over on the 2nd of January. As much as I would love to spend Christmas with them, I just thought I'd stay over here and hopefully have a white Christmas. First time I've ever spent a white Christmas out of my hometown and away from my family. It's going to be a different Christmas for me, but hopefully, it will be a good one. I have my mom and dad and my two sisters and my mom's parents and my mom's sister and her husband and three kids coming. We'll probably just say the 4th or 5th of January is Christmas Day and spend the day like we would if it actually was Christmas.

KARRIE WEBB: I think my mom and dad are playing. My sister backed out on that and I have another friend from Oakley playing with me.

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