ASAHI RYOKUKEN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

May 16, 2002

Laura Davies

LAURA DAVIES: Starting on 10, where I started, I hit a driver, and it just ran through the fairway, and hit it on about three feet and made the putt.

The 11th hole, hit a really nice 7-iron. And the greens were really firm today, but I hit a good shot and it ran about 25 feet past the pin, which is a decent shot for that particular green and made a good putt there.

Then the 16th, hit a good drive, had like 218 to the pin, but it was uphill into the wind and hit a 3-iron, just managed to get it to the front edge and had about an 80-foot impossible snaking putt and knocked it in. Enjoyed that one. That was fun.

Then 3-putted No. 17. I didn't have a good tee shot in the fairway bunker. Hit an 8-iron to about 40 feet and left the first putt, a decent first putt about three, three and a half, four feet away, but pushed the second putt, so bogeyed there.

Another 3-putt on No. 2. Hit a 2-iron off the tee, and a 7-iron, pulled a 7-iron. It was a terrible shot and probably about 50 feet from the pin and 3-putt, left the first one a good 18 feet short. So these greens, they're on the wrong side.

5, I hit a 2-iron off the tee and a wedge to about 15 feet and holed the putt.

Then a birdie on the 7th, hit a wedge to about probably 10 feet just below the pin, and made that.

On No. 9, hit a driver off the tee and a 4-iron to about 35 feet for eagle.

LAURA NEAL: You have to be pleased with that round looking at the other scores.

LAURA DAVIES: Yes, you can see that people are 1- and 2-under, which is unusual. If you're not 5-under day 1, you're out of the top 10. So it's understandable because these greens are very demanding. You hear that they're hard, and hitting into them is the hardest thing. You can't fire at the pin.

Q. Is looked like on your back 9 you didn't use driver very much. Was that because of this course or you feel more comfortable?

LAURA DAVIES: No, I'm starting to use my driver with a lot more confidence now, so it's just the way the course sets up. The only place is to hit it on the back nine, it's a big lay up there. I'm hitting it way back to where I can drive it to.

The other par-5, you have to hit driver to get it up. The other holes, 8-iron, 3-iron, you're not leaving yourself a lot in.

Q. You didn't play here last year. You withdrew because of 9-11. But what did you hear about the course from the other women?

LAURA DAVIES: I heard it was very hilly. After they got over the shock of how hilly it was, they said what a great course it was. A lot of my friends thought it would suit my game because of the doglegs. I hit my driver and irons off the tee left-to-right, so I had a lot of positive thoughts. Everyone seemed to love the place.

When I played yesterday in the Pro-Am -- the thing is although -- I'm not saying it's wide open, because it's not. There's no out of bounds. There's very little water. I can stand up with confidence. And if I hit it in the trees, you can find it and get it out, whereas golf courses that are tight, I struggle on mentally. Although I'm not a wild hitter, really, but the wide courses get to me.

Q. It seems like some of the women got it under par, they couldn't keep it going. You kept it going. Do you think that fatigue might have a factor?

LAURA DAVIES: No, I think the greens wear you down, they really do, because of the positioning of your ball off the tee, and not particularly hard. And you've got to be in the right half of the fairways, but they are generous fairways. But it's on the greens, and there's only so many times you can have six breaks in so many putts. You're not going to hit it to ten feet all day.

I hit 17 greens. The only green I missed was No. 8 where I just rolled through the back. But you're not in birdie position every time you hit greens. Some courses you play, you hit a green and you've got a chance because they're so small.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LAURA DAVIES: Missed a couple, but barely. Maybe a yard off is the most I missed the fairway. I missed one in the bunker on 17.

Q. You were saying how a lot of tournaments 5-under and you're barely in the top 10. Is this 5-under by you today, is this a lot better than the 5-under would indicate?

LAURA DAVIES: I think just purely looking at the rest of the scores, you'd have to say that that is a good 5-under. I know I played really well today, and like I said, normally you shoot 5-under, it's okay. But now this is actually a very good start to the tournament. I haven't seen some of the higher scores, but there are a lot of players that played their way out of this tournament already.

Q. How great was it to have that putt roll in on 16? If it doesn't go in, you're looking at par or --?

LAURA DAVIES: It's one of those putts that you just -- I actually putted -- last three weeks I slightly changed my putting style. I've been watching a lot of the men's golf. I tried to change my style to set up differently. In Atlanta I putted really well. I have holed a few really long putts. When it went in, it was a nice surprise. It literally had probably 8 feet of break on it. And the hardest part to hit is when they're uphill and directly downhill. And that's exactly what it was. It's a bit of a fluke, really.

Q. Laura, Japan to South Carolina, that's a pretty long trip. Any exhaustion or getting yourself back together.

LAURA DAVIES: I would say you've got to wake up somewhere so it doesn't really matter. I have to go to Japan twice a year. And it's unfortunate that I missed the tournament in Nashville. I've never played there, but it's a golf course that I understand would set up well for me. Hopefully one day I'll get there.

Q. Olazabal's putting style, what is it like?

LAURA DAVIES: It's more open than I was. My hands are much higher. I have been putting okay, but I've been watching him week after week putting fantastic. I was on the putting green in Atlanta and Terry and I were out there just working on a couple of left-to-rights. And I was knocking them in endlessly. And it seemed that from the left-to-righters, it's easier when you start open to hole them. And it's been working for all of them. That's the dramatic difference, the hands are lower and the stance is slightly open.

Q. Is it in the middle of the tournament or --?

LAURA DAVIES: We got there Tuesday for a bit of practice and messed around. It's something I thought I'd try. I haven't been putting badly, so I think I was second in putting last year. But you can always get better.

Q. On No. 6, you had a pretty standard second shot in there.

LAURA DAVIES: That was a bad shot. We were right between clubs. The one we hit was the one Terry wanted to hit. I wanted an easy 5-iron and we decided to go with the big 6 and I just came off of it. It was the worst shot I hit all day, and it was a shame because that's the easiest hole.

Q. What's your reaction when they call you the John Daly of women's golf? Is that a compliment?

LAURA DAVIES: Oh, yeah, I get along really well with John. We played quite a few times, in the J.C. Penney. I've seen him quite a few times at events. I get along well with him. And he's fun to watch. Maybe that's why people compare us because we're fun to watch. You can't smile when you're playing badly, that would be unrealistic.

Q. How often do you wear the black? Every time I see you on TV, I see you in black.

LAURA DAVIES: I have about 30 pairs of black shorts. I have different colored tops. I've always worn black shorts. I don't know if it's a lucky thing. If I wear different color shorts, I feel uncomfortable on the course. I have managed to break out a few different colors for shirts.

Q. How long has that been going on?

LAURA DAVIES: A long time. I've always -- I've always bought black. My wardrobe, if you look in it, it's grim, Grim Reaper.

LAURA NEAL: Thank you very much.

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