U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2005

Morgan Pressel

Q. Off to a great start. How do you feel about the momentum you had going?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I was playing really well on the front nine, striking the ball real solidly, got a few lucky breaks and drained some good putts. They were eight, nine feet, which is pretty tough distance on a course like this, where the holes are on sides of mountains, and then I just let it get away from myself a little bit.

Q. (Inaudible).

MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know how it happened. Just probably pressed a little too hard, didn't stay very patient out there, which is something that I need to do as I continue through the week.

Q. Did you get too excited, you think?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know if I got too excited because -- I don't know, I just -- I guess I got a little ahead of myself, just kept pushing a little too hard.

Q. Let's go over your card, No. 10, birdie, what did you hit?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I hit an easy 8-iron into the green. It was about 120 feet.

Q. 11, birdie.

MORGAN PRESSEL: I hit a 3-wood to the green because it was a par 5, and it was just on the front edge and the pin was all the way back. And then putted it about ten feet by and made the scariest downhill putt I have ever had in my life.

Q. 13, birdie.

MORGAN PRESSEL: I hit gap-wedge, easy gap-wedge, into the green about five, six feet.

Q. 14, birdie.

MORGAN PRESSEL: I hit -- I got lucky just not in the rough on the left, on my drive, and then hit a 5-iron into the green to about a foot.

Q. 17, birdie.

MORGAN PRESSEL: 17, I hit an easy lob wedge 60 degrees into about five feet.

Q. Must have been flying really high at that point?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I was putting real well. Felt whatever I hit was going to go in and, I mean, just everything was right in the line with the pin.

Q. 18, you missed the green but most people do.

MORGAN PRESSEL: I was just long, left with an 11-wood and I just caught the a little bit of fringe on my chip. So it left it about seven feet short and I thought I made that putt, but it just snuck away from me downhill, sliding putt.

Q. Front nine, parred the first three holes. Bogey No. 4.

MORGAN PRESSEL: I hit a miserable drive left into the rough. When you are in the rough on this course you just have to chip out.

Q. Missed the fairways on the 5th hole.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yes, in the rough had to lay up short of that creek, and I was in fine position but I hit another miserable 11-wood and that's usually my best club, and I hit three terrible ones today, so just way left of the green and left myself with about a six-foot putt that broke about two feet.

Q. 7, birdie.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, 6, I just missed a 5-footer that I thought I made.

Then 7, I made a 5 foot putt. 9-iron.

Q. 8, double.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Another 11-wood off probably as far close to the hole as I could hit a shot, and short of the green, short of the bunker in a miserable lie, one foot in the bunker. Just tried to chip it out, get it on the green, rolled a little long and probably forced a little bit on the putt. It was about 15 feet, went by about 10.

Q. 9.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Missed the fairway again. Then chipped out with only a 9-iron and then lob wedge and missed the putt 15 feet.

Q. Did you take any emotion from 8 into the tee shot on 9? I mean, emotion is a big part of your game, does it work both ways for you?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I was probably getting little ahead of myself pushing a little too hard to come back. I don't know. You can't be happy after making a double, but I concentrated 100% on that shot to hitting it on the fairway.

Q. When you go home tonight are you upset because you had it to 5 or are you okay to be tied with Sorenstam?

MORGAN PRESSEL: A little of both. I am a little upset because I had it going so well, then it just entirely fell apart on me.

Q. What was it like to be 5-under at one point in the U.S. Open, 17 years old?

MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, it was real exciting. It was great because there are great fans here.

Q. Have you ever had a better round in an important event, which was such a roller coaster ride like this one was today?

MORGAN PRESSEL: I can't pinpoint it but I am sure I have. It happens to you. You get it going real well, then all of a sudden it's just gone like that (snaps fingers).

Q. (Inaudible)?

MORGAN PRESSEL: It would have been nice to stay up, but yeah, I mean, I don't know, I play with a lot of emotion and sometimes it helps me; sometimes like today it might have hurt me a little bit.

Q. That was a really great round, tied Sorenstam and played very well.

MORGAN PRESSEL: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.