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SEMGROUP CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY JOHN Q. HAMMONS

May 6, 2007

Juli Inkster

BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA

MIKE SCANLAN: Can you talk about the day?
JULI INKSTER: Basically, you know, I played pretty good all day today. I didn't really hit the ball as well as I had been hitting it, but, you know, I felt pretty relaxed and got off to a good start. I seemed to play the front better this week than I've played the back. You know, 17 kind of hurt me. I was right in the middle of the fairway and only had 8-iron and kind of hooked it a little bit and didn't get it up-and-down.
But I came back and made a good birdie on 18.
Then the playoff, I had ten more yards than I had in regulation and I hit 7-iron in regulation, so I decided to hit a little 6-iron. I don't know if it was adrenaline or what but I just hit it too far and didn't get it up-and-down. Kind of disappointing. But, you know, I played well all week. Felt like there was some good things going on out there.
MIKE SCANLAN: Let's go through your score card.
JULI INKSTER: On 1, I hit sand wedge about is a feet and made that for birdie.
2, I hit a little six about six feet and made that for birdie.
I hit 8-iron on 6 about 12 feet and made that for birdie.
Bogey on 14. I hit it left and then I hit it right and then I hit it left in the bunker. Then I hit out and missed about a 5-footer for par.
Then 17, I told you I hit 8-iron and missed it.
18, I hit 7-iron about 12 feet and made that for birdie.

Q. And the chip-in?
JULI INKSTER: I had a great chip-in for par on No. 4. I hit it right and then I tried to hit it out and hit a tree, knock-down and hit it just short of the green and chipped it in for just a ho-hum par. That kind of kept my round going.

Q. Does it help, you came to 18 and knew what you had to do? She had got to a two-shot lead at one point. Did you know that?
JULI INKSTER: I didn't know that. I thought she was at 3 and I thought I had to birdie to have a chance.
You know, and then I made birdie and I looked up and I saw she was at 4. But you know, just waiting around and just tried to relax and just didn't hit a very good iron shot.

Q. On 18 the playoff, the par putt --
JULI INKSTER: I played it straight but I think I just pushed it a little bit and got it off-line.

Q. How far did you have in?
JULI INKSTER: I had 167 in -- 165. I tried to hit it -- I was 157 in regulation and I hit just a little 7 and it was perfect, so I tried to just hit a little 6. I kind of got going a little bit left and the wind took it. And got a little bit of adrenaline it just went over and I had a mushy lie over there, so I wanted to make sure I got it going. I've been putting good, just felt like if I could get it within my reach, I could make it but it didn't happen.

Q. This tournament has produced quality golf and good champions since the tournament has come here and this is no exception.
JULI INKSTER: I feel bad, I wish I would have won, but it is, it's a good golf course. You've got to drive the ball well. I think this golf course plays tougher when it's running, when it's going fast, you know, because everything kind of slopes one way and the hole is going the other way. I take it with it playing wet and soggy, it played easier than it would if it was running fast. It's a tough golf course. It's not like once you get on the greens, those are easy.
You know, and then you throw the wind in there, it seems like it's always swirling. It's a good -- you have to think yourself around this golf course, and it's kind of like an Open golf course. Par is your friend and if you make a lot of pars, and when you can feel like you can be aggressive you go for a birdie. You just try to take as many pars as you can get and sprinkle a few birdies in there and you've had a good round.

Q. How satisfying is it at this point in your career you can still play this well on a very tough course?
JULI INKSTER: You know what, I haven't really played great this year. I played good in Orlando and I've been struggling with my putting and struggling a little bit with my swing. I just feel like I'm doing a lot of good things right now, and I'm hitting the ball a lot better and I'm putting a lot better.
So, you know, this will boost my confidence. I'm going to play the next two weeks and see how that goes.

Q. Does the course play longer with it being soggy?
JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah, it definitely played longer but I don't mind that that much.

Q. Was lift, clean and place necessary today?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, the fairways are kind of rough out there. Yeah, they had a lot of -- there's a lot of divots and a lot of sod. You know, I think they made the right call.

Q. It was kind of a strange day from the standpoint that all of the leaders shifted in reverse and the people came up?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, it's hard trying to win your first tournament, especially on a golf course like this where it's really tight and narrow and it's just, you know, it just takes a little bit to get off. You know, you've got a lot of young girls trying to win their first tournament.
They will learn from this experience. You can't really tell anybody how to react until they are in it and you have to kind of learn how to play and play with a lead or play tied for the lead. It's almost easier like I just knew if I could get off to a good start, I'd have a good shot and I was fortunate enough to do that.

Q. Did you see Kim's last putt that she missed to force the playoff?
JULI INKSTER: I watched the replay. Because it went off the air and I was watching it and all of a sudden it went off the air.

Q. Was your putt in any way similar to hers?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, well, I think she put a better stroke on it than I did.
Kimmy is a phenomenal putter. She's probably the best putter I've ever seen. I just thought on 18 it was in. It looked like she hit a pretty good putt.

Q. How far was your putt?
JULI INKSTER: Six feet, two steps.
MIKE SCANLAN: Thanks a lot.

End of FastScripts

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