U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 3, 1999

Juli Inkster

JULI INKSTER: Basically, I played very consistent. I didn't make a bogey today. I drove the ball extremely well. Front side, I scored good. I didn't hit my irons as well as I have been. On the back side, I hit my irons very well coming in. I think the key to my round today was definitely my driving of the ball and my putting, my long putts and my birdie putts. The speed was very good today; and so I mean, I birdied the last two holes, and I'm right where I want to be.

JULI INKSTER: I think the greens are holding extremely well. I think that's one reason why. I think the par 5s, you know you can birdie out here. I think that's where you have to take advantage of the golf course. Greens are rolling very true. Not a lot of undulation. They are rolling pretty sure. It's in excellent shape. I think all of those combinations together -- I don't think the winds blew as much as it usually does out here. I think that makes for good scoring.

JULI INKSTER: After playing the course for a couple days, I knew under par would definitely win this golf tournament. If you told me I'd shoot 7-under and be one shot back, I'd probably question you. But there's a lot of good golfers out there, and there's a lot of good golfers that are two, three, four under par or even par, and post a number like I did today or Kelli did. We're a long way from the finish. I like the way I'm playing. I like my attitude out there. I'm looking forward to the next three days.

JULI INKSTER: Well, it's hot out there, and you know, we had a delay out there. We were all three of us were searching for the shade. But I think the ball carries farther. Seem to be hitting a little farther with the humidity and the heat. But I would much rather play in this weather than play in cold weather. So I think it's fine.

JULI INKSTER: Well, this is the first time? I mean, all the other Opens I always took the week prior to the U.S. Open off, and a lot of that had to do with family scheduling and not my scheduling. You know, I played a lot at the end of the year, and I played a lot at the start of this year, so I just felt like I needed some time off coming into June, because June is a very big month. I feel rested. I don't feel tense out there. I've got a good mind. I think the time off has helped me as far as my golf game.

JULI INKSTER: 17, I hit 7-iron about 10 feet. It was right-to-left putt and made it. And then 18, I hit 5-wood off the tee. I hit it through further there than I wanted to. I just got it in the right rough. I hit a great 6-iron out there about 10 feet and made that for birdie. So it was a little left-to-right. It was a good finish, and the speed of my putts were great today. I think that's why I made some.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I did. I felt very comfortable with my putter. My putter has been good lately. The speed of my putts have been good lately, and I think that's -- the speed of the putts, I made a long one on No. 5 today. Probably 35 feet. But the speed was perfect. And you're going to get more putts to go in that way than if you're knocking past the hole.

JULI INKSTER: I think after doing the TV, I did it for the Solheim Cup and for the Tournament of Champions. I think after I did that, I said: Well, I need to get out and practice, because I'm not very good at this TV stuff. But, you know, you do learn a lot. I think it makes you -- I knew that's not what I wanted to do at the time. You know, I wasn't playing very well at the time and I kind of -- I kind of said, you know: I've either got to rededicate myself or do this TV work. And I just felt like I wanted to prove myself after I had my family, that I could come back here and be a top player again. Will I ever be the top player? Probably not. But if I can just come out here and be a player that people respect as they play, I think that's what I strove for. I think right now that's where I'm at. I feel like right now every time I tee up, I have just as good a chance as anyone else to win that. Will I win? You've got to get some breaks. I've learned a lot. I've learned how to manage my game a little better. I think the reason why is I'm hitting it better. When you're hitting it better, you can manage your game better.

JULI INKSTER: I don't know. Somebody asked me that out there, and, you know, Kelli is playing great right now and she's got a great mindset. She's got great course management. Moira, she hits the ball long and she can take advantage of these par 5s. I think it's just going to come down to -- three days out here is a lot of golf, and you can post a good first round and not ever be seen from again. So I am not really too excited or too down either way about my round. There's a lot of good players out there that are right behind me. Karrie can come out here and shoot a 62 out here tomorrow. There's just a lot of good players out there capable of shooting good rounds. I'm very happy with the way I played today, and if I could-- tied take three more of those and go on my way. (Laughs.) But we'll see what happens.

JULI INKSTER: No.

JULI INKSTER: I hit a lot of 3-woods on the back side just for position. But, I don't know. I'd say probably, I don't know, 260, 250, something like that. But I hit a lot of 3-woods on the back side just to get the ball on the fairway and give myself a shot at some birdies. My 3-wood goes a long ways for a 3-wood. I really don't lose that much hitting 3-wood off the tee. I probably hit that 235, something like that. That's perfect.

JULI INKSTER: No. 2, I hit driver 3-wood and I was just short. I chipped up and made about a four-footer for birdie. No. 5, I hit a driver, 7-iron, and had about a 35-footer, and I made that. So that was kind of a welcome putt right there. No. 6, I hit 3-wood, pitching wedge about 12 feet and made that for birdie. No. 9, I hit driver 3-wood, and that was about 30 yards short. Probably about 45 yards short shot and hit it to about two feet and made that for birdie. 14, I had -- I hit 3-wood off the tee and had 104 yards, and I hit a little pitching wedge and almost hit it in the hole and spun back for two feet and made that for birdie. 15 I let get away. I hit 7-wood and just started thinking too much. So I two putted on 15 which was kind of a birdie hole. And 17 and 18, I went over those.

JULI INKSTER: No. I never get invited.

JULI INKSTER: Yeah, it's hot. Beats July you, though, I think.