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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 8, 2010Kelli SheanPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, Kelli has asked, because she does have a severe hearing disability, that you do wait for the microphone and that you speak very clearly into the microphone. Kelli Shean is 22 years old from Cape Town, South Africa, student at Arkansas. This is her first U.S. Women's Open, and she finished with a round of 1-under par, 70, and is currently in the lead. Kelli, this must have been more than you ever could have expected. KELLI SHEAN: Oh, yeah, for sure. You know, I've been in Arkansas for three years now. I'm going back there in August. I mean, in the beginning I didn't expect to be playing in a U.S. Open two years down the line. I mean, that just shows how much that Arkansas has helped me out and how much I've grown in the last couple of years. I mean, I'm ecstatic to be here. I didn't expect to be here. I'm just really thankful. MODERATOR: What was the key to your round today? KELLI SHEAN: I think just, you know, my attitude and just keeping calm, having a good time out there. You know, this course is hard. You know, if you're going to get mad over a couple of three-putts or a bad bounce or something, then I don't think you're going to enjoy it as much. You know, I had a couple of three-putts today out there, and I was expecting that. So the whole time I was just trying to have a good time and taking the experience, and it worked out. It really did. MODERATOR: I notice you laughing with your caddie on No. 9 when it looked like you had a terrible problem. You drove left just within the hazard line. You looked as if your ball was in a divot. KELLI SHEAN: It was. MODERATOR: There was a decision to make there: whether to play it or take a drop out of the hazard. What determined your decision? KELLI SHEAN: Well, I mean, like you said, my ball was in a divot, like some kind of grass growing over it. You know, I was like, I'm pretty sure I can hit the thing further than two club lengths, which outweighed the benefits of a drop. I just wanted to get it out there and give myself a chance to get on the green. It was a good choice. It was a bad bounce, but, I mean, at the same time I've been having things go my own way today. Regardless of having that kind of bad bounce, it was just -- it's just accepting it and moving on. MODERATOR: Then what did you hit for your third shot to the green on No. 9? How long was that first putt? Tell us exactly what your position was after the third shot. KELLI SHEAN: I hid a hybrid from like 220 yards out. It got on the green, and it was the longest putt I have ever had in my entire life. (Laughing.) You know, I just tried to get it somewhere around the hole, then I could maybe make a par putt, which didn't happen. But, you know, it was a long putt. I hadn't practiced that all week. MODERATOR: Let's take some questions. She had three birdies. She teed off on the back nine first. No. 13, what club did you hit into the green and how long was your putt? KELLI SHEAN: I had a 7-iron, and had about probably a 30-footer putt down the hill. I just, yeah, I had the right line, apparently. MODERATOR: And then No. 14, you birdied that. What did you hit into the green there? KELLI SHEAN: I hit a 3-wood, 9-iron and played it to the right side of the green and the ball kind of came back, pretty much like I expected it to. I just had a 10-, 15-footer putt. MODERATOR: And No. 16, what did you hit to the green there? KELLI SHEAN: I'm trying to remember. MODERATOR: Par-3. You made birdie. KELLI SHEAN: Kenny? MODERATOR: Were you just short of the green? Long putt? KELLI SHEAN: Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. I'm sorry. Yeah, I hit a 4-iron. It was just short of the green. I actually practiced that putt like three or four times last night, and so I knew the line. I just rammed it up there and it went in the hole. MODERATOR: How long was it? KELLI SHEAN: Probably another 30-footer. MODERATOR: I think you had 28 putts today, maybe 29. That's a wonderful putting round. Questions, please? Q. Just basically how did you get to Arkansas? Talk about your career. I know you've been a successful junior player, or I read that. Just tell us about how it went, a woman from South Africa ends up in Fayettville, Arkansas. KELLI SHEAN: I think it's all part of the plan for my life and all that kind of stuff. I think I was definitely meant to be there. I played in the World Amateurs back in 2006. You know, I was looking around at all the players that are playing, and like out of 150, 140 of them went to college. I went, Something's got to be going on here. I needed to find my myself a college to go to. Just from the second I spoke to the people at Arkansas, they have amazing coaches and just a whole staff and community and everything available. It was like a family to me. It was definitely the best thing that's ever happened, going to Arkansas. Q. You seemed so calm, cool, and collected all day. Then the only sign of emotion was when you were doing the TV interview and they mentioned that Ernie had been watching you on TV. Can you just talk about why that sort of choked you up? KELLI SHEAN: Yeah, that's kind of unbelievable. I don't really have kind of words to explain that. Back in South Africa, I joined the Ernie Els Fan Foundation. They got me around. They got me everywhere I needed to go. He taught me all the things I needed to know. Being able to interact with him and have any kind of relationship with Ernie Els is unbelievable. And so I was totally not expecting him to do that. And then I heard it, and I'm like, Oh, my gosh. That is so crazy. Again, I just hope that he'll be happy that everything that he pushed me into actually helped my get here and that he knows that. Q. A lot of the LPGA players have been here several times for the tournament. They came in May; they came in June to practice. When did you get into Pittsburgh? How many times have you played Oakmont before this week? KELLI SHEAN: Um, I haven't been to Oakmont before this week, and I came in on Sunday. I just practiced on Monday afternoon and had a couple of putts on the green. I played 18 on Tuesday, and I think 12 or 13 holes on Wednesday. You know, this kind of course, I had a pretty good game plan, you know, thanks to my coach. You know, it wasn't so much about playing Oakmont over and over. Like if you want to hit a ball at a tree, you're going to hit the ball at a tree. It was all about getting a game plan, and I think I found a pretty good one. MODERATOR: And who is your coach? KELLI SHEAN: Shauna Estes-Taylor and Michael Adams. Q. How much do you remember about Ernie's winning here at the Open, and how much inspiration did that provide at all when you saw it in the clubhouse or just stepping onto the same course? KELLI SHEAN: Um, you know, like one of the things that my mom first told me when I told her that I won the qualifiers to get here, she said, You do know that Ernie won his first Major at Oakmont, right? I was like, Oh, my gosh, that's awesome. It's a privilege to be able to come and just join in the first step. I mean, I don't know for sure if I am going to win it or not, but just being able to be here and experience something that he's experienced is pretty awesome. Q. Can you talk about the long putt and what you were discussing with the official and how long that was? Did you measure that off before you hit it? KELLI SHEAN: No, I couldn't find a measurement long enough to help me out. (Laughing.) The rules official, apparently, you know, being the two greens and stuff like that, I wasn't sure if there was a specific rule or, you know, I was allowed to mark my ball or something being on the other green. He said, No, you hit the green, so, you know, you've just got to putt it out. I honestly don't know how long it was. MODERATOR: But he did allow you to mark the ball and clean it? KELLI SHEAN: Yeah, he said I could mark and just go ahead and putt it like a normal putt. MODERATOR: Because you were on the green. KELLI SHEAN: Like a normal putt. MODERATOR: How long was it, do you think? KELLI SHEAN: I don't know. MODERATOR: 100 feet? KELLI SHEAN: Yeah, probably. Probably. Q. How old were you when you first went to Ernie's junior program and when you met him? KELLI SHEAN: The Ernie Els Fan Club Foundation? I first started playing golf when I was 14, eight years ago, and I joined his foundation I think in beginning of 2005 or 2004. I was able to stay there until I was 21, but after the world amateur I decided to come to college. So I couldn't complete my term with them, but I was there -- I mean, I was there for a couple three, four years. It was kind of like being in college. It was a whole learning experience. They give you all the tools as well that you need to be able to get out there. MODERATOR: So you were what, 16 or so? How old were you when you met Ernie? KELLI SHEAN: 16. MODERATOR: 16, all right. Thank you. Q. You talked about how you could see there was a purpose and you winding up at Arkansas, but your dad told the story of leaving you like in the middle of the night basically because he was too worried he would sob himself silly if he waited to say a proper good-bye to you. KELLI SHEAN: Yeah. Q. Do you remember that? KELLI SHEAN: Saying good-bye to him in Arkansas? Yeah, for sure. I felt sick. You know, it's never really cool to leave your family like that. You know, it's been the hardest thing that I've ever done, leaving my family. But, you know, I get to see them every now and again. Thank goodness for Skype, you know. Otherwise I think it would be horrible. But, you know, I speak to them every single day. I'm still as close to them as I ever was. You know, they're just amazing. MODERATOR: Brothers? Sisters? KELLI SHEAN: I have two older brothers and an older sister. I'm the youngest. MODERATOR: You're the youngest? KELLI SHEAN: Yes. MODERATOR: Do you have any of your family with you here for this? KELLI SHEAN: I have -- my father flew in on Saturday to come watch me. He came in last year for the U.S. Amateurs, as well. Obviously right now I wish my whole entire family was here, but my dad always -- I don't think my dad would have missed this for anything in the world. And I have a friend, a family friend and an uncle at home, as well. He always says -- he was one of my first coaches at my club, and he always said to me, I will be watching you playing in your first Major. That was like five years ago. He kept his promise and he rocked up here. It's been really cool to have him around. MODERATOR: It's like a fairy tale. KELLI SHEAN: Oh, yeah. Q. I have two questions: First, can you talk about making par from the church pews on No. 3? And second, can you tell us a little bit about your caddie? I understand he's important to you. KELLI SHEAN: I would think he's pretty important to me. He's my boyfriend. We've been dating for 10 months now. He's just made me love life so much more and everything. He's caddied for me a couple of times, and I haven't lost anything with him on my bag. I really haven't. And I have the best time of my life out there, so he's really important to me. I love him a lot for that. MODERATOR: What is his name? KELLI SHEAN: Chandler Rackley. MODERATOR: Spell the last name. KELLI SHEAN: R-a-c-k-l-e-y. MODERATOR: R-a-c-k-l-e-y? KELLI SHEAN: Uh-huh. MODERATOR: Chandler. Tell us about your escape from the church pews on No. 3, that wonderful shot... KELLI SHEAN: Those are really famous. I thought I'd go in there for a change. No, I got lucky. I had a swing out of there. But, you know, that's a big bunker. It's hard to miss, so I wasn't upset about getting in there. I was expecting to get in the bunker. I think Oakmont has 214 of them. That's one of the things you have to prepare for. MODERATOR: What club did you hit? KELLI SHEAN: I hit a 7-iron out of it. MODERATOR: And that was the ball so close to the hole? KELLI SHEAN: No, I hit it a little fat, and so it ended up short of the green. But I made an up and down. MODERATOR: Made your par. All right. Q. I'd just like to get a little bit more about your experience at the University of Arkansas, coming here, what you're studying, and how you've adjusted to the sports scene of the university. Finally, can you do the Woo Pig cheer if you win. KELLI SHEAN: Well, I'd definitely go back. If I could, I would probably want to stay at Arkansas longer than the four years. But, you know, like my first couple years at Arkansas I used to be a pretty arrogant, selfish player, and just go for everything. One of the things in Arkansas is that Shauna and Mike have been teaching me how to be a smarter player and how to use what I have to my advantage instead of just going out there and hitting it to every pin instead of thinking about what the golf course gives you. So I think -- I mean, I've grown up a lot as a person. I think you kind of have to when you pay your own balls and your apartment and got a car and all that stuff. It's just a transition in life. I've grown up so much. I don't think I would have been here if -- I wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Arkansas. That's for sure. MODERATOR: How about the cheer? Will you do the cheer if you win, the cheer that he asked you about? KELLI SHEAN: Yeah, oh, I'll do the Hog's Call for you guys myself if I win. (Laughter.) End of FastScripts |
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