JAPAN AIRLINES BIG APPLE CLASSIC PRESENTED BY GOLF MAGAZINE

July 13, 2000

Allison Finney

ALLISON FINNEY: I birdied the first hole, about 12 feet.

ALLISON FINNEY: A sand wedge. Just made pars, one long solid until 7, that real long par 3. I missed the green and hit a pretty bad chip there and made par -- I mean made bogey. We consider 4 there a par a lot of times.

ALLISON FINNEY: It was probably about --

ALLISON FINNEY: It was probably about 15 feet. And I parred 8 and 9. I missed the green on 10 and hit a really good chip there, just tapped it in for par. Bogeyed 12, missed the green there, (inaudible) into the bunker and didn't get it up-and-down. And then 13 --

ALLISON FINNEY: Oh, it was probably 20 feet. 13, par 3, I made birdie. I hit an 8-iron about 15 feet, and so that just put me back to even, so I'm just cruising along at even. And then on 15, that par 5, I hit a 5-wood and ended up about 12 feet past the hole and made that for eagle. And then 16, I hit a 6-iron about 3 feet below the hole so I had the easy putt there and made birdie there. Then 17 I made par but I hit a bad drive, hit it left and had to punch it under the tree and got up-and-down and saved the par. Then I birdied 18. I hit a wedge in there, probably about 20, 25 feet, and made the putt. So, like I said, I just went along and was coasting.

ALLISON FINNEY: Yeah.

ALLISON FINNEY: It was mostly straight. It just had ever so slight right-to-left, but mostly straight.

ALLISON FINNEY: Well, I always like this course. I really enjoy playing because it's so demanding, and I'm the kind of player where if par's a good score, that suits my game better. I normally don't make a lot of birdies, and my putting can be a little suspect at times. But my putting's been getting a lot better the last probably six weeks. I've been working on it a lot, and so I've been making more of those 20-footers and making more birdies. Actually, I didn't remember playing well here last year on Sunday, but I just love this golf course.

ALLISON FINNEY: Well, actually last week in Toledo was the first cut I'd made in -- I missed four cuts in a row. I was missing by one, not being able to get it going. And making the cut last week, where I was one of the last groups to play Friday afternoon, it was a grind out there for me just to make the cut. That was like a big boost. Then I played well on the weekend, and I just feel a lot better. I feel like last week has helped me this week, and I'm just pretty relaxed out there. Hopefully I can keep it going.

ALLISON FINNEY: Well, just the fact that I'm not exempt this year, which is the first year I didn't -- I've been on the Tour since '83 and I didn't get to play in the Majors this year. It's just been hard to get started. Normally I've been able to play a much fuller schedule and my game comes around in May and I have a good summer. That's been my general, you know, pattern. And this year, not getting into those first tournaments, you know, now we're in July, I'm starting to get where I usually am in May. So that's just kind of the way it's been going.

ALLISON FINNEY: Well, they're the most -- two of the hardest holes are pars 3, the 7th and the 4. But I think, you know, I played here every year, so every hole is hard. (Laughing.) It can get you at any time.

ALLISON FINNEY: I think maybe somewhere in the top 12 or 15. I don't think I've cracked the Top 10 here.

ALLISON FINNEY: The breezes are just perfect. There's no wind out there, so it probably played as nicely as it can. The conditions were good.

ALLISON FINNEY: Oh, yeah. I mean this is a great course. Unfortunately, I don't get -- I'm not in the Open next week, so this is my Open this week. So I'm focusing on this one. Hopefully I'll do well the rest of the week.

ALLISON FINNEY: I would -- I mean, yeah. I think it's got all the elements of the major -- it's got a great golf course, great venue and great, you know, location, close to a big city. And I mean I would be definitely in favor of that. It's, you know... I like coming up here because I like to go do other things, too, during the week, go to the shows. And actually yesterday I got to go down and see a rehearsal for "One Life to Live," the soap opera. That was a blast. (Laughing.)

Anyway, it was really fun.