LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans
Locust Hill Country Club
Pittsford, N.Y.
June 24, 2010
First-Round Notes and Interviews
The 56th edition of the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans teed off on Thursday morning with 150 players battling for the coveted “major champion” crown. Tight fairways, thick rough, breezy conditions and a lengthened Locust Hill Country Club track kept scores at bay throughout first-round play. Locust Hill has played host to the LPGA since 1977, first as the Bankers Trust Classic (1977-78), then the Sara Coventry (1979-1981), followed by the Rochester International (1982-1997) and finally the Wegmans LPGA (1997-2009).
The talk of the day was LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster turning 50 on Thursday. Inkster held the lead briefly today at 4-under through 11 holes, but was derailed by back-nine bogeys on 13,14, 15 and 18. Inkster finished a 1-under par. She has 31 LPGA career titles, including seven majors. She won the LPGA Championship in 1999 and 2000.
What did the leaders have to say about Inkster? “She doesn't act like she is 50 years old. She acts like she is one of us. I think it's great for the game. It draws so many more people in. I'd love to play with her this weekend.” Stacy Lewis
“I envy her career. Juli is always impressive to a lot of young players. I really like her and she is such a good person.” Seon Hwa Lee
“I really admire her. She can play that well until that years of age, I really respect her.” Inbee Park
“She is the iron woman I'll tell you.” Cristie Kerr
The new-look Locust Hill Country Club is definitely a major factor. With tighter than normal fairways, thick and wet rough, there is a premium this week on driving the ball in the fairway. Seon Hwa Lee commented, “I think the golf course is definitely harder than in the past few years.”
Stacy Lewis, who shares the first-round lead, is just happy to be playing pain-free golf after overcoming childhood scoliosis that had her in a back brace for 7 ½ years. “I haven't had any problems (this year), knock on wood. I haven't been in the (physiotherapy) trailer at all this year. So it's been really good. You know you go from a place where you're not sure whether you are going to swing a golf club again. I think every day you just get to play, you are that much more appreciative of it.”
Seon-Hwa Lee won at least once in each of her first three years on Tour, but has not been in the winner’s circle for more than two years. The 24-year-old South Korean’s last victory came at the 2008 Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika. Her career-best major finish came at the 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola where she tied for 10th.
Both Stacy Lewis and Seon Hwa Lee made eagles during their opening rounds. Lewis eagled the par-5 11th from 86 yards with a 50 degree wedge. Lee jarred a grip 8-iron from 127 yards on the par-4 12th for her eagle.
Cristie Kerr, a 13-time winner on the LPGA Tour, carded a 4-under 68 in the first-round of the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans. A winner two weeks ago at the LPGA State Farm Classic, Kerr is seeking her second major championship this week following her 2007 triumph at the U.S. Women’s Open. The top-ranked American on this week’s Rolex Rankings, Kerr is currently third on the LPGA Official Money List with $567,461.
Lindsey Wright nearly became a Rolex First-Time Winner at last year’s McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Cola, entering the final round two shots off the lead. She recorded a career-best second place finish at Bulle Rock, four shots behind current defending champion Anna Nordqvist. Today, she fired a 3-under par 69 to stand one off the pace.
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist shot 1-over-par 73, noting that she felt some extra excitement on Thursday morning. “It did feel different being a defending champion. I was kind of pumped-up on the range this morning. Really striping it. That’s not normal for a Thursday.”
The last two editions of the LPGA Championship witnessed an LPGA rookie atop the leaderboard, Anna Nordqvist in 2009 and Yani Tseng in 2008. Mariajo Uribe leads the Rookie Class of 2010 after the first round with a 1-under par 71.
Of note... LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Betsy Rawls hit the ceremonial first tee shot today. She was also inducted into the Oak Hill Country Club “Hill of Fame” earlier this week… 2009 Wegmans LPGA champ Jiyai Shin was even-par 72 on Thursday…Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ai Miyazato shot a 4-over par 74. Yani Tseng, who won the Kraft Nabisco earlier this year, carded a first-round 3-over par 75.
WD: Leta Lindley withdrew prior to teeing off in the first round and was replaced by Gloria Park. Anna Grzebien, Anna Rawson withdrew after the first round. Il Mi Chung withdrew after nine holes.
CRISTIE KERR
MODERATOR: Congratulations, Cristie, 4 under par 68. You are tied for the lead. Can you take us through your round?
CRISTIE KERR: Sure. I started on the back and just hit a perfect tee shot, perfect pitching wedge to about seven feet behind the hole and made that. I spun it back to about seven or eight feet under the hole on 11. It was kind of weird. We got delayed and we could finish, and we didn't know if we wanted to finish the hole or not. We had to wait for it to stop raining, it was pouring. I ended up making that.
Birdied 15, hit a pitching wedge and made probably about, it was over 20 feet, I don't know exactly how long.
I got up and down from just short of the green on 17, made probably about a 4 footer, 3, 4, five footer.
Bogeyed 18, kind of hit it left off the tee in the rough and had to just kind of pitch out and didn't make a good swing at the pitching wedge for my third and made a really good up and down - great putt for bogey.
Birdied the second hole, hit a gap wedge to six feet and made that.
Pars all the way in. I had a makeable birdie putt on the 8th hole, par 5 just kind of under read it. Besides that I made a good par save on 9.
Q: Cristie, how do you take being in first place, a share of the lead it seems, maybe after the first round of the LPGA Championship in a Major and considering the fact that you're searching for one more, at least one more Major?
CRISTIE KERR: Well, it's definitely where I want to be. I'm very comfortable being in the lead. I like coming from behind, too. But it's better to have the lead, or be in the outright lead. This is what I wanted starting the first day, and you get kind of a taste of the blood in the water in a sense. It kind of motivates you, and I look forward to getting up and playing golf tomorrow.
It definitely would be nice to get another Major. I won a couple of weeks ago. I feel like I'm playing great. I feel like my mental game is there. Last week I was a little golf hung over, tired from winning. It was such a long week with all of the rain delays. And even playing poorly I finished 20th, so I'm playing great.
Q: I was just going to ask you about that. You said in the past that you like to take the week off after winning and you played last week leading into this tournament; how are you feeling physically and mentally? Obviously you may have just answered that question. When it comes to the whole race for No. 1, where do you find yourself? Where do you see yourself in that right now?
CRISTIE KERR: I feel great. I can't actually recall saying I like to take the week off after winning. I think a lot of my wins have actually been ironically having a week off after winning, so maybe that's where that comes from. You would always like to have a week off to celebrate and whatever. But it was great to get back out there last week as well.
I feel as far as No. 1, I'm right in there, I have to just keep doing what I'm doing. I just have to keep working hard, working hard on the mental stuff, believe in myself. It's a lot of golf this year. It's a long year. I've started off the right way. You know Ai has been really hot winning four tournaments of the first eight or nine tournaments. I'm going to have to do some special stuff for the rest of the year, but it can be done.
Q: Juli Inkster, a big day for her today, can you just kind of comment on she had the lead there for a while in the morning, turned 50, what will you be doing at 50, how do you marvel at that?
CRISTIE KERR: She is the iron woman I'll tell you. She is probably I mean, was one of the people, besides Nancy Lopez, she was one of the people that were my idols when I was coming up and playing golf and first getting out here. She won definitely more Majors after having kids than before, now she has 30 some plus wins and No. 1 American on the all time Money List. She is amazing. A big day for her. I don't know how she is feeling about it. She had a good day out there.
STACY LEWIS
MODERATOR: We are here with Stacy Lewis who fired a 4 under par. Can you walk us through your scorecard please?
STACY LEWIS: I started on the back, and I holed out for eagle on 11 from 86 yards with a 50 degree wedge.
Then I hit it in the rough on 13 and made bogey. Hit it in the rough on 16 and made bogey. And then I birdied 3, 4 and 5 and then birdied 9.
Q: What did you hit in 3, 4 and 5?
STACY LEWIS: I wrote it down. 3, I hit the 50 degree wedge to three feet. And then 4, I hit 8 iron into about ten feet. And then 5, I hit 23 degree hybrid to about ten feet. And then 9, I hit 7 iron to about 8 feet.
Q: Was it as gusty as it seemed weather wise?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, the wind was really hard. That was the hardest part because sometimes you would hit and it wasn't blowing and then it depended where you were on the golf course. 18, we thought it was into the wind, but it was all blocked by the side of the clubhouse. It was really tricky out there picking clubs.
Q: Stacy, I saw you continued playing despite all of this down pour on 9, I believe, it was. How difficult was that putt given the conditions and how satisfied were to, you know, drain it to take at least the lead going into the clubhouse?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, just to birdie the last in general was good. I was glad to hit the tee shot before it started to pour. I just didn't really worry about it. I knew I was going to get soaked, and I knew I could go inside and dry off. I just didn't worry about it. It felt great to birdie the last hole.
Q: Where are you now with the way you are playing, are you happy, this year?
STACY LEWIS: I'm a lot happier than I was last year at this point. I finished 16th and 13th the last two weeks. It's just been really solid and so much more consistent. It's just more relaxing to play, and I am having more fun. I knew some good rounds were coming. I just needed a few good putts to fall. It was kind of just a matter of time.
Q: With the weather the way it was today and scoring so well today, the weather is going to be better this weekend, does it make it feel better for you to get you a better score?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, I played well here last year, and I just like the way this golf course sets up for me. You have to hit the ball straight and you have to hit a lot of greens. I didn't hit very many greens on the front and then made the turn and only missed one on the back. I think the key to the week is going to be hitting a lot of greens, and hopefully we don't get too much weather delays this weekend.
Q: Juli is 50 today, were you kind of amazed by her ability to keep doing this and still be competitive and she is contention right now?
STACY LEWIS: I don't know. I won't say I couldn't imagine myself. But if I'm playing golf when I'm 50 years old out here, I don't know. It's pretty amazing what she is able to do. She doesn't act like she is 50 years old. She acts like she is one of us. I think it's great for the game. It draws so many more people in. I'd love to play with her this weekend.
Q: Stacy, I understand you had back trouble and you wore a brace, and somebody told me that you thought you might not be able to compete because of this. How is your back and how good is it to be playing the way you are over the last couple of weeks and into today?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, my back is, I mean, it's been great this year. I haven't had any problems, knock on wood. I haven't been in the trailer at all this year. So it's been really good. You know you go from a place where you're not sure whether you are going to swing a golf club again. I think every day you just get to play, you are that much more appreciative of it.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about when you first started having the trouble with your back and what you went through and the challenges.
STACY LEWIS: The doctors found it when I was 11, and so when you are that young they put you in a brace until you finish growing. For me, that was until I was almost 18 years old. That was almost seven years in a brace. Then I was out of a brace for three months and my back gets worse, so now I have to have surgery. I mean, I dealt with it my whole life. I had the surgery right after I graduated high school, went to college, red-shirted a year, and then just kind of took off from there.
Q: Stacy, a lot of people were expecting a lot of great things from you in your rookie season. Can you talk a little bit about what they pressure was like and what your game is like today compared to last year both mentally and just playing wise?
STACY LEWIS: Right. Yes, I think I expected more out of myself than anybody did. I was really hard on myself. At the end of the year people told me, you had a great first year, don't worry about it. And I came out, I took a break this winter and found a new coach and things have been so great with that.
I mean it's night and day from where I was at this time last year. I'm just so much more confident with what I'm doing. The housing I stayed with a couple of weeks ago in Springfield, they're like. it's just night and day from the way you handle yourself on the golf course. You are just much more comfortable. I don't know, I'm just enjoying it more.
Q: Stacy, can you take us through the Women's Open 2008 when you sort of made a Major splash? What did you take out of that? I know it was a disappointing final round, what did you take out of that and what did you learn from that and how much of a better player are you now than you were there?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, looking back, I don't think I was ever prepared enough to have the lead overnight like that. It's just a different pressure that I never had. I got that round started off really poorly and was trying to do too much. From that I just learned more patience. It's a Major. It's going to be hard. You have to really stay patient. But I definitely feel like I'm more prepared mentally to handle, if I have the lead going into the final round, for sure.
Q: Stacy, who is your new coach, who was your old coach, and from a playing standpoint exactly what are the things you have been working the most on?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I worked with Cole Smith, and I worked with him since I was 11 or 12 years old for a long time. So I started working with Joe Hallett (phonetic). He is head of the PGA Learning Center down in Port St. Lucie. I met him last year and just kind of stayed in contact and was looking for something new.
I worked on some things with my golf swing just to get me more consistent. My hands tend to get really high in my golf swing. So they are focusing on getting my hands lower at the top. A lot on putting, that's been the main difference this year, especially my putting. My speed is better and just making more putts.
Q: Do you feel with the new coach that you got that lack of comfort, a new pair of eyes, maybe you just adjusted things and that helped you out that way?
STACY LEWIS: I think a lot of it was that he knew more of what we go through from week to week on a professional level. Where the guy I was working with, I worked with him in high school and college, and he just didn't really know the professional game. Joe knows what I'm going through, what I'm dealing with from week to week. I don't know. I feel like I have something to work on every day when I go out to play. Last year it's like, I hit balls just to hit balls. Once you get into that routine you are just done.
SEON HWA LEE
MODERATOR: We are here with Seon Hwa Lee, shot 4 under par today. Birdied her last hole, the 9th hole, holing a bunker shot out in the pouring rain. Can you run through your scorecard, please?
SEON HWA LEE: I started on off 10. It was a good start, made 3 putt bogey. And then par. I made eagle on No. 12.
MODERATOR: What club did you hit on 12?
SEON HWA LEE: I had 127 to the pin, a little bit downwind. I hit a grip 8 iron and made it. Par,par. 15, I made birdie. Par 3, I hit a grip 8 iron, made it from 12 feet. And made another bogey No. 16, another three putt. 17 made birdie. Hit a driver, a hybrid, 60 yards to the pin. It was 4 foot putt, made birdie. And last hole made another birdie, driver and hit it 4 hybrid to the green and made a 15 footer.
I made another birdie on No. 1. I hit a 4 hybrid again and it was 4 feet. And made bogey, No. 4, was par 5. I hit it low and pitch it out and then another 45 yards to the pin and 2 putt. And made birdie last hole, made bunker shot.
MODERATOR: How long was the bunker shot?
SEON HWA LEE: It was 20 yards to the pin, maybe 15 yards.
Q. How did the weather today play in your game whether it was the wind or the rain or occasionally the sunshine. Did that make you have adjustments and stuff?
SEON HWA LEE: When I practiced on the driving range it was totally nice weather, nice and sunny. When I hit first tee, the wind was blowing really hard, like 20 miles per hour. Really windy all day long. Especially last hole, was down pour almost. But now the sunshine again. Yes, it was really hard to play today because of lots of wind, and the wind direction change a couple of times, so it's really hard to read the wind direction today. It's really hard to play today.
Q. The last bunker shot, can you tell us about that with the rain, if it was raining that hard, is it hard to gauge what the sand is going to do if it's a difficult shot, or were you surprised it went in?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes, I hit a 5 hybrid, and I pulled it into the left bunker. It was not a very tough shot. When I hit the bunker shot, the rain was stopped, so it was not a very hard up and down, so I just had a lot of confidence in my bunker shot so I just did the right thing.
Q. It was raining when you hit the thought shot in but it wasn't raining?
SEON HWA LEE: It wasn't raining when I hit the bunker shot.
Q. Was it raining when you hit your tee shot?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes.
Q. First of all, what do you think of Juli Inkster playing today on her 50th birthday?
SEON HWA LEE: She play good today.
MODERATOR: So far, 2 under.
SEON HWA LEE: I envy her career. Juli is always impressive to a lot of young players. I really like her and she is such a good person. If she plays so far so good I think its good for her birthday.
Q. Secondly, about the rough here at Locust Hill, a lot of people are talking about how tight the fairways are and how thick the rough is. It seems like it was still fairly easy for most of you to get out of the rough today. Is it trampled down at all? Did you find it easier than you thought it would be or was it really tough?
SEON HWA LEE: I think the golf course is definitely harder than in the past few years. They moved the tee box a lot, 6 or 7 holes. If not in the fairway, the rough is really long and thick. It's hard to hit a fairway. But if you hit a lot of fairways that allows a lot of good chance to hit it to the pin. It's really hard to hit a fairway on this golf course.
INBEE PARK
MODERATOR: We are here with Inbee Park who shot 3 under par today. Can you talk a little bit about your round?
INBEE PARK: I played very good today, especially my putting worked really well today. But I still had a lot of bogeys out there. I had 4 bogeys today. I had an eagle too. I don't know, this course is a lot tougher than last year. The rough is longer and the greens are a little bit faster and the course is a little bit longer, so it's definitely a challenge in a Major setting.
MODERATOR: What did you eagle?
INBEE PARK: No. 17.
Q: Just talk about the gusty wind today, was that a problem today because it seems like it's been a big problem out there?
INBEE PARK: Yes, it was windy out there and the wind was switching around today so we weren't able to tell which way the wind was coming because it would change when we set up. The wind was strong enough to affect the games today as you look at the scores. I think I got lucky with the draw, too.
Q: Is it the way they pinch the fairways in?
INBEE PARK: Yes, it was for me because I was missing a lot of fairways and it was tough to get up and down from the rough.
Q: What did you hit at 17?
INBEE PARK: I hit a 4 rescue club in for the second shot and it went about 15 feet.
Q: Since you've won the Women's U.S. Open, tell us about that, how did that affect you? How did it affect your game and your desire to win another Major?
INBEE PARK: I've been playing very good this year. I was very confident coming into this tournament, and I really like the settings of the Major tournaments. I like the challenge and I like the courses that are a little bit of a challenge for myself. I really like this course.
Q: Inbee, you spoke about how you might have lucked out with the draw, how relieved are you to be off the course knowing that this is going on right now?
INBEE PARK: Yes, we were looking at No. 17. We knew it was coming, and we just hoped that we would just finish No. 18 because it started raining. So I got lucky with that and I am happy with that. Sometimes you get a good side of the draw and sometimes you don't get a good side of the draw. I think you just have to work through with it.
Q: So Juli Inkster turned 50 today.
INBEE PARK: I saw that.
Q: And she is right near the top of the leaderboard, Can you talk about how, you are probably half her age, how impressive is it that someone her age can be doing this today?
INBEE PARK: She always tells me that I'm the age of her daughter when I play with her. She is still a great player. She is still very competitive. I really admire her. She can play that well until that years of age, I really respect her.
Q: I wanted to ask you if you sank any long putts for birdies.
INBEE PARK: I was making long putts for birdies, but I was missing the short putts for birdies. I was missing three footers, five footers, but I was making 30 footers, 40 footers out there. It was a little bit different today than other days.
Q: Inbee, after you won the U.S. Women's Open, did you feel that more was expected of you and how did that affect you?
INBEE PARK: I think there definitely was a little bit of a pressure. I think that is something that you really have to take with such a big tournament like the U.S. Open. I helped myself get through that, and that's why I'm in this position right now, and I'm very happy with that.
Q: Having won a Major already, will it help you try to win another one, do you think?
INBEE PARK: Yes, I think so. If you have experience with a Major win, that will definitely help on the weekend.
Q: Speaking of that Open, how unexpected was it for you to breakthrough in a tournament like that?
INBEE PARK: Well 2008, I was playing very good that season. I wanted to really win, and I knew it was going to come at some point but I didn't know it was going to be at a big Major tournament. It was nice. It wasn't an unexpected thing, but something I always wanted it to happen. It was good to see.
JULI INKSTER
MODERATOR: Happy Birthday, Juli Inkster.
JULI INKSTER: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Can you talk about your round today?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I played really well. I hit a couple of wayward drives on the backside that got me in trouble. I thought it played really tough out there with the wind and the rain and the fairways, you know, they are very narrow. You have to kind of hit drivers because it's playing so long. But I thought I hit a lot of good shots. I thought I putted well. I'm kind of disappointed in finishing the way I finished, but I hit a couple of bad drives that got me in trouble.
Q: When you were 4 under and tied for the lead what was going through your mind at that point?
JULI INKSTER: I was playing well. I was just trying to hit the fairways and hit the greens. I probably hit my worst drive on 13. You hit it in the fairway there, it's pretty much a go for a birdie. But, you know, I had a little bit of bad luck because I hit a good shot but it just ran up on the top, and I had no putt.
I played good. I hit a lot of good iron shots. Probably the 3 best shots I hit it today, I ended up making bogey because I hit it over the green, and I didn't get it up and down. You know, it's just hard. It's hard trying to get the ball to the hole but not past the hole.
Q: Juli, the crowd was really encouraging to you out there today. What was it like to have all of those people?
JULI INKSTER: It's great, it's great. I kind of sometimes feel sorry for the other players. But playing with Paula and Jiyai, they didn't care. So, it was probably a good pairing for me. But, yeah, it was nice to be loved.
Q: So you're playing really good golf and you are 50 years old today. What does that mean for the future and your plans and how long are you going to keep playing?
JULI INKSTER: It just means I'm playing good golf and I'm 50. I get asked this all the time. I don't know how to answer it. I wish there was an answer for it because I don't have one. I love what I do. I play 16, 17 weeks out of the year, and the rest I have off. I don't know why I wouldn't play. It's not like we have a Seniors Tour. I love to play golf.
If I could still play and still compete and still, you know, feel like I'm hitting the ball, okay. I know I'm not going to be Player of the Year, and I know I'm not going to be No. 1 player. But you know what, I have a lot of good friends out here. I love to play golf. I get asked this all the time. I wish I had a better answer but I don't. I mean that's the only way I can answer it. To me it's not a job. I don't know any way to answer it.
Q: What are your birthday plans, is your family here with you?
JULI INKSTER: No, they all left. I had a real nice dinner on Monday. Tonight I don't think I have any plans. I think I'm going to go to bed early, I'm tired.
Q: Juli, how old are your children?
JULI INKSTER: I have a 20 year old and 16 year old.
Q: Just curious, Tom Watson last year at the obviously at the British and made the cut at the U.S. Open at 60, did that surprise you?
JULI INKSTER: No. Believe me, I'm nowhere near a Tom Watson, but he plays for the love of the game. He doesn't need to play, you know? He plays because he likes to compete. He plays because he likes to hit shots.
I mean, you know, I think someone like a Tom Watson, or even the guys that are playing on the Senior Tour, that's what they love to do. They love to play golf. I just can't see a Tom Watson just hanging them up because he is 60. It's just an age. If he is still out there and still enjoying it and still loves doing it, why not?
I think the younger players have such a great respect for him and for what he has done for the game and how he played the game and how he loves the game.
I think older players, you know, it's not always about the endorsements. It's not always about the wins. It's about the game of golf, and I think a lot of the younger players, you know, see that in Tom. He just plays because he loves the game. I think it's good for the younger players to see that.
Q: Don't they see that in you out here?
JULI INKSTER: I guess, I don't know. I think they all think I'm loco anyway. I get along great with the younger players. I have a great relationship with them. They are kind of like my kids. Most of them are the same age. You know, it's not me here, them there. We are all on the same level and playing field, and I think they have a respect for me, and I surely have a respect for them, what they go through and how hard they work.
I was impressed at the Solheim Cup how these girls, without their parents there, just had a great work ethic. They played because I think they love the game. They are reaping the benefits of the Pat Bradley's and the Betsy Kings, the Betsy Rawls, and I am too. But they are getting to do something that they love to do and get paid for it, and I think that's a great thing.
Q: Juli, I talked with Commissioner Whan earlier today. He mentioned the fact for the LPGA to bounce back with some of the setbacks, that probably one of the keys is to have more events. You say you love to play golf, and most of these women do, do you think turning things around starts with maybe getting more sponsors involved in more tournaments?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I really think whether we get more tournaments next year or not, I really think we are heading in the right direction. I think Mike has really stabilized and built trust among sponsors and companies. I think right now the LPGA has a great product. We have a lot of great young players that are hip and we're world wide. A lot of these big companies are world wide, and they want to do both. You know, it's just time. I think Mike, is very competitive, and he likes to see things through, and I think if any guy can do it, I think it's him.
Q: Juli, do you tee it up believing that you can win or is that a little different than it would have been at the height of your powers?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I definitely think I've mellowed a lot. I used to take golf home and stew. I don't do any of that anymore. When I tee it up I still believe I can win. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. You know, I just like to compete. I like to see how good I can be at this age.
Q: Your game is coming around again, what's behind that?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, well, I'm putting a lot better. That's the key to playing good golf is putting. I'm putting a lot better and my swing is feeling a lot better. I'm starting to get a little more confidence in my game.
Q: I'm curious, I know your assistant captain for Solheim, do you see yourself playing?
JULI INKSTER: No, I'm not going to play. If I make it I'm not playing.
Q: Why?
JULI INKSTER: Why? Because I just feel like I've done it. I've enjoyed it. I have had great memories. But I feel it's time that the younger players get out there and get the experience and learn it. I'm perfectly satisfied where I am. I don't need to play the Solheim Cup to validate my career. I love the Solheim Cup. That's the best tournament, bar none, that I look forward to. But I just don't want to play. I'm going to help Rosie. I hope Sherry makes it. I know Sherry wants to play, that's great. But I'm going to help Rosie do whatever she can to win the cup.
Q: You mentioned a lack of a Senior Tour. There is a small Tour, about six events. I talked to Cindy Miller about the fact that she would like to see more. What's your opinion of that? Do you think there is any chance of it coming up more?
JULI INKSTER: There are only so many spots and so many sponsors to make golf work. You know, I like doing what I'm doing now. Maybe in a couple of years it would be great to play in a couple of those tournaments. I just like doing what I'm doing right now.
Q: Just a follow up question to what you said before about your game right now. Is there anything in particular in your putting that you're doing differently or that you have been working on?
JULI INKSTER: Putting is just all confidence, seeing the ball go in the hole. I've been working on a lot of drills. My stroke just feels like I'm getting the ball started where I want to start and that makes it a lot easier.
Q: Without disrespect to your age because I'm relatively old, too, for old time's sake what did it feel like, just to be on that leaderboard at 4 under, just the rush of adrenalin that you might have felt and this being a Major and just get that love again as you did today?
JULI INKSTER: Well, I don't know what to say. It didn't feel any different than it felt yesterday. I don't know. It's hard to say. I remember when my dad was 50. I thought he was old. I asked my kids, you know, is 50 old? They say, well, yeah, but mom you don't act 50. I guess maybe because I don't feel 50, and maybe I don't act 50, I don't know. I don't even know what to say. Would you help me?
MODERATOR: That's what Stacy Lewis said earlier. You are not 50, you are just like everybody else. You are just like them.
JULI INKSTER: That's what I feel like, maybe I'm fooling myself, maybe I'm trying to fool myself, I don't know. But I feel like I'm in good shape. I don't have any aches or pains. I don't know.
Q: In what ways don't you act 50? Specifically, players talk about they got you IPad because you're into young gadgets, and you are fashion conscious, is this true?
JULI INKSTER: Wow. Well, I don't know if fashion conscious would be. Yes, I like gadgets. I do have to admit I'm having a little help. Morgan is going to help me with my IPad because I couldn't even get the thing going. But yeah, it was great.
You talk about being out here and stuff, a bunch of my friends got together and got me an IPad for my birthday which was awesome. But I really think having two young daughters, and I guess they're not young now, but just raising them, they've really kept me young. They are great to travel with. We do a lot of fun stuff together. They love to shop. They love to shop for me. I really don't even go to a store anymore, they just pick clothes out and bring them home and say put them on. I have to say they've helped out a great deal in keeping me young. I listen to all of their music just because that's what's playing, you know. So maybe that helps out.
Q: About this tournament in general, are you thinking of this as a Major? Do you forget sometimes because you have played this course?
JULI INKSTER: I'm trying to think of this tournament as a Major. Because when it's not a Major, I play like crap here. So I am saying this is a new golf course. It's a Major. It's a Major.
I bet you if guys were to look up all of my missed cuts, I would say the most is this tournament bar none. I don't know what it is. I spend 90 percent of my time chipping out under these trees. I grew up on a golf course just like this. But something about this golf course just gnaws at me, I don't know
Locust Hill Country Club
Pittsford, N.Y.
June 24, 2010
First-Round Notes and Interviews
The 56th edition of the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans teed off on Thursday morning with 150 players battling for the coveted “major champion” crown. Tight fairways, thick rough, breezy conditions and a lengthened Locust Hill Country Club track kept scores at bay throughout first-round play. Locust Hill has played host to the LPGA since 1977, first as the Bankers Trust Classic (1977-78), then the Sara Coventry (1979-1981), followed by the Rochester International (1982-1997) and finally the Wegmans LPGA (1997-2009).
The talk of the day was LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Juli Inkster turning 50 on Thursday. Inkster held the lead briefly today at 4-under through 11 holes, but was derailed by back-nine bogeys on 13,14, 15 and 18. Inkster finished a 1-under par. She has 31 LPGA career titles, including seven majors. She won the LPGA Championship in 1999 and 2000.
What did the leaders have to say about Inkster? “She doesn't act like she is 50 years old. She acts like she is one of us. I think it's great for the game. It draws so many more people in. I'd love to play with her this weekend.” Stacy Lewis
“I envy her career. Juli is always impressive to a lot of young players. I really like her and she is such a good person.” Seon Hwa Lee
“I really admire her. She can play that well until that years of age, I really respect her.” Inbee Park
“She is the iron woman I'll tell you.” Cristie Kerr
The new-look Locust Hill Country Club is definitely a major factor. With tighter than normal fairways, thick and wet rough, there is a premium this week on driving the ball in the fairway. Seon Hwa Lee commented, “I think the golf course is definitely harder than in the past few years.”
Stacy Lewis, who shares the first-round lead, is just happy to be playing pain-free golf after overcoming childhood scoliosis that had her in a back brace for 7 ½ years. “I haven't had any problems (this year), knock on wood. I haven't been in the (physiotherapy) trailer at all this year. So it's been really good. You know you go from a place where you're not sure whether you are going to swing a golf club again. I think every day you just get to play, you are that much more appreciative of it.”
Seon-Hwa Lee won at least once in each of her first three years on Tour, but has not been in the winner’s circle for more than two years. The 24-year-old South Korean’s last victory came at the 2008 Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika. Her career-best major finish came at the 2008 McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola where she tied for 10th.
Both Stacy Lewis and Seon Hwa Lee made eagles during their opening rounds. Lewis eagled the par-5 11th from 86 yards with a 50 degree wedge. Lee jarred a grip 8-iron from 127 yards on the par-4 12th for her eagle.
Cristie Kerr, a 13-time winner on the LPGA Tour, carded a 4-under 68 in the first-round of the LPGA Championship Presented by Wegmans. A winner two weeks ago at the LPGA State Farm Classic, Kerr is seeking her second major championship this week following her 2007 triumph at the U.S. Women’s Open. The top-ranked American on this week’s Rolex Rankings, Kerr is currently third on the LPGA Official Money List with $567,461.
Lindsey Wright nearly became a Rolex First-Time Winner at last year’s McDonald’s LPGA Championship Presented by Cola, entering the final round two shots off the lead. She recorded a career-best second place finish at Bulle Rock, four shots behind current defending champion Anna Nordqvist. Today, she fired a 3-under par 69 to stand one off the pace.
Defending champion Anna Nordqvist shot 1-over-par 73, noting that she felt some extra excitement on Thursday morning. “It did feel different being a defending champion. I was kind of pumped-up on the range this morning. Really striping it. That’s not normal for a Thursday.”
The last two editions of the LPGA Championship witnessed an LPGA rookie atop the leaderboard, Anna Nordqvist in 2009 and Yani Tseng in 2008. Mariajo Uribe leads the Rookie Class of 2010 after the first round with a 1-under par 71.
Of note... LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member Betsy Rawls hit the ceremonial first tee shot today. She was also inducted into the Oak Hill Country Club “Hill of Fame” earlier this week… 2009 Wegmans LPGA champ Jiyai Shin was even-par 72 on Thursday…Rolex Rankings No. 1 Ai Miyazato shot a 4-over par 74. Yani Tseng, who won the Kraft Nabisco earlier this year, carded a first-round 3-over par 75.
WD: Leta Lindley withdrew prior to teeing off in the first round and was replaced by Gloria Park. Anna Grzebien, Anna Rawson withdrew after the first round. Il Mi Chung withdrew after nine holes.
CRISTIE KERR
MODERATOR: Congratulations, Cristie, 4 under par 68. You are tied for the lead. Can you take us through your round?
CRISTIE KERR: Sure. I started on the back and just hit a perfect tee shot, perfect pitching wedge to about seven feet behind the hole and made that. I spun it back to about seven or eight feet under the hole on 11. It was kind of weird. We got delayed and we could finish, and we didn't know if we wanted to finish the hole or not. We had to wait for it to stop raining, it was pouring. I ended up making that.
Birdied 15, hit a pitching wedge and made probably about, it was over 20 feet, I don't know exactly how long.
I got up and down from just short of the green on 17, made probably about a 4 footer, 3, 4, five footer.
Bogeyed 18, kind of hit it left off the tee in the rough and had to just kind of pitch out and didn't make a good swing at the pitching wedge for my third and made a really good up and down - great putt for bogey.
Birdied the second hole, hit a gap wedge to six feet and made that.
Pars all the way in. I had a makeable birdie putt on the 8th hole, par 5 just kind of under read it. Besides that I made a good par save on 9.
Q: Cristie, how do you take being in first place, a share of the lead it seems, maybe after the first round of the LPGA Championship in a Major and considering the fact that you're searching for one more, at least one more Major?
CRISTIE KERR: Well, it's definitely where I want to be. I'm very comfortable being in the lead. I like coming from behind, too. But it's better to have the lead, or be in the outright lead. This is what I wanted starting the first day, and you get kind of a taste of the blood in the water in a sense. It kind of motivates you, and I look forward to getting up and playing golf tomorrow.
It definitely would be nice to get another Major. I won a couple of weeks ago. I feel like I'm playing great. I feel like my mental game is there. Last week I was a little golf hung over, tired from winning. It was such a long week with all of the rain delays. And even playing poorly I finished 20th, so I'm playing great.
Q: I was just going to ask you about that. You said in the past that you like to take the week off after winning and you played last week leading into this tournament; how are you feeling physically and mentally? Obviously you may have just answered that question. When it comes to the whole race for No. 1, where do you find yourself? Where do you see yourself in that right now?
CRISTIE KERR: I feel great. I can't actually recall saying I like to take the week off after winning. I think a lot of my wins have actually been ironically having a week off after winning, so maybe that's where that comes from. You would always like to have a week off to celebrate and whatever. But it was great to get back out there last week as well.
I feel as far as No. 1, I'm right in there, I have to just keep doing what I'm doing. I just have to keep working hard, working hard on the mental stuff, believe in myself. It's a lot of golf this year. It's a long year. I've started off the right way. You know Ai has been really hot winning four tournaments of the first eight or nine tournaments. I'm going to have to do some special stuff for the rest of the year, but it can be done.
Q: Juli Inkster, a big day for her today, can you just kind of comment on she had the lead there for a while in the morning, turned 50, what will you be doing at 50, how do you marvel at that?
CRISTIE KERR: She is the iron woman I'll tell you. She is probably I mean, was one of the people, besides Nancy Lopez, she was one of the people that were my idols when I was coming up and playing golf and first getting out here. She won definitely more Majors after having kids than before, now she has 30 some plus wins and No. 1 American on the all time Money List. She is amazing. A big day for her. I don't know how she is feeling about it. She had a good day out there.
STACY LEWIS
MODERATOR: We are here with Stacy Lewis who fired a 4 under par. Can you walk us through your scorecard please?
STACY LEWIS: I started on the back, and I holed out for eagle on 11 from 86 yards with a 50 degree wedge.
Then I hit it in the rough on 13 and made bogey. Hit it in the rough on 16 and made bogey. And then I birdied 3, 4 and 5 and then birdied 9.
Q: What did you hit in 3, 4 and 5?
STACY LEWIS: I wrote it down. 3, I hit the 50 degree wedge to three feet. And then 4, I hit 8 iron into about ten feet. And then 5, I hit 23 degree hybrid to about ten feet. And then 9, I hit 7 iron to about 8 feet.
Q: Was it as gusty as it seemed weather wise?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, the wind was really hard. That was the hardest part because sometimes you would hit and it wasn't blowing and then it depended where you were on the golf course. 18, we thought it was into the wind, but it was all blocked by the side of the clubhouse. It was really tricky out there picking clubs.
Q: Stacy, I saw you continued playing despite all of this down pour on 9, I believe, it was. How difficult was that putt given the conditions and how satisfied were to, you know, drain it to take at least the lead going into the clubhouse?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, just to birdie the last in general was good. I was glad to hit the tee shot before it started to pour. I just didn't really worry about it. I knew I was going to get soaked, and I knew I could go inside and dry off. I just didn't worry about it. It felt great to birdie the last hole.
Q: Where are you now with the way you are playing, are you happy, this year?
STACY LEWIS: I'm a lot happier than I was last year at this point. I finished 16th and 13th the last two weeks. It's just been really solid and so much more consistent. It's just more relaxing to play, and I am having more fun. I knew some good rounds were coming. I just needed a few good putts to fall. It was kind of just a matter of time.
Q: With the weather the way it was today and scoring so well today, the weather is going to be better this weekend, does it make it feel better for you to get you a better score?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, I played well here last year, and I just like the way this golf course sets up for me. You have to hit the ball straight and you have to hit a lot of greens. I didn't hit very many greens on the front and then made the turn and only missed one on the back. I think the key to the week is going to be hitting a lot of greens, and hopefully we don't get too much weather delays this weekend.
Q: Juli is 50 today, were you kind of amazed by her ability to keep doing this and still be competitive and she is contention right now?
STACY LEWIS: I don't know. I won't say I couldn't imagine myself. But if I'm playing golf when I'm 50 years old out here, I don't know. It's pretty amazing what she is able to do. She doesn't act like she is 50 years old. She acts like she is one of us. I think it's great for the game. It draws so many more people in. I'd love to play with her this weekend.
Q: Stacy, I understand you had back trouble and you wore a brace, and somebody told me that you thought you might not be able to compete because of this. How is your back and how good is it to be playing the way you are over the last couple of weeks and into today?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, my back is, I mean, it's been great this year. I haven't had any problems, knock on wood. I haven't been in the trailer at all this year. So it's been really good. You know you go from a place where you're not sure whether you are going to swing a golf club again. I think every day you just get to play, you are that much more appreciative of it.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about when you first started having the trouble with your back and what you went through and the challenges.
STACY LEWIS: The doctors found it when I was 11, and so when you are that young they put you in a brace until you finish growing. For me, that was until I was almost 18 years old. That was almost seven years in a brace. Then I was out of a brace for three months and my back gets worse, so now I have to have surgery. I mean, I dealt with it my whole life. I had the surgery right after I graduated high school, went to college, red-shirted a year, and then just kind of took off from there.
Q: Stacy, a lot of people were expecting a lot of great things from you in your rookie season. Can you talk a little bit about what they pressure was like and what your game is like today compared to last year both mentally and just playing wise?
STACY LEWIS: Right. Yes, I think I expected more out of myself than anybody did. I was really hard on myself. At the end of the year people told me, you had a great first year, don't worry about it. And I came out, I took a break this winter and found a new coach and things have been so great with that.
I mean it's night and day from where I was at this time last year. I'm just so much more confident with what I'm doing. The housing I stayed with a couple of weeks ago in Springfield, they're like. it's just night and day from the way you handle yourself on the golf course. You are just much more comfortable. I don't know, I'm just enjoying it more.
Q: Stacy, can you take us through the Women's Open 2008 when you sort of made a Major splash? What did you take out of that? I know it was a disappointing final round, what did you take out of that and what did you learn from that and how much of a better player are you now than you were there?
STACY LEWIS: Yes, looking back, I don't think I was ever prepared enough to have the lead overnight like that. It's just a different pressure that I never had. I got that round started off really poorly and was trying to do too much. From that I just learned more patience. It's a Major. It's going to be hard. You have to really stay patient. But I definitely feel like I'm more prepared mentally to handle, if I have the lead going into the final round, for sure.
Q: Stacy, who is your new coach, who was your old coach, and from a playing standpoint exactly what are the things you have been working the most on?
STACY LEWIS: Well, I worked with Cole Smith, and I worked with him since I was 11 or 12 years old for a long time. So I started working with Joe Hallett (phonetic). He is head of the PGA Learning Center down in Port St. Lucie. I met him last year and just kind of stayed in contact and was looking for something new.
I worked on some things with my golf swing just to get me more consistent. My hands tend to get really high in my golf swing. So they are focusing on getting my hands lower at the top. A lot on putting, that's been the main difference this year, especially my putting. My speed is better and just making more putts.
Q: Do you feel with the new coach that you got that lack of comfort, a new pair of eyes, maybe you just adjusted things and that helped you out that way?
STACY LEWIS: I think a lot of it was that he knew more of what we go through from week to week on a professional level. Where the guy I was working with, I worked with him in high school and college, and he just didn't really know the professional game. Joe knows what I'm going through, what I'm dealing with from week to week. I don't know. I feel like I have something to work on every day when I go out to play. Last year it's like, I hit balls just to hit balls. Once you get into that routine you are just done.
SEON HWA LEE
MODERATOR: We are here with Seon Hwa Lee, shot 4 under par today. Birdied her last hole, the 9th hole, holing a bunker shot out in the pouring rain. Can you run through your scorecard, please?
SEON HWA LEE: I started on off 10. It was a good start, made 3 putt bogey. And then par. I made eagle on No. 12.
MODERATOR: What club did you hit on 12?
SEON HWA LEE: I had 127 to the pin, a little bit downwind. I hit a grip 8 iron and made it. Par,par. 15, I made birdie. Par 3, I hit a grip 8 iron, made it from 12 feet. And made another bogey No. 16, another three putt. 17 made birdie. Hit a driver, a hybrid, 60 yards to the pin. It was 4 foot putt, made birdie. And last hole made another birdie, driver and hit it 4 hybrid to the green and made a 15 footer.
I made another birdie on No. 1. I hit a 4 hybrid again and it was 4 feet. And made bogey, No. 4, was par 5. I hit it low and pitch it out and then another 45 yards to the pin and 2 putt. And made birdie last hole, made bunker shot.
MODERATOR: How long was the bunker shot?
SEON HWA LEE: It was 20 yards to the pin, maybe 15 yards.
Q. How did the weather today play in your game whether it was the wind or the rain or occasionally the sunshine. Did that make you have adjustments and stuff?
SEON HWA LEE: When I practiced on the driving range it was totally nice weather, nice and sunny. When I hit first tee, the wind was blowing really hard, like 20 miles per hour. Really windy all day long. Especially last hole, was down pour almost. But now the sunshine again. Yes, it was really hard to play today because of lots of wind, and the wind direction change a couple of times, so it's really hard to read the wind direction today. It's really hard to play today.
Q. The last bunker shot, can you tell us about that with the rain, if it was raining that hard, is it hard to gauge what the sand is going to do if it's a difficult shot, or were you surprised it went in?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes, I hit a 5 hybrid, and I pulled it into the left bunker. It was not a very tough shot. When I hit the bunker shot, the rain was stopped, so it was not a very hard up and down, so I just had a lot of confidence in my bunker shot so I just did the right thing.
Q. It was raining when you hit the thought shot in but it wasn't raining?
SEON HWA LEE: It wasn't raining when I hit the bunker shot.
Q. Was it raining when you hit your tee shot?
SEON HWA LEE: Yes.
Q. First of all, what do you think of Juli Inkster playing today on her 50th birthday?
SEON HWA LEE: She play good today.
MODERATOR: So far, 2 under.
SEON HWA LEE: I envy her career. Juli is always impressive to a lot of young players. I really like her and she is such a good person. If she plays so far so good I think its good for her birthday.
Q. Secondly, about the rough here at Locust Hill, a lot of people are talking about how tight the fairways are and how thick the rough is. It seems like it was still fairly easy for most of you to get out of the rough today. Is it trampled down at all? Did you find it easier than you thought it would be or was it really tough?
SEON HWA LEE: I think the golf course is definitely harder than in the past few years. They moved the tee box a lot, 6 or 7 holes. If not in the fairway, the rough is really long and thick. It's hard to hit a fairway. But if you hit a lot of fairways that allows a lot of good chance to hit it to the pin. It's really hard to hit a fairway on this golf course.
INBEE PARK
MODERATOR: We are here with Inbee Park who shot 3 under par today. Can you talk a little bit about your round?
INBEE PARK: I played very good today, especially my putting worked really well today. But I still had a lot of bogeys out there. I had 4 bogeys today. I had an eagle too. I don't know, this course is a lot tougher than last year. The rough is longer and the greens are a little bit faster and the course is a little bit longer, so it's definitely a challenge in a Major setting.
MODERATOR: What did you eagle?
INBEE PARK: No. 17.
Q: Just talk about the gusty wind today, was that a problem today because it seems like it's been a big problem out there?
INBEE PARK: Yes, it was windy out there and the wind was switching around today so we weren't able to tell which way the wind was coming because it would change when we set up. The wind was strong enough to affect the games today as you look at the scores. I think I got lucky with the draw, too.
Q: Is it the way they pinch the fairways in?
INBEE PARK: Yes, it was for me because I was missing a lot of fairways and it was tough to get up and down from the rough.
Q: What did you hit at 17?
INBEE PARK: I hit a 4 rescue club in for the second shot and it went about 15 feet.
Q: Since you've won the Women's U.S. Open, tell us about that, how did that affect you? How did it affect your game and your desire to win another Major?
INBEE PARK: I've been playing very good this year. I was very confident coming into this tournament, and I really like the settings of the Major tournaments. I like the challenge and I like the courses that are a little bit of a challenge for myself. I really like this course.
Q: Inbee, you spoke about how you might have lucked out with the draw, how relieved are you to be off the course knowing that this is going on right now?
INBEE PARK: Yes, we were looking at No. 17. We knew it was coming, and we just hoped that we would just finish No. 18 because it started raining. So I got lucky with that and I am happy with that. Sometimes you get a good side of the draw and sometimes you don't get a good side of the draw. I think you just have to work through with it.
Q: So Juli Inkster turned 50 today.
INBEE PARK: I saw that.
Q: And she is right near the top of the leaderboard, Can you talk about how, you are probably half her age, how impressive is it that someone her age can be doing this today?
INBEE PARK: She always tells me that I'm the age of her daughter when I play with her. She is still a great player. She is still very competitive. I really admire her. She can play that well until that years of age, I really respect her.
Q: I wanted to ask you if you sank any long putts for birdies.
INBEE PARK: I was making long putts for birdies, but I was missing the short putts for birdies. I was missing three footers, five footers, but I was making 30 footers, 40 footers out there. It was a little bit different today than other days.
Q: Inbee, after you won the U.S. Women's Open, did you feel that more was expected of you and how did that affect you?
INBEE PARK: I think there definitely was a little bit of a pressure. I think that is something that you really have to take with such a big tournament like the U.S. Open. I helped myself get through that, and that's why I'm in this position right now, and I'm very happy with that.
Q: Having won a Major already, will it help you try to win another one, do you think?
INBEE PARK: Yes, I think so. If you have experience with a Major win, that will definitely help on the weekend.
Q: Speaking of that Open, how unexpected was it for you to breakthrough in a tournament like that?
INBEE PARK: Well 2008, I was playing very good that season. I wanted to really win, and I knew it was going to come at some point but I didn't know it was going to be at a big Major tournament. It was nice. It wasn't an unexpected thing, but something I always wanted it to happen. It was good to see.
JULI INKSTER
MODERATOR: Happy Birthday, Juli Inkster.
JULI INKSTER: Thank you.
MODERATOR: Can you talk about your round today?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I played really well. I hit a couple of wayward drives on the backside that got me in trouble. I thought it played really tough out there with the wind and the rain and the fairways, you know, they are very narrow. You have to kind of hit drivers because it's playing so long. But I thought I hit a lot of good shots. I thought I putted well. I'm kind of disappointed in finishing the way I finished, but I hit a couple of bad drives that got me in trouble.
Q: When you were 4 under and tied for the lead what was going through your mind at that point?
JULI INKSTER: I was playing well. I was just trying to hit the fairways and hit the greens. I probably hit my worst drive on 13. You hit it in the fairway there, it's pretty much a go for a birdie. But, you know, I had a little bit of bad luck because I hit a good shot but it just ran up on the top, and I had no putt.
I played good. I hit a lot of good iron shots. Probably the 3 best shots I hit it today, I ended up making bogey because I hit it over the green, and I didn't get it up and down. You know, it's just hard. It's hard trying to get the ball to the hole but not past the hole.
Q: Juli, the crowd was really encouraging to you out there today. What was it like to have all of those people?
JULI INKSTER: It's great, it's great. I kind of sometimes feel sorry for the other players. But playing with Paula and Jiyai, they didn't care. So, it was probably a good pairing for me. But, yeah, it was nice to be loved.
Q: So you're playing really good golf and you are 50 years old today. What does that mean for the future and your plans and how long are you going to keep playing?
JULI INKSTER: It just means I'm playing good golf and I'm 50. I get asked this all the time. I don't know how to answer it. I wish there was an answer for it because I don't have one. I love what I do. I play 16, 17 weeks out of the year, and the rest I have off. I don't know why I wouldn't play. It's not like we have a Seniors Tour. I love to play golf.
If I could still play and still compete and still, you know, feel like I'm hitting the ball, okay. I know I'm not going to be Player of the Year, and I know I'm not going to be No. 1 player. But you know what, I have a lot of good friends out here. I love to play golf. I get asked this all the time. I wish I had a better answer but I don't. I mean that's the only way I can answer it. To me it's not a job. I don't know any way to answer it.
Q: What are your birthday plans, is your family here with you?
JULI INKSTER: No, they all left. I had a real nice dinner on Monday. Tonight I don't think I have any plans. I think I'm going to go to bed early, I'm tired.
Q: Juli, how old are your children?
JULI INKSTER: I have a 20 year old and 16 year old.
Q: Just curious, Tom Watson last year at the obviously at the British and made the cut at the U.S. Open at 60, did that surprise you?
JULI INKSTER: No. Believe me, I'm nowhere near a Tom Watson, but he plays for the love of the game. He doesn't need to play, you know? He plays because he likes to compete. He plays because he likes to hit shots.
I mean, you know, I think someone like a Tom Watson, or even the guys that are playing on the Senior Tour, that's what they love to do. They love to play golf. I just can't see a Tom Watson just hanging them up because he is 60. It's just an age. If he is still out there and still enjoying it and still loves doing it, why not?
I think the younger players have such a great respect for him and for what he has done for the game and how he played the game and how he loves the game.
I think older players, you know, it's not always about the endorsements. It's not always about the wins. It's about the game of golf, and I think a lot of the younger players, you know, see that in Tom. He just plays because he loves the game. I think it's good for the younger players to see that.
Q: Don't they see that in you out here?
JULI INKSTER: I guess, I don't know. I think they all think I'm loco anyway. I get along great with the younger players. I have a great relationship with them. They are kind of like my kids. Most of them are the same age. You know, it's not me here, them there. We are all on the same level and playing field, and I think they have a respect for me, and I surely have a respect for them, what they go through and how hard they work.
I was impressed at the Solheim Cup how these girls, without their parents there, just had a great work ethic. They played because I think they love the game. They are reaping the benefits of the Pat Bradley's and the Betsy Kings, the Betsy Rawls, and I am too. But they are getting to do something that they love to do and get paid for it, and I think that's a great thing.
Q: Juli, I talked with Commissioner Whan earlier today. He mentioned the fact for the LPGA to bounce back with some of the setbacks, that probably one of the keys is to have more events. You say you love to play golf, and most of these women do, do you think turning things around starts with maybe getting more sponsors involved in more tournaments?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I really think whether we get more tournaments next year or not, I really think we are heading in the right direction. I think Mike has really stabilized and built trust among sponsors and companies. I think right now the LPGA has a great product. We have a lot of great young players that are hip and we're world wide. A lot of these big companies are world wide, and they want to do both. You know, it's just time. I think Mike, is very competitive, and he likes to see things through, and I think if any guy can do it, I think it's him.
Q: Juli, do you tee it up believing that you can win or is that a little different than it would have been at the height of your powers?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, I definitely think I've mellowed a lot. I used to take golf home and stew. I don't do any of that anymore. When I tee it up I still believe I can win. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. You know, I just like to compete. I like to see how good I can be at this age.
Q: Your game is coming around again, what's behind that?
JULI INKSTER: Yes, well, I'm putting a lot better. That's the key to playing good golf is putting. I'm putting a lot better and my swing is feeling a lot better. I'm starting to get a little more confidence in my game.
Q: I'm curious, I know your assistant captain for Solheim, do you see yourself playing?
JULI INKSTER: No, I'm not going to play. If I make it I'm not playing.
Q: Why?
JULI INKSTER: Why? Because I just feel like I've done it. I've enjoyed it. I have had great memories. But I feel it's time that the younger players get out there and get the experience and learn it. I'm perfectly satisfied where I am. I don't need to play the Solheim Cup to validate my career. I love the Solheim Cup. That's the best tournament, bar none, that I look forward to. But I just don't want to play. I'm going to help Rosie. I hope Sherry makes it. I know Sherry wants to play, that's great. But I'm going to help Rosie do whatever she can to win the cup.
Q: You mentioned a lack of a Senior Tour. There is a small Tour, about six events. I talked to Cindy Miller about the fact that she would like to see more. What's your opinion of that? Do you think there is any chance of it coming up more?
JULI INKSTER: There are only so many spots and so many sponsors to make golf work. You know, I like doing what I'm doing now. Maybe in a couple of years it would be great to play in a couple of those tournaments. I just like doing what I'm doing right now.
Q: Just a follow up question to what you said before about your game right now. Is there anything in particular in your putting that you're doing differently or that you have been working on?
JULI INKSTER: Putting is just all confidence, seeing the ball go in the hole. I've been working on a lot of drills. My stroke just feels like I'm getting the ball started where I want to start and that makes it a lot easier.
Q: Without disrespect to your age because I'm relatively old, too, for old time's sake what did it feel like, just to be on that leaderboard at 4 under, just the rush of adrenalin that you might have felt and this being a Major and just get that love again as you did today?
JULI INKSTER: Well, I don't know what to say. It didn't feel any different than it felt yesterday. I don't know. It's hard to say. I remember when my dad was 50. I thought he was old. I asked my kids, you know, is 50 old? They say, well, yeah, but mom you don't act 50. I guess maybe because I don't feel 50, and maybe I don't act 50, I don't know. I don't even know what to say. Would you help me?
MODERATOR: That's what Stacy Lewis said earlier. You are not 50, you are just like everybody else. You are just like them.
JULI INKSTER: That's what I feel like, maybe I'm fooling myself, maybe I'm trying to fool myself, I don't know. But I feel like I'm in good shape. I don't have any aches or pains. I don't know.
Q: In what ways don't you act 50? Specifically, players talk about they got you IPad because you're into young gadgets, and you are fashion conscious, is this true?
JULI INKSTER: Wow. Well, I don't know if fashion conscious would be. Yes, I like gadgets. I do have to admit I'm having a little help. Morgan is going to help me with my IPad because I couldn't even get the thing going. But yeah, it was great.
You talk about being out here and stuff, a bunch of my friends got together and got me an IPad for my birthday which was awesome. But I really think having two young daughters, and I guess they're not young now, but just raising them, they've really kept me young. They are great to travel with. We do a lot of fun stuff together. They love to shop. They love to shop for me. I really don't even go to a store anymore, they just pick clothes out and bring them home and say put them on. I have to say they've helped out a great deal in keeping me young. I listen to all of their music just because that's what's playing, you know. So maybe that helps out.
Q: About this tournament in general, are you thinking of this as a Major? Do you forget sometimes because you have played this course?
JULI INKSTER: I'm trying to think of this tournament as a Major. Because when it's not a Major, I play like crap here. So I am saying this is a new golf course. It's a Major. It's a Major.
I bet you if guys were to look up all of my missed cuts, I would say the most is this tournament bar none. I don't know what it is. I spend 90 percent of my time chipping out under these trees. I grew up on a golf course just like this. But something about this golf course just gnaws at me, I don't know
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