Untitled Document

U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA
The Broadmoor, East Course
Colorado Springs, Colo.
July 11, 2011
Final-round notes

So Yeon Ryu -3, Rolex Rankings No. 40
Hee Kyung Seo -3, Rolex Rankings No. 30
Cristie Kerr -1, Rolex Rankings No. 2
Angela Stanford E, Rolex Rankings No. 23
Mika Miyazato +1, Rolex Rankings No. 24
Karrie Webb +2, Rolex Rankings No. 10

KLPGA Tour member So Yeon Ryu defeated fellow South Korean and LPGA Tour rookie Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff to capture the 2011 U.S. Women's Open conducted by the USGA at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. The first ever all-international playoff in a U.S. Women's Open began on the par-3, 163-yard 16th hole with both players hitting seven-irons onto the green. Seo and Ryu each missed birdie putts of around 15 feet and settled for pars. On the par-5 17th, Seo hit her drive into a bunker on the right side of the fairway while Ryu hit the fairway. With about 264 yards remaining after punching out of the bunker into the fairway, Seo hit her third shot right of the green into the rough. Ryu took advantage of Seo's miscue. With only 129 yards left to the green for her third shot, Ryu knocked a pitching wedge to about eight feet. After Seo slid her par putt by the hole, Ryu drained her birdie putt to take a two-shot advantage into the final hole. On 18, both players hit drives in the fairway but Ryu stuck her approach to four feet and sank the putt to win the playoff by three strokes.

Ryu, who turned 21 on June 29, is the first player from South Korea to win an LPGA Tour event this season and the third-youngest U.S. Women's Open winner behind Inbee Park and Se Ri Pak. With her win, Ryu takes home $585,000 of the $3.25 million purse.

Thanks to her victory at the U.S. Women's Open, Ryu earned the option of immediately accepting LPGA membership now for the rest of 2011 or deferring her membership until 2012. "LPGA is my dream tournament, so I really hope playing in LPGA," said Ryu. "Before I couldn't decide if I play the LPGA or KLPGA, but maybe today I must decide this situation, yeah."

This was Ryu's second U.S. Women's Open, having finished in a tie for 25th at last year's event. It was also her second event on the LPGA Tour this season. She finished in a T41 at the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship. She has played in eight LPGA Tour events and her previous best finish was a T12 at the 2010 LPGA Hana Bank Championship.

Ryu picked up the game of golf in the second grade as part of her school's extra curricular activities. In addition to starting to play golf, Ryu also took up the violin that same year. She chose to stick with golf because she liked that scores determined the winner and not a judge or an audience determining how well she did with her violin. Although, Ryu has said that she still really enjoys music.

Ryu was a member of the Korean National Golf Team from 2005-07 and she won a golf medal for Korea, both in individual and team events, in the 2006 Asian Games that were played in Doha, Qatar. She joined the KLPGA Tour in 2008 and won her first ever event on the Tour at the Sports Seoul - Kim Young Joo Golf Women's Open. A six-time winner on the KLPGA Tour, Ryu had never won a major on that Tour.

Prior to winning a tournament on the KLPGA about a month ago, Ryu had actually been going thru what her team termed to be a "mini-slump." But recently she felt that her game was starting to come around and that was capped off by her victory at the U.S. Women's Open. It was made even more special for Ryu as LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame member and Korean golf legend Se Ri Pak was one of the players showering her with champagne after the win.

"When I finished in the morning, Se Ri told me, 'It's really great play. You're a really great person,'" Ryu said. "Last year I play with Se Ri in Korea, and she told me, you have a lot of talent, so keep going. Keep practicing hard. But I finished the playoff and Se Ri told me congratulations, it's really special for me."

The last time that the U.S. Women's Open was decided by a playoff was in 2006 when Annika Sorenstam defeated Pat Hurst by four strokes in an 18-hole match at Newport Country Club in Newport, R.I. to pick up her 10th major championship. In 2007, the USGA changed the playoff format at the U.S. Women's Open from an 18-hole match the day after regulation play to a three-hole aggregate score format immediately following the end of regulation play.

Familiar competitors: Seo and Ryu were no strangers to seeing their names together at the top of a leaderboard. After Jiyai Shin left to play on the LPGA Tour, Seo and Ryu emerged as two of the top players on the KLPGA Tour and developed a competitive rivalry. It's a rivalry that continued over the final holes of the 2011 U.S. Women's Open.

Seo, who celebrated her 25th birthday on Friday, shot a final-round, 3-under 68 on Sunday to post the clubhouse lead at 3-under par for the tournament. After final-round play was suspended due to darkness on Sunday night, Ryu arrived at the golf course on Monday morning trailing Seo by one shot with three holes to play. She recorded a par on No. 16 and then had a birdie putt on No. 17 skirt the edge of the hole. Heading to No. 18 needing a birdie to tie Seo, Ryu hit her second shot to eight feet and rolled the putt into the middle of the hole to force the three-hole playoff.

Even though Seo wound up losing the playoff, she said it was still special having two Koreans face each other in a playoff for a major championship.

"Lots of Korean fans waiting for our winning this year, but it's like already July but we didn't won any of them," Seo said. "So like both me or So Yeon, I think they were cheer both of us. So, yeah, I feel very happy for South Korea player won this great, big tournament."

A long-awaited finish: A total of 30 golfers had to return to The Broadmoor's East Course on Monday morning to finish their final rounds. There were 42 players who completed their final rounds on Sunday before play was called due to darkness at 8:00 p.m. MT. Final-round play had been suspended earlier in the day on Sunday at 3:18 p.m. MT due to inclement weather and resumed at 5:54 p.m. MT.

Monday's finish capped off what was a long week of golf for most of the competitors, who experienced delays in play for four straight days and were forced to play close to 36 holes on Sunday. Third-round play had originally resumed at 6:45 a.m. MT on Sunday morning after being suspended due to inclement weather on Saturday night. Only 19 of the 72 players who made the cut had recorded scores in the third round when play was halted on Saturday.

In total there were five suspensions of play over the 72 holes of the 2011 U.S. Women's Open.

Just shy of major victory No. 3: Rolex Rankings No. 2 Cristie Kerr entered Sunday afternoon's final round in a three-way tie for the lead with Ryu and Angela Stanford at 1-under-par. After going even-par through her first 16 holes, Kerr was two strokes back of the lead with two holes remaining in her round when she arrived at The Broadmoor on Monday morning.

Kerr fell a little short in her push for a second U.S. Women's Open title, recording pars on 17 and 18 to finish alone in third place at 1-under-par. Kerr won the event back in 2007 at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club. A 14-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Kerr has captured two major championships so far in her career: the 2007 U.S. Women's Open and the 2010 Wegmans LPGA Championship.

Although Kerr wasn't able to capture her 15th win on the LPGA Tour, she continued her recent string of strong performances. Kerr has now finished in the top-3 in five straight tournaments, which has included three runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes.

"I've been playing great," Kerr said. "Yeah, it's frustrating I haven't won. It will happen again. I just have to stay patient. I stayed patient this week; that's for sure. "

Third-round co-leader Angela Stanford entered her final four holes on Monday trailing Seo by three shots, but she wasn't able to complete a comeback. After a par on 15, Stanford needed to go 3-under in her final three holes to earn a spot in the playoff. She birdied 16 but missed a short birdie putt on 17. After that miss, Stanford went on to bogey No. 18 to all back into fourth place at even-par for the tournament.

On Sunday, Stanford was tied with Seo at the top of the leaderboard at 4-under-par when she made the turn to the back nine of her final round. But a double bogey on No. 11 and back-to-back bogeys on 13 and 14 forced her into rally mode on Monday and she fell just a little short of capturing her first major championship victory.

"I felt like I gave myself a chance, and, you know, every golfer kicks themselves," Stanford said. "So many things you could have done better or done right. But I can't even do the math because I've been doing so much math all week. I played really good up till those last eight holes. I just had a four‑hole streak that, you know, unfortunately mine came on the back 9 Sunday. Most people's, it could be Thursday or Friday. So I just kind of ran out of holes."

Stanford still managed to record her second top-5 finish in a major in 2011. She tied for third at the Kraft Nabisco Championship back in early April.

"I feel very good about how I approached this week and how I played this week, and I'm gonna take all the positives I can," Stanford said. "Two top 5s in majors out of three that we've had this year, you know, I've never done that in my career. There are a lot of good things happening."

Consistent performer: Second-round leader Mika Miyazato wasn't able to make a final-round charge, but she did record her third straight top-10 finish in a major championship this year. Miyazato shot a 72 in her final round to finish at 1-over-par for the tournament and finish alone in fifth place. The Japan native will donate her entire $121,591 paycheck to the Red Cross relief effort for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan.

Miyazato is the only player to record a top-10 finish in all three of the LPGA majors so far this season. She finished in a T8 at the Wegmans LPGA Championship two weeks ago and a T7 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship back in early April. The other three players to post top-10s in both majors so far this year are Yani Tseng (1st LPGA Championship, 2nd Kraft Nabisco), Stacy Lewis (T6 LPGA Championship, 1st Kraft Nabisco) and Morgan Pressel (2nd LPGA Championship, T3 Kraft Nabisco).

Of Note…Bo Mee Lee withdrew prior to finishing the final round of the U.S. Women's Open. Lee was 20-over-par through three rounds of the tournament...Defending champion Paula Creamer shot a final-round 75 to finish in a tie for 15th at 6-over-par…With her ninth place finish, Ryann O'Toole earns a spot in next year's U.S. Women's Open. O'Toole shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to finish at 3-over-par for the tournament.

SO YEON RYU, Rolex Rankings No. 40

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us, So Yeon, the 66th U.S. Women's Opens Champion. It was a long week. Tell us how you feel and what it means to be the champion of the U.S. Women's Open.
SO YEON RYU: First, thanks for the media staying for Monday. Actually, my plan is if I graduation at the university, I try the qualifying school. Qualifying school is really tough, but now I win this tournament, so I just coming here just direct. So it's really happy. When I was start golf Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Women's Open tournament, so this tournament is really specially for me. But I won this tournament, so I'm really happy and unbelievable. And thanks for everything, yeah.

Q. Could you please just give us the details of your university, like what it is, what level you're at? And the second question, the distance of the 6‑iron in regulation at 18, please.
SO YEON RYU: I studying physical education, and normally I studying ‑‑ just basic is English and some kind of sports and anatomy.

Q. What's the name of the university?
SO YEON RYU: Yonsei University.

Q. What level are you?
SO YEON RYU: I'm junior, yeah.

Q. You finished your junior year?
SO YEON RYU: I left just three months.
THE MODERATOR: She just finish the first semester of her junior year going into the second semester.

Q. The 6‑iron, how far was that, please?
SO YEON RYU: The 18 hole, the distance was 170 yards, and I can hit 6‑iron 160 yards. But a little bit high altitude is here, so I can hit the 170 yards.

Q. Two questions: How nervous were you this morning coming out to finish those last couple holes? And how tough of a juggling act will it be for you to play competitive golf and finish your studies?
SO YEON RYU: In the morning when I hit the 16th hole tee shot I really nervous, so I couldn't smiled. But my caddie keep talking, So Yeon, just smile. Calm down. So I felt a little bit more comfortable. And then I don't know why, but I just like 16 hole. Actually hole 18 is really difficult, but I made a birdie the second round, so I had a little bit more confidence in there.

My plan is if I retire the golf player, I really want to try sports marketing or sports or golf clothes designer. So it's pretty hard. I just practice golf and I'm going to university. I think university is really good for me, because sometimes I really stressful of golf. But if I going to university, I just studying and really delicious food really eating together my friends and just laugh. I love my school, yeah.

Q. Starting the playoff, do you think you had a little edge because you had been out and played three holes already this morning?
SO YEON RYU: Yeah, sure, because same pin position and same teeing ground. I play really good 18th hole, so it's really good for me. It's really huge benefit, yeah.

Q. First time around after you parred 17, you were still a shot down going to 18. Were you discouraged, or did you have a little talk with yourself? Your caddie say anything to you going to 18?
SO YEON RYU: I feel okay, because just my goal is top 10, but I'm second place that situation. But I have just one chance in just last hole, not afraid. Just enjoyed it maybe, yeah.

Q. You talked about looking up to Se Ri Pak, and she was one of the players who came out on the 18th green to douse you in champagne. How exciting was that for her to be part of your win?
SO YEON RYU: I finished morning, Se Ri told me, It's really great play. You're a really great person. Last year I play with Se Ri in Korea, and she told me, you have a lot of talent, so keep going. Keep practicing hard. But I finished the playoff and Se Ri told me congratulations, it's really special for me.

Q. Could you give us what clubs you hit and yardages on the three playoff holes, please?
SO YEON RYU: Hole 16, the distance is 160 yards, and I hit the 7‑iron. My birdie putt is seven yards, and my par putt is one yard. And 18 [sic] hole I hit the driver, and then the distance is 292 yards from the pin, but I just hit the 21‑degree utility. And then my third shot is 110 yards. I hit the pitching. The birdie putt is four yards, and then I made a birdie. 18 hole I hit the driver and 175 yards; I hit the 5‑iron. My birdie putt is 1.5 yards, yeah.

Q. Do you feel like you had an advantage in the playoff because you were able to come right from the golf course and she had to be on the practice range and hadn't played a hole? You already had knowledge of where the holes were, et cetera.
SO YEON RYU: Yeah, is good for me, because Hee Kyung just practice, but I play the three hole in same condition. Yeah, it's really huge benefit, yeah.

Q. You've beat her maybe three years ago in China, so does this memory make you the confidence?
SO YEON RYU: Yeah, sure. Finish 2009 season and then we start 2010 tournament in China. We going to playoff three hole, and I won that tournament. So I felt a little bit more comfortable. Actually, it's same situation, because in China, Hee Kyung pick up the first tee off and I pick up second tee off. But today it's same situation, so I want to just believe that two years ago. (Laughing.)

Q. Last night after you were finished, how much were you thinking about the three holes that you still had to play today?
SO YEON RYU: Yesterday I really tired, so I just want to really good sleep. But I couldn't sleep well because, I don't know, is dream or I think, just keep thinking about hole 16. (Smiling).So my condition is not great this morning, but I made birdie hole 18, so... and I make a more energy in there.

Q. So you are a university student, right? How do you feel about now you are one of the most famous golf player in the world?
SO YEON RYU: Ah, I think just my dream is Hall of Fame, but it is just starting, yeah. I'm still unbelievable this situation, so, yeah, first starting.

Q. Did you say before you were thinking of coming to LPGA qualifying school? Is that what you said earlier?
SO YEON RYU: Yes.

Q. How do your plans change now as far as the LPGA?
SO YEON RYU: LPGA is my dream tournament, so I really hope playing in LPGA. Before I couldn't decide if I play the LPGA or KLPGA, but maybe today I must decide this situation, yeah.

Q. How much did Se Ri's success affect your decision to play golf? Did you start playing because you had seen what she was doing, or was there some other reason?
SO YEON RYU: I start golf on Wednesday, but Se Ri won the tournament on Sunday ‑‑ no, actually in Korea it's Monday. Golf is just my hobby. When I was young my goal is violinist. I really like music. I really want musician, but my elementary school have...
THE MODERATOR: After school extracurricular activities.
SO YEON RYU: Maybe five yards driving range. It's really small. Just playing soccer with my friends and just chipping with my friends, so golf is just...
SEAN PYUN: Golf is just a hobby, something I did for fun at that time. Until Se Ri really won the tournament, I was only enjoying golf as a hobby. But I really enjoyed as much coverage that she was receiving through the network TVs in Korea and seeing that made me want to play more. You know, I wanted to be a violinist, but the problem with that for me was the violin, whenever I performed, there was a more subjective scoring. There wasn't a clear scoring. You know, it was basically based on who was judging my performance that day, and I didn't like that aspect of it. That's what sort of turned me into golf instead.

Q. Do you play in Japan sometimes? If so, what do you describe? How do you describe? What's the difference between Japanese players and Korean players? Because how two Japanese players were leading, but at the end two Koreans playoff?
SO YEON RYU: I think Japanese players really great player. And big different is ‑‑ I think, just my opinion ‑‑ long game of Korean is a little bit more better, but short game is really ‑‑ Japanese player really strong spot short game.
Especially I playing with ‑‑ 2006 Asian Game I playing with Mika Miyazato, and Mika is really great chipper and great putter. I really envy Mika Miyazato.

Q. Some players have won the U.S. Open and gone on to do great things. Others have not done much at all after winning. Are you confident this will be a big launching pad for your career?
SO YEON RYU: Um, I don't know if I'm believe it. Maybe is really big stressful for me because I won the first win the LPGA tournament, U.S. Women's Open. So it's really maybe really big stressful, huge stressful. But I happy to playing the golf, so I just enjoying play golf.

Q. What family did you have here to support you? Whoever was here, is that normal that they travel with you?
SO YEON RYU: My mother. Always I travel with my mother, yeah.

Q. What's her name?
SO YEON RYU: Kwang Ja Cho.

Q. Could you spell it?
SO YEON RYU: K‑w‑a‑n‑g, J‑a, C‑h‑o.
SEAN PYUN: Cho is the last name.

Q. As a junior, at what point did you get to be really good at golf?
SO YEON RYU: Maybe middle school, the third grade, because I...
SEAN PYUN: As a ninth grader I made it to the Korean national team, and I think that's when people realized.

Q. What age is ninth grade?
SO YEON RYU: Fifteen.

HEE KYUNG SEO, Rolex Rankings No. 30

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome the runner‑up at the 2011 U.S. Women's Open Championship, Hee Kyung Seo. We'd like to just get a quick comment from you. Very unusual circumstances for you. You finished your round yesterday, and now you have to come back, are uncertain of what's going to happen, and then she makes some birdies and catches you. Just walk us through that time frame. You were on the practice range, et cetera.
HEE KYUNG SEO: Um, I woke up early this morning, and I just did my routine things and came here like 8:00.It was little nervous during the waiting, and I went to NBC booth and was more nervous to be on live on TV. When I got started practice, the nervous was gone and I could concentrate on practice. And when I hit like 5‑irons I heard the clapping and shouting and yelling on 18th green, so at the time I was thinking about, Oh, the time is now.

I remember yesterday the caddie of So Yeon said, We're gonna be chasing you. And then the result is they were chasing me, and unfortunately I couldn't win this time. I learned lots of things from this tournament, and I'm looking forward next great events in Europe and Asia. So I keep working on my things.

THE MODERATOR: For the record, could you take us through the playoff? What you hit on the tee, what you hit into the green, et cetera, how long the putts were, et cetera, so we have that.
HEE KYUNG SEO: I hit 7‑iron on 16; it was 156 yards. The ball was like six feet on left. It was downhill, super down slope, and I made great two‑putt. Then on 17 I missed tee shot to the right bunker. I had 7‑iron from there, and then the third shot was 250 to the pin; I had 3‑wood. And the fourth shot was 46 to the hole. The putting was like 12 feet, 13 feet. I made two‑putt also.

THE MODERATOR: What was your club on the tee on 17? Did you hit driver?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yeah, driver. And I hit driver on 18th tee, and it was perfect on the fairway. I had 186 yards to the pin, and hit 3‑hybrid. It went to left back of the green. It was also super downslope, but I made a really good two‑putt from there. So it wasn't too bad. So I did two birdies in three holes. That's amazing, yeah.

Q. I know there are a lot of people who are going to view today as a victory for South Korea, and that's nice and easy for everyone to say. But right now, when you thought you might win this and you didn't, do you feel like that? Do you feel it's still a victory for South Korea despite the fact you finished second?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yeah, lots of Korean fans waiting for our winning this year, but it's like already July but we didn't won any of them. So like both me or So Yeon, I think they were cheer both of us. So, yeah, I feel very happy for South Korea player won this great, big tournament.

Q. I heard you mention earlier that you thought the tournament was decided on the 17th yesterday.
HEE KYUNG SEO: Uh‑huh.

Q. Could you talk about that. It's late, it's getting dark, the wind is coming up. The 17th and the 18th, what were they like for you yesterday?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yeah, the 17 and 18 was really tough to play because of the wind. Wind blow super hard. We were rushing. Jiyai was running from tee. I didn't know what happened that time. I think I feel little rushing running and wind, and I concerned about that on the green the ball was trying to move from the wind. I think I was a little fast at that time so I couldn't keep my rhythm on my putting, so I missed that short putt. Unfortunately I missed one short putt during the full fourth round, and that was 17.

Q. Talk about the contrast, the disappointment of losing the playoff versus how well you played all week and what you accomplished, especially yesterday, to get into this position. The difference between your disappointment of losing but you played so well this week just to get to this point.
HEE KYUNG SEO: Actually, I didn't think about the result before starting the game. I just wanted to trust myself and be confident and be patient. I think I made my goal. And the second place is amazing. But, you know, sports is always winning game, so that's little bad. But I'm happy for the result. I learned many things from this week, so I'm very happy.

Q. Just to clarify, so on 17 you were running to your ball because you wanted to get done before darkness or rain?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yeah.

Q. You weren't playing slow and had been told...
HEE KYUNG SEO: No.

Q. Did you consider yourself a patient person before this week, or have you realized you have more patience than you thought you did?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Well, I won 12 times in Korea ‑‑ actually 11 times Korea. When I played very well that time, I was really be patient people. But I think since last year my expectation was little high, and that makes the disappointing many things. I couldn't be patient on the course, so my coach told me always, Please be patient. So I was trying to be patient this week, and I made it this time.

Q. Was it harder to be patient when you have the fans back home in Korea saying, When is someone going to win out here?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Well, not really. They gave me lots of confidence and power, so, yeah.

Q. With you and Yeon being the two top players in Korea, have you battled like this a lot before?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yes, I played with So Yeon lots of times. I can't count it. I played another playoff before with So Yeon in China 2009, and she won that time.

Q. What event was that?
HEE KYUNG SEO: That's China Open.

Q. What tour was that?
HEE KYUNG SEO: I don't remember. It was in KLPGA tour, but the event was in China 2009.

Q. As a follow‑up, did you notice Se Ri Pak following you guys? What has she meant to you guys?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Well, we finished last hole and she came to me to pour champagne on me, and I was running from that. She said to me, You did really great job. I'm very proud of you two guys. She is legend for us, yeah, obviously.

THE MODERATOR: The fact that you had to come here and warm up and she was on the golf course and already warmed up and playing, do you feel she had an advantage going into the playoff because of that?
HEE KYUNG SEO: A little bit, because she played 16, 17, 18, same hole location, so she knew more about the course conditions and green conditions. A little bit, I think.

Q. On the playoff in the bunker on 17, were you in the middle of the bunker or up towards the front where you had a difficult shot?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Yeah, it was difficult. It was stuck onto the hill, downslope.

Q. Will you play full‑time here, or how will you divide your time moving forward?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Well, I got to tour card last year from Kia, but I didn't play here, so I decide to play here since this year. As possible I could play here, I will play here, yeah. I hope the events getting more, we can get more events future.

Q. Could you just discuss generally the effect of the weather on this tournament for you? Obviously it had a big effect last night. But overall, how much do you think it affected the outcome?
HEE KYUNG SEO: Well, I haven't experienced like this weather during my life. I think everyone had very tough and long week. It was little hard to waiting and waiting, but I enjoyed everything. I enjoyed on the course and I enjoyed during the waiting with friends, talking and eating. So it was fun, but I think I will be exhausted when I get home. (Smiling).

Q. How much of a help was it to you to be able to play those two rounds yesterday with Jiyai? I understand you two are very good friends.
HEE KYUNG SEO: Oh, I only remember is we were rush all day and we were running all day. So we couldn't have ‑‑ we didn't have much time to talk with, so... But it was really comfortable to play with her, because we have really good relationship. So it was comfortable. I didn't feel like tight and pressure in two rounds.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on a great championship. Thank you so much.
HEE KYUNG SEO: Thank you. Thank you very much.

CRISTIE KERR, Rolex Rankings No. 2

Q. You went 69, posted 71 today. Did you feel like you put yourself in contention in this tournament?
CRISTIE KERR: I did. You know, yesterday was tough. I played 34 holes and in some bad weather, too. So it got really difficult to see. And, you know, the greens, you're gonna have a couple 3‑putts this week, and I did unfortunately yesterday and that was the difference for me.

But, you know, I played great and basically amounted to ‑‑ yeah, I was in contention but I made one bad swing on the 10th hole. I guess it was the second round. I made a triple, and, you know, and a couple 3‑putts. To win the Open, you can't do that. But I still had a great tournament.

Q. When you were standing over that putt at 17, how confident were you that you could put it in?
CRISTIE KERR: I was pretty confident. You know, it was a pretty tricky read, though. I was a little bit jacked up.

Q. Is that when why it went over?
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah, a little bit. I was excited to play, and, you know, I hit a great shot. I was right at the pin, and I just knew when I hit it, it was a little too far. There is a little ridge that, you know, if you get it a couple yards past the hole it kinda goes down and onto the fringe. It would have been a much easier putt if I had ‑‑ even if it was just past the hole, it would have been a much easier putt.

Q. Was this the greatest test of patience you can remember in a major championship?
CRISTIE KERR: I think so, yeah. They're still not gonna be done for a while.

Q. Last night you talked about how today somebody could easily tie her, and somebody just did.
CRISTIE KERR: Uh‑huh. Yeah. Well, it's never over till it's over, especially in these things. People really want it, and that was a gutsy putt. We were watching it inside. It was a little bit of a tape delay. We heard the crowd cheer, and we were like, Oh, she made it, before we saw it on TV. It's gonna be interesting.

Q. How do you feel how it was handled this week with all the weather delays? Was there any way to avoid this Monday finish?
CRISTIE KERR: No, I don't think so. I mean, on Thursday we kind of knew it was going to go to Monday. We almost got it in yesterday. I mean, it was such a long delay, they had to let us warm up. If they would have sent us back out, I don't think the last groups even would have finished. The USGA did a great job with all the weather delays. And, you know, even learned how to say "30‑minute delay," "15‑minute delay" in Korean in the locker room. They did a very good job. I mean, they have all up‑to‑date weather stuff.

They got us off the course when the conditions started to get really bad. They gave us enough time to get everybody to safety. I just feel really bad for the fans this week. I mean, they never got a consistent, normal day of golf to watch. A lot of people didn't end up coming back today, but, you know, the fans were great.

Q. Those of us that aren't in the inside were wondering if it might have been prudent to just stop it yesterday and let everyone come back today fresher.
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah, I don't know. But even the forecast for this afternoon wasn't great, either. I mean, what are you gonna do? I think, you know, they pushed us as long as they could push us. Yesterday was the first time that we could actually even go back out on the golf course coming in from a delay, so I think we were excited to get more golf in for tomorrow. And all the fans were still here. The USGA did a great job. They have a lot of people to consider; not only us but the people on the course, getting them to safety.

Q. Moving forward, thoughts on playing Carnoustie?
CRISTIE KERR: I don't know much about the course but I know it's tough. I like tough. I'm going to get there Sunday night, and I will be able to play Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We will take a local caddy with us to give us insight into the course. I have a seasoned caddy on the bag. We should be all right.

Q. Aside from the one bad swing you mentioned and the weather delays, what are you gonna take away from this week? What's gonna stick with you?
CRISTIE KERR: How good I just ground it out all week. I'm proud of myself. I mean, it's all about timing, too. If I make that swing, you know, anywhere else on the golf course, you know, I probably am in a bunker or, you know, like if I make that swing on 13, you know, I'm left. I've got room to chip to a pin. I hit it like, you know, on that hole left and it hit the downslope and it went way into the woods. The only thing I was thinking about, if I was Arnold Palmer, someone would have jumped in the way of that thing. So I guess I have to keep getting more popular so I can get a little army following me around out there.

Q. You've come so close really the last month, you know, but no wins to show for it. Is that frustrating, or is it more just about the fact you're playing well right now?
CRISTIE KERR: I think a little bit of both. I've been playing great. Yeah, it's frustrating I haven't won. It will happen again. I just have to stay patient. I stayed patient this week; that's for sure.

ANGELA STANFORD, Rolex Rankings No. 23

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Angela Stanford.

Q. Could you just tell us a little bit about your mindset going in today, knowing kind of where you were at, where the leader was at and what you needed to do to win?
ANGELA STANFORD: Well, you know, knowing that you have to make three out of the last four, you know, I've done it before in the past, and fortunately they were four holes that I could have done it. So just a little bit of a misread on 17, and I've had a hard time hitting 18 fairway all week. Six inches away from the first cut. I was still thinking about jarring it on 18 but you've got to hit the fairway.

Q. When you missed the putt on 17, did you know that it was done?
ANGELA STANFORD: Yeah. I mean, there's still, you know, a slight chance that you may hole it from the fairway, and that pin, I guess I could have, because it was kind of in the bowl. But, you know, yeah, you can't try to jar it on 18 to win or to tie.

Q. What was it like last night knowing? How did you prepare? What was going through your head to get yourself ready for today?
ANGELA STANFORD: I mean, really, you're so tired after a long day that I was actually just happy to be done with 14, through 14. Actually, I said that to my caddy, If we can just get through 13 or 14 and come out this morning ‑‑ it's been beautiful every morning, so if we can be back and play these last four holes in the morning, you know, we have a chance.

Q. Did all the rain delay and all the weather delays, did that diminish this experience at all for you just because of the grind of it?
ANGELA STANFORD: No. You know going into the U.S. Opens that they're difficult. Weather, you never expect this. I have never been a part of anything like this in my life playing golf. I was going to say career. You know, not for me. I love a U.S. Open even though ‑‑ it's a love/hate relationship.

Q. What about the course itself, the Broadmoor? Can you compare that on a scale of difficulty? Is it one of the more difficult courses you've played on?
ANGELA STANFORD: Yeah, I would definitely say as Opens go, I would say in the top five. Just because you have to think about the elevation or the altitude. You have to think about the greens. You still have to hit the fairway because the rough was pretty thick. I would definitely say top five toughest.

Q. Do you find yourself a little bit more dehydrated than normal? What did you do to combat the altitude and the hilly course?
ANGELA STANFORD: They say beer is good for you. (Smiling.) Carbs. No, I didn't have that much beer. You just try to drink water. I don't think you can drink enough water. I do feel better at the end of the week than at the beginning. I finally feel adjusted and we're leaving today.

Q. Are you gonna watch the playoff? And what do you think of how you played today?
ANGELA STANFORD: Unfortunately I can't watch the playoff, because I'm actually driving back to Texas now.

You know, I felt like I gave myself a chance, and, you know, every golfer kicks themselves. So many things you could have done better or done right. But, you know, I can't even do the math because I've been doing so much math all week. I played really good up till those last eight holes. I just had a four‑hole streak that, you know, unfortunately mine came on the back 9 Sunday. Most people's, it could be Thursday or Friday. So I just kind of ran out of holes.

I feel very good about how I approached this week and how I played this week, and I'm gonna take all the positives I can. Two top 5s in majors out of three that we've had this year, you know, I've never done that in my career. There are a lot of good things happening.

Q. Yesterday you said you're going to enjoy being in contention on a Sunday. Did you?
ANGELA STANFORD: Yeah, I think you learn something every time. I think I did better this time. You know, I still had a chance with two holes to play. That hasn't always been the case. So it's fun to learn, and, you know, some day it will go my way.

Q. We were covering a young lady from North Dakota, Amy Anderson. She's a youngster that had the lead at one point in the tournament. What do you think about the way she was able to handle herself playing in her first U.S. Open?
ANGELA STANFORD: I think it's fun to watch people play their first Opens, because either they have no idea what's gonna happen so they play really good because they have no fear, or ‑‑ you know, I don't know. How did she finish?

Q. She kind of slipped off there in the third round, but just talk about a young girl that had kind of an impact around here in her first time.
ANGELA STANFORD: I think it's great. You know, new faces, young faces. People love that. You know, any time you get to play your first Open ‑‑ I hope she enjoyed it, because I know I enjoyed my first Open. But it's hard when ‑‑ if you don't play well towards the end, you walk away kind of feeling bad about it. I hope she enjoyed it, because not many people get to play U.S. Opens.

THE MODERATOR: Fifth place in the Championship, Mika Miyazato.

Q. How pleased are you with your finish?
MIKA MIYAZATO: Like so this week so very long, so finally finish.

Q. Was it tiring? Did you get pretty tired?
MIKA MIYAZATO: Yes, a little bit. Uh‑huh.
THE INTERPRETER: First time to play on Monday.

Q. Earlier in the week you mentioned you were going to donate your winnings.
MIKA MIYAZATO: Yes.

Q. Are you still planning on that?
MIKA MIYAZATO: Yes.

Q. How did you stay mentally involved with all the weather delays and stay mentally sharp?
THE INTERPRETER: I was able to kind of relax when I'm not on the golf course, try to go back to the hotel and, you know, watch some ‑‑ try to do things other than golf and try to kind of turn on and off switch so I was able to control myself.

Q. What did you think of the course as far as difficulty and other courses you've played?
MIKA MIYAZATO: Yes, very tough this golf course, but very...
THE INTERPRETER: Especially around the greens it's very tough, I thought. And the par‑4s are very long, so for me I had to hit like fairway wood or long iron. It was really difficult. I wanted to be aggressive but just the pin position and the hard greens doesn't allow you to just go for the pins, so it was tough.

KARRIE WEBB, Rolex Rankings No. 10

Q. Tell me a little about your finish today and your tournament overall.
KARRIE WEBB: Well, a couple pars, so I didn't do any damage. I would have liked to have made one birdie, but happy with how things went this week. You know, I left a bunch of shots out there, but I think anyone can say that at a U.S. Open. It's my best performance at a U.S. Open for quite some time. I'm happy with that.

Q. Did all the crazy schedule, the weather, looking back on the whole five days now, how do you think it affected you? Or did it?
KARRIE WEBB: Oh, I don't think it affected me any more than it affected anyone else. I just tried not to think about it. I think if it was any other event besides the U.S. Open, you'd be whining and not happy about things, but you're at the U.S. Open and in contention, so that's all you can ask for.

U.S. Women's Open - Final-round Notes and Interviews 7/11/2011

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