U.S. Women's Open
Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club
Southern Pines, N.C.
June 27, 2007

Pre-tournament Interviews: Annika Sorenstam | Lorena Ochoa | Suzann Pettersen | Morgan Pressel | Karrie Webb | Alexis Thompson | Michelle Wie | USGA Executives

Annika Sorenstam

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we have only one three-time champion in our field, and that's Ms. Annika Sorenstam, going for our fourth title, which would, by the way, tie the record of Mickey Wright and Betsy Rawls.
Annika looks great. We're so pleased to have her here. She has not yet played the golf course, so we're not able to ask her at this time what she thinks of the changes. But the main thing is let's talk about your health and its current state, how do you feel?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I feel good. I feel good, as a matter of fact. I'm happy to be back. This is my third official tournament coming back. I did play a skins game about ten days ago in Mexico. I feel great.
My neck is healing very nicely and I'm starting to work out again. I've been pain-free for I think 7 to 8 weeks, so life is good.
RHONDA GLENN: Are you able to go at the ball full tilt?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I am. There are times I'm a little cautious, but the doctor has told me not to be. So I think, mentally, I have to relax and release the club a little bit. But I feel great. I've stepped up some of my -- the practice sessions I have and I'm able to hit a lot of balls. So I really have no excuses.
RHONDA GLENN: Having won here in 1996, the second of your two Women's Open Championships at that time. I know you have good feelings about this course, but now you're coming on to what may be a completely different golf course, how did you prepare for that.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Really what I've done is just to work on my game. My coach, Henri, came to Orlando last week, and I've been working on my swing. And that's the first time since my injury. And just trying to find the rhythm again, just trying to get back to basics.
I'm more concerned about playing my game. I know that I will be able to adapt to the golf course. I chipped and putted a lot yesterday, got a good feel for the greens. I will play the course twice before Thursday. I'm just on the right track. I think there's plenty of time to get to know the course again, even though there have been some changes. I feel good about my game. If I can hit it where my caddie tells me I'm not so worried.

Q. Having won last year, does it give an extra boost to your game, coming in as defending champion, are you riding a wave of success or does your injury sort of negate all that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say that I have confidence just being inside the ropes. That's where I like to be, that's where I think I belong. I have confidence to go ahead and play again, just knowing that I'm healthy, and knowing that my game is coming all around.
Of course, it's great to be the defending champion. This tournament has always meant the most to me. I'm excited to be here. This is an event that I always get geared up for. It's a tournament that the adrenalin pumps a little bit more.
Like I said, I'm happy to be here and happy to be competing and being part of it.

Q. When will you reclaim the No. 1 position again?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think I have to start playing. I just started a few weeks ago. So give me some time.

Q. Sort of along the same lines, but worded a little differently, how much motivation is there for you to get back to No. 1 and is it at all irritating, if that's the right word, to see somebody else in a position that's been yours for so long?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I would say it's not irritating. I have a lot of respect for Lorena, I think she's a fantastic player. She deserves to be No. 1. She's playing consistent every week. She's playing as good as anybody can play. My hat is off to her.
There's no feeling of irritation. There's no feeling of -- what can you say, when you can't play and you're not feeling a hundred percent, there's nothing you can do about it.
My priority right now is to get back to a hundred percent. I want to be able to play full time and really compete at the level I know how. That's my short-term goals. We'll see what happens after that. If I'm not competitive and if I'm not performing well, then I'll probably be irritated at myself, nobody else.

Q. How would you assess the competition from the standpoint of back in say '99 through '02 it was Karrie and Se Ri, two Hall of Famers, now you're looking at Lorena and Suzanne who has played marvelously in the majors this year. How would you compare those two groups of competition?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think obviously a few years later you're going to see different faces. I think overall women's golf is as strong as it's ever been. Even though Karrie was young and Se Ri was young and I was young, you know, it just changes.
But I think it's good for the game. We are definitely seeing an international Tour, it's been continuing to grow all around the world. It's healthy. There are so many young players knocking on the door, Paula Creamer is playing so well, I can't even name them all. I think it's great for the game. And it is competitive. That's the way it should be. I think it's a fun time to be part of the LPGA.

Q. Do you feel a greater challenge now than ever before and why or why not?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think my challenges are that I have not been a hundred percent for a while and it's been tough to get motivated. Those are my challenges. I'm looking forward to getting my motivation back. I'm excited to be a hundred percent again, so I can be up there and get back to it.
It just hasn't been that way the last few months and maybe part of last year. I'm competitive, but also when it comes to my game and so forth I have to think about me, get back to where I can compete. Then I start looking around and see who is my fierce competitor, who is so and so. I just don't do that these days. I focus on getting back to Tour and a hundred percent.

Q. It's been a few years ago, but do you remember the golf course changing fairly significantly between '96 and 2001, from the time you won to the '01 Open? Although you hadn't played the course, what are you hearing about the changes that have been made?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: My caddie told me the course is longer this year. He said it was beautiful, which I remember it was a few years ago, as well. But I think the length was the biggest change that he could tell me.
I'm looking forward to going out there. Everybody is saying great things about the course. I loved the course the first time I played it here. It's a treat to play it and especially in a championship like this.

Q. Obviously you won in '96, Karrie won in 2001. I don't think anybody would argue you are the best two women golfers of your generation. Are you surprised that you two haven't gone head-to-head maybe on a big Sunday at the Open in all these years? There's a famous Nicklaus/Watson Duel in the Sun, when two great players have gone head-to-head. Are you surprised you and Karrie haven't done that more often?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I never thought about that and maybe that is a surprise. But again there are some great players out here, and in a Major Championship it seems like anything can happen. To me it seems like if I would have a good week she might not. And then I might not have a good week and she does.
It just seems to be changing back and forth a little bit. And Se Ri has won several championships, Juli has won several, too. There's so many players out there, just because it's a Major there's no guarantee that the top players will go head-to-head on a Sunday.
I know it would be good for TV and for a good show, but as a competitor, as a player, you really don't think about those things. There's so much on stake this week that you're trying to stay calm and hit one shot at a time. You can't worry about who is on the leaderboard and who is not.

Q. Do you think the media has made too much of the little rift between you and Michelle Wie?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, I really don't think there is much, to be honest. I just voiced my opinion a few weeks ago. But I think I have said what I wanted said and I'm over it and I'm here and I'm playing and that's really what matters to me.

Q. Just to follow that up, has there been any contact from their camp to your camp? Your people to their people? You to her? And if not, are you surprised there hasn't been, since your comments?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: There's been no contact. I've had two weeks off and I think she has, too. No, there's been no contact.

Q. Are you surprised? You said some fairly strong things then. Should they have contacted you?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not really sure how they deal with these type of things. All I can say is I said what I wanted to say and I stand for what I say and I still feel that way.

Q. Fans were willing to stand in line for an hour yesterday to get your autograph. Do you feel that responsibility to be the face or one of the faces for the Tour and to grow the Tour and keep it popular?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's an honor that they did that. It was hot yesterday and I saw the line and it was quite long. I'm flattered they would come out on a Monday to want my autograph. As long as people do that that's wonderful. Obviously, I would love to do my part and be the face for the LPGA as much as I can. I think it's important with giving back to the game, giving back to tournaments like this. So for me it's a great honor and I'm flattered.

Q. Do you remember the fuss here six years ago when Morgan played, just turning 13?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You mean in Portland?

Q. No, it was here, actually.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was here? I guess I don't remember (laughter).

Q. Karrie mentioned it as being -- having met Morgan that week, and thinking, wow, how often do you see a 13 year old in a U.S. Women's Open. And you mentioned Pumpkin Ridge when there were at least two that week. And we have one that's 12 this week. And it seems like we haven't played a Women's Open since then without somebody in junior high or early high school years playing. Any thoughts on that and why do you think that is?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I haven't really thought about it. I would guess the reason why we're seeing some new faces is because in an Open qualifying you have 18 or 36 holes, I believe, where you have a chance to get in. There's a lot more spots available than regular weeks.
The players are getting younger and they're stronger at an earlier age, so I think that's why we see it. Other than that I haven't given that much thought to it. I think it's healthy to see young players come up and play.
This is the biggest stage in women's golf. If you get a chance to play here, this should be a learning experience. Really it is for all of us. But you should come here and enjoy it and look at the players that have been around, learn the routines that they have, what do they do in practice rounds, et cetera. This should really be big lessons for anybody who is here if they don't play on Tour regularly, whether you're 18, 10 -- maybe not ten -- but 12, 18, whatever age they are, come here and learn.

Q. Can you see any harm at all in someone 12 or 13 playing in a national championship like this?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't think it was harmful to Morgan. On the contrary. I think she learned a lot. I think it depends on the approach that you have. If you just come here and take it as an event where you want to just learn and be a part of it and enjoy the atmosphere, I think that's great. But if you start putting pressure on yourself and start having expectations, I think that's a little early to do that.
RHONDA GLENN: You were barely out of your teens when you won your first Women's Open. When you first came out on the Tour and started playing with the women's professionals, after being runner up in the Women's Amateur, did you follow that sort of pattern? Did you try to watch the other players, the better players, and see what they did?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I did. For me it was all about a learning experience. I played actually Oakmont in '92. I was 21 then. That was an amazing experience for me. I qualified, just like that, and got an opportunity to play. It was one of my best experiences. I hit balls next to Dottie Pepper, I'll never forget it. As a matter of fact I hit a divot by her and she stared me down. That wasn't the best introduction to Dottie, but we still talk today (laughter).
But anyway, I have some great memories and those are the things that you take away from these events.

Q. Would you still appreciate an apology from Michelle or would it be too little too late?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's never too late.

Q. She was asked about it today and she said I haven't seen her yet.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I mean -- Michelle is great and so forth. I would love to talk to her about anything. I think she's a great addition to the Tour. I'm welcome to talk about anything, really.

Q. You won't seek her out?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't have the need to seek her out, I don't think. I'm here to play this week. I'm here to focus on what I have to do. Michelle is just another competitor.

Q. I know it's been rather limited, but have you noticed any difference the way you've been treated the last couple times out in that you're coming back from an injury, you've been unseated as No. 1. Has there been any more of a fan push behind you at all? I guess it's -- it sounds like I'm calling you old. I'm asking if you've become more of a sentimental favorite, I guess, since maybe the younger players coming out, you're a member of the slightly older guard.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think you're right. It's been great to come back, because I've gotten a lot of comments that said, we missed you or we're glad you're back, we're glad you're healthy. It's just been very positive. I've gotten a lot of texts from players wishing me well.
Every week you play against each other and you're very competitive, but there are times like this when you hear from players you wouldn't really expect and I think that's really pretty cool.

Q. Was last year's Open title the most gratifying Major you had ever won, considering it had been a decade between the Opens and if not, what is the most gratifying Major you ever won?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's definitely a special one. If you think about it, last year was not my best season in a long time. I thought it was quite ironic to win the U.S. Open, which I consider the biggest tournament in women's golf. And here I come out and win that particular event that means so much. It's just funny how things all come together.
When I was here in '96 I had won it in '95 and I had a chance to win the World Championship and so forth. And then I won here, it just seemed so easy. And I felt like I have mastered the U.S. Open golf course. And I guess when I said that, it hits me, and ten years later I get it back.
It is a special place. I would say that I've been lucky to have many great wins. It's tough to single a particular win out, but it definitely ranks up there, I would say that. To get back on the course and play in a playoff, which I guess is the last time we're going to have 18 holes like that, that was special, too. I'll never forget that week.
It was actually a week where I think my injury started, because I had a sore neck the first three days. And I think that the fog delay really gave me an extra day to heal and just to practice a little bit more. So it's funny how things come together one way or another.
RHONDA GLENN: There's that phrase, "horses for courses", but the Women's Open moves every year. And you've won at the Broadmoor, you've won here at Pine Needles, and you won at Newport Country Club, certainly three great venues. Does that give you something to be proud of about your game that you won on three great championship courses.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Of course, yes, it does. They are all Donald Ross courses, which I like. It's funny, because I'm getting involved in golf course design and something I need to learn from. It's been good. I obviously love old, traditional courses. When you play an Open, just like this, you have to drive the ball well. You have to hit -- you have to have such good control with your irons, and you have to have an incredible short game.
If you think about that it's really all parts of golf. To win a championship you need to have all aspects of the game figured out.

Q. Can you just talk about how much you're looking forward to St. Andrews and the British Open?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, that's another fantastic golf course. I played St. Andrews as an amateur, and I'm trying to remember when it was, it's so long ago.
But that is, I think, a big step in women's golf. If you think of it, for us to play a championship like that at St. Andrews, because I remember when I played as an amateur there was a sign out there that said, "No dogs or women allowed" (laughter). For us to be able to go there now is -- is it still there? Hopefully they'll take it out for the week (laughter). Oh, no women? So, it won't be quite the dog fight then.
But anyway, I think it's going to be great for women -- for us to go play there. I'm looking forward to that.

Q. There's that natural rivalry between Sweden and Norway and could you comment about Suzanne, after her struggling in a Major in March and coming back and winning.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was so happy for Suzanne. I've had the chance to play with her for many years, especially in the Solheim Cup. When you play out here every week you really don't get a chance to know somebody. It's more, hi, and good shot, and then thanks, and kind of go.
But in the Solheim Cup it's a lot more bonding and she's been my partner several times. I've been able to see the potential there for many years. I'm very happy for her. She's quite the competitor, I would say.
She's been struggling with some injuries the last few years, and she's come back so strongly. I think people made a big deal out of her, the last few holes at Kraft Nabisco, but she bounced totally back and won Kingsmill, which is a huge event and then McDonald's. It's great to see. I'm happy for her.

Q. You talked about playing at St. Andrews. Michelle mentioned wanting to play in The Masters. Your take on women playing on the Men's Tour. Do you want to play The Masters?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have no desire. I've had my fix. It was great when I -- people asked me about one of the greatest moments in my career, I always say the Colonial. I think it's going to be that way.
I've been fortunate to get invited to Skins games. When Greg Norman invited me to his shootout it was flattering, and I had a lot of fun. But like I said, I've done that. And I have some other business ventures ahead of me that I'd rather focus on the LPGA and kind of spend my energy there. I've learned my lesson and I'm very thankful for that.

Q. You'd mentioned that it's tough to get motivated. I can't think of anybody that might be more motivated than you've been. Why is it tough to be motivated now? Is it just the injury's taking some of that away or something else?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't think the injury has taken that away. I think on the contrary, now I might be able to get that back, because I've been away from the game when I really wanted to be in the game. I was forced to just take it easy.
I just think that I have achieved so much more than I thought I ever could. I've won so many tournaments around the world that I never thought I could. I'm satisfied. I'm happy. My career has been fantastic, a lot more than I thought -- look at me, I came from a little town in Sweden and this game has taken me everywhere and I've met some great people and I've just experienced a lot of things. It comes to a point where you say, "I'm happy." My glass is full and I'm enjoying it.

Q. You were talking earlier about -- there's been a lot of talk this week about the young players and the depth of talent on the young players in Tour. Can you compare that to when you came up in '92 and you were looking around at the Tour. Are there a lot more young players that are competitive than what you saw in that time?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so. My first year was full-time '95 and -- I played quite a bit in '94, as well. But I would say that the Tour has definitely changed. It seems like a lot of players don't take college for granted. It's something that some players do, some don't. They go through high school and decide to turn professional. And maybe they do that because they've had a chance to play in LPGA events as an invite or qualified.
I don't know what it is, but the players are younger, there's no doubt about it. And I think that's -- thanks to the coaching at early ages and they're just ready to come out.
I welcome the youth, I think it's wonderful. It's always good with some fresh blood. If you play good golf, you should be out here.

Q. Are Kathy Whitworth's 88 wins still a goal of yours or has the experience you've gone through with the injury changed that at all?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The 88 has never really been my goal. When I came out here I was hoping to win one event. When I started to win a few more then I set some new goals. But 88 has never really been my primary goal.
What do I have, 69, that's a lot of wins left. And with the competition so tough and me starting to think about other things, I'm not sure that will happen. Right now I'm just happy to be back here, I'm focusing on this week and we'll see how it goes. If I play well and hopefully I can continue to play the rest of the season and we go from there.
If I get close to 70, 75, I might get another boost and just keep on going. You never know. My goals today are a lot different than they were 12 years ago. So it's tough to predict, but that's not what drives me today.

Q. Did Terry tell me you won whatever that event was that was at St. Andrews, way back from you were just a peewee?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Saint Rules Trophy.

Q. Have you got any details of that, off the top of your head, who all was in it or who was in it? How old you were?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't. I remember the par was 75, that I remember, which I thought was good for us.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much for being with us. Good luck this week.

Lorena Ochoa

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome Lorena Ochoa, the No. 1 ranked women's professional golfer in the world. Certainly has had an outstanding career. Had a very good chance to win this championship two years ago, and now she's here to give it another shot.
You played here before -- this is your first Women's Open at Pine Needles.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, this is my first.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you think about the course?
LORENA OCHOA: Hello. I think the golf course is in great shape. I think for sure it's playing like we all think of a Major championship, really tough on the greens. That's why I tried yesterday and today, my practice, kind of got a good picture of the green, especially from behind.
I make sure where the easiest place -- to miss or where you want to be to have a chance to save par when you're on one of those holes.
I'm feeling comfortable. I was a little bit tired yesterday, I'm a little bit tired today. But I think what is important is to get a good feel of the speed and be ready for the week.
RHONDA GLENN: You know you can win this championship. You had a very good chance at it a couple of years ago. What did you learn from that experience that you would carry forward into the Women's Open?
LORENA OCHOA: I know I can win, yes. I trust and believe in myself. I know where is my game and how far I can go. I did have a good chance a couple of years ago. I think I wasn't ready, that's probably why it didn't happen.
I'm ready today. I think this year has been different for me. I've been learning a lot in just the past experience in the last seasons. I made some big mistakes, but I think I'm ready to get a Major. It will be amazing to get the U.S. Open. So now that we're here this week, why not win on Sunday?

Q. How was your day today?
LORENA OCHOA: I forget the word. He's been teaching me some English. Delightful. (Laughter) with my English -- he says, don't say, it's good, it's super, say it's delightful.
RHONDA GLENN: What did you do today?
LORENA OCHOA: I guess because of the rain, and I'm going to go home and rest. I already played nine holes and got a good practice in the morning. It would be a good afternoon just to go and rest.

Q. You have a club deal with Ping, could you talk about that?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I wanted to share that with you. We signed this week. I'm going to be part of the Ping family. So I'm very happy. I'm very excited. It's been something -- I've been playing Ping for a long time, for more than ten years. It looks like we will have it in the bag for the weekend. They had trouble shipping in the bag.
But I'm really happy. They've been really loyal to me. I've been loyal to them. A lot of good friends and a lot of good attention from their part, every time I go to Ping in the off-season they always take care of me. If there's some company that I'd like to represent, it would be them.
So thank you for the trust. Like I always do, I'll try to do my best and represent them in my best way.

Q. What are the clubs? How many?
LORENA OCHOA: 11 clubs. I use pretty much all of them. So I'm all set.
RHONDA GLENN: Speaking of endorsements, I notice the alligators, La Coste. Catherine La Coste is here this week. She's here this week. The only woman to ever win this championship as an amateur. She won in 1967. She's here with her husband and daughter. Have you met her before?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, and I play with her golf before. Every time I go to Evian we play in the Pro Am. Actually she speaks very good Spanish and the husband, too. We spend time together with our family and their family and talk a little bit. So that's good news for me. I didn't know she was here. I'd love to spend time with her.

Q. Do you plan to go down to the maintenance compound and say hello to your countrymen and women down there, as you often do?
LORENA OCHOA: I could, yes. I haven't heard anything from them. But I saw a lot of them today at the golf course. And I took my time to take pictures with them and sign autographs. We talked about the big soccer match on Sunday. Yes, if there is a chance, an opportunity, I will do it.

Q. When do you think you might do that?
LORENA OCHOA: You caught me by surprise. Maybe it could be early in the afternoon or maybe even tomorrow in the afternoon. We'll see.

Q. I was just wondering if you changed the make up of your bag at all? Did you add any more clubs, or is it the same as it has been?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I'm going to be exactly the same. We're going to keep my sponsors, the Aero Mexico on the side, and El Rio on the front part of the bag.
And about the clubs, I'm putting -- not putting with a Ping putter, I have another one. So I'm -- they are not putting any pressure on me to change that. I'm going to take my time. I have to make sure I'm using the putter by 2008.

Q. Everything else is the same?
LORENA OCHOA: Everything is the same.

Q. Why the decision now after having played Ping so long to do the endorsement deal?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I don't know finally they make up their mind. I needed to have my sponsors with me on the bag. So I couldn't get that out. I wanted to play Ping, but for the right reasons. I didn't want to go with any other company or just for the money. And finally this is the time where they agree with our proposal. We signed in the 2008 and decided, why not start right now. We are in the middle of the season, to get the second part. I'm really happy it works.

Q. You said earlier, about Cherry Hills, that you weren't ready. Why weren't you ready and is that just your way of accepting when things don't go well?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I'm a player or a person that believes that things happen for a reason. If I didn't win that U.S. Open it's probably because I wasn't ready. Maybe not to deal with all the things, the cameras or that with winning a Major championship or just pressure on myself or different things. And for sure I didn't know as good as I know myself right now.
When you're under pressure and you have too much adrenalin, how quick my swing gets, and my hands. I should probably have taken a little more time and taken a couple of deep breaths. You only learn them with experience. So I always try to think that way, and probably for me because I wasn't ready.
I do want to say that I'm ready right now. I think I can't wait to get my first major and hopefully we can go from there.

Q. I guess, following that up a little bit, not everybody has the type of personality that wants to be the No. 1 player in the world. When did you know you wanted to do that or are you comfortable in that role of being No. 1 and having everybody else chase you?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I knew I wanted to be No. 1 for a long time. I always tried to push myself as much as I can. And I have pretty high goals in junior golf and college and now in professional.
I didn't want to be here just to be -- not to do so good. I wanted to be here and make sure I'm on the top. It's been a long process. I never said, I'm going to get here, I'm going to be the best. You first have to respect and start getting your way little by little. I had my plan, my long-term goal of doing it in the next four or five years, to get to the No. 1 position. And that's what happened.
I don't think anything is easy, it's not about one or two weeks, it's been a long process, many, many weeks and good times and bad times. I'm just really glad that I'm there at the top. I like to be there.
I'm going to make sure I do everything it takes to stay there and keep working really hard, because there are so many good players trying to catch me. But I do like it in this position and hopefully I'm going to stay there for a long time.

Q. How much did last week mean to you as far as the way you won? You always say it's a little different every time you win or lose, when you're in contention. That one nothing was going right and you kind of gutted it out. Was it a special victory in that way?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, for sure. I think it helps a lot coming into this week, instead of being down and upset, I'm really happy and positive about my game. I think that eagle on 17 is something that saved a lot. It was perfect that day, just at the right time.
And also getting that first play, it was a special Sunday, I get that out of my way. And I think I am still improving my playoff score, I'm 4 to 1. But I'm getting there.

Q. First of all, I'd like to congratulate you on your victory at the Wegmans, you played so well at the playoff. So Ai Miyazato, you seem to be paired quite often. And Ai Miyazato said she really enjoys playing with you, also she learns a lot from you. Whenever you play with her, what do you think of her game?
LORENA OCHOA: I like it a lot. She's, for sure, one of my favorites. She's easy to be around. She's always smiling and always having a good time. I think she's a great player.
I admire her very much the way she practices, the way she handles herself with all the Japanese media. And the way she treats everybody, just inside and outside the golf course. I think she's very talented. I think sometimes they ask me, "Tell her how to win."
I think she'll be fine. She just need to be a little bit more patient and she will win soon. But she's always trying to find out what she needs to do to get better. "Lorena, why do you hit the ball so far?" We try to get stronger, every time, go to the gym. "Okay, I'm going to do that."
She's always looking how to improve or how to play better. She for sure has what a champion needs to have. So I wish her the best.

Q. Could you talk a little bit more about Majors? Do you feel like you play just as well in Majors as all other tournaments and it's been bad luck or is there something different that you haven't quite gotten over the hump yet in winning your first Major?
LORENA OCHOA: I try to treat every tournament the same. I try -- my idea is just to win every tournament I play, whether it's a small tournament or big tournament. Unfortunately, I only have four chances a year. The percentages or the chances are different.
But I think I'm ready, for sure. In Majors, you see the best players, experienced players. I think right now I consider myself a player that has been through a lot of things and I have experience. I'm not going to change anything. I just need to give myself a chance to do it. I think what is important is to be in a good position on Sunday and then we'll go from there.

Q. Who do you consider to be a bigger challenge to you, Annika or someone younger like Suzann Pettersen?
LORENA OCHOA: I don't really have just a name in my head. I think it will be not just fair to mention one name, because there is not only one or two, there are probably five or six players that are really tough and coming behind me. All of them want to be at the top and all of them know how to win.
So I'm just going to try to concentrate on me, making sure I don't get distracted or I don't lose focus. And have my goals every week. I think if I do good, be consistent every week, like I've been trying to do, I'll be fine at the end of the year or for the next few years.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about what you're most proud of in your own game, what the No. 1 reason is that you are No. 1 right now?
LORENA OCHOA: I don't think I would say my game. I think golf is a lot more than going out to the course and shooting a 68. I'm very proud of making sure I know my priorities. Always very important to practice and to rest and to deal with the things outside of the golf course, the media and the sponsors and all of that. I think I've been very lucky to have a really good group to help me and manage me and always be good with that.
I think if you take too much then you start seeing bad results and bad tournaments. So I'm more proud of that and that's always in my head. I just never lose that. Have your priorities very clear. And then the things on the golf course are a lot easier.
RHONDA GLENN: How confident are you this week?
LORENA OCHOA: I am confident. I think I'm ready. There is nothing else I can say. But for sure it's too early to be talking about winning the tournament. You have to do it one step at a time. It's important to have a good start, to be in a good position on Friday, Saturday to get, if not in the last group, in the few of the last groups that are not too far from the leader. And then on Sunday morning we can be thinking about winning the tournament.
But right now it's just one step at a time and putting myself in a good position.
RHONDA GLENN: All facets of your game are under good control right now?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. I'm pretty happy with my putting, with the speed. I think long putts is going to be a key this week. I hit my driver really good last week. That always helped me in Majors, playing from the fairway.
I think I'm ready. I have to believe I'm ready and I trust in my game.

Q. On your website you talk about the -- in Mexico there aren't a lot of people in Mexico who play golf regularly. How did you get into golf? What started you playing golf?
LORENA OCHOA: I started when I was five because of my dad. Growing up we lived just right there by the golf course. I used to go with him and with some friends just to watch him play on the weekend, on Sunday, and drive the cart. Like any other girl, I started picking up the club. I told my dad I'd really like to learn. Competition is what I really enjoy.
I played my first tournament when I was six in Guadalajara. My first national tournament when I was 7. The first tournament in the United States was when I was 8. Competition was what I enjoyed. I always like to win. I don't like the feeling of losing. That's why I keep on the range there and practicing.
It was different, because not many girls are playing in Mexico. But I was very lucky to have parents that support our dreams and not put any barriers on us.

Q. One of the things you talk about is the reaction you get from people who are from Mexico, the reaction you get from people here in the United States from people that are from Mexico. Can you talk about that and has anything happened this week along those lines?
LORENA OCHOA: The reaction from people in Mexico when I play?

Q. The reaction from people who are Mexican who are in the United States who see you when you play in the tournaments. What's that like and has anything happened this week?
LORENA OCHOA: I love to see Mexicans or Hispanics, or any Latin American that come say hi to me. When I'm playing and I see them, they always give me extra motivation. I love to see the Mexican flag or someone say, "Go Mexico." I play not only for me, but for all of them. It's something that I love to share with everybody.
I appreciate very much my fans and people that have been supporting me and following me in my career.

Q. Was Cabrera's victory inspirational? Do you think it will be important to Latin America and to Mexico?
LORENA OCHOA: Very much. We were all crying, I think. Very special. I think that I could be there and I want to be in his position and lifting that trophy on Sunday gives you goose bumps. I was in my dad's house with all of our family and friends. We couldn't talk, we were all -- watching it on ESPN, watching Sylvia. It was very special.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you very much, good luck this week. Thanks for being with us.

SUZANN PETTERSEN

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to welcome Suzann Pettersen, who recently won her first Major Championship, it was a very thrilling victory in the McDonald's LPGA Championship. Suzann has played the front nine here once, and the back nine twice.
Suzann, let me ask you about how you like the golf course and whether it suits your game.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I think this is a great golf course. It's a little different from what you expect from a U.S. Open course, but I guess they will make it tough enough. It feels like my game can suit any course, so I'm very familiar with the course.
I'm very familiar with the greens. I've got my notes. I've kind of got the strategy ready to get around this course four rounds. My game feels pretty good.
RHONDA GLENN: How is it different from a normal U.S. Women's Open golf course?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, just off the tee it doesn't look that tight. You've still got room. You have long par 4s, but the fairways are fairly wide. And the rough is kind of patchy, so you can get lucky if you miss hit a shot or whatever. If you hit it dead center in the fairway and dead center on the greens this week, you'll do fine.
RHONDA GLENN: We had a call from some of the news people up in Colorado Springs and Denver area who wanted me to ask Suzann about the upcoming Women's Open Championship in 2011, which was announced today that it will be at the Broadmoor Golf Club. Suzann, you have not played the Broadmoor, but how do you like playing golf in Colorado, because I know you played Cherry Hills last year.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, we played Cherry Hills, and I would say Denver is one of my I haven't been there much, but from what I saw it was a beautiful place. It's a bit like Norway, a lot of mountains and you see the snow on the top of it. It's just a beautiful place. I'm looking forward to going back there in 2011.
RHONDA GLENN: You've done fairly well in the Women's Open, you've played I think four times. You've had several high finishes, I believe you finished 10th one year. How does your game now suit winning a Major Championship?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't know. I'm just trying to play my game, in the last Major it just seemed to be there when everything happened. I kind of managed myself around pretty nicely, and that's what it's all about this week, again. Being patient, patient, and patient again.
People are going to miss fairways. People are going to do mistakes on the greens and so am I, but you have to accept it and you have to just let it bounce off and go for the next shot. And that's what this tournament is all about and that's why it's one of my favorites because you have to grind and you have to fight with whatever you have that week or that day. We'll see on Sunday what it brings you.
RHONDA GLENN: You believe that your length off the tee is a definite advantage on this course.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Sure. Some of the par 5s are reachable. It depends a little bit how the course is going to be played. If it rains every afternoon it's going to be soft, so that's almost going to help us a little bit to hold the greens a little better. If you can hit it long and straight you would take that.

Q. Have you hit any fairway metals into any par 4s or you don't have to, your length is such that you hit irons?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Into the par 4s? 17 is probably the longest, because you have to be quite aggressive off the line with our distance, otherwise you hit it in the rough right. But yesterday I played with LD, LD had like an 8 iron and I had a 7 iron. But 17 is probably the longest, yeah.

Q. 7 iron for you?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, I think I had like a drive, 6 iron into the middle of the green.

Q. I think it's obvious that your confidence is quite high coming off McDonald's.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, but that's three weeks ago.

Q. I was just curious if I think when Kraft happened there was a feeling that that might be a tough one to overcome. But where you are now, can you actually use that as even greater confidence from the standpoint that you're a fraction away from having captured the first two Majors of the year?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I guess I'm a bit more relaxed about everything. I know I've done it and I know I can pull it off, if it comes down the stretch, which was probably the nicest thing for me to experience in McDonald's to kind of get over Nabisco again.
Other than that I feel great and my thing this week is just to get in the right state of mind again. And this is the week, like I told you, you fight to the very end.

Q. How do you get in the right frame of mind?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: It has already started.

Q. Can you help me with it, though?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's about experience and you learn how to handle yourself. It started when I woke up this morning, when I entered the golf course this morning. How you proceed. Everything you do on the golf course. You don't stress yourself. You don't let anything annoy you. You don't think bad about anything. You just try to get a positive attitude about the entire place, about the course, and about the game.
RHONDA GLENN: You mentioned LD, and that, of course, is Laura Davies.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Laura Davies, sorry.

Q. Just wondering if Player of the Year thoughts have started to cross your mind at all?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Not really. I saw the list last week and it was nice to be ahead of Lorena. But I guess she passed me with her win last week. But I can catch her.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about what's changed for you now that you're a Major winner?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't think anything has changed. Like I told you after I won Kingsmill, it's nice to get used to win tournaments. It was nice to win another tournament and it was a Major, that was a big bonus. I've been lucky. I've been playing great in two big events, and one of them was a Major.
Yes, you do prepare a little bit different for a Major. But for me every tournament is as important. You don't want to make it anymore special than it already is.

Q. You have a relatively new swing coach, how is that working for you?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: That's coming along pretty nice. We had a good five month stretch. Things clicked quicker than we thought, like I adapted to the changes quite quickly. I've been feeling good about it. It's been easy to kind of maintain.
And now we're trying to just find the right well, he's getting to know my game and how I am approaching my game, especially coming into weeks like this. So he knows me and can get down and not stress too much about anything.

Q. How often do you work with him?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I see him quite often, every third week or so.
RHONDA GLENN: Who is your swing coach?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Gary Gilchrist.

Q. When Annika was in here the other day she was talking about how she always knew you from the Solheim Cups and knew that you could play on this level. Over the last couple of years with the injuries, have you ever wondered that you'd be out here playing at this level and could get there and win the tournaments? Did you have confidence that entire time and how difficult was that period for you?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, yes, I have. But you go through tough times and through those tough times you set new goals. And it's probably not to do with golf. But those goals are going to get you back on the golf course, and once you get back on the golf course you want to start competing again, you want to compete with the best players in the world. I never stopped believing that I could do it, yeah.

Q. Did winning at Kingsmill how much pressure did that take off you, personally, to get that first win, because obviously since then everything seems to be clicking, as well?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't know, it just felt like it felt like I've been very close for the last three months two months. Like after I played great in Phoenix, and then I played great at Nabisco and then I played good come the next couple of weeks. It wasn't a big surprise that my game was good enough and ready to win.
Since I've just tried to maintain and get a little better on everything. Now it's the U.S. Open and this is the big test.

Q. There are a ton of international players in the field this week, what do you think that says about the LPGA with such a strong presence from overseas?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I just think the U.S. Open is the biggest event we probably play all year. If you want to test your game, this is the week to test it. It's nice to see all the international players come here, and especially the Europeans. They get to play a good golf course and they get to play with the best players in the world.
But also I've been playing practice rounds and you play with all these young American amateurs. So I still think there's a lot of Americans here.
RHONDA GLENN: Who are some of them you've played with.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I played with two Duke players, today I played with Jennie Lee and Amanda Blumenherst.

Q. You mentioned patience. The first two days of this event sometimes pace of play can be pretty challenging. Are you the kind of player that that wears at if it's slow play and you're not moving along at a good pace or is that something that's sort of not an issue for you at all?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I'm a pretty slow player, too, am I? There's not much you can do about it. You know certain holes are going to be backups. That one par 3, No. 5, there's usually always backups on this course. As long as you're prepared and it's not like a big surprise it's not a big deal.

Q. How does this U.S. Open test you in ways that Kraft and McDonald's don't?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, USGA, they're tough. They don't care if we are if we don't agree with the pin placements and stuff. With the LPGA we can always have their comments and they might take into consideration for the next day.
But here there's no question. They're in charge and whatever they set up we have to do. But I like that. It might be on the edge sometimes, they might put some tough pin placements out there. But it's our job to be prepared and know where to hit it and know where not to hit it.

Q. Are you tested more, though, off the tee, up here, patience wise more so than the others or what?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: It's a little bit it's going to be mentally all week. Off the tees, like I said, it's fairly wide. There's a lot of room on the fairways. But it all comes down to having a great strategy coming into the greens and knowing where to hit it and knowing where not to hit it.

Q. I just want to follow up. You mentioned all the young players that you've seen. That's one of the story lines this week. Have you been surprised how successful the young players have been on the LPGA Tour so far?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I feel old out here, and I'm 26. There are so many young players, like 18, 19, 20 years old. They play like they've been here for years. They're ready to take whatever comes down the stretch for them.
You see even last week you have a new rookie facing Lorena, and it's just a lot of players and they're so mature for their age and they're great golf players.

Q. Why is that, why do you think they're so mature?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I don't know. That's a good question. But a lot of them comes from Korea or Asia. The major part of them comes from Asia. And down there I know the junior program is great. They get into these programs when they're about ten 9, 10, 11. So they've been grinding for years and they're ready when they get out here.
So I think it's good. It pushes us to kind of work harder and stay on top of our game and get even better, so it's good.

Q. We asked Lorena yesterday if she liked being the No. 1 player, because not everybody has a personality to be that target. Do you have that personality and do you want to be the No. 1 player and everything that goes with it, along with just playing golf?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, I think it's a lot of other things that comes with it, as you say. But it's also one thing you have to prepare for. If you want to be the best you have to prepare to be there when it comes. I think I would like to be in that position.

Q. Are we going to see a lot more young players on the LPGA Tour from Norway? Are there a lot of guys coming behind you?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Hopefully. We've got a lot of we've got some good programs back home now. The boys are doing really well and the girls are just picking it up. A lot of them goes to college, so they get to know the Americans and the American continent and the courses.
So I think that we'll get here. But we're not that many. We're five million people in Norway. So it's not going to be like Korea where you have 30, 40 players on Tour.

Q. Is it more like Sweden?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: No, we're not even that close to Sweden. We are probably half the amount of golfers in Norway than there are in Sweden. I hope that what I've done and what I've achieved shows that it's possible.
RHONDA GLENN: There was another great golfer with Norwegian roots, Babe Zaharias.
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah.

Q. There's been a lot of talk this week about Lorena and Annika and Morgan and Michelle Wie, and yet here you are, arguably a swing or two from coming in looking for your third straight Major. Do you feel like you're coming in a little under the radar or is that something you even think about?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I haven't thought much about it. This week is just I've been so into all my notes and getting ready to play tomorrow morning, I haven't thought much about it. But it's nice to be a bit undercover.

Q. Where are you living now?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I live in Orlando.

Q. I was curious how the winning McDonald's, how that was received back home?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I haven't been home, but I think they liked it (laughter).

Q. How much did they like it?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, for me it's we have so many good athletes back home, especially winter athletes, it's always going to be hard to compare achievements across different sports. Golf is such a big sport, worldwide. I think one of the Norwegian journalists that was there said this would be like winning a gold medal in the Olympics, and it probably is, winning a Major.

Q. Did you get a lot of calls from journalists or TV stations back home?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Yeah, it was a little busy. It's okay.

Q. Did you enjoy it?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I'd rather have the calls than not having the calls (laughter).

Q. How do you feel about going back to Sweden for Solheim Cup this year?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: That's going to be a lot of fun.

Q. Have you played the course?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I've played the course. For me it's like I have so great memories from Barsebeck, that it's almost it's going to be a bit hard to go back and the memories from Barsebeck is so strong. But everyone says it's going to be even better.
So I'm just trying to come there with kind of a neutral attitude to the place and to the event and then just build my build kind of confidence from there. It's going to be great. It's the event of the year for us, especially us Europeans, we really look forward to this.

Q. Are you going to play Barsebeck before at the Scandinavian TPC?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: I haven't decided. It's going to be a tough stretch there playing Evian and the British and going back doesn't forth over the pond.
RHONDA GLENN: You seem to focus quite a bit on the mental aspects of golf. Do you work with a sports psychologist?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, I've probably always worked on the mental side, but this year I've put more time into it and I started working with Pia and Lynn, Vision 54. And that kind of got me kind of narrowed down the pot.
It's very detailed work. And it's detailed work that makes you keep the focus better, I would say. And it's all about managing your own emotions and managing your own behavior on the golf course.

Q. Most of us in here think 26 is pretty young. Did you have a specific, wow, I'm really getting old kind of moment out here?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: No well, when you play with Morgan, it feels like you've been around Paula, Natalie, and you've been around them for years already. But then sometimes you talk and it's like, yeah, but I'm turning well, I just turned 19. I'm like, oh, my God, it's like but it's like you don't feel like it, but I think maybe it's a good thing to have the little older players, as well. And I'm really glad that I've been able to play golf with Rosie Jones, Meg Mallon, Juli Inkster, those are classic players, and I'm glad to be part of that generation, and at the same time be part of the new generation coming up. I'm right in the middle and I'm really happy for that.

Q. You mentioned about Pia and Lynn. I think you were kind of an emotional person, of course you used to be, and now I think you handle yourself better. What was the different thing, after the bad shot, what is your reaction now and then?
SUZANN PETTERSEN: Well, you probably don't let it get to you as much as you did before. You go out there and golf is not a game of perfection. You try to play whatever you have. And like I said, everyone is going to do mistakes, but who handles the mistakes best is going to win.
Like McDonald's my attitude was the same there. You are going to hit bad shots, but you're also going to hit great shots. And let the great shots store them in your head and get the kind of get those memories stronger than the bad ones and then you'll do fine. And don't let anything get to you.
If it's slow play, it's slow play, but don't let it kind of there's nothing you can control about it.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you very much, Suzann, and good luck to you tomorrow.

Morgan Pressel

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome the 2007 McDonald's -- no, Nabisco, excuse me, we used to call it the Nabisco Dinah Shore Championship, winner of a Major this year, Morgan Pressel. It seems like a long time ago, six years ago that Morgan was our guest in the media center for one of your first national interviews, when she was the youngest qualifier at the Women's Open.
A lot has happened to you. Now you've won a Major championship. I know that was one of your big goals. Do you feel that prepares you a little better to compete in the Women's Open, Morgan?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think it gives me more confidence. I hope my game has improved a bit in six years, since I was last here. It's pretty cool. I came here with no expectations in 2001 and I can come back playing for the title this year. A lot has changed. And I come in definitely more confident after winning a Major already this year.

Q. Have you met Lexie yet?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I haven't seen her yet this week, but I met her a couple of years ago. I've seen her a couple of times.
RHONDA GLENN: About an hour and a half ago she was sitting in that very chair and she said the most exciting thing that happened this week to her was signing autographs. I remember you saying something along the same lines.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I remember I practiced my autograph in the car, so I had all these different variations of it. Which one am I going to use? And it's totally changed since then. But, yeah, it's cute, I'm sure.
It's an overwhelming experience. All the people that are out here in practice rounds, it never happens to us out on the LPGA Tour, for sure. She's already been overwhelmed, I'm sure.
RHONDA GLENN: Have you played the course yet today?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yes.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you think about the changes? It's been quite a while since you played here. Do you recall what it was like before and how would you compare it to today?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't remember so much about the golf course. I just remember it was -- it was 15, it was a brutal par-4. It's going to play easier as a par-5.
I remember the golf course, but I don't necessarily remember all the subtleties of the greens and the things they changed. But it looks great this year.

Q. Do you remember the distances that you hit your irons back when you were first here and how much that's changed now, what kind of different clubs you're hitting into the par-4s?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't remember exactly. I remember like the fourth hole I remember hitting like a 5-iron or 9-wood in. I remember it was really wet, too. This year I'm hitting like 8-iron, 9-iron, so that's a little bit better.
Otherwise, I don't remember exactly so much. I remember I hit 7-iron into 12 and now they've lengthened it like a hundred yards. Not quite, but it's a long hole now.
RHONDA GLENN: Do you recall what you used to hit for 150 yards back in those days.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't remember. Hopefully not my 6-iron.

Q. I'm curious, I happened to run across some video of you six years ago, and I'm curious if you had ever seen clips of when you played six years ago and do you ask yourself, who was that?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I asked myself who dressed me, that's what I ask myself (laughter). How did anybody let me dress like that.
RHONDA GLENN: Oh, no, you looked nice. You always look nice.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, fashion's changed a bit in six years, put it that way. I look back and it's funny to look back and look at how little I was. I didn't think that I was that little, but I really was.
But it's cute. They're cute pictures. It's always nice to look back.
RHONDA GLENN: How have you changed in those six years? I know you're basically the same person.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I hope I've grown up a bit. I've learned a lot. I've had a lot of experiences through golf and life. A lot has gone on.
I've played a lot of golf since then and worked hard and hopefully my game has improved quite a bit. Just through experiences in life you learn so much.
RHONDA GLENN: What?
MORGAN PRESSEL: You learn how to handle different types of situations better and you learn how to deal and to cope with disappointment and to hopefully enjoy success.

Q. And how to handle the media?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, that, yeah.

Q. A lot of people will look at people who have been in a sport a long time -- you've qualified at age 12, actually. You started playing, how old were you when you first started playing?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I was about eight.

Q. And asking -- you worry about burnout. So how have you avoided burnout or have you come close to being tired of the game?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, I don't think so. I think that I've always just wanted to get better. I think that is something that helped me with that was not going to an academy as a school. I went to a tough private school at home, St. Andrews School. I went to a full day of school.
Sometimes I was only able to practice an hour and a half, two hours after school or maybe not even at all if I had homework. It was helpful, but in another sense I didn't really get to practice my game a ton and it was tough to focus on. But that helped.
Just success. I just want to be out here and I want to play well. It's a grind out here every week, but when you do play well it doesn't feel -- it feels better than when you play bad, obviously.

Q. Secondly, why do you think you've done so well in this tournament?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Why do I think I've done so well? Well, I've really only done so well once. I love the way Open golf courses set up. They're real thinker's golf courses, where you really have to think your way around the course.
You have to be creative, especially this golf course around the greens. It doesn't put such a premium all the time on length and distance. You really -- you just need to know how to control your golf ball. Usually the rough is pretty thick, and I hit the ball straight most of the time, hopefully.
RHONDA GLENN: Talking about length. This is pretty long, though, over 6,400 yards, par 71.
MORGAN PRESSEL: It's a long golf course, there's a couple of holes where I've been hitting 3-woods into par-4s. It looks like it's drying out a little bit. But I think we're expecting more rain. So we'll see.
The golf course drains great. I remember even from last time I was here when it just poured for three days and the golf course still drained well.

Q. Do you have any regrets about not going to Duke?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I do not, no. Simple answer. I would have loved to go to Duke and I would have had a great experience, but where I was and what I want to be out here competing against the best players in the world every week, and in order to do that and really be on top of my game, the best option for me was to focus on my game and not worry about final exams and term papers that are due.

Q. I guess to that end, though, you were a very accomplished and motivated student in high school. How do you sort of continue intellectual/academic growth? This is your full-time job now. But what do you do to sort of continue growing in academic areas you're interested in and do you ever see yourself going to college after you're finished on the Tour?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know. That's a good question. As far as going to college, I don't know. That's something that -- right now I'm totally overwhelmed with everything we have to do out here. It's a busy week. When I get home I'm looking for time to go to the gym, not time to take Internet courses, because we do have a pretty busy schedule. I know Emilee Klein who went back to school and she said she really didn't enjoy it when she was there, when she was 18, 19, but she loves it now and she really enjoys -- she appreciates it a lot more now that she went back than she did when she was there.

Q. Are you a big reader?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No. I'm a very slow reader, actually. I read occasionally. I've read a few golf books and things like that. But in terms of reading things that -- I don't really read. I'd rather listen to my music and just relax. Reading for me is -- not that I don't enjoy it, but I'm just slow.

Q. What golf books have you read?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I've red a couple of Bob Rotella's books.

Q. Have they helped?
MORGAN PRESSEL: They've helped a little bit. And my coach actually has given me a few books for my head, that have helped me a lot, Martin, so he's been helpful with that because he reads everything. He's like, here, this would be a great book for you to read.

Q. If you could offer Alexis some advice this week, what would it be?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It would be to have fun. That was my main goal, because I didn't expect to play well. I'm sure she expects to play better than I did. She's probably a better player than I was. Because that little girl can play. But just go out and have fun. It's a great experience. It was a great experience for me. It's one I'll never forget. I'm sure if we come back here in another six years or so, she'll hopefully have the same experience, to look back and say, wow -- she might not realize it until then, until she comes back, or another five years down the road to just say, wow, I actually played in this championship when I was 12. It's pretty cool.

Q. When you look back -- for you in '01 and to come back in '07, if you said, in '07, I've won a Major, I'm going to be on the Tour full-time, I'm going to play on the Solheim Cup, is that far beyond what you would have thought back then?
MORGAN PRESSEL: That was my dream, when I teed it up in this championship. I realized that I want to be out here. I want to win. I want to compete and I want to be the best. So to think that I would have accomplished that by the time I came back, I would have won a tournament, a Major, I would have said you're crazy. But I wouldn't necessarily have thought it was impossible.

Q. Can you talk about the importance of playing AJGA in high school tournaments until right before your 18th birthday?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I'm a big fan of the AJGA, as most people know. I give a lot of credit to the AJGA for their organization and what they do for junior golf and how they help a lot of juniors get scholarships as well as to prepare them for play on the biggest stage in golf. That's why I think there's a lot more girls now that can come out here and really play well at younger ages because the AJGA prepares them so well for that. And it was really a great experience for me.
I made a lot of friends and I played well and I competed against -- against the toughest fields in junior golf for four years.

Q. Never got bored with it?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, it was great. AJGA was really fun.

Q. You talked about liking to think your way around a U.S. Open course. What kind of thought process about playing golf did you have when you came here at age 13 and at what age did the pro mindset, the way you approach thinking your way around the golf course, when did that start to kick in for you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I was going to say I had no mindset when I came here. I didn't really care. I was here. That was all I really wanted. I wanted to play well. I wanted to hopefully play well, but I didn't expect much. I was just out playing golf and having fun.
And as I recall I think I got up-and-down from like everywhere. I obviously didn't play the mounds too well.
But this year, looking at the golf course, that's another thing that you learn over time is just how to prepare. How to see a golf course and how to say, don't miss the first green on the right because you're dead. Or you can't go over 18. Things like that, where there are just ways that you look at the golf course and you really play away from the danger, especially playing in Opens.
You play for pars. And par is always a good score. Especially out here where you can make bogeys quickly where you're a little off. You have to play more for the fat side of the green, don't go for the sucker pins and stuff like that.

Q. What point in your career did that sort of thinking kick in?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't really know. I think it was just a transition over time where you just learn more and more. You play more practice rounds. In the middle of my junior career, where you really start to see a golf course and see how it's supposed to be played and you adapt your game to that.

Q. You were the first really youngster to play in this or qualify for this thing. Karrie was talking about how amazed she was meeting you in hospitality. Two years later there was a couple of 13 years old, and now it seems like every Open there's someone in that age range. Did it surprise you or shock you at all when you heard Lexie qualified? Secondly --
MORGAN PRESSEL: No.

Q. It didn't surprise you. If you could explain that. And as a follow-up why you think that's happening so much?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Lexie is a good player. We've known that for a long time. My grandfather said for a few years now that if anybody was going to break my record it was going to be Alexis Thompson.
And she's grown up right around the corner from where we are. My sister plays with her a lot. My cousin plays with her. We've seen her play. We know she's a great player and she's a great competitor.
I think that when I qualified it wasn't something that a lot of people did, that a lot of young girls tried. And I remember asking my grandfather, why am I even bothering? What am I doing? I'm trying to qualify for the Women's Open? What is this? He said, "Well, it's for good experience." And I certainly got a good experience out of it.
I think a lot of girls saw that and a lot of parents saw that and said, "I'm going to sign my kid up for this, too, and we'll see." And they just realized that there's an abundance of young talent out there.

Q. Do you see any downside to playing at age 12 if you don't approach it the right way? Can it harm you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know. I don't see why any 12 year old would not come out here and just have fun. That's what it's all about. It's the national championship and you're playing when you're 12, it's pretty cool, just enjoy it.

Q. When you talked earlier about wanting to come out here and compete against the best, who is the best out here?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Who is the best? Right now I'd say it's Lorena Ochoa, she's playing the best of anybody out on our Tour. But I think that's one of the best story lines on our Tour this year, is that there's a number of players that can play well on any good week. There's a lot of young Americans who have played well this year. Suzann Pettersen has played great. Annika is back and healthy. There's a lot of international players that can win, and that's what's so great.

Q. Where do you put Annika right now? For so many years she was kind of the target and in the last year or so, partly I would suspect, because of her health and the emergence of Lorena and Suzann and yourself, where is she right now in your eyes?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think you can never count Annika out. She's an amazing competitor. She practices really hard and she wants to be out here and she wants to be playing well.
I'm not exactly sure the status of her injury and how she's feeling, but I'm sure she'll come out and have a good showing this week.

Q. Between '01 and the last few weeks have you had a chance to come out to Pine Needles in between?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I've played the North and South a couple of times, so I've been to Pinehurst, but I haven't been out here on the property.

Q. I'm curious, when you came back to play a practice round did the memories of '01 start coming back?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Absolutely.

Q. What were some of the more prominent ones you had as you were walking around the course?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Absolutely. It was pretty cool to walk out on the first tee Monday afternoon after the LPGA Championship and just stand there and kind of look around and see my surroundings and remember all the people that were just lined down the fairway and how nervous I was hitting that first tee shot.
And I remember everything. From the two holes that I made birdie on. I made birdie on I think 12 and 18. And some of the bad shots that I hit, I remember those. I remember a bunker shot I had on 5. I remember just walking the golf course and seeing where I was and trying to remember just how exciting it was to be out here and have everybody watching me. Who am I for all these people to come out and watch? It was pretty cool.

Q. You said you'd advise Lexie to just have fun. But I wonder if that's really possible, at least in the moment. When you played here in '01, when you walked off that final green and I think it was on Saturday morning, because of the rain delay --
MORGAN PRESSEL: I wasn't happy.

Q. I didn't get the sense that your first thought was, wow, that was fun.
MORGAN PRESSEL: No. True. And as a competitor I'm sure Lexie will feel the same way. Whenever -- maybe she'll make the cut, who knows how well she'll play out here. But I'm sure she'll be playing for that, just as I was. Not that I really expected to, but I was just out here having fun. It was a great experience.
As a competitor I wanted to play the best that I could and I wanted to make the cut. So just as always, I'm disappointed when I hope to do something and I don't do it. But I had fun most of the week.

Q. It didn't take long for you to put the experience in perspective and to think, okay, that was a great experience?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Oh, absolutely. I wasn't that tortured by it.
RHONDA GLENN: Earlier, Morgan, you were talking about how little time there is out here, you said. I notice all professionals say, "out here". Give me a typical day for you. Monday is a travel day. Tuesday, Wednesday, what are those days like for you? What do you do?
MORGAN PRESSEL: They're full practice days. I'm usually out here, especially Tuesday, I start practicing pretty early in the morning. Teeing off early, playing a full 18, practicing pretty hard afterwards, a few hours range, putting green, because Tuesday is the day to really work on our game.
Wednesday is Pro Am days which usually take up six hours, which are always fun. So that takes up a lot of the day, between practice afterwards, before occasionally. My grandfather will get mad at me for saying this, I try to go to the gym, but he'll say I don't go as often as I should.
After those long days you're kind of drained. The first thing that I want to do on Wednesday is not, when I'm finished, is not going to the gym. It's just relax a little bit and prepare for Thursday.
RHONDA GLENN: You really don't have much time to be a teenager. You're working. You're working. You have a job.
MORGAN PRESSEL: I'm a working girl. I'll go home and I'll sit on my computer a little bit and I'll talk to my friends and things like that. But it's a pretty busy day. Pretty busy week.
And even when I go home it seems like I'm more busy when I go home for three days, because I have to unpack, repack, go see all my friends. I walk around and I go out to practice and everybody comes up and says hi. And it's great to see everybody. It seems like I'm more overwhelmed when I go home. And it's the time, well, let's schedule this interview then, but I don't have time. I have times I just want to go to the mall. Those times are hard to find, too, but I manage.

Q. Morgan, could you talk a little bit about how your grandfather's role has evolved, as you get older you're taking more control, but yet what his guidance has meant?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, my grandfather is my biggest supporter. He's been instrumental in my career for 10 years, 11 years, however long I've been playing golf. From starting me in the game to signing me up for the Open qualifier when I was 12, just showing me where I should go and what I should do, giving me a little push when I need it and picking out little things here and there. Your putting is a little off, hold the grip lower or change golf balls or whatever.

Q. When Karrie was in here we were talking to her about the young players coming up and making an impact very early in their careers. Usually at a Major you expect it to be a lot about experience and knowing how to play a Major championship. It seems like the younger players like yourself are kind of getting ahead of that curve, how is that?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't really know. I think that just a lot of young players are coming out with great coaching at a younger age. I don't know, it wasn't Karrie's -- granted the British I don't think was a Major at that point. That was her first win when she was young.
They come out and they're more mentally prepared to play than in the past.

Q. When you get a lot of questions about Lexie and being at Pine Needles and her being a 12 year old player, and your history here, does that at all make you feel old?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It makes me feel really old.

Q. What's that like?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I just turned 19. I'm getting up there. I'm almost in the 20s, geez, another year.

Q. What's that like in terms of looking back on your career, I even hate using that work. But looking back on how long it's been, does it feel like it's been six years? Does it seem like a short amount of time?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It seems like time flies. A lot can happen in six years. But time goes by quickly. It's cool because we're here and where I first played my first Open, where Lexie qualified.
Like I said, when she looks back on it she'll have the same feelings. Like, wow, look how time passes by.

Q. I wonder if you ever feel like a 29 year old, 19 year old.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Not quite.

Q. Based on the fact that you're a professional, you make money, just the things you do that are different, maybe, than some 19 year old who is maybe headed off to college.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, it's different. It's different, for sure, to know that -- I talk to my friends they're worried about the paper that's due next week or studying for their finals. And they're excited for spring break and summer vacation. And we don't really get much of that.
But it's different. I really enjoy it. This is what I've always wanted to do.

Q. Was that the coolest golf moment you'd had to that point was playing in the Women's Open?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah.

Q. What did it take to replace that as your best golf moment?
MORGAN PRESSEL: What did it take to replace that? That's a good question. I have to say maybe winning the Am was pretty special. Because that was not my first really big win, but that was big and that was important. And winning the Kraft this year, for sure.

Q. Michelle Wie is going to be 18 by the time Q-School rolls around this year. When she was in here earlier she would not commit to whether she was going to join the LPGA Tour for next year. You, in the past, have been quite candid about you felt like some exemptions into tournaments were going to her when there were other juniors that were equally deserving based on their playing record. I wonder if your position on the value of Michelle being a member of the LPGA or playing in LPGA tournaments has changed since you're a member of the LPGA?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, not at all. We love it when she comes out here, even when she comes out and doesn't play well, she's still the lead story. She brings a lot of publicity to all the tournaments and she's going to do what she wants and what her parents want. She's probably not going to tell too many people ahead of time. We'll see.

Q. She said she'll let us know.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much and good luck this week.

Karrie Webb

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome the two-time United States Women's Open champion, Karrie Webb, who won her last -- she won the last time we played the Pine Needles. Karrie, you said you had an opportunity to play nine holes yesterday. What do you think of the changes to the course or did you notice them at all.
KARRIE WEBB: I did notice them quite a bit, actually. I played the back nine yesterday and a couple of the holes I felt like I was playing a different course.
And just trying to -- my vision of what I remembered from the two times I'd played here before to yesterday was a lot different, where bunkers used to be now and now chipping areas.
The greens for the most part are a little bit different. I felt instead of having to just cruise around for a couple of practice rounds to refresh my memory, I think I'm having to learn the course all over again.
RHONDA GLENN: You've had a wonderful year in the Majors, you really have. How do you rally yourself for the Majors in a different way or do you or do you just approach it the same as you do every tournament every week, fairways and greens, fairways and greens?
KARRIE WEBB: I think basically it's the same procedure. You've got to get the ball in the hole as quickly as possible. But I think -- all your senses are heightened a little bit. I think I'm a little bit more excited to play the U.S. Open than a regular LPGA event.
And of course coming back to Pine Needles is something I've been looking forward to since the last time we played here. I'm really excited to be back here and hoping that I can at least have a shot on Sunday.
RHONDA GLENN: Your first U.S. Women's Open was here at Pine Needles in 1996.
KARRIE WEBB: Yes.

Q. You were talking about it being a different course. Is this the first time you've played it this week or did you come in early to play it?
KARRIE WEBB: No, this was the first time.

Q. You talked about being surprised. I guess it's not a pleasant surprise to see a whole different golf course?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, I guess it will just keep me sharp and not take anything for granted. Obviously, take notice of the different runoff areas. I think the greens are a little more severe. They're going to play a little more severe than they did in 2001.
There's a premium on good ball-striking, obviously. And good ball-striking will be rewarded with where you don't have to try to get up-and-down from some difficult areas.

Q. Do you guys play any other courses on Tour regularly that have these types of green complexes where you've got probably six choices of how you can putt it, hybrid it, 3-wood it, scuff it, whatever you want to do to get it up close?
KARRIE WEBB: Not really, I don't think. Especially not the speed and the firmness of the greens. I don't think we play anything near that.
But because we played the last two U.S. Opens at Pine Needles at the end of May I think there was a lot more options for chipping. I found yesterday that because the Bermuda is in probably a little more at the end of June than it is in May, it's probably not as tight around the greens as it was. And it's a little more grainy.
I found that you don't have the -- for me, anyway -- the fairway wood shot or the 5-iron chip up the slope. I don't feel like it was consistent enough. I don't feel like you can judge the bounce as much. So certainly there's shots where you pitch it two or three feet short of the green into a slope and let it bounce up to take some speed off it, but I felt like there wasn't as many options, on the back nine, at least, yesterday, than what we had.
I think the only time is around some of the greens there's a little -- once it slopes off the green, it slopes back up. It could be the only time that that's the only option you have, because you can't get a sand wedge up there because it's a little tight.
I guess my recollection was that the Bermuda didn't play as strong a part around the greens as it's going to this week.

Q. Another aspect of a month later, it will be more heated -- there will be much more heat and humidity. Do you feel like that will be a factor this week?
KARRIE WEBB: I guess so. Obviously you're going to have to keep yourself hydrated and not spend too much time at the course, or more time than you have to, I guess.
But I grew up in this sort of heat. Last week we played in Rochester and we had a couple of days in the 60s, and my body just works so much better when it's 90 than when it's 65 or 68. I really felt the difference yesterday when I was playing.
As long as I don't over do it I think I'm going to enjoy the temperatures much more than if they were cooler.

Q. Can you assess the state of your game right now?
KARRIE WEBB: Yes, it's pretty good, actually. For the last two months I think it's probably the best two months, probably in the last four or five years, that I've swung it for a two-month period where I haven't had to do tons of work on the range. I haven't gotten a lot out of the good swinging. I've putted fairly inconsistently. I had a good showing at McDonald's, which was a huge confidence boost for me and I'm going to take that into this week.

Q. Geoff Ogilvy was saying at the Men's Open he thinks that the Majors on the tough courses are easier to win than regular events because so many people are just either intimidated by it and they're sort of out of it before they tee off because they don't think they can win. Do you see it the same way in the Women's Open?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't think so. I think it's the toughest test of your game. I think if your game is there and you have the experience to know not to set scores and just to fight it out, I think the difference between my '96 Open here and winning in 2001 was in '96 I think I finished in the top-20 but the whole time, if I made a bogey, I just didn't have that patience.
Sometimes I still don't have that patience, but I think I have a better grasp of it now, that you've just got to hang around, hang around, and at the very worst don't shoot yourself out of it by losing your temper or patience.

Q. Do you think there are a lot of players that don't have that?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I think so. It's just not a shootout. As well as you have to putt at U.S. Open I don't find it just a putting contest. You play courses where 15-under or something wins and 10th is 13-under, where there's tons of people who have a chance to win. Especially U.S. Open, I don't view it as a shootout or a putting contest. I think all facets of your game have to be in tip-top shape and I think if you're driving it well -- and I know I look back, I watched the last round of the '01 Open here, my last week off, and the thing that made me take notice was I was fairly well up there in fairways hit and greens hit and I think that's a big key to playing well around this golf course.

Q. Is that a regular thing for you to go back and watch big tournaments that you've won or was that just sort of an isolated incident?
KARRIE WEBB: Well, we don't -- U.S. Open we don't get to play the same course very often. So I guess because I had such good memories and I won here, I went back and watched it.
As I was watching it I realized that if we played that same golf course now there would be more than one person under par. And I was like, I don't really know -- besides getting good feelings, why I'm watching this, because the course is going to be so much harder than what I'm watching. And then of course the greens are different now.
It was good to revisit and just get a little bit acquainted with the course again.

Q. Do you have to use old technology to view that, VCR or DVD?
KARRIE WEBB: I actually just changed my whole entertainment unit. I don't have a VCR anymore, so I had to get someone to bring it over to the house, and then it was a process of plugging into one of the TV's.

Q. In all the Women's Opens that you've played, what would you describe as the difference between a tough test and an unfair test, have you experienced both?
KARRIE WEBB: Blackwolf Run was unfair.

Q. What made it unfair?
KARRIE WEBB: The course setup. It was -- well, I guess the thing I remember was there were a lot of areas that the course could have played a little bit more fair if they'd just marked as hazards, rather than leaving areas of really long grass that you either attempted to play, but if you attempted to play it you were there all day. Or you went back to where you last hit it from, which was a very daunting shot in most cases. And then of course it got really windy, which is typical of that area.
And I know a couple of the holes, I don't remember the number of the hole, but there was one hole that we played as a par-4, which was designed as a par-5. It was all right if we played it downwind, we hit 8-iron in. On the Saturday round I hit 3-wood into it. It wasn't designed to accept 3-woods. So that was unfair.
But I really think that's the only U.S. Open that has been unfair that I've played. I think all the others are just really tough tests and you have to hit fairways and you have to hit greens.

Q. Secondly --
RHONDA GLENN: Blackwolf Run, as I recall, I know what you were talking about on that windy day and the par-4. They set the hole locations the night before and the wind switched on them and it was not predicted and that's what happened on that particular day.

Q. Do you have any recollection of being here in '01 with Morgan -- not with Morgan, but the circumstances surrounding her?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, I remember meeting her in the hospitality and just marvelling at what -- she was 13 at the time. She qualified as a 12 year old. And she carried herself so well for a 13 year old. I tried to think of myself as a 13 year old and how far away I was from ever thinking about competing in U.S. Open.
It was one of those things where you thought that's like a one-off, you're not going to see a 13 year old play the U.S. Open very often. And now I've seen another two 13 year olds play the U.S. Open. Golf is definitely becoming a younger game.

Q. Do you remember at all, was there an Open, specifically an Open where it seemed like they were all over the place, where it wasn't that much of a novelty to have someone that young?
KARRIE WEBB: Has there been a lot more 13 years old? I thought Michelle --

Q. How old was Meena --
RHONDA GLENN: I think this is Meena's first U.S. Open.
KARRIE WEBB: 15, 16 years old are commonplace at the U.S. Open now. And I think again when I was 15 or 16 I was so far away from playing in a U.S. Women's Open that it's hard for me to imagine what that experience would be like.

Q. Why is it happening, do you think, that there's more and more?
KARRIE WEBB: I think definitely in this country there's a premium on picking one sport, so that you get a free education. So at a very young age kids are choosing one sport to play and focusing on that.
Whereas, I grew up playing tons of different things. When I chose to cut those things out it was just because I wanted to be a professional golfer and I decided that for myself. It wasn't a college education that I was thinking about. So I think there's a premium on that.
And then obviously a lot of the Asian girls, their families are relocating over here and I guess for the same thing, the free college education or to have them ready to turn pro when they're 18. Again, there's only a focus on one sport. So I think that's one key.
I think coaching is so much better today than it was even when I was growing up, even though some people think I'm a veteran, it wasn't really that long ago (laughter). And I think technology obviously helps, as well.

Q. Just curious, you keep talking about '96 and what were your hopes, dreams, expectations, and have you far surpassed them?
KARRIE WEBB: Oh, definitely. I think I surpassed them in my rookie year. To win four times and win the money list. I think that was a career year for me, what I would have thought was a once in a lifetime year. So I've long been surpassing my dreams out here.

Q. Could you talk to me about the significance of the British Open being at St. Andrews, and the fact that you'll be able to use The R&A clubhouse?
KARRIE WEBB: I'm so excited to play at St. Andrews. And obviously it's definitely a huge step for women to be allowed in the clubhouse. I'm glad that it's on such a big occasion that we're moving forward in the right direction in the game of golf.
But to play St. Andrews, I don't know if it's going to be something that's in the rotation on Tour for us or if it's just a one-off thing. But I'm really looking forward to it and it will be -- I think all the players are. It's something that everyone has been talking about for the last year, trying to get accommodations. You never plan that far in advance for any tournament. I don't think there will be anyone that has a bad time that week, doesn't matter how the weather is, just that we're playing on The Old Course.

Q. You said you played better the last two months than you had in a few years?
KARRIE WEBB: I swung it better.

Q. Can you be a little bit more technical or just explain it a little bit?
KARRIE WEBB: There's nothing really technical to say about it. It's just that the things that I have been working on over the past two years have been something that come a little more naturally to me and I'm able to -- I have an understanding of them. So I'm able to make corrections on my own now.
I'm able to work the ball both ways fairly easily. Therefore I've hit the ball really well. I've swung it better than my results have shown. But it's definitely -- as much as it is frustrating, it's been rewarding to feel that it's that good. I know at any time I could go on a run.

Q. In the interview before yours, Michelle Wie was in here and the room was packed. You're in the Hall of Fame, you've won The Open. Are you like some of the other players, mystified or surprised, by this fascination with her career? She's never won a LPGA tournament, never won an Open.
KARRIE WEBB: I think you guys created that, didn't you? No, I'm not mystified by it. For what she's -- I think people forget she's 17. Everyone, including the people around her, I guess, have expected bigger things by now.
But for what she's achieved, if I was 17 -- again, speaking about 15 and 16 year olds playing in the U.S. Open, I was so far away from that possibility at that age. So for her to have had as many top-10's and seconds and thirds in Majors that she's had out here it really is unbelievable for a 17 year old to achieve.
Now we've had some 18 year olds, like Morgan, win Majors. So now the comparisons are getting tougher on her, because we've expected so much of her at a young age. And obviously playing in men's events, that's saying that perhaps she's a step above people and people are interested in seeing male versus female and to see a female make the cut on the PGA TOUR.
Ultimately I don't think some of the decisions that have been made for Michelle have been made by Michelle. And now she's starting to be old enough to probably know what right decisions are or wrong decisions are or what's best for her. But I think ultimately everyone has been quite tough on her knowing -- I think everyone in the room knows the situation she's in and the amount of pressure that's put on her not only by the public and the expectations that have been written about her, but all the people around her.
Obviously she's dealing with an injury right now. I don't know the circumstances of the injury, but perhaps she should be resting it rather than playing, but she's here this week and I'm sure she feels like she's got a chance to win.

Q. Michelle said a few minutes ago that technology helped the young ones. I asked Michelle a few minutes ago a reference that was quoted by Mac O'Grady as saying, "What Michelle Wie is doing is not humanly possible. It's technically possible because the balls go too straight, they go too far." Are you women hitting the ball further and so on because, as Mac says, it's technology, not skill?
KARRIE WEBB: Is that what you say about the guys, too?

Q. It's part of a story in which he claims Tiger Woods is not the driver that Nicklaus or Palmer were in their hey day?
KARRIEWEBB: Well, I think it's hard to compare -- even if we were using the same equipment, as they used in the '60s, '70s, '80s, it's hard to ever compare generations. Pete Sampras used a different racquet than Bjorn Borg or Rod Laver. But Pete Sampras is known as probably the best player to play until Roger Federer came along. It's hard to compare eras, I think.
I think the PGA TOUR or the top male professional gets more out of technology than anyone else on the planet. I think that it definitely benefits top female players, but not -- we are hitting it further, but I don't think the increase in distance on the Women's Tour compares to the increase in distance on the Men's Tour.

Q. I'm just wondering if you think that Lorena needs to win a major to validate her World No. 1 ranking?
KARRIE WEBB: I don't think so. I think that's a really tough call. She's definitely been the best player, besides the fact she hasn't won a Major in the last three years, she's definitely been the most consistent player, and has probably -- I'm not sure exactly -- but I would say she won the most tournaments.
I think she has been the best player. I don't think any of the players question that. I know she's trying very hard to win her first Major and I'm sure that's a milestone for her that she's hoping to achieve as soon as possible.

Q. Obviously not being super golf intensive as a youngster worked for you, I'm wondering if it would still work today and if it doesn't, is that kind of sad for you? You know what I'm saying?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah. I think it still works today. I think, to me, it's whether you have the natural ability. And then the love of the game to work hard yourself. That's the biggest key, I think.
If you're doing it for somebody else eventually you may start off well in your career, but eventually it's not going to be long lasting, I don't think. I think one day if you're not doing it for yourself you're going to wake up and say, "Why am I doing this? I hate it."
I think you have to have the love of the game in your own heart rather than someone telling you that that's what you should feel.

Q. Along those lines, do you have the perception that Michelle is doing it for someone else and not because she loves the game?
KARRIE WEBB: No, I think she loves the game. But I think that it's more -- the questions are whether she should have played more junior golf and more amateur golf and been allowed to be a kid.
But that's not just singling out Michelle. There's a lot of young girls out here that I often wonder that, whether they're playing for themselves or playing because that's what they grew up dreaming to be. Michelle definitely has grown up dreaming to be a professional golfer.
I don't think -- I just think it's tough when someone else is making the decisions for you. I think that's -- my parents have always just been supportive. At 16, as well as I was playing in the amateur scene in Australia, if I had come home and said, "I don't want to do this anymore", as long as I wasn't doing it for someone else, quitting for someone else, as long as that's what I wanted to do, they would have been fine with that.
I think I couldn't have been the person I am or the golfer or the player that I am if my parents had been any other way.

Q. You were talking about all the teenagers in the U.S. Open. I'd like to broaden that. What's been the impact of the players that have come out in the last 6, 8 years, not only their skill, but the style with which they walk the course?
KARRIE WEBB: I think the last three or four years have probably been -- well, I guess every year it's gotten a little bit more exciting, there's been a little bit more focus on women's golf.
The last three or four years I think with three or four young Americans coming out, young Americans, along with young foreign players have really added to the interest. And I think for a while there that's what the LPGA was lacking, was that there was no young Americans to carry on from the Juli Inksters, the Beth Daniels, they're not going to play forever. And I think you guys were looking for some young Americans to write about. And I think that's the best thing to come along for a long time.
RHONDA GLENN: Speaking of young players. A long time ago, 1996, many great things have happened to you. How have you changed as a person since your first Women's Open here.
KARRIE WEBB: I think I'm still basically the same person. I just think I've matured. I've matured and just grown up, like anybody does. But I think I still have the same great friends at home in Australia and still maintain close friendships with them. So I really don't feel like I've changed a whole lot.

Q. You were just talking about young players, both American and from around the rest of the world. I'm wondering, though, where are the young Australians?
KARRIE WEBB: Yeah, that's a good question. As many young Australian guys are out here doing well it's definitely a question that has been addressed by Golf Australia. When I was playing the Australian Open this year I spoke to Tony Hallam, who is the CEO of Golf Australia and I'm going to try to get involved a little bit more with Golf Australia and get to know a lot of the younger girls and hopefully give them good advice and hopefully will get the same amount of young Australian women coming out and playing in the States and being successful as the Australian men.

Q. With all the talk of the youth movement and it's getting to be a younger game, does the U.S. Open give it more of a -- is it more of an equalizer in terms of the older players, like yourself, in terms of the difficulty, the experience, the patience, all those things you talked about on an Open course, is this the one course where the youth is a little bit negated and the older players can still make a stand?
KARRIE WEBB: I think they can still make a stand even if -- I think there's not a course that an older player can't compete on or win a golf tournament. I think Juli Inkster, and I'm sure she's happy that I brought her name up. (Laughter) I'm playing a practice round with her in half an hour. But she has just as much opportunity as winning last week as she does this week. And I guess this week I think she probably has more opportunity than -- just because of her experience. I think in the U.S. Open, not that you can't -- you saw at Blackwolf Run, where I said was the -- and I think that's where youth and having absolutely no idea had its advantage. Because Jenny and Se Ri were both young players, and they weren't bitching about how unfair the golf course was and, "This just sucks, get m! e off the course", they played hole for hole for hole and obviously that led to a playoff.
So I think sometimes youth -- the no experience has its advantages, but I think this course -- and most U.S. Opens -- I'm say saying that, but there's Birdie Kim and Morgan Pressel out in Denver, but I think more often than not you have to have played a few U.S. Opens to understand that birdies don't come along very often, and you try to eliminate as many mistakes as possible.
RHONDA GLENN: Thanks so much, Karrie.

Alexis Thompson

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a record-setting contender up here, Alexis Thompson is the youngest competitor to ever qualify, go through the qualifying round for the United States Women's Open, breaking the record set by Morgan Pressel several years ago at this very golf course.
Welcome to the United States Women's Open Championship, congratulations for qualifying.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Thank you.
RHONDA GLENN: What experiences have you enjoyed the most since you've been here?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Just meeting LPGA golfers, not really meeting, just seeing, because I haven't gone to a LPGA golf tournament before. But seeing LPGA golfers, signing a lot of autographs, and it's just been a great experience so far.
RHONDA GLENN: What about signing autographs, what's fun about that?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I like seeing kids my age coming up to me asking for my autograph. It's really cool. I like it.
RHONDA GLENN: You just met Annika Sorenstam. You were introduced and shook hands and some photographs were made of the two of you. How long have you known about Annika Sorenstam and what have you thought about her?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, I don't really follow women's golf. I do a little bit. But I mostly follow men's, because my brother is on the Nationwide, going to the PGA TOUR next year. But I watch women's golf, though, on TV. So probably about a couple of years I've been watching it.
RHONDA GLENN: What have you thought of Annika before this week?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: What have I thought about her?
RHONDA GLENN: Did you think about her at all?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yes, I think about all the wonderful golfers here. Just seeing them is really awesome. I haven't seen Annika yet, so that was really great.

Q. You said you haven't been to a LPGA tournament. Of course, there's no LPGA tournaments anymore in South Florida to go to other than the Trump tournament. Have you seen an LPGA tournament on TV? The reason I ask that is you said you mainly follow men's golf, obviously because of your brother. Have you watched the women on TV even?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I watch some of the golf tournaments. I wouldn't be able to name them, but I do watch them.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you think about them?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Great. Just watching them hit the ball really far. And just getting up-and-down, making so many putts shows me what I have to do in life when coming up.

Q. You're home schooled, right?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yes.

Q. What grade is that comparable to?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I'm going into 7th.

Q. Was this your first time trying for the Women's Open or did you try last year?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Third year. This was my third year.

Q. Just curious what your expectations are once the tournament starts Thursday?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Let's see, I'll probably just -- I'm going out there just to have fun, just play my game. I'll probably just try to shoot maybe 75 or 74 or under. I think that's pretty good with all the woods I'll have in on the par-3s and par-4s. And hopefully I make the cut. If I don't, it's all right.

Q. You said you have not watched a lot of LPGA tournaments. What do you tend to watch at your age, what sort of TV shows or what do you like to watch on TV?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Let's see, I watch Whose Line is It Anyway on ABC Family, Hannah Montana, Suite Life of Zach and Cody, anything on Disney Channel, pretty much. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. That's a good show. Movies, any movies.

Q. Just a couple of background questions. How tall are you and how much do you weigh? I thought you'd be bigger?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, I'm five-six, but I don't really feel like giving out my weight. (Applause).

Q. You first tried to qualify at age ten. I'm curious about how that came about. Was that your idea? Who were you inspired by?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I was probably inspired by Annika or Morgan Pressel, anybody on the LPGA Tour, probably. So, yeah, probably Annika Sorenstam or Morgan Pressel, Michelle Wie, anybody.

Q. Any reason you tried to qualify to The Open?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, yeah, I knew at age ten that Morgan Pressel made it. I wasn't really worried about breaking a record or anything. I just played my game. If I made it, I made it, if I didn't, there are years to come.

Q. The numbers you put out as a potential goal, what you think you might shoot or would like to shoot, 74, 73, I think you said. That would be very good. The reason I ask this is do you know what Morgan did when she played here?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I think she shot 77, 77.

Q. That's exactly right.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I heard that.

Q. How many holes here do you have to hit woods into?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Par-4s, there's three of them. I think, one is like 450 -- two of them are. One of them is about 406. One is I think 390. So four, I think, probably, around there.

Q. And par-3s, too?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I think there's probably three par-3s out there.
RHONDA GLENN: Three par-3s and three par-4s, then.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yes.

Q. What's it been like to have Nick out there side by side with you, and your dad, walking the course? What have the two days been like for you guys out there?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, it's great because my brother, he like -- he's been writing everything down, like the slant of the greens. So has my dad. He's giving me the clubs, writing down what I should hit. So it's really great.
RHONDA GLENN: Do you normally put that much study into a golf course or do you refer to notes that much?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Usually outside Florida I do, because I don't really know the greens. I usually do like all the putts around the holes and like write them down, like if they're slow, just get the speed of them.

Q. How old were you when you started the game and who got you into it?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I was five when I started. Both of my brothers played golf so that was an inspiration to me. My dad taught me. Now I have a coach. So they both teach me now.

Q. Who will be caddieing for you this week?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: My dad. Adam Harrell at the Jim McLean Center. H-a-r-r-e-l-l.
RHONDA GLENN: H-a-r-r-e-l-l.

Q. What's your dad's name?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Scott Thompson.

Q. Thursday is going to be such a day of anticipation and yet your tee time is 2:20 in the afternoon. What are you going to do to kill the time and not let the nerves build up before that?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Probably sleep in, eat breakfast, maybe go to Pet Smart. I've gone there every day now. Probably go there. Probably just relax and then come out here and just hit balls, get loose and go out and play.
RHONDA GLENN: What's the attraction of Pet Smart.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Cats. I have two.
RHONDA GLENN: Did you buy toys? What did you buy for them, anything?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Nothing, I go to pet the cats and hold them.
RHONDA GLENN: What are your cats names.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Angel and Smelly.

Q. What's your favorite golfing memory to this point?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Well, up to this point -- well, I went to the Westfield in Ohio, that was a really great golf tournament. I think that's probably it. But this, this is the best experience so far.

Q. What's the most nervous you've ever been playing golf so far? Anything you remember?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I'm not really nervous when I play golf. I just go out there and just try to do good. Everybody can't do good every day.

Q. Could you tell us what do you sort of see yourself doing over the next few years, and when would you like to turn professional, do you think?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: I would like to turn pro before or after college. I would like to have the college experience. So whenever I can turn pro it's going to be great.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you see yourself doing over the next few years?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Probably trying out for this probably every year and playing in --

Q. Would you like to get more invites to LPGA events?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, I would. That would be great. Playing in the U.S. Girls, the Canon Cup, I think I'm playing in that this year, I think.

Q. Not that I was eavesdropping, but we weren't really doing anything, did you say something about having a friendly bet with Morgan's sister this week when you first came in and sat down, with Madison?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: No.
RHONDA GLENN: She was saying they're good friends.
ALEXIS THOMPSON: We go to golf tournaments together.

Q. About the same age?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: She's turning 16.
RHONDA GLENN: And you've never met Morgan, is that correct?
ALEXIS THOMPSON: Yeah, that's true.
RHONDA GLENN: Thanks so much for coming in to be with us. Really good luck with this week and we hope we see you back in here. Good luck.

Michelle Wie

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome you for the 2007 United States Women's Open Championship. And it's so great for all of us to be back here at Pine Needles. Our first guest today, Miss Michelle Wie, who has had quite a bit of success in this championship. Everybody is wanting to know right now, what is the status of your fractured wrist?
MICHELLE WIE: It's doing a lot better. I feel like it's getting better every day. I have good days, and I've had bad days. Some days it doesn't hurt. Some days it hurts. I'm just taking it day-by-day.
But I'm trying to get it stronger. I'm working on it really hard to make it stronger, because over the last five months it's been in a cast and splint, and not playing, I lost a lot of strength in the wrist.
I've been gripping everything I can find, gripping thin air, balls, gripping grippers, just trying to get my grip strength back. I'm working on it and feel like it's getting better.
RHONDA GLENN: I guess the question I encounter most frequently about you, Michelle, is you're just 17 years old. You've got a big career. Who makes the decisions when there are decisions to be made, such as playing in golf tournaments, what kind of schedule you're going to have, is it you, your mom, your dad, your agent, who makes the decisions?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think my parents and my managers, they help me to make my decisions. They all have their advice, and they all advise me. But in the end it's me that makes the decision because everyone realizes that it's my life and I'm the only person that is capable of making decisions. I'm the only person that knows how my wrist is feeling every day.
I like making my own decisions. I've always made my own decisions in whatever I do, whether it's school, whether it's golf, whether it's my personal life. I make most of my decisions. It's just that I have a really good team around me with my family, my friends, and my managers and my coach, David, and everyone who really advises me really well.
But in the end I feel like I make my own decisions.

Q. Michelle, you spent the last several years under a great deal of media pressure, spotlight that very few 17 years old would ever have to endure. Do you get sick of the constant speculation and pressure to win tournaments and become greater than perhaps anyone could ever be?
MICHELLE WIE: No, not really. I think of it as a compliment, because people actually expect a lot of me. And that's really great to know that people actually have expectations of you. The worst feeling in life is when no one has any expectations of you, no one expects you to do great things.
I'm just so grateful that everyone has expectations of me. And it makes me think -- it makes me work even harder, it makes me more determined to do better. I'm just having a lot of fun.

Q. There's a lot of conversation about the impact of the young players in women's golf. What do you see as that impact, not only the skill level of the young players, but also the style with which they play and walk the course.
MICHELLE WIE: I think it's cool. I think a lot of the young players now have, like you said, have a lot of skill and have a lot of style. And that's what we are. That's what young girls want to do. We want to look cool on the golf course. We want take play cool. We want to look cool.
I try to do that. I have to admit. But it's a lot of fun getting there, too.

Q. What's your relationship right now with Annika, is there some confrontation there?
MICHELLE WIE: I haven't really seen her yet.

Q. You turn 18 in October, right?
MICHELLE WIE: Uh-huh.

Q. What are your plans for the fall? You said you're going to go to college. And then in terms of joining the LPGA?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, you know, up until now I haven't made any concrete decisions yet. I'm still going back and forth and taking my time making a decision, because it's a big decision. I'm going to take my time. I'll let you all know when I make that decision.
RHONDA GLENN: Any decision, though, about going to college yet?
A. I've decided I'm going to go to Stanford, and I turned in my housing applications, and I'm waiting to find out who my roommate is, so it's going to be interesting.

Q. When Tiger Woods became a big star there was a lot of talk about his impact on young people in terms of his racial and ethnic identity and bringing more diversity and younger players into the sport who might not have considered it. Would you talk a little bit about how you see yourself and other players, for example, Lorena Ochoa and Nancy Lopez, from other backgrounds, what do you see about bringing other Americans into golf in other backgrounds?
MICHELLE WIE: I think it's great that golf is becoming an international sport. I think it's great that everyone can play the game. I think it's so cool that me, myself, being Korean American, I have a lot of Korean pride and a lot of American pride.
When I play I don't think about that stuff. But I hope by me playing golf I can positively influence other people's lives and hopefully get them to play golf, pick up the golf club and experience the same happiness and joy when I play golf. It's just a lot of fun. I hope a lot of people pick it up.

Q. You kept driver in the bag at Bulle Rock for the most part. I'm wondering what your game plan is for this week, if you plan on using it much?
MICHELLE WIE: I think I might pull it out a couple more times than I did there. Like I said, it's a progress. The last couple of weeks I didn't really feel like I was ready to hit the driver, I wasn't strong enough. Hopefully, I'm getting stronger every day. It's a progress that's going to happen.
Hopefully, I'll use the driver a lot more this week and hit a lot more greens and fairways this week, too.

Q. Can you talk about how much you've played and practiced over the last couple of weeks and also what kind of shape you feel your game is in?
MICHELLE WIE: I've been working a lot on my game, a lot on my swing. I was down in Florida and I worked a lot on my swing and my game and I felt like it's getting better and better. I've also worked out. Like I said, I've been gripping everything I can find, just working on grip strength and working on my swing. Basically my thumb is pretty raw, there's no skin on it.

Q. I was wondering what your thoughts were about Pine Needles as an Open Championship course, and what your definition of a champion is?
MICHELLE WIE: I think it's so great. This whole area is so awesome here. The pine needles and everything -- I mean Pine Needles Golf Course, putts the pine needles in Pine Needles.
The fairways are pretty nice. The rough wasn't as long as I thought it was going to be. To balance that out, the greens are pretty crazy, a lot of drops here and there. It's a typical Donald Ross golf course.
I'm just so happy to be back in this area because as I was driving from Florida we passed Legacy Golf Links and that's where I played my first Public Links seven years ago already and it's just pretty crazy. I remember what happened. And the USGA does the best job at making a championship. They do a really good job of it. I'm just so honored to be here.

Q. Your definition of an Open Championship?
MICHELLE WIE: Is where the greatest players come and play and compete and just play on a golf course like Pine Needles and you have a championship.

Q. How is this course set up for your game?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I think a golf course is a golf course. There are a couple of holes where I feel comfortable. There are holes where I don't feel comfortable. There's also -- there's trickiness. There's toughness to the golf course. But there are holes where I can make birdie. There's holes where you have to make par.
The golf course is a golf course, they have different characteristics, every single one of them. Whether it fits my golf game or not depends on what my golf game is that day.

Q. Could you clarify, you mentioned you were going back and forth. Was that just with respect to LPGA membership or how much you see yourself playing in September onward? And secondly I was wondering, since you are the boss and you make the decisions, have you just considered sitting out for a while and letting this thing sort of organically heal and go forward after that, rather than putting the strain and stress on it?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, going back and forth, basically on my life and how I want to live it and how much I want to play and how much I can play, and definitely with the LPGA and back and forth, it's everything. I have to think about everything and I do.
And I took the last five months sitting around on my couch and letting it organically heal. I felt like my bone's healed, everything healed. I have to work on it and it is getting stronger. It won't get better by my sitting around doing nothing.
Over the past few years I gained my strength by hitting balls and I have to regain the strength by hitting more balls.
Like I said, I'm back at step one and I have to just build and build and build and work on it. The only way I can do that is by me dedicating myself fully to the game again and like I say to grip anything I can find and work on it and hit balls and just grind through it.
RHONDA GLENN: Michelle, how long did you go without picking up a golf club?
MICHELLE WIE: I went the longest I've ever been since I was 4.
RHONDA GLENN: That was how long?
MICHELLE WIE: That was from -- that was about like four or five months -- four months, basically.

Q. This Public Links you played, was that the ten year old Public Links when you were ten?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, uh-huh.

Q. Was that your first tournament on the mainland?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah.

Q. What memories do you have of that, your first big trip over here and the first USGA event?
MICHELLE WIE: It was so awesome. It was like me being the little kid from Hawaii. I was only on the island. And I was, like, whoa, I can actually not see the ocean from here (laughter).
It was pretty cool being in my first championship golf tournament. I went to the range, and, wow, the range balls are not yellow. That's probably the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I met Rhonda and Barbara and all the USGA officials.
I was driving by and saw the 9th hole and saw a couple of holes driving by. I said, I remember that hole. I made the cut, I think I was tied for 19th, I was the 19th seed. Unfortunately, I lost my first match, but I remember me crying my head off during the round. After every shot I would just bawl. I was like a five foot eight ten year old, crying my head off and sweating my butt off and crying and then hitting te ball, crying and hitting the ball, and then crying. And thinking about it now it's so laughable.

Q. How long ago did that seem like, when you think about playing here at ten?
MICHELLE WIE: I kept thinking it was like four years ago, but that would only make me 14. But it was actually seven years ago. It kind of makes me feel a little bit old now.
RHONDA GLENN: You know what I remember about that? When your dad was caddieing for you and you were on the 18th hole, the par-5 over the water. And he said, "Michelle, play out here, play safely." And you said, "No, dad, I'm going." And you hit the green, too.
MICHELLE WIE: I think I was crying when I said that, too.

Q. When you've had a wrist injury, what are some of the issues you face trying to get back to having a repeating golf swing? Do you feel like you're getting to the point where your swing is as consistent as it was before your injury?
MICHELLE WIE: It's the first time I ever had an injury before like this. I mean, it wasn't just a sprain. It wasn't just a little tweak, it was a serious injury. And I don't think I've -- I don't think before I realized how serious it was.
I was like, okay, a couple of weeks in a cast, I'll be out, I'll be right where I was. It was my first time I realized that you really have to build at it. And to get back to where I was, I mean, it takes a lot of dedication. And I feel like, like I said, I have good days and I have bad days. Some days it feels good, some days it doesn't.
And that's just the progress. Sometimes you just have to take a step back to make a step forward. I'm just working on it and I feel like it's getting pretty good.

Q. Do you feel like you're getting some consistency?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, definitely working on the consistency, because your wrist and your hands are the first connection to your golf club and it's your bread and butter. Basically, like I said, I have good days and bad days, but I'm working on it to become consistent.

Q. Will you continue to play in men's events or is that one of the things that you're going back and forth on?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, no, that's definitely not what I'm going back and forth on. I definitely want to play in men's events in the future. Like I said, that's why I am trying to get my strength back and try to be the best player I can be and just to play in tournaments I want to play in.

Q. Have you had a chance to meet Alexis Thompson, whether you have or not, is there any advice you can give her on dealing with the crush of attention she will get here?
RHONDA GLENN: She's a 12 year old.
MICHELLE WIE: No, I haven't met her yet, I haven't seen her. I think it's awesome that she made the qualifying here. I think it's just awesome. I hope she plays really well this week and just to focus on the course and not her game. It's just only a game, anyways.

Q. When you withdrew from the John Deere you said it was because your wrist wasn't going to be ready. And yet you're playing this week. How is it you not be healthy enough in two weeks, but you're healthy enough now?
MICHELLE WIE: That was a decision that I made. I just felt like I wasn't ready to play in the John Deere. I heard that they lengthened the course this year. I'm not as strong as I can be, and I'm not hitting the ball as long as I can. So I felt like if I'm not hitting the ball as long as I can this week then I won't be able to hit it in two weeks. And come on, this is a U.S. Freaking Open this week, I'm not going to miss it for anything (laughter).
RHONDA GLENN: Michelle, you mentioned you still want to play in men's events, do you have the same motivation that you did when you talked to us when you were ten years old when you said you wanted to play in The Masters.
MICHELLE WIE: I still do. It just never changes. I think even more so, I'm even more dedicated and more motivated now, over the last five months I just was sitting around not doing nothing. And that motivated me even more. I just wanted to play even more because I wasn't able to. I just realized how precious this game is and how just wonderful it is. It made me realize how grateful I was to actually be out here and to play. I haven't lost it at all.
RHONDA GLENN: Still want to play in The Masters.
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, yeah, definitely.

Q. I imagine you did not read it, but there was a story in this morning's Detroit News quoting Mac O'Grady, to the effect that Tiger Woods is not doing what he's doing with anything but technical equipment. And what he's saying is he is not on a par with Nicklaus or Palmer with a driver because it's equipment. And down in the story it quotes Mac as saying, "What Michelle Wie is doing is not humanly possible. It's technologically possible because the balls go too straight, they go too far." Do you have any reply to what Mac said?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, well, first of all, I didn't read the Detroit News, because I'm not in Detroit. I have to give credit to Nike and -- because they really -- I mean Tom Stites and Rocky, they do do technically impossible things with the driver that just came out, the Sumo and the Sumo Square. It's amazing when you hit a driver, you think, it can't be better than this, and they always make better drivers and always make the ball go straighter and always make the ball go longer.
And it's just -- I think it enhances the game. Obviously the golf courses are balancing it out by making it longer, but I think that's part of the game to make it technologically advanced, because this world is getting technologically advanced. But at the same time it's not giving anyone an advantage, because once you get technologically advanced you're on the same plane then.
It's a constant struggle for us players and for a golf company as well to get on top. And I think that's the interesting part of the game.

Q. In other words, you're saying all the girls are better because of technology?
MICHELLE WIE: I'm saying that everyone is on a fair ground because everyone is using technology.

Q. You said roommate, so I'm guessing dorm?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, freshman dorm.

Q. Are you going to be able to pull off being a normal student eating dorm food or are you going to be crashing mom and dad and raiding the refrigerator. Is normalcy okay for you?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, yes. No one said I could graduate high school. I went to a regular high school. I'm so excited to go in a dorm. The cafeteria was a lot better than I actually thought. They have a lot of food. And they actually have rice there, so I'm really excited for that (laughter). The one thing I'm not so excited about, when I went to Stanford, they only had two shower stalls per floor. I'll have to wake up at 5:00 to get showered. But I think it's part of life. I think everyone in this room went to a dorm, and everyone in this room wished their dorm room was bigger or wished there are no cockroaches on the ground or wished their roommate was sane. That's part of life, you're going to get good stuff and going to get bad stuff in life.

Q. Most of us tried to get out after one semester.
MICHELLE WIE: I'm sure I'll feel the same way, too.
RHONDA GLENN: Are you still dedicated toward getting your degree?
MICHELLE WIE: Most definitely. I've already accepted the fact that I'm not going to take four years to graduate. And I think that just realizing the reality of the situation has prepared me more for college. It's just great because I get to experience college life a little bit longer.
RHONDA GLENN: What are you going to major in?
MICHELLE WIE: I haven't really decided about that yet. Part of me wants to do economics and part of me wants to do communications and part of me wants to do marketing or part of me wants to do architecture. There's so many things. There's so many possibilities. I think I'll take a lot of different classes there.

Q. Ten years ago Laura Davies was deep in the fairway by herself, now she seems to have more and more company. How long are the hitters in women's golf today?
MICHELLE WIE: I think they're getting a lot stronger. I think that everyone realized that fitness is really important. And I'm jumping on the band wagon, too, just really working out. I'm gripping everything I can find.
Girls are stronger, we're getting genetically stronger, too, and we're working at it and realizing that just being skinny won't do it. We have to work at it and we have to eat healthy and work hard. I just think that technology has helped, and -- but like I said, everyone is on a fair ground and it's a constant struggle to get stronger and a constant struggle to be a better player.

Q. Is this course long enough for you guys?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I think it's long. It's a nice golf course. The greens are crazy. I think it's a fair golf course, but a very challenging golf course.

Q. When you go to Stanford, for example, Tiger said when he went to Stanford that he realized his golf game was going to regress slightly while he was there. Are you prepared for that or do you feel like it's still going to be an upward curve for your golf game or are you willing to accept that perhaps you'll regress slightly or compromise your progress in golf slightly?
MICHELLE WIE: I actually think that going to college will help my golf game a lot. Because in high school I had no flexibility in my schedule. I had no say whether I wanted afternoon classes or night classes or whether I wanted morning classes. I had to practice in the afternoon every single day in the same conditions.
Whereas, I'll be in Stanford. I've never played in cold weather before. In Hawaii, the weather never changes, read the newspaper, it's always 85 and sunny. In Stanford you'll get cold days and rainy days and fog days and all different kind of days, and I can change my schedule, where I can have night classes, I can have afternoon classes, I can have morning classes where I can be, like, oh, I'll play in the morning or today I'll play in the afternoon.
There's so much more flexibility in college and I can make three day weekends, hopefully. And stuff like that.
So I think that going to college will indirectly force me not to think about golf too much, but at the same time give me more flexibility. And Stanford has a great golf course and they're building a new practice facility which is going to be awesome. I think I can improve my golf game a lot. And it's only an hour from Pebble Beach and Olympic and all the great golf courses, so I'm just really excited.

Q. I'm curious if you think you're going to be able to get enough strength back in your wrist to play men's events this year or maybe that will have to wait until the turn of the calendar before trying that again?
MICHELLE WIE: I have to wait and see. I'm taking it day-by-day. There's no set schedule for this kind of stuff. Like I said, this is my first injury, I've never experienced anything like it before. I'm taking it day-by-day and trying to make the smartest decisions for myself, my health and for my game.
Right now getting my strength back is the most important thing. And trying to get my shots to be really consistent in the fairways and the greens is also the most important thing. So I'm just working on that right now.
My tournament schedule, I'm not really sure yet. I have to take it day-by-day and see how I feel.

Q. How many classes do you plan to take? How many do you have to take?
MICHELLE WIE: I think it's about 12 to 15 class credits. So it's probably like two or three minimum.

Q. Do you anticipate spending more time on the golf course or in the library?
MICHELLE WIE: I definitely think more time on the golf course. I'm not much of a library person.
RHONDA GLENN: Michelle, you've been under an extraordinary amount of pressure this year, I would say. How have you rallied to deal with that? What do you do to deal with your nerves and the kind of off-course pressures that you've been dealing with.
MICHELLE WIE: I just -- I like to call my friends. I like to call back home, talk to my friends and talk to my girlfriends and my guy friends and just listen to their troubles for once and just talk about silly stuff, be stupid and just be goofy and just not to think about anything, just not have a care in the world. And just to lie on my bed and just lay sprawled out and just do nothing is what I like to do, just be lazy and just talk on the phone for hours.
My friends always know how to cheer me up. They're always there for me. They don't care what everyone writes, they know the real me. I like to support -- lean on the support of my family and friends.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much for being with us and good luck on Thursday.

Roberta Bolduc
Mike Davis
David Fay

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome you to the 2007 U.S. Women's Open USGA Press Conference. To your left is Mike Davis, the Senior Director of Rules and Competitions for the USGA. To the extreme right is David B. Fay, the Executive Director of the United States Golf Association, and at the center is Roberta Bolduc, who is the Chairman of the USGA Women's Committee. Roberta is going to have a few remarks and then make announcement.
ROBERTA BOLDUC: Good morning all. I'd like to welcome you on behalf of the USGA and the Women's Committee, welcome you to Pine Needles. We're delighted to have you here. We're looking forward to an absolutely fantastic week. It's our pleasure to be back at Pine Needles, and we wanted to thank Mrs. Bell and Kelly and the family for being such strong supporters of the United States Golf Association, especially the Women's Open.
I do have a special announcement before we get into the business at hand. I'm delighted to announce that the site has been chosen for the 2011 Women's Open Championship. We're going to be at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Obviously we go from week to week, year to year, but we're certainly looking forward to that event coming down the road. Russ Miller, the Director of Golf at the Broadmoor is here, if you wish to speak with him after the press conference.
Also Kelly Miller is here, I'm sure he'd be happy to talk with any of you later on.
I will turn things back to Rhonda.
RHONDA GLENN: Mike Davis will now address the course setup and then we'll open the floor to questions, which you may direct to any of these three participants.
MIKE DAVIS: First of all, as Roberta just said, we are delighted to be back here. I think many of you know this is our third national Women's Open Championship in 12 years, and that really is unprecedented, at least in the modern era. The question we keep getting is why are you coming back here so often? The easy answer is it's just a great, great golf course. We get wonderful support from the Bell family, the Southern Pines community, Moore County and the State of North Carolina.
So I suppose as long as we keep getting these invitations I can't imagine we wouldn't come back. It's a great venue for us, it's a great test of golf. It's a little different test of golf, too.
But Rhonda had asked if I'd speak a little bit about course preparations and the setup. We are playing this event, relative to the last two Women's Opens here, about a month later. One of the things that that's done is we are now playing on a Bermudagrass golf course, versus an over seeded ryegrass golf course. And that really is pretty significant in terms of how the golf course is going to play.
Ryegrass, as most of you know, is a rather sticky kind of grass versus Bermuda, assuming we can get some dry conditions, really gives us more bouncing conditions, but at the same time what it does do is it changes some of the conditions, which I'll talk about in a little bit around the closely mown areas, which become grainy more than an over seeded rye.
We're going to be playing the golf cause at 6644 yards, that's what's on the score card. That is roughly 400 yards longer than we played the last two Women's Opens. I guess to talk a little bit about that, and the reasons, first of all, we played the last two Women's Open as a par-70. This time around we're playing it as a par 71.
And we've changed the 15th hole, and it's gone back to a par-5, which is originally how Donald Ross designed it. I'll talk about the renovations that were done a couple of years ago. But that would be one big reasons.
The other things are in essence we've got three other holes that are playing longer than they did. One is No. 2, which is playing, I think somewhere around 40 yards longer, and the reason we've done that is -- let me preface these comments by saying that the players, just like the men, are hitting the ball further than they used to, too.
But one of the things we found, at least in the last Women's Open, is a lot of the players on that second hole were driving it over the hill, which really was not how the hole was designed. So we've moved it back a little bit to really put what Donald Ross wanted back into play, kind of the flat drive zone. And certainly the green is very receptive to long shots.
The 10th hole, that's playing some, I think it's about 60 yards longer. That was because of the renovation, which again I'll go back to shortly, but the putting green there was moved back roughly 60 yards, which really makes it more of a legitimate par-5, a three shot par-5.
Then we're playing the 15th hole as a par- 5. That's added some distance.
The other hole that also a new tee was added during the renovation was the 12th hole. That's one that -- that's going to be, in my opinion, one of the harder holes on the course.
That's really where most of the 400 yards are made up of. What other changes have we had from the other last couple of Women's Open? I think probably the biggest one is we are playing a Bermudagrass golf course. That obviously changes things when you come to the rough.
Bermuda rough as we all know is a more penal rough, because the ball falls to the bottom; versus over seeded rye, the ball sits up a bit. And the fairways tend to run a little bit more.
We're going to be cognizant of the fact that if we do get a lot of rain this week, just because we set the tee signs at a certain place doesn't mean we actually have to play from there. We'll be watching the golf course, and if it gets where the ball is not running, we will make the necessary adjustments.
The renovation, as I mentioned before, were done a couple of years ago, between the Bell family and John Fought. John is here somewhere. Where are you, John?
John, I can't give enough accolades to the job he did, at least my personal view. He really took the putting greens back to the way Donald Ross had them. He did a tremendous amount of research in looking with the way the greens used to be. And I think essentially put the greens back to the way they are. And for us they gave a lot more hole locations. And from a player's standpoint they became more strategic. They'd become kind of rounded. Hats off to John, who by the way is our '77 U.S. Amateur champ and former Walker Cupper and Tour player. He and Kelly Miller spent a lot of time on this. From the USGA standpoint we couldn't be happier.
The closely mown areas were taken out much further than they were for the last Women's Open. Where you had balls rolling off before, rolling into rough, much like you see at Pinehurst No. 2, they stay in a closely mown area, which I think really we're excited about. It gives the players really three options, putt it, bump-and-run it, or pitch it. We have tried in this setup in theory to kind of replicate what we do at Pinehurst No. 2 in the setup, in the sense that we want relatively firm greens, but because so many greens sit up in the air, we're cognizant we can't get them too firm, in that a well struck shot has to fly, in many cases to the greens.
You take a green like the 18th, that if you can't land the ball, at least a well struck shot on the green and hold it, almost becomes an unfair situations.
So we're excited. The closely mown areas, it's really interesting about those. When we set up the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst we found out really in hindsight that the closely mown areas were just too closely mown, and almost in every instance the players were taking a putter to putt off.
So we corrected that in '05 and raised the height just a little bit, so we saw putts, we saw bump and runs, and pitch shots. In a perfect world you'd love to see about a third, a third and a third.
Here we're seeing, because it's a couple of weeks later, essentially we prepped this thing, in terms of heights, just that extra two weeks of Bermuda growing has made them a little grainier. Watching and hitting shots myself you'll see a few less putts than we hoped. All in all we couldn't be more pleased with the golf course.
The putting greens this week have been prepped to 12 and a half in terms of an average speed. We feel that at speed they're very fair, but they're challenging. We feel all 72 hole locations will not present a problem.
Generally speaking, when you get up on these Pine Needles greens, they are not incredibly undulating. The trick is, just like Pinehurst No. 2, is getting yourself up on top. We're happy with that speed. We've had that during practice rounds and we intend to maintain that speed for the championship rounds.
The rough this week, you'll see, like we've done the last couple of U.S. Opens and couple of Women's Opens, we have done the graduated rough. You will also note that the first, what we call the first cut of primary is mown to one and three-quarters inches and it has a little brown tinge to it. That was done because when we first got here it was a bit higher, a bit more penal than we wanted. We've taken it down and it's stressed it out a bit. We feel despite the color indication, it's playing beautiful. Paula Creamer came up to me a few hours, and she said I love what you've done with that wispy, tan rough. I kind of got a kick out of that one.
We're happy with that. Beyond that, the second cut of primary is at three inches, which was, interestingly enough, that's what we cut the first cut of primary rough at Pinehurst No. 2 for the Open. We obviously have to keep the rough down a little bit for the women. We're happy with that.
Beyond that, I think that's probably it in terms of course prep things and turn it over to Rhonda and certainly happy to answer any questions.
RHONDA GLENN: We'll take questions now, if you'll just wait for the microphone to come to you. You may address either Mike, Roberta, or David Fay.

Q. Mike, how unusual is it to have players come up and say we like the way you set up the course, especially compared to some of the things you heard at Oakmont a couple of weeks ago, and does that kind of make you feel good to have players do that?
MIKE DAVIS: Well, the quick answer is yes. But remember that it's not Thursday yet. We're so used to positive comments during practice rounds. And the trick is -- you know, I guess to think about it, if we don't get a few gripes during a championship, I think as David and I have talked before, we're not quite sure we set the championship up right.
I think for what we're trying to do for their championships and really trying to test every aspect of their game for the nth degree, it is going to be a hard test. In theory it's the hardest test they have all year. The Women's Open is no different than the U.S. Open, no different than the U.S. Amateur, no different than the Girls Junior. In theory we want to take that type of player and test them as much as we can without having it be an unfair test where well executed shots aren't rewarded.
One thing I forget to mention before is, I do want to acknowledge Dave Fruchte, he's the long time superintendent, he has done a great job. Dave, afterwards if you have any technical agronomic questions -- raise your hand.

Q. How close are you for coming up with a Women's Open date for Pebble?
DAVID FAY: We know the year, it's 2014. But we have not finalized the date.

Q. What are the options on the date? I got a sense you were kind of looking at the Women's Open, two weeks after the men in the last week of June?
DAVID FAY: We just announced the 2014 U.S. Open two weeks, give us a little time. It's going to be at Pebble in 2014. We're not going to play concurrently with the AT&T. It will be sometime in the summer.

Q. I wonder if you could discuss the reasoning for the playoff being changed for the women, and also the rationale for not doing the same thing for the men?
DAVID FAY: Are you directing that to me or to Roberta or Mike?

Q. You, David. And if Roberta wants to chime in.
DAVID FAY: Well, as you know, we moved to a multiple hole playoff, some call it The British Open style. I call it the Met Golf Association style, since we started that in 1976.
But we started that for the Senior Open. And then last year we had a discussion with the Women's Committee, the Executive Committee, and we ended up concluding that we wanted to change to the same type of format for the Women's Open.
Obviously, the question you're asking is a good one, why are you still holding out, if you will, for the U.S. Open. The answer is there is no feeling at this time to change that format. And it's a very subjective opinion that we feel that, just as the Women's Open, it's the preeminent championship in women's golf, we concluded that we wanted to have the Women's Open, if at all possible, finish on a Sunday.
If you're asking why don't we have that for the men, for the U.S. Open, we're not there. I won't say we're not there yet, it will never happen. But we're not there. To get into the explanation as to why would probably require a long discussion. But obviously we're treating them differently.
But we took a look at the championship. We took a look at the number of people who were impacted. We took a look at television. I know that some don't want to hear that. We took a look at the print media. And we also take a look at our schedule, too.
For example, if we'd had a playoff this week we'd be playing on Monday. We're starting at Whistling Straits on Monday. It's a matter of getting equipment up there. There are a lot of components that go into it.
I'm not holding back anything, but for me to say we're not viewing them differently, my nose would grow. We're viewing them differently at this point.

Q. I have read, and there has been some criticism of this in terms of the women sort of being, well, it's not as important as the Men's Open. Did you hear some of that criticism, was that a concern of yours that this diminishes the event in any way, shape, or form?
ROBERTA BOLDUC: I haven't heard a great deal. I guess I heard a comment here and there that it was a different treatment. It does not diminish it in my mind. I think it makes a whole lot more sense, to be quite honest. You crown a champion at a finite point in time. Whether that's 72 holes, 75 holes, or 90 holes, you're still going to have the champion.
As David said, there were so many factors involved, I do think it makes a great deal of sense at this point in time.

Q. If you look back to 1996 when the Women's Open was first here at Pine Needles, the total purse for the LPGA has essentially doubled in 11 years, basically doubled. What's driving that and what has that meant for the Tour?
DAVID FAY: I'm sorry, the purse for the LPGA --

Q. Well, the purse for the LPGA has essentially doubled. In the past 11 years the purse has basically doubled.
DAVID FAY: You mean the Women's Open?

Q. No, the Women's Tour. Basically the money has doubled in 11 years. What's driving that?
DAVID FAY: Well, it's my opinion that professional sports is an entertainment industry and I think there's just more value that people are ascribing to the entertainers. More people are interested in golf, that there's more coverage of women's golf, and there are perhaps more compelling stories.
I don't think that this money is just falling from the sky. It's effort on the part of the LPGA to promote its product. And it's the fact that the product has, in the marketplace, some real economic value.
ROBERTA BOLDUC: Actually, we met with Carolyn Bivens this morning and discussed the state of the LPGA Tour, and it is just growing by leaps and bounds. I think we have some wonderful players emerging from the junior ranks. Think back to ten or however many years ago, you didn't have very many teenagers playing on the LPGA Tour. Now we have some who are extremely accomplished players.
I think that's the driving force, as far as I can see, it's just becoming more and more popular?

Q. David, I was interested in your take on the notion of 12 and 13 years old playing in this event. Whether you think that's good, bad, mixed bag, developmentally for them, and whether there's been a discussion on age prohibition, or is that what makes the Open, the Open?
DAVID FAY: If they qualify, it's a good thing. It's a good thing that Morgan Pressel qualified as a 12 year old plus. It's good that we have a 12 year old plus this week.
There's a lot of comment on, are you pushing players too soon. I expect that if a 12 year old who makes it here had not made it here, she'd be playing golf -- she'd probably be playing more golf at home.
We all know now that the world consists of, when summer time breaks, for most kids it's one sports camp after another. I don't get the sense that the players who are here aren't here because -- nobody is forcing them. And they have the game. I think that at the end of the day is really the answer. It's the U.S. Women's Open and just like the U.S. Open, I like to call the U.S. Open and I'd call the U.S. Women's Open the same thing, it's the most democratic, not a political term, it's the most democratic golf tournament in the world. That if you have the ability and if you have -- if you're an amateur -- the handicap index to give it a go, you give it a go. And if you have the game, you're here. It will be a nice story to see unfold.

Q. On the playoff situation, did you get feedback from players at all before the decision was made? And the flip side of that is did the men at Oakmont say, it's a great idea and say, why don't we do that, too?
DAVID FAY: We read the papers and you get feedback from players who make comments every year when we have a playoff. We've had comments from players in the news publications about the U.S. Open.
So, yeah, we're not going to not read or not listen to what the players have to say. And that was part of the consideration, too. I think it would be safe to say that most of the players would prefer to finish on a Sunday. But if you're in the playoff and if -- who knows what would have happened if it had finished last year on Sunday at Newport. You might have had a different outcome.
It's a very -- I don't want to hide behind this, but it's a complex issue. But the quick answer is, yes, we listen to the players. We know what they feel.

Q. David, as we talked about money earlier on the LPGA Tour, could you talk about if you've projected at some point when this tournament or this championship is actually going to make a profit?
DAVID FAY: Well, make a profit, it will make a profit, I think, in my mind, it's profitable now, in a sense. It's not dollars and cents, but it's profitable because it provides a great platform for women's golf, more coverage, more notoriety worldwide than any others.
But in terms of dollars and cents, well, if you've got 40,000 people here a day, if you had a number of hospitality tents, those are the economic considerations. But I expect that I will live to see the day and be part of it when someone is able to say it makes a profit.
You know, another thing, too, is that it's the prize money, which we are thrilled to be offering. There might have been a time, oh, back in almost the -- a while ago, maybe 1979 at Brooklawn where actually we did make a profit. There were times, but that was a different era.
So I'll tell you what, we certainly are not going to angst over that, we shouldn't. We regard this as the preimminent championship in women's golf. Frankly, I think it's one of the top five women's competitions in sport. And we're not going to operate on the cheap when it comes to the Women's Open.

Q. You spoke of this course being 200 yards longer than the last two Opens and lengthening the second hole because they're hitting longer. I'm going to ask you what I've asked a couple of other girls, Mac O'Grady made this statement, "What Michelle Wie is doing is not humanly possible, it's technologically possible because the ball goes too straight, they go too far."
Could you address how the women are hitting because of equipment or is that a problem or what?
MIKE DAVIS: I'm going to turn part of this over to David, but if I did misspeak, the course is roughly 400 yards longer. But it's also a par of 71 versus 70. So I apologize if I did misspeak.
When we set the course up there was never any type of mindset, at all beforehand, saying, we want to play the course 400 yards longer, nor a mindset of we want to change the par. It was simply going hole-by-hole and saying how is this hole best played given the current state of the game with how the women are playing.
I think in those holes I mentioned the feeling was that the hole would play better. And I think that -- are the women hitting it a little bit further than they were five, six years ago? Yes. Are amateurs hitting it farther? Yes. Are the men hitting it further? Yes.
I think if we look back in '01 we would have all concluded that we should have played the holes a little bit longer in '01 than we did.
We set it up and at the end of it we just add up 18 yardages from 18 holes and that's what the total comes up with.
With respect to the rest of it I'll turn it over to my cohorts here.
ROBERTA BOLDUC: I have a little vignette. I would question the premise there, about Michelle not being able to do that. Because I recall watching her hit a specific shot a couple of summers ago at the Curtis Cup match at Formby. I happened to be standing right behind her. And her ball was in the heather. And she took a couple of practice swings in another patch of the heather and stripped it clean. And then she stepped up to the ball and striped it. She has an incredibly powerful golf swing. I was awe struck when I saw it. I don't necessarily agree with the premise.
DAVID FAY: I think it's insulating to women that Mac O'Grady would say that. Why wouldn't they hit it longer? As Mike said, everyone else does. These are very talented athletes. Is he going to say that about Laura Davies? Is he going to say that about Annika? This is a reflection of the talent that you see out there.

Q. Looking for an opinion from you, is there a message or a lesson in the fact that there are more international players in the field than there are American players in the field here?
DAVID FAY: Well, I think the lesson is it's global. I think that it may be that in other countries that there is more of an emphasis on identifying elite players in any particular sport and putting them into development programs, formalized development programs at an early age.
And it may be that in the United States there are so many opportunities now for young women to -- the sports that they can avail themselves of. Of course, it's still -- there's still a finite number of sports where you can make a good living off of it as a professional.
So I think that -- I can see the trend changing in that respect. I think that, again, I think the Title IX is probably at the end of the day going to encourage more young women to, as they go through all the different sports that hopefully they're exposed to, lacrosse, field hockey, ice hockey, sooner or later they're going to say, I can really make a good living, I'm a good athlete and I can make a good living for quite a long time playing golf.
So I think that you will see a change in that. That's not to say it won't continue to be global. That's not to say that the Women's Open champion, when we're at Broadmoor, might not be from China. Who knows? But it's definitely an international game. I think that you're going to see more American players, young American players, based on what we see at the U.S. Girls Junior and AJGA, you're going to see more younger Americans emerging and doing better.

Q. On the playoff, have you told us what the holes are?
MIKE DAVIS: No. They will actually be holes 16, 17, and 18. It's aggregate. So it's the total score for those three holes.
If we're still tied we will go back to hole 16 on a hole-by-hole basis.

Q. Sudden death?
MIKE DAVIS: Sudden death, if you will.

Q. Sudden death starting at 16?
MIKE DAVIS: 16, 17, 18, continuing in that order, until we finally do get a champion.
DAVID FAY: On the uniqueness of playoff, I may have this wrong, I don't think any other women's championship has the multiple hole aggregate stroke playoff.
MIKE DAVIS: I think that's correct. I think this is the only aggregate.

Q. From a financial and attendance standpoint, and this is for Roberta and David, how do you project this Open is going to do, is going to rank? Will you be able to surpass Cherry Hills as far as attendance is concerned?
ROBERTA BOLDUC: Given the way we're tracking right now, I think it's a distinct possibility. How do we project? It's very difficult. Yesterday afternoon would not have brought out big crowds.
I'm hoping that the weather will cooperate. We think that given the interest here in this part of the country that we should have a very fine attendance.
DAVID FAY: Weather and it's not a sellout. So get the word out. Good seats are still available.
MIKE DAVIS: The only thing I might add to that, in the back of the room, Betse Hamilton, who is our director of this championship is a plethora of knowledge when it comes to these kinds of things, both for this week and historically and future.

Q. The women are obviously excited about going to Pebble Beach in the year 2014, there's great excitement for them going to St. Andrews next month. I was wondering if the Women's Open ever comes back to this area, what would keep them from going to No. 2?
ROBERTA BOLDUC: I suppose the first thing would be ann invitation. We're open to any suggestions and invitations. I think we would do the same analysis we do for other Women's Open sites, and if it works on a variety of levels I'm sure that's a possibility. It could be a possibility.
DAVID FAY: And you build on success. We've had two successful championships here at Pine Needles. First I hope Pine Needles continues to invite us.
ROBERTA BOLDUC: Absolutely. That's a foregone conclusion.
RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for being with us.