RHONDA GLENN: Juli Inkster is
here without her children this week, we'll get that straight.
And Juli, just give us your overall
impressions of your round.
JULI INKSTER: Well, I played
-- I thought I played very conservative today. I didn't really
feel that overly confident with my swing. I've had my teacher
in the last few days and we've been working on some things. This
is the type of golf course you just don't want to short side yourself.
So I gave myself a lot of opportunities of on the green. And
then I tried to take advantage when I had a short iron in my hand,
being a little more aggressive. So I started off with a birdie
on 1, and came around and doubled 2. I wasn't off to the start
I wanted. I hung in there and made some birdies on the front
side and then made a couple on the backside. So I'm happy with
where I'm at. If you could have said I would have shot 2-under
at the start of the day, I probably would be taking a nap right
now.
RHONDA GLENN: Mike McGetrick
is still your teacher?
JULI INKSTER: Yes.
Q. You said you played conservative
today. Was that because of the swing? If your swing was good,
do you think you would have played --
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I'm an aggressive
player by nature. But I just didn't feel that comfortable. I
just didn't want to throw a high number in there or -- I played
very smart today. And I played with a lot of patience, because
I wasn't really driving the ball well. And I hit my irons solid,
but I just wasn't hitting them right at the flag. I was probably
five to six yards, seven yards right -- or left of every pin.
Q. Juli, are you surprised --
as hard as the golf course is, are you surprised that there are
so many players that are not established major winners at the
top of the leaderboard?
JULI INKSTER: Well, not really.
Most of those players have a lot of experience and are good players.
Four rounds, it's a lot of golf. And it's a marathon. And you've
just got to put yourself in position. First round lead or whatever
really doesn't mean anything, 54 more holes on this golf course
is a lot of golf. I just feel that I need to just each day try
to get a little more confidence with my swing and my putting and
play smart, because on some of these holes when you have 4-iron
and 5-iron in your hand you just can't really go at the pins,
because you don't know how it's going to bite. Like the holes
coming in, they weren't -- because we had some rain out there
today, you have to play it a little smart, a little conservative.
Q. Juli, how about your putting
today, how did you putt?
JULI INKSTER: Well, I missed
a couple of short putts, which I've kind of been struggling with.
I thought my speed was good today. So I'd give my putting a B
minus.
Q. Juli, can you shed some light,
did you have any explanation of why you play so well in majors?
JULI INKSTER: I don't know, I
just -- I like how tough the golf courses play. I think you've
really got to use all the clubs in your bags with majors. I don't
know, I don't think it really becomes a putting contest. I think
it's more of a ball-striking, and brings almost all aspects of
the game and your imagination as far as around the greens, especially
on this golf course. On your chip shots you can play really
all different types of shots. It's just what you feel comfortable
with. So I don't know why, I think maybe I focus better or something.
Q. Juli, there's a 13-year-old
who qualified for this event as a 12-year-old. You've got an
11-year-old. I wonder what your thoughts are on Morgan?
JULI INKSTER: It's phenomenal.
I have an 11-year-old. And Hayley plays a little bit, but it's
probably 65 for 9 holes. I think it's great. And I think the
grandfather is out there coaching her.
The only thing I worry about is when
she's 16, 17, 18, if she's gotten burned out with golf. But some
people don't. I didn't start until I was 15, so she's a lot further
along than I've ever dreamed of. It seems like she's got a good
head on her shoulders. It seems like she doesn't have any expectations.
She's going out and having fun, and I think that's a great approach
to have.
Q. Are you glad to see a lot
of Americans near the top of the leaderboard today? Are you getting
into the whole U.S. versus international rivalry thing?
JULI INKSTER: I don't really
get into it. I can only control what Juli Inkster does. And
Annika is having a fabulous year, and so -- she's already won
five tournaments. She doesn't leave much leeway for us. But
I just have control over what I do. I'd love to see some good,
young Americans come up and play well and play well consistently.
But right now it's not happening. I think they have the talent
out there, they just need to keep playing until they get their
confidence going.
Q. Juli, there's a lot of players
who are going to walk out of here with 78 or 80 or 28, which is
a tough thing to go home to on the first night. You shot 80 a
couple of times in the Open. What does that do to your mindset?
JULI INKSTER: Well, when you
shoot that number, you pretty much better have a low number on
your next one or you're going to get the weekend off. That's the
thing with the Open, I don't try to make it too high or too low.
I just try to say it's another golf tournament. Granted there's
more emphasis, more media and stuff like that. But you've still
got to hit golf shots. And the first day you just want to get
yourself in position, so you don't shoot yourself in the foot
like that.
But you've got to manage your game around
here. And it's tough. If you're not hitting the ball well, believe
me, a course like this will show it real quick.
Q. Karrie said she was real pleased
with the pace of play. I wonder how you felt about that?
JULI INKSTER: It was sweet.
Last time I played -- I think I had like the 3:10 TV pairing,
and I was finishing in the dark. It was like five-and-a-half
hours last time.
RHONDA GLENN: Last time here?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah. Split tees.
It's the new millennium, you've got to split tees. You've got
to send them out there and do it. Send everybody off the first
tee. It's too much for -- it's not fair to the end of the field.
Q. There's been some talk this
week about changing the qualifying to instead of 18 holes at one
shot, to make it at least 36. What are your thoughts on that?
Because there seems to be a lot of people that play one great
round of golf, they're in the U.S. Open. And the next thing --
JULI INKSTER: I agree. I think
36 holes you get the better players and more consistent players.
And I don't know if the qualifiers want to play 36 holes, that's
the same. I think I'd just like to play 18 and go. But I do
think in 36 holes you'll get the better players to come out of
that.
RHONDA GLENN: Good round, Juli.
Thank you so much.
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