An interview with:
SHANI WAUGH - Via videotape
Q. (Inaudible) this round
coming?
SHANI WAUGH: No. I'd like to say yes, but U.S.
Open it's hard to say because you can stand on the first few holes and
make bogeys. I played well at ShopRite, 5-under, also I played quite well in
the practice rounds. But, mentally, the U.S. Open can get
you, and I was glad that I kept my calm after bogeying the second hole I played,
and playing well after that.
Q. Do you play well in the
U.S. Open?
SHANI WAUGH: Only two of them.
Q. (Inaudible)
? SHANI WAUGH: I played well at the Merit Club
in Chicago, and I really enjoy the tournament because it's a huge golf tournament,
and if you've got some confidence and feel good about yourself -- it's not fun
to play if you're not playing well. It's a scary proposition.
Q. Does the course seem difficult?
SHANI WAUGH: I'd have to say yes, now, I guess. It's playing
long, and I really felt today that I could make some birdies. I made five or
six birdies which, on a U.S. Open course, is really good.
Q. (Inaudible)
? SHANI WAUGH: Yeah. I think a tougher golf course where you
have to hit fairways and have a decent short game definitely suits me.
Q. You had six of your birdies
within seven holes. What kind of shot --
SHANI WAUGH: I played really solid pretty much all day, just
a section there where I hit it pretty close and made some putts, and I had some
luck on No. 6; I just missed the green left and had a tough chip, and the only
way I could stop it was to hit the pin, which I did, which was luck, but most
of it was pretty much (inaudible).
Q. Were you surprised to see
your name on the leader board?
SHANI WAUGH: I wasn't shocked to see it up there. I haven't
seen that for a while, but I knew I was playing well enough to get my name at
least on the leader board. Definitely a bonus.
Q. The U.S. Open
big in Australia (inaudible)?
SHANI WAUGH: Growing up in Australia, we're a bit starved
for golf tournaments on TV until now. Between the U.S. Open
and British Open -- that's the tournament you're
practicing to win, so I guess it would be probably the biggest event.
Q. Your putt on 9 for birdie,
what happened? It looked like it was straight on and --
SHANI WAUGH: That was actually for par. No, I just didn't
hit it. I've been putting pretty aggressively, and that was probably my weakest
attempt to make a putt today. I knew I was going to break right to left, so
I didn't hit it firm enough. Nerves, I guess.
Q. Have you been struggling
this year?
SHANI WAUGH: I had a slow start to the season, which put me
off a little bit because I wasn't used to it. But the last couple months I started
to struggle with my ball striking, not hitting many fairways and greens, but
I found something that worked for me a few weeks ago and played well the
whole way through my golf game. I tend to lose my posture, and whether it goes
right or left, I can't really tell which way it's going to go.
Q. Thank you.
SHANI WAUGH: Thank you.
