Yani Tseng, -4
Katherine Hull, -4
Brittany Lincicome, -3
Amy Yang, -3
Anne-Lise Caudal, -3
Michelle Wie, -2
In-Kyung Kim, -2
Juli Inkster, -1
Jiyai Shin, -1
Laura Davies, Even
Paula Creamer, +2
Karen Stupples, +5
YANI TSENG, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 5
THE MODERATOR: Okay, ladies and gentlemen. We have Yani Tseng in the interview area. Earlier this year you won your second major at Kraft Nabisco. Currently you’re in the championship here on 68, finishing with the birdie on 17, eagle at 18. Congratulations. How do you feel about your round?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, I played very solid today. I hit 18 greens on this golf course, so I didn’t miss any greens. I putted well. I feel good that I made the birdie, eagle to finish like the last two holes. The last two holes for me are very reachable. It was par holes for me. Feel okay, relaxed. I’m not trying to make a birdie, but those last two holes, just couldn’t do it, and I played really solid.
THE MODERATOR: You’ve won twice this season already. You must have a lot of confidence.
YANI TSENG: Yeah. For sure, but after Kraft I didn’t play really well. When I come this week, I like this golf course. Actually this is my second time playing Links golf course, and I love Links. I wish we could play more on this.
THE MODERATOR: Why do you love Links golf courses?
YANI TSENG: Makes me think more. So that makes me feel focused like on every shot, trying to focus on every shot, instead of looking forward and looking back.
Q. What sort of attention do you get when you go home? What attention do you get from people?
YANI TSENG: Yeah. I’m looking for my third major. So it will be a big crowd in Taiwan, and I think it will be big if I won another major again. Taiwan, I think the golf is getting popular in Taiwan, and I wish I could be like playing all the golf courses to getting better and better.
Q. Will your results be on the main news channel in Taiwan?
YANI TSENG: I think so. I hope so. Like I start early and watch too much news in Taiwan, even though sometimes you think. So but I wish.
Q. Did you ever think you would hit 18 greens in regulation out here in this wind today?
YANI TSENG: No. Actually no. On this golf course it’s really tough. When we go out to play, we don’t really know. You know, I really had fun today, hitting 18 greens.
Q. Was the wind was getting less throughout the day?
YANI TSENG: Yeah, like last three holes. But it still was tough.
Q. Are there lots of Taiwanese journalists here?
YANI TSENG: I think not. No. It’s not like Japan. I wish we had media, like the Japan video. So when I go back to Taiwan.
Q. How did you start playing golf?
YANI TSENG: My parents were always playing golf. So I started after I finished high school in Taiwan and I turned pro.
Q. You said already you played this is your second time playing Links golf?
YANI TSENG: Yeah. First time I played was at Sunningdale. So this is the second time playing Links golf. So I play second time. I really wish we could play more Links golf.
THE MODERATOR: Could you go through your birdie on the fifth hole?
YANI TSENG: I had a 3 wood on the second shot into the bunker, and that’s the only bunker I made today. And I make up and down.
THE MODERATOR: Okay. 17th hole.
YANI TSENG: 17th hole was like 40 yards for birdie, I mean for for eagle.
THE MODERATOR: What did you hit on the second shot?
YANI TSENG: 6 iron. And last hole, like 12 yards. And I made it.
THE MODERATOR: Did you hit driver at 17 and 18?
YANI TSENG: Yes.
KATHERINE HULL, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 28
Q. Let’s go over your round here. Bumpy on 4. What happened there?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah. Hit it right in the greenside bunker and didn’t get up and down. I don’t know the lengths of the putt or anything.
Q. 7th hole, birdie putt. How far was that? Par 3?
KATHERINE HULL: That was probably a 30 footer.
Q. 30 footer.
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah.
Q. Okay. 9th hole?
KATHERINE HULL: Maybe four feet, five feet. I hit an 8 iron in.
Q. How far?
KATHERINE HULL: To five feet, four or five feet. Oh, how far from?
Q. Yeah.
KATHERINE HULL: No. 9? 133 yards.
Q. Okay. 10?
KATHERINE HULL: Hit a 9 iron from 99 yards to three feet.
Q. And that last one there.
KATHERINE HULL: I hit a four hybrid. Maybe 60 feet.
Q. 60. Nice.
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah. Probably 60, somewhere in there.
Q. How did you feel today? Needless to say, the conditions early in the day were difficult for the players. Looks like the wind died down some here.
KATHERINE HULL: Yes. The wind died maybe half a club this evening, but it got cooler, so it was still playing about the same yardage. I hit it really well on the front nine and then just got a little sloppy on occasion on the back nine, but yeah, I was really happy with the start.
Q. You’re at the top of the leaderboard with Yani. Did you realize that after you made that putt?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah. I was looking at leaderboards all day, so yeah, it was nice to roll that one in. But it’s Thursday, so it’s early in the week.
Q. Have you played this course before?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, back in ’05.
Q. And what was your success there?
KATHERINE HULL: MC. I think I got the bad end of the weather. I think I played well in the second round, but I was too far back after the first. I love the long golf course.
Q. You like Links golf?
KATHERINE HULL: I love Links golf, yep, and in particular this course.
Q. Are you feeling really good the last few weeks? I don’t know what you did last week.
KATHERINE HULL: I’ve felt pretty good all year, but it’s just been patchy, and I actually figured out something with my caddy maybe two days ago.
Q. What was that?
KATHERINE HULL: It’s helped. It’s a bit of a secret.
Q. It’s a secret?
KATHERINE HULL: It’s a secret.
Q. Why is that?
KATHERINE HULL: It’s a state’s secret. Put it this way, I was getting a little lazy.
Q. So does that mean you are working a little harder out there?
KATHERINE HULL: It’s something to do with my routine actually, not in terms of work ethic really. It was lazy with my routine.
Q. And you’ve seen the progress after your caddy what is your caddy’s name, by the way?
KATHERINE HULL: Vern Tess, V E R N, T E S S.
Q. Do you feel you’re playing better this year than you’ve ever played or?
KATHERINE HULL: Yeah, my ball striking has been the best it’s ever been. And I get a patchy part whereas before it was more so my short game. Last year my putting was great. This year it’s been patchy, so we’re just trying to piece it all together, and it’s getting close.
BRITTANY LINCICOME, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 22
THE MODERATOR: Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, we have Brittany Lincicome in the interview room. She just scored a 69 with a great shot on the finish. Can you talk us through your round? How do you feel about it?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. 3 over after the first two definitely was not what I was looking for to start.
Definitely happy with the finish. Made a lot of really good putts out there, one 40 footer or 30 footer and a lot of really long putts, which was unusual, so it was nice to see, especially under those conditions. It was really windy.
THE MODERATOR: I was actually going to say, you seem to have scored more birdies than virtually anybody else in the field. Is it because you holed some long putts?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Definitely. I definitely holed a couple of long ones. Being one of the longer hitters as well, it’s a little bit easier having some wedges into those greens and not mid irons so definitely my length and keeping it in the fairway, I did a very good job of that today keeping it in play.
THE MODERATOR: Did you want to start with the birdies and bogeys? Can we start with the six at first?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Double at the first. Bogey at the second.
THE MODERATOR: What did you hit into there?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Oh, Jesus. I gotta do all that? That’s going to take forever. I don’t know. I think I hit 4 iron.
THE MODERATOR: Second shot 4 iron.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. Driver. Driver, 4 iron into the front of the green and like four putted basically.
Second hole was, say, a 5 iron, or driver, 5 iron, hit it way left, not good.
THE MODERATOR: On the green in three and two putted?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. Not good.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie the sixth, par 5.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Sure.
THE MODERATOR: Do you remember how you did that?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No. I really need my book. If I had my book, it would be so much easier.
THE MODERATOR: The one on the far side of the golf course, over the bunker, drove it over the bunker and hit it on the right.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No. Do you remember?
THE MODERATOR: Anybody remember?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Anybody remember?
Q. (Indiscernible)?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. Really long putt on 7 was probably 20 feet. And then 8 was like 40 feet. Yeah.
Q. And 18?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: 18, driver, 5 iron pin high but right, chipped it up to about 12 feet.
THE MODERATOR: What about the two on 14? Any idea?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No.
Q. Is my memory right, you won at Ginn in pretty nasty conditions; right?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Sunday was pretty nasty, yeah.
Q. When it was blowing. Do you think it makes you bear down more and concentrate harder when you got the conditions going with it?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. I think you’re right. Definitely, especially with the wind blowing so hard, I was hitting it really well, which obviously helps. If you hit it well, it kind of penetrates through the wind and doesn’t really get affected too much. But definitely I’m going to kind of reflect back to that and just one shot at a time out here.
Q. Some of the other players have been saying that the first hole today has been playing really long, and that really should be a par 5 today. It took four putts. Did you feel after that hole that, oh, God, my putter is really cold today and nothing is going to drop?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No. Just kind of hit a really good drive, hit a really good second shot to get it like a foot short of the green. So it was a great shot. It was straight into the wind, just kind of underestimated how slow that putt would be. So I left it short and then missed like the one footer coming back. So all in all it was just pretty silly. I should have hit the first one harder and to miss a one footer, that’s not going to happen all day, hopefully. So it was nice to kind of get through the first couple holes, kind of settle the nerves a little bit, kind of calm myself back down and make a few birdies in a row.
Q. And have you been on a good putting streak of late?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: I have. Actually I gripped down probably an inch on the putter the beginning of last week, and for some reason it just seemed kind of easier to control the putter. So I putted really well last week, and hopefully keep it going this week.
Q. Were you aware before you went out there that one and two were playing quite hard today?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: No.
Q. But would you have anticipated it when you saw the wind that it was going to be?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. One is a really long hole. It was nice to kind of get that tee shot off and get it within the first cut, but just to get it in play was nice. And even myself I had 4 iron into that green and hit driver off the tee.
Q. But if you could have anticipated they were going to be quite tough, those two, do you sort of set yourself up to think that you’re not really thinking of they’re two par 4s, that you’re not going to panic if you get off to that bad start?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. I try not to let it kind of affect my mental state. I knew I was playing well coming into this week, just a couple bad holes off the start. The pressure, the wind is howling, it’s the British Open. It’s a pretty big week, so just kind of calm down a little bit. And you’re right, it’s the first two holes, two 400 plus yards straight into the wind, those starting holes are pretty tough.
Q. So you think this is a big hitter’s golf course?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Absolutely. Especially with the wind.
Q. So you must be confident, huh?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: I’m very excited, yes. Make it longer tomorrow.
Q. Just a couple of things: How many times have you played in this?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: In the British?
Q. Yeah. Is this your best start? And what’s your best finish?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Okay. I actually played here in ’05. That was my first British Open was here in ’05. And yes, best start, absolutely. And best finish, I’m not really sure. I don’t think it’s too good, though. But I got it this year.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 217
THE MODERATOR: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we have Anne Lise Caudal in the interview area. She just shot the 3 under par 69 leading the championship. Congratulations. You obviously played very well today.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. Well, I did start very well to hit the ball. Then I’m more confident in my chipping and putting also. So I just enjoy and played good.
THE MODERATOR: You finished third last week. You must be feeling very confident.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I’m really confident. I played really well then, and the week before as well. And I didn’t play last week. So I practiced all, and I really enjoy the play and on the Links golf course as well.
THE MODERATOR: Have you played much at Birkdale before?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No. Not at all. I play only twice.
THE MODERATOR: And obviously you enjoy a course like this?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I like very much this course, yeah.
Q. How did you get started in golf and what’s the strangest thing that’s happened to you in golf or in life?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I start with school, at school. I was 10 years old. And I just like I like the competition.
Every day is different. Every country and every golf course is different. And I really enjoy it.
Q. Has anything strange, unusual happened to you in golf?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No.
Q. When is the last time you played in this competition?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I played last year and two years ago, and I played in 98, twice when I was amateur. And where I live I have a golf course that that’s a Links golf course called Chiberta.
Q. Is that your home course?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No. It’s not my home course. Just ten minutes from my home course.
Q. Were you in the French amateur team?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah.
Q. When you won in Tenerife it was quite windy and blustery. Did that experience help you today?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Sorry.
Q. It’s quite windy. Does that help your preparation?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yes.
Q. Is that good preparation?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. It’s really windy, and yeah, it’s good preparation for you. Yeah.
Q. When you set out this morning, did you have any goals in mind or are you quite surprised that you find yourself at the top of the leaderboard?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. Maybe a little bit. I’m really confident, so I know I can do it.
Q. Have you had any help from people like Thomas Levet or any of the other French men golfers?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No. No, no. I didn’t talk with them. But it’s good to ask the players, like Thomas. They play good. So the French players can play good. French girls are good too.
THE MODERATOR: Can you go through the bogeys and birdies for us. You started with a bogey at first.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I hit a good driver. Second shot was hybrid and two putt.
THE MODERATOR: Can you include the distances?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I missed two meters.
THE MODERATOR: You birdied the fifth hole.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I hit driver and then
THE MODERATOR: The one around the corner?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I don’t remember.
THE MODERATOR: Did you drive the dogleg around the corner?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. And I hit 8 iron, shot off the pin, and I made a six meters for birdie.
THE MODERATOR: The par 5, 6, you birdied.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. And driver 3 wood, like 30 meters to the pin, like 58 meters. And I made like one meter for birdie.
THE MODERATOR: And the other hole you birdied, par 4.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I hit driver and then 7 iron. And I had four meters for birdie.
THE MODERATOR: And finished with a birdie at the last.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I hit it on the right. It was good. And then 4 iron just short of the green, and I chip in 4 footer. And I made that.
Q. Are there any other golfers in your family?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No. I’m the only one.
Q. Had they even heard of golf when you came out and said I want to play golf. When you told your father you were going to try to make your profession as a professional golfer.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. There was a bit of surprise. We lived close to one golf course, so it was easier for my parents. And they just said, yeah, okay, whatever you want. If you want to play golf, it’s okay.
Q. What are your dreams? Your dream is to play in America?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah. I would love to play in America. But I don’t know when. Maybe I’m going to go next year for the qualifying.
Q. I think you would have been about 15 when Jean Van de Velde played at Carnoustie Were you watching it on the television?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yes.
Q. And what were you thinking?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Well, I don’t remember that much. That’s just golf. It’s okay. So I think it was a good tournament for him, I think. I don’t remember. I was real young.
Q. Will you be nervous going into tomorrow in the lead?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I don’t think so. I’m not really nervous, and so I think I’m going to do okay.
Q. You said you started playing golf at school, when you were 10.
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yeah.
Q. Is that normal in France or is it just because of the area you were living in?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: I think it’s normal in France now, but where I live we practice a lot of sports. So we can, yeah, we can start every sport.
Q. So is there other special academies in France for young girls to learn golf or the specific ways of doing it?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: No. We don’t have academies. Only the French federation. We have some college golf and only the best for the young players. So that’s it.
Q. Did you play any other sports when you were young or was it always golf?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Yes but I played a lot of golf.
Q. Did you play anything else well?
ANNE LISE CAUDAL: Not too well. But I like sports in general.
AMY YANG, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 32
Q. Okay. If you could talk about your round from the second hole.
AMY YANG: From the second hole? Second hole, I hit a good tee shot, but the second shot wasn’t good. It was into the wind. I was trying to knock it down, but it was really difficult into the bunker. But that bunker has a lot of sand, so I had it like really short of it. So I had a two putt bogey there.
Q. And then you had a start from the fourth.
AMY YANG: Oh, yeah. No. 4, how did I play there?
Q. You got 2 on the par 3.
AMY YANG: I don’t remember how I played.
Q. Good. You played good. Let’s go through the bag today, birdies and bogeys.
YANG’S CADDIE: 4 was the 5 iron she hit in there real well on the par 3. You hit that about five feet. Remember? Well, that’s good you don’t remember this stuff. And then you chipped in on the bunker in 5.
AMY YANG: Yeah. Chipped in on 5.
YANG’S CADDIE: That was out of the bunker. Greenside bunker. And then 6, you
AMY YANG: I had a good tee and good chip shot on 8.
Q. And then you (inaudible) on the 18th?
AMY YANG: Yeah. A tee shot, I hit it good, but the wind took it to the right side. But rough wasn’t bad. I hit a 4 iron really good over the green. Just chipped in.
Q. And how are you finding how many times have you played Links golf or how are you finding it?
AMY YANG: Here or the Links golf?
Q. The Links golf at any time.
AMY YANG: I really like it. It’s windy and raining hard, but I like it.
Q. You like the challenge of playing in the wind?
AMY YANG: Yeah.
Q. You actually played quite well last year in the Wales Championships.
AMY YANG: Oh, yeah.
Q. That was on Links golf.
AMY YANG: I think this is more like Links.
Q. Yeah. So this is a little bit different. You also played very well in windy conditions. So you’re not scared to play in wind?
AMY YANG: Only a few times I’ve played good.
Q. Oh, is that right? But today you played well in it.
AMY YANG: Yeah. I just test it, like the game and the thoughts are the same, but playing safely. I’m just going to go like try to do the same thing tomorrow, the next three days.
Q. It was the same at the U.S. Open, a boost to your confidence?
AMY YANG: Yeah. Yeah. Actually, it was really good experience. First time being in a finish like on the fifth of a tournament.
Q. And you’re feeling more comfortable on the LPGA this year? Your results better?
AMY YANG: Yeah. It’s better than last year.
Q. And you feel happier on the Tour do you?
AMY YANG: Yeah.
Q. And what do you like most about being in England?
AMY YANG: I don’t know. I haven’t been around here much, you know. I think, you know, every time I come here, because I haven’t been outside much, but from the golf, it’s actually, you know, different conditions, more difficult. I think giving me more experience.
Q. So you like the challenge of playing in the wind?
AMY YANG: Yeah.
Q. Well, good luck to you.
AMY YANG: Thank you.
MICHELLE WIE, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 12
THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, we have Michelle Wie in the interview area. She just shot a 2 under par 70, including a birdie at the 17th and an eagle at the 18th. Congratulations. How do you feel?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I felt good. I think that I stayed patient today. And it felt good making the par and making birdie and making putts. But you know, it was a good day today. I think I hit a couple of good shots and a couple more putts.
THE MODERATOR: Did you feel as if you missed a few out there today?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I had a lot of birdie opportunities today. I hit them good, but they just didn’t go in.
I just feel good that I’m hitting it right. It was good speed out there today, so hopefully tomorrow I’ll be solid with that.
THE MODERATOR: How difficult was it with the wind out there today?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. It was quite difficult out there with the wind. It was pretty strong. A little different from the practice rounds, too. So that was interesting. But just go out there and try to hit solid shots. If you don’t, the wind’s going to take over.
Q. Michelle, when is the last time you started so well in a major? Can you remember?
MICHELLE WIE: No, actually.
Q. Have you ever started this well?
MICHELLE WIE: I actually don’t know.
Q. When is the last time you felt so good, playing your first time in a major?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I think that today I was just patient out there today and I’m just going to do the same tomorrow. I think I just gotta hit good shots out there and give it one shot at a time. You can’t look forward, you can’t look back. You have to go out there and just stay in the present and just hit each shot at a time.
Q. Can you talk us through some of your distances in that run of 15 pars in a row?
MICHELLE WIE: I hit a lot of them. I hit a lot of close putts that nearly missed the hole that was just like just short that looked like they were going to go in. But I think all of them were like that.
Q. You were giving yourself chances?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. I had a couple of good pars, pretty well, but I did well today.
Q. Do you think that a couple of years ago that might have frustrated you and a few loose shots would have been the result of that frustration or do you feel more mature?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. I think even in the beginning of this year as well even when I was not making putts. I’m going to be very frustrated with myself. But even before I started off today, I just told my caddy, told Brendan. And like if I’m hitting good shots, there’s nothing you can do about the outcome. Just thinking more about the process.
Q. Can you go over the details of the bogey on the first hole?
MICHELLE WIE: I got kind of unlucky with that tee shot on one. I hit it really good on the line and just trickled down the hill. So it’s kind of on the side hill. Second shot I didn’t hit very well, went 100 yards. But had 98 yards kind of squirted out from the rough a little bit. So I had like a 40 foot putt for par. Two putted.
Q. And the birdie on 17th?
MICHELLE WIE: Hit a driver. And then I hit a 6 iron to the right bunker, and landed on the front end, so I just tapped in. 18, I hit a driver and then I hit a 7 iron to about 25 feet.
Q. Can you tell us about whether you’ve worked with David Leadbetter in the past on your putting and also how recently have you been working with David on your swing?
MICHELLE WIE: David actually was in England since the men’s Open, they have a holiday here. So we’ve been working a lot. You know, I’m in Orlando in the summer, so I see him a lot there. But we talk on the phone a lot. And caddying wise, you know, I’m just really trying to focus on myself and just trying to get comfortable with it. So you know, David and I have been working very consistently.
Q. You don’t have a different putting coach as such?
MICHELLE WIE: No. I work a bit with Dave Peltz as well, too.
Q. Can you remember ’05 last time you played here, when you won the amateur medal?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. You know, I think it was a lot of good memories, especially in the practice rounds when I first got here and I first played it, it was like, oh, I remember being here. I remember that bunker, I remember being in the rough here, the fairway, but it’s a fun course.
Q. Is it one of your favourites over here?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I definitely like it.
Q. Michelle, the wind seemed to drop. Is there a constant speed that you have to make the most of, especially with the two putts to finish?
MICHELLE WIE: It’s actually more confusing when the wind doesn’t blow. It’s like it has to come sometime. I had a flyer on 16. But it’s almost more confusing when the wind kind of stops a little bit.
Q. Just wonder with the change of management a while ago, whether you’re able to focus on your golf more with less distractions?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I think that I’m very happy right now and I’m very happy with IMG right now. I’m happy with them around me, I think they care about me, and they wish the best for me, so it’s been nice.
.
IN KYUNG KIM, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 11
Q. I.K., great round today 2 under par. Can you talk a little bit about your round, birdies and bogeys and the conditions?
IN KYUNG KIM: Thanks. I had overall solid round. I started really well, parred No. 1. It was like birdie and I was so long. 2 had a bogey actually and 3 three putted. But it could happen at any time. And what was the turnaround for me? I made a birdie on 5 and birdied 6, par 5. And after that I hit the fairways mostly and greens and made birdie coming into 17.
Q. Did you hit the 18th green in two?
IN KYUNG KIM: I did. Yeah. Putt was kind of up and down, but I thought it was into and was kind of with judging the speed.
Q. What makes the first hole so difficult?
IN KYUNG KIM: I think it’s the length, and it’s always kind of into left to right wind. And there’s bunker on the left, and you kind of really have to hold the shot. And still if you hit the fairway, I hit fairway today, and I had 211 to the pin.
Q. Do you feel like your game is well suited to British Open with having to hit different types of shots this week?
IN KYUNG KIM: I think so. More than I think this is the major that I always look forward to because I have the low trajectory with my irons and drivers. So kind of an advantage if I can stay dry.
Q. Yeah, do you find that the elements are the toughest part, the wind or the rain? What is the biggest challenge?
IN KYUNG KIM: Biggest challenge is like stay focused, especially every hole plays so different, you kind of have to test the wind. But you have to have good caddy, and you kind of have to bear down a little bit.
Q. Will you do anything differently tomorrow?
IN KYUNG KIM: Tomorrow, I think weather. Depends on weather so much here. I heard it’s some kind of storm coming in or something, and I play really late tomorrow. So I can get some really good rest in, play another good round. Hope so.
JULI INKSTER, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 68
THE MODERATOR: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, we have Juli Inkster here, 1 under par 71 in pretty tough conditions. It must have been rough out there this morning, was it?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, it was. Starting off No. 1, it was kind of a completely different wind than we played yesterday. It was dead into us. I got off to kind of a rough start. I bogeyed 1 and 2 from the middle of the fairway. I three putted No. 2. But I made a good birdie on 3 and that kind of just settled me down, and I hit a lot of good shots out there. I drove the ball pretty good out there. A few mis clubs but that’s going to happen out here. And I putted reasonably good. I was bitching about the 6:40 tee time, but I’m loving it now. No, I was very happy when I saw the 6:40 tee time. I wasn’t happy with the alarm setting, but I was very happy.
Q. What was the hardest part of conditions, and how much did you have to control ball flight?
JULI INKSTER: Well, it’s into the wind shots, across shots, it’s spitting rain, trying to keep everything I played in the Pro Am on Tuesday with some members here, and it was blowing sideways, and it was raining. They were just so calm, like they just did it every day, and I’m like cleaning my grips and running around. So when it started to really rain out there, to the right, to the left, I stayed calm because they just seemed to have it down. The sideways wind and trying to pull the right club is tough. You’ve got 130 and you’re thinking about 6 iron, it’s hard to get yourself to really commit and swing at it.
Q. Who did you play with in the Pro-Am?
JULI INKSTER: I played with a couple members here and they had the rain gloves and the Gore Tex hat and the umbrella with their clubs. It’s not even a worry to them. Over here I’m trying to find a dry towel, and my clubs are all wet. They just have it down to a science here.
Q. These conditions they encounter quite a lot I would think.
JULI INKSTER: I kind of knew starting out, the scores aren’t going to be that low. It’s hard to get the ball in the fairway and play from there. You try to manage your bad shots, and that’s what I did today.
Q. When you suffer from jet lag when you come over in a week like this and then you have to get up at 4:00 in the morning or whatever, how do you cope with all that?
JULI INKSTER: Well, with four kids, they could sleep in forever. I don’t really sleep in that much anymore anyway. It’s really only an hour, hour and a half earlier than I usually get up. I’ll definitely take a nap this afternoon. For me jet lag is a lot more mental. You’ve just got to get into the time zone and go. You just can’t think about it. That’s kind of what I do.
Q. Laura was in here yesterday and we were asking about how she keeps going, and she expressed the view that if she practiced as hard as some of these kids now, she wouldn’t still be going. Would you talk about whether you have any views on this?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, she never practiced, but that’s Laura. She was Laura, I want to say 10, 15 years ago. She’d play 40, 45 tournaments a year, between playing over here and playing in Asia and playing our Tour. So you can’t practice and you can’t put the time in if you’re going to play that many tournaments.
I probably never played I probably played 25 to 28 a year. You know, I practice, I practice a lot, but I like to practice. And I don’t think Laura likes to practice. She’s more of a just get up there and hit it, feel player, and I’ve got to kind of have a map what I’m trying to do.
Q. Do these kids now hit more balls on the range than you do?
JULI INKSTER: Oh, yeah. They have a teacher every week. I didn’t even have a teacher probably for the first four years of my golfing. I just got out there and played. All the young kids now, they just have great swings. Everything is on plane, and they’re strong, and they’re athletic. It’s just different, equipment, video equipment, everything. It’s different when you’re starting. It’s definitely more of a business now than it was when we even though it was our job, it wasn’t as high tech mano a mano as it is now.
Q. How do you see the longevity for their careers?
JULI INKSTER: I mean, I would be very surprised if someone like a Paula Creamer or Morgan Pressel played until they’re 50. They’re going to make so much money that they’re not going to need to. I never really played for the money. I played because I loved the game. You’ve got to keep finding ways to have the desire to play, and I’ve always had that. I’ve never had to try to find it.
I think a lot of these kids growing up, they have started I didn’t start until I was 15. All these kids started when they were six, seven, eight, and they’ve been to the academies and the U.S. Juniors, and it’s just a lot of pressure on them. I never had that at all. It’s different eras. I would be shocked if any of those girls played past 30, 35. I mean, look at Lorena, look at Annika.
Q. It must be difficult because you’ve got your heroine’s and they’re there and then they go?
JULI INKSTER: Well, I think a lot of it is there’s really no place for us to go after we’re done playing. The men have the Senior Tour, and they all seem to can’t wait to get out there. They have three days, no cut, you’ve got a cart, you have a Pro Am here and there. And so they keep playing because they want to get there.
Here it’s like there’s really nothing else to do. Once you quit here, where do you go, where are you going to play? I like to play, so that’s why I’m still out here. It’s hard.
But again, most of the kids that play on the PGA TOUR, they all go to college. Here, a lot of them aren’t going to college, and so that’s four more years out here than the kids that go to college. Plus I think it’s easier to get out on our Tour than it is the men’s Tour. So a lot of them don’t even get out there until they’re 30. And then they have their careers and stuff and then they’re 42, and they say, I’ve got eight more years until the Senior Tour, so they keep playing.
Here you’ve got a 15 year old that finished second last week. It’s just different, different tours. I don’t know how to change that; it’s just the way it is.
Q. Do you have a certain time period you’re going to play for?
JULI INKSTER: No, I just take it as it goes. I’ve told Brian about ten times I’m retiring next year, so I don’t even say anything anymore. And you’ve written it ten times, too. Like I said, if there was another place to play, I would probably play there. But I love the game, and I just don’t want to quit. So this is where I play.
Q. Laura said yesterday she thinks that what Tom Watson did last year at Turnberry at 59, Laura seemed to suggest that she could see herself doing the same at 59.
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, Watson doesn’t play because he has to play, Watson plays because he enjoys the game and he enjoys competing. It’s not the end of the world if he plays good and it’s not the end of the world if he plays bad, he just enjoys being out there. And that’s how I look at it. I mean, I enjoy being out there. I enjoy being with the young kids and giving them grief. I don’t see why there should be a time limit on what we can play and when we can’t play.
Q. Would you like to get an invite to play among the men’s seniors?
JULI INKSTER: Whoa. Dangerous topic. No, I don’t want to go there. No.
Q. You could actually play mixed with them.
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I’d love to play mixed with them. That would be great. I’ll take Freddie. It would be great, yeah.
Q. Do you think as you get older it’s actually not the physical stamina but the mental stamina that’s harder?
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I definitely think so. I think you’ve got a lot more demons in your head than you do at 22, shots that you missed, shots that you think about. But I also think at 46 or 50, whatever I’m at, I appreciate it more. I really enjoy what I do. I enjoy shooting 1 under the first round of a British Open. It’s fun. It’s great. Probably ten years ago I wouldn’t have even thought about it. But now I appreciate good rounds and I appreciate things that I get to do now that probably I didn’t get to do ten years ago.
Q. Can you give us the details of your birdies and bogeys, please.
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, well, I hit it in that left bunker on 1 and hit it out and missed about an 18 footer for par.
2, I three putted and missed about a five footer for par.
3, I chipped off the green and putted it in, probably about a 25 footer.
5 was a tap in, six inches.
Q. What did you hit in there?
JULI INKSTER: 9 iron, a punch 9 iron.
6 I hit in two, two putted from about 20 feet.
8, I hit a knock down 5 iron no, I hit 8 iron, a punchy 8 iron to about 15 feet, made that for birdie.
10 I hit short and chipped that and missed about a six footer.
11, I hit a good 5 iron in there to about four feet, made that for birdie.
And 13, I drove it in one of those bunkers off the tee and had to hit out, made about a six footer for bogey. So that was good.
And 18, I hit a really good putt, but I didn’t make it.
Q. I was just wondering because the older folks are doing well at links golf, and I wonder if there’s an element that your generation was more self taught in a way that you’re more able to adapt than the younger players.
JULI INKSTER: Yeah, I don’t know. I kind of feel like you I mean, I kind of feel like you’ve got to play well you’ve got to hit the ball well to play well. It doesn’t matter your experience. I could have all the experience in the world and drive it all over the lot and shoot 80, it doesn’t matter. I think what you’re trying to say is that maybe things don’t get to us as much as they do to the younger players. I was more coached by feel, and it’s like when my swing gets off, I’m not real technical, I’ve just got to find a swing, a feel, and once I get that feel, I’m off. But sometimes it takes me a while to get that.
These girls are taught by numbers, the one position, the two position, the three position, and it’s different. It would be interesting if we had videotape 20 years ago what it would have been like, but we didn’t, and we just kind of went out and played. That’s how I learned to play. I just played every day.
Q. Can you put that feel into words?
JULI INKSTER: The feel of my swing?
Q. When you’ve got the feeling of your swing, if you had to write a sentence about it, would you describe it?
JULI INKSTER: Butter. (Laughter.) When I hit a good shot, it feels like butter. I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have. It’s similar to, well, it might not be going in too far from the inside, but I kind of feel that. It’s kind of a swing feel. I can’t put it into words. But when it goes well, it’s really nice.
LAURA DAVIES, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 56
THE MODERATOR: We have Laura Davies here, who shot a level par 72 in very tough conditions. It’s interesting two of the more experienced players are here. Do you think that’s a coincidence or do you think experience helps?
LAURA DAVIES: No, I think you need to know how to get your ball around a golf course in very tough conditions.
Q. How did you feel you played today?
LAURA DAVIES: I thought I just missed a few greens in the first ten holes and parred the par 5, so that may have seemed a bad start, but I guess most people are going to make 5 on that one. But then it was pretty steady, had a couple of good up and downs out of bunkers on 8, missed some short ones to be honest, but on 18 had about a three or four footer, could have holed that, but I left that short in the jaws. It could have been better.
Q. We were just talking to Juli about the players like yourself and her weren’t so regimented in the way you were taught and when conditions are hard may have more feel than the younger, heavily coached players, more control of your ball? Is that something
LAURA DAVIES: Definitely, yeah. A lot of the older players can shape the ball a lot better because now it all seems to be so simple. They’ve got those hybrid woods, and you can’t shape them really. You’ve just got one shot with them. We had to play I’m sure Juli in the old days used to play with 4 irons and 3 irons herself. Yeah, it certainly helps.
Q. (No microphone.)
LAURA DAVIES: I had to hit a 5 iron and just keep it down under the wind, hit it dead straight, and I think you can’t do that with (inaudible), it doesn’t work with them. Just shots like that. I didn’t pull it off on 17. I hit a 4 iron and I tried to run it up there.
Q. You’ve played here a lot and you’ve probably played in far worse conditions than today. Would you rather it carried on being a bit blustery over the weekend?
LAURA DAVIES: Yeah, I think so. The tougher it is, the better ball strikers will always come to the top, and obviously I consider myself one of the better ball strikers. Yeah, if it stays at that level the whole week, I think it would be a very fair test.
Q. Have you changed the woods you have in your bag over the years?
LAURA DAVIES: I have a 3 iron and then a 2 iron, it’s like a hybrid. Ping has come out with one that looks more like a 2 iron, and I still feel like I can shape it.
Q. Over the years, obviously you’ve been playing a little while now, and these days the game has changed, there’s a lot more access to training and coaching than there would have been in the old days. Comparing when you first started out with all the things that are available now, are you disappointed that there don’t appear to be a lot of championship contending juniors coming through the system compared to people from other countries, for example?
LAURA DAVIES: You mean the British girls? Yeah, obviously it would be much nicer for us to see a lot of younger girls. We have Melissa Reid now who’s coming through. There are some 14, 15 years old that in a few years, maybe they’ll be the ones coming through, but at the moment there doesn’t seem to be that many of them.
Q. Are there things being done in other countries that are not being done here which could be corrected?
LAURA DAVIES: Well, I think in America the college system is very good. A lot of good players come out of college, and they’ve played golf since 13, 14, in hard competition. And I don’t know that that I assume that doesn’t happen over here. The school system still doesn’t allow girls to get on golf teams. Sweden, they obviously had a great run with Alfie [Helen Alfredsson] and other great players. There’s no great system I don’t think.
Q. Can we go over your birdies and bogeys.
LAURA DAVIES: Yes, 1, I hit 2 iron, 2 iron just short, didn’t hit a particularly good chip and missed the putt, so bogey there.
Bogey on 6, a lucky one, I pulled my tee shot, found it, hacked it back in the fairway, hit sand wedge to about ten feet and holed that.
7th hole, hit a lovely shot in, thought it was perfect, the wind knocked it down, hit it out of the bunker, didn’t get up and down.
And then No. 14, hit a 7 iron and made the putt. That was it, really, two birdies, two bogeys.
Q. You mentioned Tom Watson yesterday, but do you draw inspiration from what he did at 59?
LAURA DAVIES: I think more than anything it’s a good example of the people I’m younger than Tom, and people ask when I’m going to stop playing. I’m still winning. I don’t really comprehend the question. So it’s nice that Tom did so well at 59, and it’s a perfect example of at 50 or 51 I can still play. Yes, it was fantastic, but it’s just good that I can use him as an example.
Q. Juli was just saying that unlike the male players, the female players have got nowhere to go at the end of the Tour. That’s it. Is that something you think of, this feel of what to do after?
LAURA DAVIES: Yeah, when you’re a competitor like I am, you just want to keep playing. I don’t think it’s ever going to happen. There’s never going to be a women’s senior tour, and that’s just the way it is. Maybe the men will let us have a go, have a go on their Tour. It’s a shame. Juli is still on the LPGA and so am I. We’re just examples of players that have (indiscernible) could still compete, but she didn’t want to do it anymore. You’ve got to want to compete and be out there week in and week out and mixing it with these youngsters. Some players love to do it and some players don’t.
Q. Actually Juli said that she would like to see mixed senior events.
LAURA DAVIES: I would love that. I think that would be great. We wouldn’t have to do much with the tees either. That would be great. I mean, a little bit. I think Jan Stephenson had a go in one of those senior events a while back. I don’t know how she did, but I think she had a go.
Q. Would you like an invite to a regular senior tournament?
LAURA DAVIES: When I’m 50, I think that would be great fun, yeah.
Q. You wouldn’t have wanted that before, would you, in the regular game?
LAURA DAVIES: I played in Australia. I did really badly, but it was the first week back after eight weeks off, and I played on the Australian Tour in our off season. I probably should have said no, but I had eight weeks off and just turned up and tried to play off the back tees. Think I finished second last but at least I had a go.
Q. You would like an invite
LAURA DAVIES: Not at the moment. At the time I was still winning lots of tournaments, and I’ve won twice this year. I haven’t won on the LPGA for a long time. But it would be pointless at the moment to play with the men, because if I can’t beat the girls, I certainly can’t beat the men.
JIYAI SHIN, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 1
JIYAI SHIN: My time was very early morning but windy morning, too, and the rain, too, so really hard to get into focus. But I made just one bogey, which is a really good point for me. Really happy.
Q. Talk about conditions. How difficult was it to keep the score around par today?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, we know it’s difficult, it’s very tough and there’s lots of bunkers, very tough rough. So I was trying to not make mistakes, just hit it straight, hit it straight, so I tried that. And I did. A few holes was a little bit tough, hard to make par. But it was good, too.
Q. How nice is it to have two par 5s to finish because you took advantage today and made birdie at 18?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, I was trying to get there in two, and I missed. I think today was tough for me, but it’s a good score and I made only one bogey, so I had a good day.
Q. What happened on 2?
JIYAI SHIN: My second shot I left about 180 yards, but I hit 5 wood. It was big right to left wind, so the wind took my ball, so left side bunker. Then it was really hard to stand, so my one foot just outside the bunker, one foot inside the bunker, so I hit it out and two putt.
Q. And then you bounced straight back with a birdie on 3?
JIYAI SHIN: I hit driver, I made the fairway, and second shot was almost 110 yards, and then 15 feet just right side of the pin and made it.
Q. Birdie on 18, great way to finish.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit driver, missed the fairway right because really strong wind left to right, so inside the rough I hit 5 wood and just 20, 25 yards short of the green, and then I hit running approach with 8 iron.
Q. How did you find the wind?
JIYAI SHIN: It was really hard because actually I checked the tee time a couple days ago, I said, well, we’re lucky with the early times, but when I get here this morning it’s really windy. I was just trying to make a par every hole. I focused for that. I did well.
PAULA CREAMER, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 7
Q. It was tough conditions out there this morning. Talk about that.
PAULA CREAMER: It was. I started off three putt, three putt, and I had another three putt on the front nine, so my putting kind of let me down in the beginning. I finally made a birdie on 6 I believe it was, and after that I kind of settled down a bit, just kind of focused on hitting the middle of the greens. Today was supposed to be the nicest day, and it seems like one of the worst conditions we’ve played in, but that’s the British.
Q. Obviously a reachable par 5, and you put yourself behind the 8 ball.
PAULA CREAMER: Well, both of them, 17 and 18. That’s part of this whole hole is the driving, and normally I go right of it, and today for some reason it just stayed straight and went right into that bunker, and that’s not a very good move off the tee. You have to learn from your mistakes, and tomorrow I’ll be a little bit more careful off that line.
Q. After your wrist surgery we have to ask, how is it doing? The ground here is firmer than it is at Evian. Is that helping or making it worse?
PAULA CREAMER: It’s actually helping a bit more. I kind of can bounce into it not as much as just digging into the ground. However, the cold is the other aspect. I constantly have my hands in my pocket trying to keep it warm. It’s a bit achy out there. I’m just trying to manage. I’m only out there for five hours, so I’m just trying to play through it.
Q. Talk about your day today.
PAULA CREAMER: It wasn’t my best. I definitely started off on the wrong foot. I three putted the first two holes, and you never want to do that. After that I kind of settled down and birdied the par 5 on the front nine, and I started giving myself more and more chances. There’s a lot of golf left. Hopefully tomorrow I can go out and play around even par again, and we’ll see.
I’ve always wanted to win this tournament. I’ve always played well over here. I love this kind of golf. I love the fact that you can be so creative and hit so many different shots. After the round you should just be exhausted because there’s just so much going on. I like this type of golf course, and Royal Birkdale suits that.
Q. How much trouble does the thumb give you after a round like this?
PAULA CREAMER: It’s hard here because it’s just so much colder than what I’m used to. That old saying, when it’s cold, your bones ache a little bit, especially just after surgery. It does, it hurts a bit. But not as bad out on the golf course hitting shots. Last week at Evian was actually much worse than this week. Here it just bounces off the turf, and that helps the pressure a little bit better.
Q. All the more remarkable then that only a few weeks after you return you go there and you win the U.S. Open.
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, that was great. It was a great week, Oakmont. It was a great golf course, a great venue. I feel a little bit more confident coming into the majors now that I’ve won the U.S. Open, and I would like to have this Ricoh Women’s British Open next to my name, as well.
Q. People are struggling with the first hole. What’s up with the first hole?
PAULA CREAMER: The tee shot is into and left to right today. I hit a driver and I had 190 front and I hit 3 wood to about 20 feet and I three putted. It felt like a double bogey after you did that because it is such a hard hole. It’s all about just hitting your line.
Q. How was it today?
PAULA CREAMER: It played pretty hard. It’s hard to say because I didn’t play really well. I did not putt well. I three putted the 1st hole, the 2nd hole, I three putted the 5th hole, and then I finally birdied 6, and then after that I just went on a big par streak, constantly giving myself looks, just couldn’t make a putt to save my life out there, really. I made some good saves that’s not true. I made some good saves down the stretch, but it was just it wasn’t the best.
Q. You looked kind of like a football player out there. How much does the cold affect your thumb?
PAULA CREAMER: That’s the thing. The mornings are tough because it is so much colder and your body is just physically not as awake. But I’m just constantly trying to keep it as warm as I can. I have my hot hand pressed on it as much as I can, almost so it can burn me. That’s the real dilemma. The turf is okay for me. I don’t mind this because you can kind of pick it, or even if you do miss it a little bit in the rough, it’s actually so wispy, it’s fine. There’s not a lot of pressure. Like last week the divots were just huge, and that’s where my arm gets just so tired.
Q. What’s the treatment regimen now?
PAULA CREAMER: I warm it up in the morning and do some hand exercises and then I go play, and then I’ll ice it now, and then I’ll eat and I’ll probably putt, maybe hit 10, 15 balls. If I ever go to the range, I hit like 12 balls. I don’t hit a lot. And then I’ll go and get worked on, like my forearm. I have some bruises and stuff where they have to it’s just so tight, so they’ll work my forearm and my triceps and my hand, like a soft tissue massage basically.
Q. So the wrist
PAULA CREAMER: My forearm actually. It’s so tight in here, and your fingers and everything is all connected. What moves this you see when you do that, you can move it. It’s all up in here, and it just gets so tight, you have to like break it apart. This is a brutal game, you know (laughing)?
Q. Birdies and bogeys?
PAULA CREAMER: No. 2, I went driver, 6 iron about 30, 40 feet and missed about a three footer.
Bogey on 5, 3 wood, and then I had an 8 iron about 40 feet, and I missed it.
Birdie on 6, driver, 3 wood just short and chipped it up to about six feet.
Driver, 3 wood and I had 100 yards, a little pitching wedge to about three inches.
I missed the green left, left bunker, made about a seven footer for bogey.
Q. Last hole you missed your birdie putt, so how far was that?
PAULA CREAMER: That was probably 25 feet, yeah.
Q. How about the hole before?
PAULA CREAMER: I went driver, 3 rescue short right, and I tried to hit a flop shot over the bunker, and I missed and just trickled over, so I had about 15, 20 feet, but it was off the green, and I putted it up the hill.
KAREN STUPPLES, ROLEX RANKINGS NO. 63
KAREN STUPPLES: It really kicked off when I holed out for eagle on 3. I kept playing steady, really hit the ball solid. And for some reason I just got on a bit of a bogey chain. You know, I hit not bad shots, but not making any putts. I robbed myself of five or six birdies, and not saying bad putts, but just didn’t read them right. Then everything was kind of throwing me off, and then I just never got it back. And I wanted to win. I wasn’t making enough birdies to get it back. So putting took a little bit of a hit today. I think I’m going to blame it on that.
Q. I know you enjoyed playing with Kelly.
KAREN STUPPLES: Yeah. She’s great. She’s a very good player. Obviously she’s got a huge future ahead of her. Really enjoyed it. She’s a great girl. I felt so bad for her on the last. I mean she had played so solid all the way around, and then just two bad swings. But you know what, two bad swings don’t define her as a golfer. So she’s just gotta hang in there. And we got another round tomorrow to do and then two more rounds after that. So just got knuckle down and keep playing.
Q. She seemed like she kept bouncing back as well. Do you think she’ll bounce back when she comes tomorrow for sure?
KAREN STUPPLES: Absolutely she will. She’s got too much it talent not to.
