Post-Round Quotes
May 21, 2002
Morning Quotes
ALENA SHARP
NEW MEXICO STATE
On the course: "The course was playing really well. The greens were hard but
I just had to adjust and hit it a little shorter than usual. The weather was
great. It got a little windy on a couple holes, but not too bad."
On playing early: "I think going out early was a good thing, (to) get the first day out of the way early. Tomorrow's going to be a little bit of a longer round, because we're the last to tip off, but, yeah, I wanted to play early this morning."
On playing with Meredith Duncan: "I've played with Meredith a couple times before, even at nationals a few years ago. So I've played with her a lot and its good because we all push each other along throughout the day and there's a lot of birdies, so that helps."
On competing individually: "It feels a little weird, just coach and I, and the team isn't here, but in a way I'm just taking it as the first tournament of the summer for me."
On the course now, compared to the fall: "It feels a little softer, and the ball isn't running as much in the fairway."
On her round: "Everything kind of came together. My short game's coming along and my putting has been really good. That's usually the part of my game that falters here and there.
MARCIA WALLIS
STANFORD
On the course: "It's good, it's a little soft. It's my first time playing it
in a national tournament, but its good."
On playing early: "It definitely helped because I know when I was going around the back nine like around the green where it was a little bit softer you could see where people had stepped around the hole. So I wasn't worried about spike marks."
CAROLINE O'CONNOR
STANFORD HEAD COACH
On the course: "We really like the course. We've worked on putting in the
last couple of weeks, on the short game. Those are really key. Club
selection is critical out here."
On Marcia Wallis: "I think Marcia's really coming along lately, Marcia sort of had a monkey on her back for a while and had good rounds, but could never just quite break through. In the last round of West Regionals she shot 72, and I think she had some confidence coming into today. This golf course, you can score out here. She was a little tentative on the front nine; she came out on the back nine and was a little more aggressive."
On Stanford's standing: "I like our spot. We shot nine over, but there are bogeys to be made out here. I think that we're in good position. It's a long week , and we can certainly make a lot of improvement going into tomorrow. I like where we stand; I think making 300 out here is OK.
EMMA ZACKRISSON
OKLAHOMA STATE
On her round: "I just played an average round. I didn't do anything too
good, but nothing too bad either. I just didn't make any putts. I wanted to
play better than I did."
On her first-round goals: "I wanted to play well. We've been playing in so much wind lately, but today was awesome. The conditions were great; it was perfect golf weather. There's no reason not to play well."
On the course: "I loved the course. It's so unique, and so pretty. It's challenging; there's a lot to think about."
On what she learned today: "I'm going to be more aggressive with my putts, pick a spot, and hit it there. I haven't been really determined."
LAURA OLIN
MICHIGAN
On the course: "The course, I thought, didn't play too difficult, if you
kept it in the fairway and kept it on the green."
On playing in her first national post season tournament: "It was really fun. It was an experience I'll never forget. I've learned so much already, from being here. This is awesome, to be able to come to NCAAs."
On the 15th hole: "Fifteen, the par four, isn't that hard of a hole and two out of three of us bogeyed it. You get a little timid because of the water. You really have to just go for it."
MEREDITH DUNCAN
LOUISIANA STATE
On her round: "I played solid. I kept making pars, and then took a stupid
double on 15 where I got into the deep rough and couldn't get out. But then
I birdied two of the last three to get it back to one."
On the course: "It's awesome. It's gorgeous and in perfect shape."
On any extra pressure as the U.S. Amateur Champ: "This is my last college tournament, so I'm just here to enjoy myself. I obviously want to play well, but I'm not putting any more extra pressure on myself than I would at any other tournament."
KELLY MARTIN
SOUTH FLORIDA
On her round: "I played alright. I thought I putt well, they just didn't
fall. I had a lot of lipouts."
On the course: "It's excellent. The greens are in great shape; everything's in great shape. You couldn't ask for more."
On setting the standard for her team: "We're all very capable players. We all trust each other and have faith in each other, and just want to do the best we can."
MELANIE HAGEWOOD
BAYLOR
On the first day: "We had a great time. We played pretty fast through the
back nine. The course is in great shape. It was a great day - not a lot of
wind and it didn't rain on us, so that's good."
On her performance: "I was really into the game and into the process. I had a lot of birdies and made some good shots. I only had a couple of bad ones, so it was a good day."
MICHELLE GRAFOS
WASHINGTON
On her round: "I played well today. The greens kind of got me a little bit.
I was misreading them a little. The course is in great shape and it was
really nice to be out here."
On experience on the course: "I think it really helped. You really need to know where to hit the ball and if you do miss it, you need to know where to miss it. You need course knowledge out there."
JENNIFER TANNEHILL
OKLAHOMA
On her round: "It went really, really well. To be honest, I was really
nervous on the first tee, but I hit a good drive and after that, I just got
into it and started relaxing. I putt well today, which I haven't done in
awhile."
On the difficulty of the course: "I think it was a little difficult to start on the back nine; that's definitely the harder nine. Being the first day, I think I handled the pressure well. I kept the ball in the fairway all day, which really helped."
SUMMER SIRMONS
GEORGIA
On the playing atmosphere: "I'm pretty pleased. I was afraid of the weather, that was my biggest concern. The golf course is in great condition and
it's very scoreable, as long as the weather stays good."
On the turning point in her round: "I three putted on number five, and I got really angry at myself for doing that, but I didn't let it get to me. I got up and down on the next hole and made about a 15-footer, which I think was kind of the turning point."
TODD McCORKLE
GEORGIA HEAD COACH
On his team's performance: "Obviously, A.J. (Angela Jerman) and Summer
(Sirmons) played wonderfully. We were just one score away from having a
really good round, but I'm pleased. If you would have told me before we
started that we were going to shoot 294, I think I would have been very
satisfied with that."
On the course: "The weather was very calm today. The scoring conditions are as good as they could get. The greens are perfect, just a great job by the superintendent."
ANGELA JERMAN
GEORGIA
On starting on the back nine: "I don't mind starting on the back nine,
because I think both sides are challenging. I think 10 is more challenging
to start on than one, but you have to play all of them at some time."
MARY LOU MULFLUR
WASHINGTON HEAD COACH
On day one: "It's not what we were hoping for. We got off to a really tough
start. I think were eight over as a team after about the first four holes,
and then we played six over the rest of the whole day. I think part of
that's nerves, the pressure of hosting and getting those first day jitters
over at home out of our system. The team battled hard and if we take away
the good from today, we'll be in good shape."
On starting on the back nine: "Some of them don't like starting on 10, but you can't do anything about it, because you know one day you're going to start there and one day you're going to start on one. It definitely gave us some trouble, but we know the course better than anyone and it really shouldn't have been a problem."
JIMIN KANG
ARIZONA STATE
On playing in Washington: "It feels good. A lot of people came out to see
me, I'm really excited to see everybody. I wish I could've played better
today, but, you know, three more rounds!"
On going pro: "So far, I'm staying (at ASU)."
On her game: "I just couldn't putt well today. I had one three putt."
On beating Lorena Ochoa for the Pac-10 Championship: "Everybody asks me, 'So how do you feel about it, beating Lorena Ochoa after she won seven (tournaments) in a row?' I'm like, well, I wanted the championship, period."
BECKY LUCIDI
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
On her first day: "I started off pretty well, but then I kind of got on a
bogey-train and never really got it back. I had one birdie all day and that
was on my second hole. The wind picked up a lot on the backside. It makes
the course play a lot different."
STACY SNIDER
MICHIGAN STATE
On her first round: "It felt like I shot better than what I did. I hit the
ball really well and had four, three puts, but I didn't feel like I putted
bad, either. I was just inconsistent and there's definitely room for
improvement. I'm starting to hit the ball better, but we have a few more
days and I'm ready for a comeback."
MEREDITH WARD
VANDERBILT
On her first round: "It went pretty well. I made a lot of good pars. On six,
I hit a really solid shot and it kind of hit the bank and went into the
water and I made double there. Other than that, I didn't make as many putts
as I wanted to, but overall, my round went well.
On the wind picking up over the last few holes: "The wind started to pick up toward the end, but we were really fortunate to not have rain all day. We were all kind of anticipating to have rain everyday, so it was nice to have the entire round rain-free."
MIKAELA PARMLID
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
On her overall round: "I think it was okay. I'm hanging in there, and I'm
ready for the other three days. I hit my irons really well, so that's good.
I'm putting pretty good. I grabbed the wrong club a couple of times, which I
normally don't do that much. I played the par threes really bad today,
getting two bogeys, and you can't really afford to do that."
Afternoon quotes
Dani Mallon
Tulsa
On the course: "The course was beautiful. I thought it played very fair.
Overall, I think I struggled a little hitting the ball, and I didn?t really
make many putts. So that's probably where I was hurt the most. Overall, it
ended up being pretty good."
On whether the rain was a factor: "It wasn't for me, because I'm expecting to play in rain everyday - all 18 holes. It might have affected a few people, but this is probably the best weather we could get for all four days."
On her position after Day 1: "Individually, obviously I want to play a little bit better. I felt like I didn't play great today, but I also didn't put myself out of it. I'm still in position where I can be up there at the top."
Melissa Martin
UCLA
On the weather: "When the wind picked up it made it kind of difficult. It
started to sprinkle a little bit, which I wasn't really expecting."
On playing in the afternoon: "I don't think it helped at all because the wind picked up, and it was pretty strong Š especially at the finish."
Lindsey Wright
Pepperdine
On the course: "The course was fantastic. The pin positions were pretty
good, not in exceptionally tough positions, but not too bad. I played really
well. I had 10 pars, five birdies and three bogeys. I managed to play
consistent. I got a little frustrated at the end, though."
On playing with Janice Olivencia: "She played fantastic. She hit so many shots within 7 or 8 feet, just making a lot of birdie puttsŠ We both played really well, she made some great shots."
On playing in the afternoon: "It rained a little bit, but I think it may be a lot easier. I thought it would be a lot windier. I think in the morning, when we're playing tomorrow, it'll be a bit of an advantage."
On strategy for Day Two: "Just do the same as I played today. Play within myself, get the right club onto the green. That's the key to the golf course. Keep the right club selection - that's very important - and in the right part of the green. Because the greens are so big, you have got to play the right club."
Celeste Troche
Auburn
On whether playing in the afternoon was a disadvantage: "I think it wasn't
factor. Maybe the wind was a little bit more (of a factor), I don't know,
but I definitely got more sleep and was rested."
On entering the tournament ranked #1 as a team: "Well it's always good to know that we're ranked high and that we can do it."
Laura Myerscough
Arizona
On the team's preparation: "This past week in Tucson we practiced, but
didn't kill ourselves. Even though we worked hard, we're well rested. We
definitely want to win this tournament."
On teammate, senior Cristina Baena: "A lot of us realize that (this will be the last tournament) for our senior, Cristina Baena. The girl is unbelievable and has so much heart. She just coming off wrist surgery and is such a motivator. We have two freshmen on the team, and having someone like Christina, knowing it's her last national championships, we really want to come together this week and play well."
Lorena Ochoa
Arizona
On her play today: " I played well on the first nine. I was very consistent
and made eight pars and one bridie on 16 Š I hit the ball very well, but
I'm even happier for the team."
Greg Allen
Arizona Head Coach
On his team's line-up for this week: "The line-up we used at Pac-10s was the
first time with these five girls, so this is only our third tournament
playing with the same line-up We felt really good going to Pac-10s that this
would be our line-up (for NCAAs). They're really starting to come together
well."
On getting off to a good start: "It's extremely important to get out to a good start. We played off and on these past two tournaments, especially the Pac-10s, where we also got off to a good start."
On the team effort: "It was a total team effort today with what Mar (Garcia) did, the play from Laura (Myerscough), and the way Lorena (Ochoa) hung in there with kind of had a rollercoaster-type round."
Candy Hannemann
Duke
On her round: "I hit two or three bad shots coming in, which turned into a
double [bogey] and a bogey. There are no excuses. I mis-hit shots in
critical places. I made some mistakes in course management; things that I'll
try to improve tomorrow."
On the course: "It's not playing that hard today. The pins are in fair positions, and it's not playing that long."
On playing as the defending champ: "I feel like I'm just at any other tournament. It's just a golf course, and me out there playing. It's good to be back [at the NCAAs]. The fact that I won last year < i="" don't="" really="" think="" about="" it="" much."="">
Ashley Hogland
Wake Forest
On her first round: "It was a lot of fun. The course is in immaculate shape,
but it's hard - it's definitely challenging."
On her injury in the fall: "I took a lot of time off in the fall, so I didn't play, but I practiced a lot coming into today."
On teeing off in the afternoon: "I'm okay starting where we were. It just rained the last two holes on and off - it was no big deal. Actually, it was probably to our benefit to start now, because it was a little chilly this morning."
Natalie Aber
Ohio State
On her success at Washington National: "I love the course - it's really fun
to play. I just love being here, because both my brother and sister live out
here.
On the course: "I tend to hit the ball high, so some of the greens hold better if you have higher ball flight. I think it's a pretty fair course overall."
Sarah Huarte
California
On her play today: "I hit the ball well today. I didn't putt as well as I
would have liked to, but I hit a ton of greens and only missed one fairway,
so I played well."
On being the last Cal golfer and the depth of the team: "It's a tough position to be in especially on our team, because we have a very deep squad with all good players. Position in our top five doesn't really matter."
Nuria Clau
Wake Forest
On her first round: "I feel like I'm getting myself into position. A 71 is
not an awesome score, but it's good enough."
On not playing at last fall's preview at Washington National: "On a lot of the holes, the people playing in my group were teeing off with irons, and I was like, OeHuh? I've got my driver out.' I guess it makes a difference to have played earlier this year, but we had two practice rounds, so it shouldn't be that big of a factor."
Andrea Vander Lende
Florida
On her playing in her first NCAA tournament: "It went well. You just have to
treat it like any other tournament and take it one shot at a time."
On any difficult holes: "On six, I hooked it left and got a good bounce. The ball hit off the rocks and kicked back up, but I got up and down and made it for par, so it could have been a lot worse. There are some tricky holes, but you just have to play them smart and play them right, and you can make par."
On her role on the team: "I just go out and play the best that I can, but sometimes I take care of them and they take care of me."
Janice Olivencia
Texas
On her round: "After bogeying No. 1, I told myself, Oeyou're just starting < you="" still="" have="" 17="" more="" holes="" to="" go.="" just="" have="" fun,="" and="" do="" what="" you've="" practiced="" and="" worked="" for."="">
On having course experience: "There's definitely more pressure, because this is the real thing. But, having had the chance to play here is an advantage for a couple of the teams."
On the course: "The course today was playing fair. There are a couple of places that were pretty tough, but my game was working today so I was just going for it all the time. To have a low score on this course takes a lot of course management."
On her goals for tomorrow: "Just like this afternoon, I want to go out and have fun, and give it all I've got."
Verata Nirapathpongporn
Duke
On her round: "I had a pretty consistent round < 14="" pars,="" four="" birdies.="" i'm="" very="" pleased.="" i="" was="" hitting="" the="" fairways,="" and="" when="" i="" missed="" the="" fairway,="" i="" just="" tried="" to="" get="" back="" into="" position="" where="" i="" could="" make="" par,="" and="" then="" try="" to="" birdie="" the="" next="" hole."="">
On the course today, compared to the fall: "It's in better shape. The greens are softer; I'm sure the rain helps a little. The course is a little wet from the rain, which makes it play a little longer. The greens are in good shape."
On her momentum entering the NCAAs: "I've never felt better. There were some moments where I was like, Oewow, that feels good.' I was nervous, anxious coming in, but last night and this morning I felt calm. It's four days, and you've gotta keep calm. It's a long weekend."
On her teammates: "I knew coming to Duke that I was going to be playing against five great players. You want to be surrounded by great players. We feed off of one another for sure. My teammates push me to a higher level."
On playing from the lead: "I expect a lot of low scores. This is just the first day out of four, and a lot can happen. I don't really think about it. I just want to go out again tomorrow and do my best."
Dan Brooks
Duke Head Coach
On Verata Nirapathpongporn: "The way she's been playing, and the way she
studied this course the last few days, I'm not surprised at all [at her
success]."
On the course: "It's a good golf course, but it's not any tougher than the other courses that we've played this spring. The landing areas are wide and the rough isn't too long, so it puts a real premium on distance control."
On the team's overall success: "It's made it really fun this year to know that any one of these five could be leading at any time, and not knowing who is going to win. We really do have a lot of parity between those five players."
On other players possibly being initmidated by Arizona's Lorena Ochoa: "They're aware that she's a great player and have a lot of respect for her, but it's not going to change the way they play."
