Juli Inkster - Part 2 (The First Five Majors)

Music playing  00:00

Mike Gonzalez  00:15

Well you came out of the box firing. And like you said, won your fifth event on the LPGA Tour an 1983. And then an 1984. You had a pretty good year LPGA Rookie of the Year.

Inkster, Juli  00:27

Yeah, I ended up winning two majors that year. When my first Dinah Shore, I beat Pat Bradley in a playoff. super nervous because Pat Bradley was kind of the ultimate pro than she called everybody Pro. So I was pro. But I birdie last hole to get in a playoff. And then we went to 15. And it's a really tight par for and she was up first. And she kind of hit a low snapper against the pick kind of against the fence and, and I'm like, I wanted to go back and hit my three wood, but I was too nervous. So I ended up just ripping a drive down there and hit a good drive. I hit it on the green. And she chips out in hits it up there about I don't know six feet for par. And I ended up two putting and she missed a putt and I ended up winning. So that was my first first major, you know, you look back about, you know, winning majors and how, you know, you get that opportunity. And you don't ever know, you know, looking back, you never know, you know how that's going to define your career. And, you know, so say, I lost that, you know, I would be like, Oh, well, you know, I finished second and got a good paycheck. But you know, you look back at it now. And and, you know, when you see was big? Yeah, you went seven majors in and it's not a lot of people done that. And you know, just, I don't know, I just I just feel like it's not that big of a deal until you get our age and then you look back and you're like, you know, that was pretty cool that I have won seven majors.

Devlin, Bruce  02:18

Yeah, sure.

Mike Gonzalez  02:20

Sure. How many? How often have you You two both heard this from people that maybe have one one major, early in their career? And that that time they just assume more would come?

Inkster, Juli  02:31

Oh, yeah, I mean, golf is golf is extremely difficult. It's hard. And you're in half. I mean, you know, I've, I've played a lot of golf a lot of years, and you're gonna have a lot of peaks and valleys. And and it's just how you handle those valleys. But then when you have when you have an opportunity to shut the doors how you do that? Because I mean, a lot of these young players, you know, they get to, you know, a place where they're comfortable in financially and stuff. And maybe they don't have the motivation or the grind, like okay, well, I finished third, that's fine. But you know, it's it's kind of nice to have some type of legacy in a game that you're so passionate about.

Devlin, Bruce  03:18

Right. Now, this

Mike Gonzalez  03:19

was your first time playing Mission Hills. Is that right? Yeah, yes, yes. And the second time as a major. Now looking back, as they close the chapter on Mission Hills, you know, back in the spring, how special this must have been looking back thinking, Man, if I would have picked one, it would have been the Dinah Shore to win.

Inkster, Juli  03:39

Exactly. I mean, it's, you know, I have a place in a desert. And I went out to the gallery were champions to our play this week. And they said, it's the best shape Golf Course they play all year. And, I mean, it's just pristine. And I think I still think it's probably the best course in the desert. You just got to hit all different shots. You know, and then the history of it, you know, starting with Colgate, and then going into The Dinah Shore. It's, you know, I think history makes tournaments. And, and golf courses.

Mike Gonzalez  04:19

Yeah, you know, this started in 1972. And, of course, as you can appreciate, we've talked about Colgate Palmolive. And David Foster. Yeah,

Inkster, Juli  04:27

an awful lot. Yeah, because I mean, that was before my time. But if that didn't happen, you would never know if the LPGA Tour or the Dinah Shore and he that would have happened.

Devlin, Bruce  04:39

He was a big influence. Yeah,

Mike Gonzalez  04:41

yeah. Yeah. You look at what happened with television. You look at what happened with purses from just before the Dinah Shore started till, let's say from 70 to 80. Purses went from like 500,000 for the year to 5 million for the year,

Inkster, Juli  04:54

yeah. Yeah. Isn't that crazy primacy. Now these guys are that's they don't even play a tournament right? It's

Devlin, Bruce  05:00

not even a week yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  05:07

So major number one in 1984. And you're right. You didn't wait too long. She goes to the du Maurier Bruce.

Devlin, Bruce  05:15

Yeah. wins again. They're 68, 68, 74, 67 and beats a Ayako Akamoto

Inkster, Juli  05:22

Yeah, we was one of them. And she really started the whole influence of Asian players coming over and playing on the LPGA Tour. She was probably one of my favorites to play with. Just great hands. Great tempo, very fluid. But we played a Golf Course called Royal St. George in Toronto. It's great, got old gold school Golf Course. And I shot 74, I think on Saturday, and on a 16th hole. Can't remember it's 16th or 17th, a long par three, and I shank my four iron out of bounds. And I had a read t and I hit it to about five feet and made it for bogey. And that was probably the best bogey I've ever made. Yeah. The day I came back the next day, I went and saw Bruce Springsteen in concert Saturday night. Loosen oh my gosh, I mean, I used to get him and Rick Springfield next step. I didn't I really didn't know who I was seeing. But it turned out to be a great way to just get away from it. Relax. And, and I came out on Sunday and played probably one of my best rounds I've played to win the tournament.

Mike Gonzalez  06:46

Yeah, yeah. Ayako finished with a tournament low round of 66. The last round. Yeah. And she ended up being a sixth time runner up in the majors, including two playoff losses.

Inkster, Juli  06:58

So I mean, that's always Yeah, I mean, you know, she she believed me if you want a lot of tournament, a great player, but I mean, just think that she won those tournaments. Yeah, yeah. But she she Yeah, yeah. She. I went over there and played an exhibition with her. And she was like Michael Jackson in Japan. I mean, she had to have security. I mean, everybody knew her. I mean, she was a solidified rock star in Japan.

Mike Gonzalez  07:26

So speaking of Japan, did you play over there a lot?

Inkster, Juli  07:29

I did. I played over there quite a bit. You know, I would either go over there and play I probably played once or once a year over there. And then we had we had this thing called the Inicheri Cup where it was the American against the Japanese so we'd go over there and play. But I I enjoyed playing over there. 

Devlin, Bruce  07:52

Do you have any bus rides? Oh, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  07:57

We talked a lot about the bus rides.

Inkster, Juli  08:00

I thought that was supposed to stay on the bus. I didn't I didn't think about that. No, no.

Mike Gonzalez  08:07

As a matter of fact, Bruce and I are well aware. Having talked to one of your friends recently, just how fun playing in Japan was.

Inkster, Juli  08:15

Oh, yeah, we we just heard

Mike Gonzalez  08:17

that we heard that there were usually a few few beers in the cooler. Yeah,

Sheehan, Patty  08:22

well, more than a few. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I I'll never forget Juli Inkster. She had had quite a few beers on a bus ride once and we had to get her you know, out of the bus and up to her room and and she she just laid on the bed. And you know those bus rides can be pretty long, so we didn't get back. pretty late. You're laying on the bed and she was just moaning and excuse me i i said what are you going to do? She says I can't do anything. I can't even I can't even take out my contact you take my contacts, or me and I'm like laying on the bed and I'm leaning over her trying to pick out her eyes and I'm like God, I couldn't believe I got them out. And and then and then we had to get her in the shower. She she's probably going to deny all this but ya know she was she we got her in the shower and put her in cold water.

Mike Gonzalez  09:51

shock that is cold.

Sheehan, Patty  09:53

Just kept saying too cold.

Mike Gonzalez  10:02

He says we don't have fun.

Inkster, Juli  10:03

The problem is that, you know, I didn't I didn't really drink back then and and so it didn't take me much. Now now I'm not very good drinker and good drinking now. No, but that was true. We had some great bus rides and, and, you know, that's where we we developed a lot of friendships and camaraderie and and, and you know, and that's that's kind of where the tour was. I mean, you know, we went to dinner we played practice rounds together. I mean, we would go to a tournament on a Monday, and there's we nobody rounds no one ever practiced on Monday. And now it's like, you know, full practice rounds. You know, it's it's, it's gotten crazy.

Mike Gonzalez  10:50

Yeah, yeah. Well, anyway, we had we had to play that. We've heard we really literally, we've talked about the bus rides with a lot of different guests.

Devlin, Bruce  10:59

Amy Alcott Oh, yeah, you're probably

Inkster, Juli  11:03

the best bus ride was Kathy Whitworth there and you know, we're playing music. And, you know, you think of Kathy Whitworth community. I was probably what? 24, 25 So she, I thought she was really old, you know, great. Great lady, but she got up and started dancing. And I'm like, I mean, I have never seen someone so smooth dancing. I mean, it was unbelievable. And and then you got the opposite was with Amy Alcott. We had no rhythm whatsoever. And yeah, it was classic. It was a lot of fun.

Mike Gonzalez  11:43

Yeah, Amy told us that at one point. You had a karaoke contest. Amy's manning, the, you know, the tape deck. And Kathy ended up being the only one without a partner for the singing contest. So. So Amy and Kathy paired up, and they sang. Tina Turner's "What, love got to do it". Yeah,

Inkster, Juli  12:03

that's right. That's right.

Devlin, Bruce  12:05

And that fun? Yeah.

Inkster, Juli  12:06

We told Amy to stop singing.

Mike Gonzalez  12:12

Boy, well, let's go. Let's come back and finish up that du Maurier win because you were the first LPGA rookie ever to win two majors.

Inkster, Juli  12:24

Yeah, I mean, I of course, I didn't know that at the time. But, you know, I kind of had a, a year where I played really well, or played really bad. You know, and, you know, I, I knew I needed to work more on being consistent, you know, trying to be in there every week. But, again, I mean, starting late, and just kind of learning how to be a professional and travel and I stayed a lot in private housing my rookie year just because I love I love being with people. But I just felt more family oriented. You know, we're all my family. We're all pretty close. So. And you know, what's great about staying in housing is, you know, we had two weddings last year and all those people came to the wedding. So I mean, we've stayed in touch and they've gotten to be great friends. And then when I had kids, I go back and stay with them. So it's been a it's been a great journey.

Mike Gonzalez  13:28

Yeah, that was a good, good year for you that that you're at 84 in the in the majors. A win, T7,  T 27, win. That's not a bad? No. Yeah, three tough times. Yeah. So let's go on to 1985. Lady Keystone Open at Hershey Country Club by two over Betsy King, who we're going to talk to next week.

Inkster, Juli  13:52

Yeah. I ended up winning twice there. And it turns out there both times were on Father's Day, which Yeah, in my you know, my parents were. They ended up you know, if they could go on a trip, they ended up, you know, come in and they were great parents because I would just see them on Thursday morning or Thursday afternoon. It wasn't like you they're out following the program in the practice rounds. They just show up. Follow me. They like to do their own little thing. And so they were great. Great. Parents, they weren't pushy parents. And so yeah, I ended up winning that tournament. It was a great Golf Course. Right by Hershey, Pennsylvania. Had a great little Hershey Park. And, of course, the Hershey factory. So yeah, so it was a great little town.

Mike Gonzalez  14:49

Yeah, yeah. You mentioned winning twice there. You went back to back there. So you won the following year. Bruce, there was several wins in 1986 

Devlin, Bruce  14:59

86 was a pretty good year for victories. Like you said the Women's Kemper then the McDonald's Championship and the Keystone that you talked about and then finish the year off at Atlantic City with the LPGA Classic.

Inkster, Juli  15:14

Yeah. And then I also won the mixed team with Tom Purtzer that year. The JC Penney Classic. Great. Yeah, Tom and I played I think 12 years together. And we're very good friends. So yeah, that was kind of a great way to end the year. But yeah, when the LPGA McDonald's and Crestar was it the Crestar?

Mike Gonzalez  15:43

The Kemper, the Keystone Open

Inkster, Juli  15:46

The Kemper Open, it was in Hawaii, and I was a first year we played there and the weather was phenomenal. And so winning the Kemper Open. I got a check of course. And then I got a full full set of Waterford Crystal. And I got a United Gold Card. United Airlines gold card.

Mike Gonzalez  16:11

Okay, winner winner chicken.

Inkster, Juli  16:13

So with this United goal card, you just show up at the counter. You hand them this card, and you can go first class anywhere for two people. So I go to the counter Brian's with me on our way home, you know, and I go, we'd like to go in they go. What's this? I go well, I just punch it in. punched it in. Oh, Mrs. Inkster? Oh, yeah. Okay. So first of all, all the way home. We went on one trip that year. And we went back to why? Why? Because I'm working. Brian's work in, you know, we, you know, last place I want to go travel when you're home. I mean, and oh my god, we look back on that. We say we're such idiots. I mean, we should have just the whole year off and flown every words. It could have went anywhere. But that was that was the best. I mean, victory ever winning that thing? Yeah. That was a one year goal card one year. Yeah. Yeah. And then yeah, you couldn't have deferred. I know. I hear ya hear? Yeah. Well,

Mike Gonzalez  17:23

well, and then you go into 1988. Three wins in 1988, which included the crust star, the Atlantic City Classic for a second time. So you must have gone back to back there or almost back to back, but you want an 86 and 88. And then the Safeco second time at Meridian Valley.

Inkster, Juli  17:42

Yeah, you know, it's weird. You look at my career, and I've won a lot of doubles. You know, and, and that's, I mean, I just when I feel comfortable on a Golf Course it you know, it fits my eye or whatever. You know, it's it's, it's a good feeling. And, you know, when you go back, you know, defending champion, there's a little extra pressure, but I can always look at it like, you know, are you want it, let's just go out and do it again. So, yeah, but yeah, it's kind of weird how that happens.

Mike Gonzalez  18:12

Especially if you find a Golf Course that you like, yeah, yeah. Let's go to 1989 Bruce.

Devlin, Bruce  18:21

Another victory. Another major victory here, right. Dinah Shore again. Yeah,

Inkster, Juli  18:28

you go. Yeah. And that was that was really just before I got pregnant with with Hayley so 89 Was it again? I played really well that week. I just I putted great i My ball striking was good. I think I bogey the first hole the tournament, and you know, just just kept going. And yeah, it was it was a great win.

Mike Gonzalez  19:05

Five over you won by five over Tammy Green and JoAnne Carner opening up with a 66 Yes, you lead by five after three rounds wired a wire had to be a fairly comfortable walk up at

Inkster, Juli  19:19

Yes, it was. But you know, Bruce knows this that, you know, wire to wire is very tough. You know, when you know? No, lead to me is safe. I mean, I always felt more comfortable coming from behind, then then leading. But I think when you're leaving the first you know, four or five holes is really crucial. Just kind of, you know, not make any stupid mistakes. I think sometimes I've always been a kind of an aggressive player, which I've won a few that way and I've lost a few that way but I think it's hard when you gotta leave it Back to stay aggressive and and I think in wild picture learn how to learn how to do that

Devlin, Bruce  20:07

so you did you had a pretty big change of equipment there that week to from what I understand 

Inkster, Juli  20:14

what I 

Devlin, Bruce  20:17

Did you change putters that week 

Inkster, Juli  20:21

I did yeah yeah 

Devlin, Bruce  20:22

How about that go from an Arnold Palmer to a Ping that's a big change 

Inkster, Juli  20:27

I mean I packed it with an Arnold Palmer forever and sometimes you just need to switch it up and yeah you know Ping was kind of just coming out with with their Ping putters and that and you know sometimes you just put one in the bag that looks good and I rolled with it.

Devlin, Bruce  20:47

Was it an Answer or an A blace? It was an Answer ,

Mike Gonzalez  20:51

So the the Sports Illustrated story for that tournament, the headline was "Beating the Devil". And Juli Inkster was quoted as saying, no one has ever conquered this game one week out there. And you are God. Next time you are the devil, but it does keep you coming back.

Inkster, Juli  20:51

Ping answer?Yeah. Yeah great putter? Yeah, great putter. It is right. It's true. Yeah. You could you could miss seven cuts in a row, be a hero the next week. So that's the greatest thing about golf is there's always next week. You don't have to wait a week to play you can just get back out there and and now like I said, you maybe a Golf Course that doesn't fit your eye and then all sudden you come to one and you find a little something in your game and boom.

Mike Gonzalez  21:39

Yeah, I think part of that article, too said that you might have been coming into that week with a cold and weren't playing that great.

Inkster, Juli  21:45

Yeah. Well, I mean, yeah, but again, you get to sacred ground. And and, you know, I just love that Golf Course.

Devlin, Bruce  21:54

Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  21:55

So you come out of there with your second wind crest are talking about repeating GreenbriarCountry Club by five over Beth Daniel and Lisolette Neuman. So you're back-to-back there again.

Inkster, Juli  22:06

Yeah. It is funny. But yeah, Crestar was, it was a good Golf Course it was small greens tight, the weather was horrible. I was always a pretty good matter. I just felt like the weather is bad kind of, you know, eliminates half the field. And so all you have to do is just beat half the field. And I think growing up at past tiempo really helped me in in bad weather, because pars are your friend in bad weather. And you know, I knew how to make a lot of pars.

Mike Gonzalez  22:46

Yeah, yeah. Now we come to the fall of 1989. You and I were both there when our world got shook up a little bit.

Inkster, Juli  22:54

Yeah, yeah, that's I was I was at the World Series and you were at the airport. I was

Mike Gonzalez  23:03

supposed to be at the World Series, but I instead went to went to Well, I was gonna go to a function involving our West Coast team. We had a little dinner that night, but anyway.

Inkster, Juli  23:15

Yeah. So I was I think I was five months pregnant with Haley. And we got out of there quick. We ended up getting home but Patty Sheehan. Did she tell you about this? That? Yeah. See, she was also at the game. And they couldn't get they couldn't get home. Because he was 17 was shut down. And another guy named John Killeen caddied for Patty for a long time. He was also at the game and he couldn't get a flight out. So we had a slumber party at our house for a few days. And John Coleen ended up spending two weeks there. And Brian was like this, this guy ever gonna leave. But, yeah, so you know, Patty's house was moved off, you know, her stilts and stuff. And yeah, it was it was a tough time for a lot of people. Yeah.

Devlin, Bruce  24:13

Yeah. And I didn't tell I didn't tell my little story. Yes, the other day with Patty. But, you know, I arrived in San Francisco that day headed to Silverado for the golf tournament. And I gotta cross the bridge about 45 minutes before it collapsed. And when I got to Silverado, the water was sloshing in all the pools and yeah, my wife Gloria was with John Brodie's wife, Sue, and she knew what to do. And they were they went into a cupboard and made sure that they you know, we're in the middle of the place that we had. So yeah, it was it was a terrible time.

Inkster, Juli  24:56

Oh my god. So how'd you get out of there?

Devlin, Bruce  24:59

Well, wish wish we played the tournament for the week. Silverado? Yeah. Wow. I forget where I think we might have had to drive somewhere to to get a plane out of the I'm not sure. Anyway, but it was It was wild. I mean,

Inkster, Juli  25:13

I think the Well, one of the great things was it was the A's against the Giants. So everybody kind of knew earthquakes. Yeah, no one really panicked. You know, and, you know, so that was, I mean, if it was, you know, New York or whatever, Texas, I think it would have been a little bit of a stampede.

Mike Gonzalez  25:32

Yeah. And the tough thing was if your family knew that you were supposed to be at the game. Everybody's trying to contact everyone. Yeah. So phones, and it was possible. Possible. Yeah. So let's move on from the San Francisco earthquake of 1989. You must have been pregnant with Haley because she was born the next I guess.

Inkster, Juli  25:53

Yeah. So she was born and born in February. And that was a case where the LPGA didn't have daycare, and didn't have maternity leave. And so after six weeks, I'm I go back out and the first tournament I play in is the Dinah Shore. And can't remember if I made the cut or not. 1990 was a was a tough year for me, because I've been married 10 years, I turned 30. I have Haley. I'm not playing great golf. I don't feel like I'm being a great mom. I'm traveling with my parents. It was just like, oh, what what am I doing? And you know, I had kind of had two careers. I you know, one before kids, and then you know, took me five years in a win another tournament before I got my game back. But anyway, I I played the night I played in 1990. didn't play well. Didn't really play well. 1991. And I and you know, it's tough. I mean, I'm trying to be a mom trying to learn how to be a mom trying to, you know, I didn't really babysit. I didn't, I wasn't really around little kids. But my mom was a great mom. And I just kind of I wasn't going to play golf and not travel with my kids. No, they I wanted my kids with me. And Brian, I made it past that. He wouldn't be away from Haley more than 10 days. And I wouldn't be away from Haley more than 10 days. So we're just kind of going back and forth. And it was a cluster, it would be more growth. Yeah,

Mike Gonzalez  27:42

yeah. Well, if you go through and people would look at your record on on paper and say, Okay, well, she had a win in in 91, at the LPGA Bay State. Classic. And then a couple of playoff losses the following year at The Dinah Shore, and that the U.S. Open and then also in 1992 to a win at the Big Apple Classic by two Nancy Lopez, a couple of years later, you've got your second daughter, Cori is born and then and then you fly as you said, you know, it's five years between that when in 92 to the Samsung World Championship. And so, when that gap comes, Bruce always picks up on that say, Well, what happened and and we always find out as well, life happened.

Devlin, Bruce  28:25

Life happened. Yeah,

Inkster, Juli  28:27

well, you know, so now I'm traveling with two kids. And I just told Brian I says, you know, I just don't feel like I'm playing great golf or being a great bomb and I you know, I'm traveling around with my kids and and Brian used to help me with my game. And he goes, Why don't you go see Mike McGettrick? So Mike McGettrick was Meg Mallon, Coach Sara Ann McGettrick played out on tour. And she just had her for her first or second child and he was in Denver. And so I called them and I asked him if I could just fly out and talk to him about my my game. So I flew out and I said, Listen, I go I'm a realist. I said if you think I can get my game back, amen. If if he thinks that you know, I got too far to go, I'm good with that too. And he goes, you can get your game back. And so I started working with him. I was kind of a little by little I worked with my game and he was really good on just being basically so anyway, I started working with Mike and I'm a kind of the player that I need to see kind of results coming and and I started Getting a little better, a little better each each each time. And I felt like my game was starting to really turn around. And then I think the big thing for me was in 1998 at at the Solheim Cup at Muirfield vVllage. So Hayley is eight. And Cori is four. And they're there. And the team picked them to raise the flag for United States, which was awesome. Yeah, but I played really good. It was really the first time Haley came out and watched me play. I was kind of always, you know, I didn't want it to be about me, like when I was traveling with them. I had a nanny for 13 years. So they would meet me after the round, and then we'd go to the park, or we do whatever, but I didn't really want them, following them around. I want them to go do stuff, stuff that made them happy. But anyway, so Haley was really a first time Hayley was watching me play. And so after Sunday, Monday, we're in the bus going to the airport, and she's sitting next to me and she goes, Mom, I get it. And I go, you get watch because I get while you play. That was so much fun. And that was kind of like, like, I didn't, I didn't really know what they really got what I did, because I mean, you know, their school, their school moms were either stay at home moms or one was a nurse and one was a writer, but they were always home. And, you know, I'm I'm here, they're, you know, in the they went to a Catholic school, which was really good about letting them out. So they came out a lot during the year. I wasn't really worried about their school, I was worried more about socially, if they flip flip right back in and it was it was no problem there. But that was kind of a light off that I was like, okay, they know what I do. They know why I do it. And I love it. And they love and and from then I you know, I just I played really good after that.

Mike Gonzalez  32:19

Well, getting your game back. You did because you went through those sort of lean years, if you will, even even after Cori is born. But you went a couple of back-to-back Samsung World Golf Championships and then 1999 Look out. Yeah, uh, yeah.

Inkster, Juli  32:37

So there was plenty. It was like, we have we always have a a meeting, players meeting at the first of the year. And that was the year they said, you know, we used to have to win 31 times and two different majors to get into the Hall of Fame. So that was the year they changed it to 27 points. And I think I was at 20 points. And I'm sitting next to Laurie Rinker and I'm, you know, I'm thinking my hall of fame is Haley and Cori You know, yeah, two kids happy and I go well, that's not that's just five tournaments and two majors. I can do that. And we started turns out, I did pretty well that year.

Devlin, Bruce  33:27

Boy, I'll say you did. Yeah, five times that year. We went huh. That was fantastic. Yeah,

Inkster, Juli  33:33

yeah. Yeah, I finally got my first U.S. Open. It took me till 39 years old to do that. But that was that was awesome. Being You know, being American, you always want to win your national championship and I came close to 92 but didn't didn't do it. And that, you know, you think not sure you're gonna have another opportunity and especially having kids I didn't think I'd ever have the opportunity and to end up winning at 39 That's, yeah, that was great.

Devlin, Bruce  34:11

Great scores too 65, 69,67, 71 , 16 under par for a five shot victory over Sherri Turner.

Inkster, Juli  34:24

Yeah, that was it was smoking hot too is in Jackson, Mississippi, and at Old Waverly and it was really hot night again. I had a huge lead going the last round and you know, I I'm thinking every way I can mess it up as being a golfer. That's what you do. And you know, I I came out kind of wimpy playing wimpy and, and finally go into the P I said you're playing like a friggin wimp. Just get up there and play golf and from then on. I actually played pretty well coming on in.

Mike Gonzalez  35:01

Yeah, lead by four after 54 and not a bad overall score. In the 99 U.S. Open you beat the under par scoring record by six. I mean, you just obliterated that record.

Inkster, Juli  35:15

Well, you I mean, you still have to get the ball in the hole but we had some rain the greens were kind of soft. You know, I was hitting my irons really well that week. I don't know the course is set up great for me. I mean, I'll never forget I was driving there as by myself that week. The kids were at home. And I was driving in and I've had a good year up to the U.S. Open. I mean, I played well all year. And I just remember having this talk with myself. I said, you know, Julie, the U.S. Open is I shouldn't say this. It's not the weakest field but it's not the strongest field because there's a lot of amateurs and you know, I go if you're ever going to win a US Open this this is your time. And I remember the first hole I had like a wasn't for the second hole I had like a five footer for birdie six footer for birdie. I go, you know, these the putts you're gonna have to make when they open and I made it. And I just, I don't know, I just kind of I felt calm all week for some

Devlin, Bruce  36:21

reason. Good way to start. Oh, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez  36:24

All this champions since 1955 When Fay Crocker won at age 40. And the first since JoAnne Carner to win the Amateur and the Open.

Inkster, Juli  36:35

Yeah, won the Amateur and the Open. And yeah, well, we haven't got to 2002 yet, but we'll get there. We'll get that. Yeah. So yeah, and

Mike Gonzalez  36:46

by the way, 1999 Bruce in the majors, sixth, win, win third. How's that for a year of majors? Pretty good. Do you think she had it going into 1999?

Devlin, Bruce  36:59

I would say so over and there's one thing I want to just remind everybody about how how the LPGA grew the in in 1984 when Julie won two majors. They were the only two victory she had that ever. She won $186,000 that year in 1999. She did win five times and two of those were majors. Guess what she won in 99 $1,337,000. The game grew a little didn't it in those 15 years.

Inkster, Juli  37:36

Yeah. Now that was that was that was a great year. One, the one that I will definitely cherish because it I did. I was able to win the LPGA Championship with kids there. You know, I was able to win a couple tournaments with the kids there so they could kind of see what their mom did. And and, and you know the highs and lows. Yeah, just a little thanks to the Kathy Whitworth to the JoAnne Carners and the Pat Bradley's 

Devlin, Bruce  38:12

And the Juli Inksters.

Mike Gonzalez  38:14

This time Father Jack would let you buy dinner

Devlin, Bruce  38:16

Yeah. Right. Exactly.

Inkster, Juli  38:18

Exactly.

Devlin, Bruce  38:19

Well, you showed you showed those girls how to play that week to at the McDonald's LPGA Championship. Listen to this 68, 66, 69, 65 Boy, some scoring right there huh?

Inkster, Juli  38:34

I played I played awesome that week. Yeah, it was. I had I had a really good friend two good friends there. And they decided to do birdie beers. 30 best beers. Yeah. And I think I finished to finish. Birdie. No, I finished. Eagle birdie. Birdie. Birdie. And that and they couldn't keep up Yeah, they were both supposed to fly home. And I was going to Johnny Miller Pro-Am in Utah at the Sundance Hotel and and  Johnny Miller flew me out there privately and, and both Kevin and Sarah had no luggage. Nothing. They just got on the plane and went with me. They didn't know how they're gonna get home. Go with me for the whole week. So it's pretty fun.

Mike Gonzalez  39:38

Yeah, you're playing with Meg Mallon that last day. Yeah. Yeah. Second major in three weeks join Pat Bradley as the only winner of the LPGA modern grand slam.

Inkster, Juli  39:49

Yeah, I mean, that's another thing when you think about it, it's like, you know, you never think you can comment on that. Yeah, so yeah, pretty cool.

Mike Gonzalez  39:59

Thank you for listening to another episode of for the good of the game. Please, wherever you listen to your podcast on Apple and Spotify if you like what you hear, please subscribe. Spread the word. Tell your friends down until we tee it up again for the good of the game, So long everybody.

Music playing  40:18