Q&A: Morgan Pressel on making U.S. Women’s Open history at Pine Needles, her switch to TV work and Lexi Thompson’s putting

It changed my life in so many ways. The main way, I would say, is that it really opened my eyes to what I wanted to do with my life. I think I was surprised to be there; I think other people were surprised that I was there, but at the end of the week, just being in the locker room with my idols, playing a true championship golf course for the first time – in what I have always considered to be the biggest event in women’s golf, the one that I grew up putting 10-footers to win in practice – that was really the moment where I went home and said that’s what I want to do with my life.

Heather Daly-Donofrio, Morgan Pressel and Ashli Bunch take cover during a weather delay during the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open. (Photo: Erik Perel/AFP via Getty Images)

Just enjoy it. It sounds cliche, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in all of the stuff that surrounds you, whether that’s excessive media attention or even now, potentially sponsors and agents and kind of some of the different things that come with being thrown into the spotlight. I would say I didn’t have that as much as kids these days given the way amateur amateur rules have changed. That came a little bit more slowly to me, didn’t come until I was late teens, which is still early, but it’s different than I feel like it is today.

But really soak in the experience. You have the opportunity to be up close and learn from some of the best players in the world, playing on the same stage. That’s really what I tried to do, soak it all in, talk to as many people as I could. Sign up for practice rounds with people that you’ve always idolized.

I remember when I was at Pine Needles there was a long rain delay, and I didn’t want to leave the locker room. I just wanted to sit there in dining and soak it all in.

Morgan Pressel reacts to a missed putt during the final round of the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Oh, it took me a while to get over that one. I was very disappointed with my finish. But I learned a lot watching Lorena and Cristie, of course, go on to victory.

I definitely felt like I was very close and had opportunities, and after 2005, maybe it hurt even a little bit more being close again. But, you know, 2007 was a great year for me and I put a lot of expectations on myself after having won the Chevron earlier that year. I think looking back, just realizing that I kept putting myself in that position to succeed and that golf is hard.

I very vividly remember my double on the last.

LPGA golfer and TV analyst Morgan Pressel works during the third round of the 2022 Honda Classic. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

I had thought about it for a little while. I would say COVID probably sped up my decision. But I just lost a little bit of the love and motivation. It can be grueling when you’re really struggling, and I just felt like it was time to try something different.

Morgan Pressel gets ready for a Golf Channel telecast alongside host Grant Boone (Photo courtesy Morgan Pressel)

I love the challenge. Live television is very intense. It’s fun to share the stories of certainly the players that I know so well. … To really have the opportunity to share that insight with our fans, it’s a neat place to be. I’ve had to learn very quickly all the ins and outs, about just how to be a broadcaster, and the team at Golf Channel and NBC Sports has been wonderful in helping me through that transition. I love the team that I get to work with week in and week out. We have a lot of fun. It is intense, but it’s also a lot of fun.

Cristie Kerr celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Getty Images)

It’s definitely a ball-striker’s golf course, a smart player’s golf course. But also, the greens are just diabolical.

You really need to have an incredible short game to play well. I was there also for the Senior Women’s Open a few years back. There are just some places around the greens that are so difficult and require so much creativity. I mean, when you think about all the things it requires, it’s hard to bet against Jin Young Ko, who leads the tour in almost every category, including short game.

I could see a player like Patty Tavatanakit playing well, a fantastic putter, fantastic chipper. Lydia Ko. I’m not exactly sure how the golf course is going to be set up, with regards to length and power. Whether we’ll have rain or it will be soft. So I don’t know if you can necessarily overpower the golf course. But I mean definitely look to somebody who has a fantastic short game to do well around Pine Needles.

Brittany Lang captured the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open in a three-hole playoff following a controversial penalty. (Photo: Getty Images)

I think we all try too hard (laughs). I don’t think it’s just an American thing. There is no question that growing up, as a young American in the sport, the U.S. Open is your dream. It is the pinnacle. It’s just not that easy.

It was certainly hard to watch last year, what happened with Lexi (Thompson) and putting herself in that position. I could see Lexi coming out hot this year. She’s been playing some fantastic golf as of late. Looking for a little bit of redemption, I would assume.

Do they try too hard?

Maybe. I don’t know that that would make them not win. … I don’t know if just because they put more pressure on themselves that they can’t pull through with a victory. … Everybody in that field puts pressure on themselves. It’s just those who can handle it better come out on top.

Lexi Thompson lines up a putt on the second green during the first round of the 2021 QBE Shootout in Naples, Florida. (Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

I think it’s been really good. I’ve talked to Martin (Hall), her coach, a lot about it. She’s really worked a lot on her timing, her rhythm of the stroke. She’s worked a little bit on pulling her shoulders back to try and get her arms and her rib cage to work a title bit more together instead of independent hands away from the body. I don’t know if there’s anybody on tour who works harder than Lexi … but I know even more specifically than the putting stroke, I know they work a lot on things that will put her in a good frame of mind to play. Any athlete in any sport needs that.

Morgan Pressel looks on during the 2001 U.S. Women’s Open at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, North Carolina. (Photo: Craig Jones/Allsport)

I love everything about it. Certainly, I was a player who relied a lot on my short game, which is one of the reasons I liked it a lot because I could be creative around the green. It’s a fun course. It’s a course where if you hit good shots you’re going to be rewarded. If you hit poor shots you’re going to struggle to make par or worse. I always liked fair golf courses that way, challenging courses that make you think.