01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2006

NEWPORT -- Juli Inkster does not think she has changed. She feels she is playing as well as ever, which is saying something since she already is in the LPGA Hall of Fame, courtesy of 31 LPGA victories.

She has won seven majors, including the U.S. Open twice (in 1999 and 2002). Already this season she has won once, at the Safeway International, and had five other top-10 finishes. She is ninth on the money list, with $561,036.

But as preparations for the 61st Women's Open were peaking at Newport Country Club, Inkster for the most part was able to go about her business without fanfare. The focus was largely on the young hotshots on tour, which was fine with Inkster. Not that she is backing off.

"We can still compete," she said. "It's just that everybody writes about them. Nobody writes about us. We're old school."

Inkster is one of the most popular and highly respected players on tour, and it is easy to see why. As she was finishing a practice round, a reporter approached her and asked if she had a couple of minutes to talk. She said she had an appointment and had only a minute or so.

The reporter said he needed more time, that maybe it would be better to talk the next day. Inkster paused for a second and then said, 'It's OK. Let's do it now." She clearly was in a rush, but she calmly and pleasantly took the time to answer questions about herself, her family and the state of women's golf.

Inkster is happy to see the bright, new faces. They are just what the game needs, she feels.

"I think it's great. We're going in the right direction. Everybody's very upbeat," she said. "We've got a lot of diversity on our tour. The players are fun to watch. They dress great. They're preppy. They're hip. They're just regular 19- and 20-year-olds that play good golf."

Inkster can relate to what Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel and the other teenage stars are going through because, as she points out, "I have two daughters who are almost as old as they are." Inkster, whose husband Bob also is a golf pro, has a 16-year-old, Haley, and a 10-year-old, Cori. Inkster is not shy about expressing her opinions on what she would recommend, as a mother.

"I'd like to see the kids go to at least one year of college, learn to make decisions by themselves and just learn to be on their own for a year. But they're not my kids. And golf's a business. They want to get out here and start making money."

Inkster has built her Hall of Fame career while balancing her responsibilities as a mother and a player. This week is typical. She came in early and worked hard to prepare for two days. Her family arrived Tuesday. So she played only nine holes yesterday. She had an early tee time in the first round today, so yesterday afternoon and this afternoon will be reserved for sightseeing.

"My parents are here, too, so we'll get in plenty of sightseeing," she said.

Her parents want to see the mansions. Her daughters have other ideas.

"We'll probably do some kayaking or jet skiing or something like that," she said. "If I play 20 weeks out of the year, my 10-year-old probably comes to 12 or 13 tournaments, my 16-year-old probably comes to eight."

Being a mother will not interfere with giving it her best shot at a third Open title.

"I had two weeks off. I did some work. I'm ready," she said. "This place will be a good test."

-- PAUL KENYON