As Courtney Ellenbogen put the finishing touches Wednesday on her preparation for today's start of the 63rd U.S. Women's Open in Edina, Minn., her father, Bill, was delivering low-audible commentary on his cellphone

"I'm standing here watching Courtney stripe ball after ball right down the middle," Bill informed the caller. "She's hitting every one just perfectly, and I'm just drooling."

When asked a few minutes later to rate her father's assessment of her practice-tee work, Courtney broke into laughter.

"Well, to him, they would all be perfect," said Courtney, who never has been hesitant to take a shot at her father's less-than-stellar golf game.

"Mine could always be better, but I think I will be fine."

So what if she's getting set to play in the Open, the biggest stage of women's golf in the world? So what if she's getting set to play Interlachen Country Club, which at 6,789 yards is the longest course in Open history?

So what?

The petite 17-year-old Blacksburg High School senior doesn't sound a bit intimidated.

"I've been here before and that definitely helps," said Ellenbogen, referring to her experience at last year's Open in Southern Pines, N.C., where she shot 74-75 and missed the 36-hole cut by one shot.

"I know what's going on more this year, and I definitely feel more comfortable. I'm going to have to play really well because it's an U.S. Open, but if I execute properly, I'll be fine."

Like last year, Ellenbogen's major goal is make the 36-hole cut. The 156-player field will be trimmed to the low 60 and ties -- or anyone within 10 shots of the lead -- following Friday's second round.

"The first thing is make the cut and go forward and, hopefully, play even better," she said.

While her average driving distance of 240 yards, which is about 30-35 yards shorter than the field's biggest hitters, Ellenbogen said Interlachen's firm fairways will play into her favor if she can keep the ball in the short grass.

"The fairways are incredibly fast, and you're getting tons and tons of roll," she said. "So I haven't really had any problem with length. The ground is so hard that it's not as big of a factor. It helps me out."

Ellenbogen played her third practice round of the week Wednesday. She played Monday with Amanda Blumenherst, the 2007 U.S. Women's Amateur runner-up and reigning three-time NCAA player of the year at Duke, where Ellenbogen is heading on a golf scholarship in the fall of 2009.

On Wednesday, she played the front nine with Paula Creamer, the top American player on the LPGA Tour, who is bidding for her first major title this week. She also played with Mi Hyun Kim, an eight-time tour winner.

"[Creamer] just kind of minded her own business and went about the usual practice round and what you do there," Ellenbogen said. "I understand that. It's just another tournament. It's harder than the normal ones I play in. I'm just going to take it as it comes.

"I feel ready. I feel like I've figured out the course and what I need to do. Now, it's just a matter of doing it."