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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP MEDIA DAYSeptember 24, 2007Julieta GranadaDuffy HouseMatt LadikaAnn LindstromMike NicholsDonald TrumpMATT LADIKA: I'd like to welcome those that are sitting here beside me, actually prior to that, Mike Nichols, Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs. I've got Duffy House, ADT Championship Tournament Director. Ann Lindstrom on the end, Director of Corporate Communications, ADT Security Services. And, finally, our reigning champion, Julieta Granada. I just briefly want to say thank you to the ADT Championship for supporting our agency through the years. We've been able to do wonderful things with your contributions. A prime example is look at these facilities here, we couldn't do that without your support over the years, and we are eternally grateful for that. Now we'd like to call on the LPGA's Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs, Mr. Mike Nichols, to say a few words. MIKE NICHOLS: First I'd like to thank Matt and his staff for hosting us here today. As Matt mentioned, we're proud to be part of building this facility. And this really comes and serves as a reminder to all of us, you know, we get so focused on running a golf tournament that you sort of forget what it's all about at the end of the day. So this is a nice reminder to be able to do this right here today. If you don't already know, this is a very big year for the ADT Championship in that this will be the first year that the LPGA has wholly owned and operated this year's ADT Championship. And I think that you're going to see a lot of changes out there this year. To that end, Duffy will speak to that in a little bit. But at this point, I'd like to show a little video, and I'll talk about some of those changes once the video's over. (Video playing). We're obviously very excited. The outcome of last year's tournament provided a lot of excitement. But that having been said, we actually are this year making a change to the style of the competition on one of the days. And while it won't seem necessarily all that dramatic, we think it will provide a dramatic change to landscape over the weekend. For those of you who are familiar with how we had hosted the ADT Championship last year, it started with 32 players which are whittled down to 16 players after the Friday round. They were playing the Saturday round with the cumulative score of Thursday and Friday. And then only after that point where they cut to the final 8. And then on Sunday, the score cards were wiped clean on Sunday, so that everybody had a clean score card on Sunday. Well what we decided to do in looking back on the format, one of the probably I would say most exciting days of the year in the LPGA schedule last year was when we had six women competing on Friday afternoon for the three spots to advance into the final 16. But then come Saturday, we didn't have that same level of drama, because there was a large differential between the 16 players who were in that. So what we're going to do is on Friday, after we make the cut Friday evening to the 16 players, we're actually going to clean the score cards again at that point. So for the final 16, those players will have starting from scratch and then again on Sunday that will happen. So we think that will set up a couple opportunities for playoffs and tightening the field over the course of the weekend that will be very exciting. In addition to that change, as I mentioned before the video, this is the first year that the LPGA will fully own and operate the event. And one of the things that you'll hopefully have seen and what that has meant in the community is that we have four full-time staff people dedicated to running the event, and you'll hear from Duffy momentarily. Additionally, we've hired a local public relations contact with Rebecca who is reaching out to you hopefully on a more regular basis. Enhanced marketing public relations. All of those things we hope will really help grow the ADT Championship even more this year. And in addition, the Thursday through Sunday broadcast will be the first time that the LPGA has actually produced its own broadcast of the event. So Thursday through Sunday will all be produced by the LPGA, and we hope to add some additional sizzle to the broadcast. The last thing that I'll mention that will be exciting about this year's event is between now and the ADT Championship, we're going to be unveiling a new logo for the LPGA which will be fully implemented on site at the Championship for the first time at the ADT Championship. We feel that the ADT Championship is our crown jewel, and that will be the first time that ultimately the LPGA new logo will be seen in its entirety throughout an event. As I mentioned, there are a lot of changes that are going to be happening in addition to those changes. With that, I'll turn it over to Duffy House to speak to some of those changes. DUFFY HOUSE: Great, thanks, Mike. I'd like to first start by thanking all the media in attendance. We appreciate your support coming out today and your continued support of the ADT Championship. It's very important to us to maintain and build strong media relationships in our local community with the goal of continuing to promote the ADT Championship year round. So thanks again for your efforts and support. Along with Home Safe as one of our local charities, I would like to recognize Take Stock in Children. And their representative here today, I believe, Roseanne Sanchez is with us. Roseanne, thanks for coming out. This year the ADT Championship is cosponsoring Take Stock's Swinging for Scholarships Golf Tournament which will take place October 20th at PGA National Golf Club. We've included a fact sheet on both charities Home Safe and Take Stock in Children available in today's media press kit, so please take a look at that. I'd also like to recognize a few individuals very influential to the success of the ADT Championship. First, Robin Bernstein, Championship Host Committee Chairperson. As well as additional members of the host committee including her husband, Richard Bernstein. John Domenico, Jean Dyermond, Jim Hurley, Terri Katz, Mallory Privett, Mayor Lois Frankel, thanks for coming out. Christine Pitts, Lorraine Malasky, and Karen Clarke, So please give them a round of applause. In addition, I'd like to thank our host at Trump International Golf Club, including General Manager Bill O'Connor. Director of Golf, Gene Nieporte, and Managing Director of Florida Trump Properties, Mr. Bern Lemke. Thanks for coming out, everyone. And I can't go without especially recognizing and thanking the Championship full-time staff including Director of Community relations, Judy Dickinson. Assistant Tournament Director Drew Blass, and tournament coordinator Lindsay Webber. And although she's not a full-time staff member, she does have full-time responsibilities, our new PR person, PR everything, Rebecca Seelig. Now, we have a special guest joining us on the phone today, but if he is not on the phone yet, I'll move forward and we'll come back to him when he joins us. This year, as Mike mentioned, we focused on several improvements. We've made several improvements in several areas to the Championship to get the Championship more closely resembling a major. First of all, we've improved the mid-level hospitality pass that's an option, hospitality option open to the public, called the Trump Terrace Clubhouse. This year the pass includes first-time access to the Trump International Clubhouse with also preferred seating on 18. In addition to upgraded menu options and private rest rooms. Also, we've enhanced the Sunday experience to include a hall of fame player clinic. Two culinary display sessions by Trump International Chefs, and the finals of a million dollar shootout among other changes. In addition, with the assistance of EC4, we've designed a unique and personalized ticket to this Championship. Ticket purchasers will have an option to personalize their tickets with a bio of an LPGA player you see blown up to the left. Also here with us from EC4 is the president and C.E.O., Jeff Phelan. Jeff, he's in the back corner. Jeff will be available later if anyone has any questions regarding the ticket and the technology involved in making this change this year. It will be a great addition. All of you have received a ticket in your personalized media kit with Julieta's bio. Some of these tickets have been marked with a security ink which can only be seen with a black light which is over on that table Judy has. You really have to go up to it to see it. But one of the things that's allowed us to do is with the security ink we'll be marking several tickets with prizes available to general patrons, hospitality ticket holders. And they're going to be required to go by the ADT tent, their exhibit tent at the tournament to view it on the black light to see if they've won prizes. So there's going to be about, I believe the number is about 100 prizes per day. So that's encouraging, and a definite enhancement to this year's Championship. All these upgrades would not be possible without the support of ADT, obviously. So again, we're kind of moving ahead, ahead of our call. But I'd like to introduce, if we have an opportunity, Ann Lindstrom, ADT's Director of Corporate Communications to say a few words. ANN LINDSTROM: Thanks, Duffy. It's an honor for me to be here on behalf of ADT Security Services and to thank everyone for coming out today. It's exciting also to be able to gather here at the Home Safe and, Matt, we appreciate you inviting us out for the event. The work that's done here is really incredible, and it's really nice to see how some of the proceeds from the ADT Championship have been able to benefit the community. This is ADT's seventh year as the title sponsor of the ADT Championship. We think the event has done much to raise the bar for women's sports for professional women everywhere. And last year, as you know was the first year that we had the $1 million prize money as part of the event. And I was personally honored to be able to help present that check to Julieta. And you know, we really think that that was unprecedented, and, you know, we're enthusiastic about it again for next year. So we just think that this has been a tournament that's growing in popularity, thanks to the hard work of the LPGA, obviously. I don't want to skip credit there and just say thank you to the LPGA and all of the people who work with the organization, as well as the volunteers. Because anyone who has attended knows what a great job the volunteers do every year. So we want to thank them. Also, Carolyn Bivens and her entire staff, thank you. Thank you also to Donald Trump and the Trump Organization who also makes this not only a fabulous event, but very glamorous. And the course is beautiful. Also thanks to our friends at T-Marketing. Also, a special thank you to Julieta for being here today and being such a wonderful example to all of us. We're really grateful that you could be here today. We're grateful to all of the LPGA players for making the ADT such a terrific event. So thanks for coming out today. MIKE NICHOLS: Thanks so much, Ann. Thanks again to ADT. I believe we're ready, so we have a special guest on the phone with us. I'd like to introduce the owner of Trump International Golf Club host site of the ADT Championship, Mr. Donald Trump. DONALD TRUMP: Thank you very much, good afternoon to everybody. I've had so much fun doing this, and the tournament has become so successful and such a major part, not only of the Palm Beach experience, but also for the LPGA Tour. I know that for years they had tournaments, but nothing has been able to match the success that they've had here. So it's an honor to make everything available. The course is in better shape from what I'm understanding than ever before. It gets more and more mature, more and more beautiful. We've actually added a lot of palm trees especially to the 18th hole, which I'm hearing look magnificent. A lot of the very beautiful coconut palms. And I'm just looking forward to seeing all of the media and everybody else. Home Safe is terrific. And ADT, I can tell you for a fact is terrific. I use them all over the place in terms of security in many of my buildings and houses that we build. And it's an honor to be with you folks this morning. And I will look forward, very much forward to seeing you soon. MIKE NICHOLS: Great, thanks, Mr. Trump. Does anyone have any questions while Mr. Trump is on the phone with us today? We also have, I believe, media calling in on the phone that may have a question as well. DONALD TRUMP: No Rosie O'Donnell questions (laughing). I think she should play in the tournament, she'd look great in shorts. MIKE NICHOLS: Okay, I think we're good. DONALD TRUMP: Thank you very much. MIKE NICHOLS: Thank you for joining us, Mr. Trump. DONALD TRUMP: Thank you. MIKE NICHOLS: Thank you. No one had any questions at all. Now I'd like to introduce our reigning champion, Julieta Granada. A lot has been written and said about last year's Cinderella winner. She came to this country from Paraguay to chase a dream of succeeding on the LPGA Tour, and last year proved it wasn't a fairy tale. Ladies and gentlemen, Julieta Granada. And I'll start us off with the first question. Julieta, tell us how winning the ADT Championship last year has changed your life? JULIETA GRANADA: The ADT is obviously my first win, and everything about the tournament was excellent, I thought. The course, obviously, the title sponsor, how the event was run, and I had a lot of fun. It really changed my life. You know, obviously, my bank account got a little bigger (laughing). But other than that, it's always going to be on the top -- hopefully I'll win more events, but that's always going to be the best tournament ever because it was my first win. And I just enjoyed every minute of it. Q. This is is the one tournament you're not guaranteed getting back into like any other. And you still have some work to do. Talk about what it would mean to get back in and how hard you're planning to work to get back in? JULIETA GRANADA: I know, defending champion doesn't get in. I already looked at the rules, trust me. But you know, I have to play well. I have five events left, not counting the ADT. And you know, I have to step up my game and really, you know, try to do everything I can to get back here. Because I know I had success with the format, and obviously, the course fits my game pretty well. You know, I'm just, you know, I'm really working hard to get back here and hopefully I can be here to defend not just looking over the TV. That won't be fun at all. Q. How close are you? JULIETA GRANADA: I'm not sure, actually. I try not to look at things. But I know if I play well, a couple wins will do it, obviously. But other than that, I have to play consistent. I have to make all the cuts and just, you know, shoot under par. That's all I can control, And that's what I'm trying to do. Q. Did you feel any pressure when you were introduced all year as the ADT women's winner? JULIETA GRANADA: I'm not sure I felt pressure. But it changed how people looked at me and how much media requests and responsibilities that I to do throughout the year. Last year I didn't have any of that, I was just going and doing my own thing. So it definitely changed my schedule around during the tournament week. Obviously, when you win one you're like well, I've got to win every week. And I just have to represent the win like the best I can. So maybe in that side, you get a little more pressure. Q. A million dollars is a lot of money in any country, in any culture. What does this mean to you in Paraguay? JULIETA GRANADA: I don't know where the money actually is right now (laughing). First of all, you know. I have to win again to see it again, because it's not in my bank account anymore. But it's a whole lot of money, and I never even thought. You know, when I first came into the tournament week, that wasn't even in my mind because it is so outrageous, it's so much money. I was trying to block it out. Because I know we always had to work hard for everything we got, and I just I'd never seen that much money in my life. So it, obviously, was a big thing for me knowing that all my hard work paid off. And you know, it was just an icing on the cake because just the win meant a lot. Q. How important was it for your mom to help you? JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, well, my mom's always been my sidekick. She's always been with me, and we've been through everything together. So it was nice to get that first win with her. And, you know, we were both handling the pressure pretty well, that's what everybody says, anyways. It was very neat, and I think my dad was inside too, so, and my birthday was on Friday. So it was a perfect week. I couldn't change anything about it. Q. What was the one thing you went out and spent a lot of money on? JULIETA GRANADA: It was a car. I got a Range Rover Sport. So that's the only thing I really bought. You know, I try not to get overexcited about it and not spend everything in one day, you know, because you could. But that's what I did. I bought a car and then just relaxed and started concentrating on the following year. Q. What do you think has been the big difference for you this year as the rookie year? JULIETA GRANADA: Well, the rookie year you're learning all the time. You're just trying to figure things out on the courses and where you're going to go, and where's the locker room and where's the food. And this year you know everything, so you kind of expect more from yourself because you're like well, I've already been to this tournament. I've seen the course, I've already played it. So you're like I have to play better this year than I did last year. So it's hard, but it's easier. At I think that's the biggest difference. Other than that, you know, winning I won the ADT, and then I won the World Cup representing Paraguay and that obviously helped my year. Because after that I hadn't been playing very well. But other than that, I just try to keep working hard on my game. And never forget that's the thing that got me here, you know. I can concentrate on a lot of things on the side, but the golf game is what really brings me here. Q. This being the second year of the playoffs, the points to get into the ADT. From a player standpoint, are you feeling more pressure considering this is the first year of the FedEx Cup points and the situations they've been in in the last couple of months? JULIETA GRANADA: I think the defending champion should get in, first of all (laughing). You set it up for me. But I think the points are pretty good. You know, the first year there were tweaks that had to be made. But this year, obviously, they still need changes, but it's coming along pretty well. And players understand a little bit better. The public understands a little bit better what's going on, and how the points are -- how you get the points and how you don't get the points. So it's easier for everybody. I think it's better than the FedEx Cup points. But I think for everybody it will be an easy transition just knowing this is what happened last year. This is how it was done and then this year it just tweaks. But for the public, it's a little bit harder to see. It's more from the players' standpoint than from the public. Q. What do you think about the change of format? JULIETA GRANADA: I think there's plus and minuses, of course. Last year we didn't have a playoff on the third round, so I think that kind of took the inches out of it just because Friday was such a big day with the playoffs and six players and three get in and this and that. But, you know, I have -- either way, you know, you just have to go play golf. You can try to change the rules around and make it benefit for you, but at the end of the day you have to go and hit the shots and make the birdies. So however the points are done, you just have to accept it. We've got no control over it. We just have to, Hey, this is how it's going to be done, and we'll do it and the best one wins. Q. Can you talk a little bit about you sort of breezed over winning the World Cup - can you talk about what that was like in Paraguay, where maybe golf isn't as big as it is here in the U.S., and what that meant for you and sell left to have won that? JULIETA GRANADA: First, winning the ADT, that was a big thing for Paraguay, they were all going crazy. I had to do a lot of media requests for Paraguay as well after winning. And then we went over to South Africa, and nobody was expecting us to win. We were just there to have fun. And you know, we had obviously, we had fun. But after we won the World Cup, Paraguay just kind of it's supporting golf a lot more. It's supporting Celeste and me. It's really writing a lot about us, and making sure, hey, she played bad, why did she play bad? Is everything okay? Or she played well, oh, that's great. You know, so I think the whole country's getting a little more involved with golf. Obviously Carlos Franco started the trend, and now we're trying to keep it going. So, you know, I hope that Paraguay really appreciates it and supports what we're trying to do. You know, they're coming along. It's just a soccer country, and it's hard to get another sport involved. Q. Have you been able to identify any part of your game that's kind of gotten off track that you've been working on especially hard? JULIETA GRANADA: Yeah, well, the Trump course fits my game because I hit fairways, and I hit a lot of greens. And I'm obviously, a great putter. This year I got away from hitting fairways and hitting greens and making putts (laughing). So I everything got a little harder. It's hard to make birdies from the trees. I learned that, and I learned that the hard way. So, you know, I just had to get my game back on track and just, like I said, not forget that golf is what it is all about. The rest is just the side. Q. I have a question for Duffy. How are you going to pair the final 8 on Sunday? How's that going to take place this year? And what are you thinking? DUFFY HOUSE: We're actually going to have a draw party, essentially, following play on Saturday. Immediately following play where it's going to -- the players, the final eight players are going to have an opportunity to pick which group they want to play in on Sunday. I believe it's just going to be a random draw of first selection decide which group you want to play in of the four groups. And then, consequently, the players that draw or select last can choose which player they want to play with because it will already be selected at point. So it will offer a little extra excitement to this year's format. Q. So, Julieta, how would you select your draw? Say you're leading going into Sunday and you've got a five-shot lead; how would a player look at that just out of curiosity? JULIETA GRANADA: I would like to go last, just in the last group to see what everybody's doing and what I need to do. If somebody posts a score of 5 under, and I'm 3 under, and I know what I have to do. It's going to be on my hands to do it or not. I'm not going to have to depend on anybody else but me. You know, if you post a score 5 under and somebody comes and shoots 6 under, I experienced that before, so I know. You know, you feel like you couldn't do anything about. You felt like you were trapped. It's like I was already in the clubhouse, I didn't have a choice in the matter, it was done. So I'd like to, you know create my destiny, sort of. Because, hey, I need to do this. We'll do it our way or not, you win or not so it's easier. Q. (No microphone). JULIETA GRANADA: I think I was in the second or third. Second, second group. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. The ADT Championship November 13 through the 18th out at Trump International Golf Club. If you'd like to join us for lunch, and a Wii par 3 contest. End of FastScripts |
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