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SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC

June 2, 2005

Annika Sorenstam

ABSECON, NEW JERSEY

PAUL ROVNAK: Annika, thanks for coming and speaking with us. We appreciate your time. You've had success here in the past, winning twice. Just talk about how it is to be back.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm happy to be back. I've always enjoyed coming here and playing this golf course. I have a lot of friends in this town and a great house I stay in, and I've always felt comfortable and played well, too. I'm happy to be back and some great memories. This year, this tournament, it fits a lot better in the schedule than it did last year. So I think this is a great week to come and get ready for a major next week, so happy to be here.

Q. You were feeling a bit under the weather last week. How are you feeling coming into this week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I feel better. I still have a little bit of a cold and I'm taking antibiotics. I feel pretty good. I've been practicing the last three days, so I should be ready to play tomorrow.

Q. You're obviously on quite a hot streak, just how much confidence do you take on to the golf course now? How good do you feel about your game at this point?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I feel very good about my game. I've gotten off to a super start this year I think. I think I'm just playing solid overall and driving it pretty good, good iron shots, short game, just very solid. I know when I tee off, I feel comfortable that I can post a low score. And if I don't drive it well, then my short game helps me; and if I drive it well, then hopefully make some putts.

I think confidence is everything in golf and I have a lot right now, and I go out and I trust myself and I make a decision and I stick to it.

Q. From the beginning of your career to present, you've obviously added length to your tee shots. How much of that do you attribute to technology and how much to your fitness regimen?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, they both are big factors in that definitely. I mean, the last I've been working out with a trainer for almost five years now, and it takes a while to see some results, so that has a big part.

Technology, obviously, has been important nowadays with graphite shafts, club fitting, moving the weights around and the heads, you can do anything nowadays. It's hard to say exactly the percentage, but I could not have done one thing without the other. So I think that they tell pretty much go hand in hand.

Q. Last week you talked about how you don't travel with many clubs; you basically play each tournament with the same clubs. Could you go into a little more detail about how many clubs do you travel with and rotate in and out of the bag?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I travel I believe I've got 15 clubs with me. The 15th club, which I really don't use, is a 5 wood, in case I would need it; in case there was a par 3 that I thought I needed a little extra length; or there was a par 5 where I might have to carry some water in my 7 wood and my 4 wood wouldn't be the right club.

Other than that, I've got 14 clubs and I know what they do. I'm very comfortable with them. And I have four wedges. I've had them for a long time, same type of setup. I do have a different set of irons, but other than that, the irons are the same and everything is the same. I'm just one of those players that once I find a set that I like, play with it. If I don't hit a good shot, I know it's not the club, so I want to have that reassurance.

You know, it's all about confidence, trust my equipment, I trust me; and therefore, I can play consistent golf.

Q. The courses have been getting longer and longer, as a response to this technology, but I guess this is probably one of the shorter ones you'll play. What makes this different and what makes this better or worse in your mind playing a course like this?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've always enjoyed this golf course because it's kind of a links course, I would say, even though if you play it today you wouldn't really think so because I think it's greener than I've ever seen it. It's a lot wetter than I've seen it. The greens are a lot more receptive to high approach shots. In the past, there have been more bump and run shots. I like that type of course. I mean, that's one of the reasons I'm here.

The way it's set up today, I still like it, but it's designed for wind, and when you play some of the holes by the water, it's supposed to blow, which makes you work the ball a little bit. You've got to know the ball trajectory, and it just takes some course management, as well, and I think that's what a good golf course. And you find that a lot in old, traditional courses like a Donald Ross where you've got to be able to hit the ball and control them; small greens, you've got to know your irons; undulated, you've got to place them in the right places. You know, it's tricky.

Having said that, just because it's not one of the longer ones, it can still be tricky here when it's windy here because the greens are so small and the greens are so undulated.

Q. With your success recently, or quite a while, it builds recognition, media attention, galleries. What does all of that do to your play on the course, your life off the course? Does it make things, does it inspire you more or does it make it more difficult?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, it's a nice thing when people recognize your success on the golf course. And I take that as a compliment when people want to especially the fans who want to come out and watch, that's what we want. We want to showcase ourselves and show them how well we can play.

And I mean personally I love to play in front of big crowds. It's a boost when people write about your success and when you set goals and you achieve them. This is what I do for a living. I love it. If we didn't have any fans or if we didn't have anybody out here, it definitely would not be the same. So it's just part of the whole thing and I really love what I do.

Q. On that same wavelength, it seems like in the last few years, you've let more of your personality show. You've been smiling more. Does it come from the success, or does it come from just letting your emotions go a little more?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's tough not to smile when things go your way, for sure.

I also think I feel more comfortable in what I do. After the Colonial, I think people respected me for who I am and what I do and my intentions out here. It feels like when I came out early and then I won the U.S. Open in '95, I felt like there was a lot of pressure on me. I felt I had to be the next Nancy Lopez, and that's not something that's really tough to live up to. I felt that. I'm not Nancy, but I'm me, and I know what I'm all about and I know what I enjoy doing and I know what I can contribute.

I think after the Colonial, people accepted that. Here is somebody who loves what she does, here is somebody who is just who she is and what you see. I think being accepted helps, too. So now I'm just being me and I love what I do.

Q. How tough is it to make a schedule? Do you have a number in your mind of how many tournaments you're going to play, or do you pick and choose as you go along?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm pretty lucky. I get to pick and choose quite a bit. But then you know, first of all, I always look at the majors and I look at tournaments where I'm defending, and everything is scheduling. I don't really play more than two or three in a row. I've been like that through the last three years and that's what I play the best. I enjoy my time off the golf course, so I need a week here or two to get ready and charge my batteries. I like an off season to do other stuff.

You know, if you put all of those factors together and look at a schedule, it turns out to be 18, 20, 22 tournaments and spread out for probably nine or ten months. It's not an easy puzzle. I feel like it's very difficult every year. I mean, there's always tournaments that I like that sometimes I just can't fit in because that would make it four or five in a row or for any reason like that. It's very difficult because you don't want to make anybody unhappy because there's a lot of places I like to come and play.

Q. A follow up to what you said about Colonial and what it's done to, I guess we'd call it your image. I know your intention was just to go out and play golf against great competition. Are you surprised at what it has done sort of to open you up to a new audience or to give people a different perspective on who you are when all you did, in fact, was go out and hit golf shots and play on just a little different stage in front of a different audience?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Totally. Maybe I was a little naive when I accepted the invitation, but that was really just the point. It was for me to test myself, and that's really what I'm all about. I love the challenge and I love to push myself and really see how good can I really be and how would I perform against the men in the world and that's why I went.

I really had no other intention other than that, just to push myself, thinking if I can learn something there, then, well, I'll be a better golfer and I can win tournaments on our tour, which is really what my goal is.

Like I said, it took me totally by surprise, the attention. We're still talking about it and it's two years later. It had this huge impact in many ways, obviously for me personally and sponsors are very happy with it. It seems like people still talk about it. This year watching the telecast at Colonial, they were still talking about it.

Obviously I'm very proud of what I did there, and when I look back at my career, I think that's one of the things I'm going to really remember and probably say, "You know what, that's one of the best moves I've ever done in golf."

Q. Do people now try to push you towards doing it again?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not really push me, but a lot of people ask me, "Why can't you do it again," because it was a lot of fun, and I agree, it was a lot of fun, but for me it was a lot of attention. It was a lot of stress.

But I will always remember Colonial for what it was. It was so great in so many ways, and I think if I did something similar, it would never be the same. The purpose was for me to learn and be and see what it's all about and I did that.

So I don't necessarily have to do it to myself again. I'm not doing it to prove anything other than for myself to just get better.

Q. Juli Inkster was just in here talking about how she goes through yardage books when she's playing courses that she's played over and over again, and she is surprised at how the game has changed. Do you notice the same thing in terms of hitting different shots into courses or into greens than what you've played earlier in your career?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, definitely. I would totally agree with you there. This is my 11th year on Tour and I'm a totally different player today than I was as a rookie. I mean, I am hitting further and I've got other shots in my bag that I'm used to. And that's a good thing, that's the goal. I want to be better. If I was hitting the same shots as I did 11 years ago, I probably wouldn't be here. It's fun to see the development of my own game, but also just look at all of the other players. Our Tour has come a really long way and I don't think people really recognize that. It's not just how much farther you hit it. It's really how many different shots can you hit, and if you look at the scoring average, I'm sure it's lower than it's ever been out here.

Q. Is there anybody you expect to be in the running this weekend besides yourself, based on your experiences here and who has done well here in the past? Who would you say are the good bets to be vying for the title on Sunday?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's a good question. I mean, the way the course is set up, I don't think you might see some different names. I think right now you've got to see somebody who is hitting some good iron shots and somebody who is putting well at the moment. This course to me is very different than the test in the past. Whoever as been playing good the last few weeks is probably somebody you will see up there.

Q. Next week you have a major at a golf course that no one has played competitively. Are those thoughts in your head now about what that's going to be like, or are you just will there be any part this week where you're going to be preparing for next week, or is this week just something unto itself where you don't worry about Bulle Rock until after Sunday night?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I try not to worry too much about next week. It is going to be an important week, but I'm here right now and I like to play golf in the present, try to hit one shot at a time. My caddie has been up there. He's been telling me what kind of course it is, what the greens look like and so forth. I mean, I really just believe, you know, if you play well a certain week, you're going to do well. There's not a particular shot that I'm going to need next week that I don't really have.

Right now I just want to fine tune my game. I want to play well here. This is a big tournament and this is really what's on my mind right now.

Q. Would you talk about the LPGA Tour in general during your time on it, the progress with fan support, purses, play, that kind of thing?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Wow, what's my tee time tomorrow? (Laughter). The progress on the LPGA, is that what you're the last 11 years?

Well, I mentioned a little bit earlier about the different shots. You know, the golf in general has improved tremendously. The players are younger and we still have don't take me wrong, we still have some of the Hall of Famers and old timers left, so to speak, but there's a lot of young, upcoming players. They are stronger, longer and just fitting and the fitness has changed. People in general are a lot fitter. They work a lot harder in the gym and the competition is a lot tougher.

I've seen this Tour grow and have tremendous success I think in so many different areas, and I'm very proud to be a part of this organization in many ways. It's great to see.

Q. Your winning percentage the last couple of years has been outstanding. How do you react, how do you feel the week after you don't win, and is that reaction different from what it was earlier in your career?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, when you don't win, you really appreciate when you do win because it takes a lot. I mean, you need to obviously play well, but you need some good momentum and so forth. And I've always enjoyed every victory and I've always cherished them in their own little way. I did set some high goals and I did push myself very, very hard. I think nobody is harder on myself than I am.

You know, I always try to figure out, you know, what didn't go right that week and what could I have done better, and was there something that my caddie and I didn't do right or didn't I play the course the correct way. I analyze everything, you could ask my caddie, probably too much sometimes, but that's just the way I look for answers. I always say why and try to solve things. That's just the way I am.

There's certain weeks where I feel like I've played really well and I still can't win, and I had to walk away knowing that, you know what there was something else that I could have done. That's just the way I am and that's the way I push myself, and I learn from every week whether I win or finish 20th or second. There's always something to learn.

Q. A number of the other players have said this week that there's a different feeling at tournaments you're at compared to ones that you're not at. Do you sense or get any feeling, do you think that your success gives you maybe an advantage even before a tournament starts a little bit; that they see your name on the leaderboard and know you're there and you're in the back of their mind a little bit?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know what, I haven't asked the other players how they feel about things like that. You know, my goal is to come to tournaments and be ready to play. That's why I don't play every week. That's why I only play 18 to 20 because I feel like that's I can't give more than that. I want to be competitive. I don't want to come here and just show up and just perform mediocre. I'm ready to win when I'm out, so I think people know that and I'm serious about my game. I fight to the end. There's some weeks where things just really don't go my way, but I don't give up. I try to find ways to still be able to get the ball in the hole, and I think a lot of players, they understand that.

Q. You had mentioned that when you find equipment that you like, you tend to stick with it. Is there any club or clubs in your bag that were there 11 years ago?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. (Laughing). No, I mean, I just changed irons this year. I've had the same irons for, what is it, four or five years. I have the same setup, which means the same loft on the wedges. I have the same amount of wedges. I do change drivers, but that's just when Callaway comes up with new equipment, which they come up with a lot of equipment.

Right now, I've had a new driver since January, but other than that, every year, I've had a very similar driver. Maybe the latest, but it the same type of shaft and the same length, etc. So it's just only a few mediocre changes. But I do try and stay up with the latest equipment, because the last thing I want to do is fall behind where people fit it further and straighter than I do.

Q. Did you participate in the cooking last night?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I did not.

Q. When you just said that you and your caddie, that you ask why and you're very analytical, it seems that a lot of your competitors like to speak about, it seems like you have no doubt, that you play quickly because you have confidence to step up and hit the shot. Do you just process information quickly, or how do you play at a quick pace and still analyze things so intensely?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I don't really analyze on the golf course. You know, we walk up to a shot and my caddie will tell me the yardage. I have a good feel where the wind is. I see what kind of shot I need to hit; that comes to me pretty easily, pretty fast. When I've got a certain yardage, there's only so many clubs I can hit. For example, 150, so then I just quickly process that in my mind and it comes down to an 8 iron, or if it's into the wind, I might hit a 7. To me there's not a lot of choices out there.

I've played the practice round and I know how to play certain holes. Of course, there are times when I'm in between clubs and I will ask my caddie. And then the thing is, once I make a decision, I stick to it. I've realized I think that mistakes come when you're more wishy washy; when you stand over the shot and you're hesitant in what really to do. I just grab a club and I swing it, and a lot of times I know that I'm not going to be that much wrong. I could be maybe ten yards here or ten yards there. If you think about the greens, they are 20, 30 yards big; you are still going to be on the green. So for me, it's better not to think too much. I know what to do. I worked on my swing either with my coach or on the range earlier. I make a decision and stick to it.

Q. Last week you talked about the ultimate goal of shooting a 54. Could you just, is that a motivational tool, or is that something that you really believe it could be done?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I really believe it can be done. Of course it motivates me. I believe what it does is it makes me start thinking differently and trying to think out of the box, I guess is the way to put it and say, you know, it is possible.

I was the first woman to shoot 59, and I think before that, I wonder how many people thought it was possible. It's like anything, if somebody does it, I think it's easier to do it. You've just got to think differently and you cannot be afraid. That's really the way I think on the golf course. I don't limit myself. I don't think anything is impossible. Just see if I can do it.

Q. How confident are you, I know it's kind of a chicken or the egg, are you confident because you're winning, or are you winning because you're confident, and how can you kind of describe that relationship?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, it helps to have a lot of confidence to win a golf tournament, that's for sure. I think we had this question early on, but I trust myself. I know I put in the work at home. I come out here and I'm trying to make the right decision and stick to it. You know, I don't question myself too much. I'm not afraid to hit certain shots when I need to. To me, the bottom line, it's just a game. As long as I give 100%, it's going to turn out all right. It's all about trusting and it's all about confidence and doing it.

PAUL ROVNAK: Thank you, Annika.

End of FastScripts.

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