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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 19, 2004

Annika Sorenstam

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: 10 under par. Start with 1.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Birdied No. 1. Hit a 7 iron to five feet.

I bogeyed the fifth hole. I hit a 4 iron in the right side bunker, hit it up and 2 putted from eight feet.

Birdied No. 9. 7 wood, way right, chipped it up to six feet.

No. 11, I hit an 8 iron to 15 feet.

12, birdie, sand wedge to 16 feet.

Bogeyed 13, 7 iron short of the green, chipped it up and 2 putted from seven feet.

15, sand wedge to four feet.

16, pitching wedge to five feet.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That was a big break. I mean, you know, I started off really good. I hit some great shots, then just suddenly started to fall apart. You know, that second shot, I had such a good tee shot, I was going for the green in two, thinking maybe I could make three. I just pretty much shanked it way up right. I mean, it was inches from hitting the path and going into the bushes.

For me to be able to turn it around and make birdie, that was big, it was real big. I want to say that was probably the key for me to have a good Back 9.

Q. Where did it stop?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It stopped just short of the path. I guess my mom was standing right there. She's like, "Are you trying to hit me?" But I missed her luckily.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had I want to say 214 to the flag. The pin, could have been nine on or so.

Q. Start up your Back 9?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so. It was a good break, it really was. Especially to walk away with birdie, it was definitely a momentum shifter right there, and I needed that at that time. You know, like I said, I hit such a good shot on the first, felt really good, and then I didn't make a single putt. I really couldn't find my rhythm. So that was really key.

Q. You were frustrated?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A little bit, yeah. Especially, I mean, I was warming up. I had such a great warm up. My swing was good. Henry was saying a lot of positive things. I felt so good coming to the tee. I birdied the first. I couldn't have felt any better.

Suddenly, I walked straight into the wall somehow. I was very pleased to make the birdie on 9. Obviously I'm happy with the Back 9, as well.

Q. 15 and 16 seem to be fairly important in terms of giving yourself just a little bit of separation going into the weekend.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah.

Q. Is that a good question?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That was a very good question. So good, I don't know what to answer.

No, I mean, I'm playing 15 pretty smart. Yesterday I hit 7 wood just short. Today the wind was in our face. I couldn't reach it in two. I decided to lay it up and hit it close to four feet. Took advantage of that.

Then 16, especially, it is a tough hole. Today the wind was different. It was downwind. I hit 4 wood off the tee, laid it up, and I had 124 to the hole. Soft little pitching wedge. It was a shot I've been working on with Henry. It just turned out to be perfect. I hit it to five feet.

Q. You talked yesterday about preferring to chase somebody down from behind. Now you have a cushion in front. Do you find yourself in situations like that having to guard against putting it in cruise control?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think this is you know, I am in a good position. I mean, I like to lead all the time. Obviously, you want to lead on Sunday. But this is good for me. I mean, I've got to be in this position to learn how to play better. I got a little lead, but it's not really a comfortable lead at all by any means, especially because it's only Saturday. On this golf course, it can change in a hole or two.

You know, it's a good spot for me. I'm going to go out there tomorrow, try and play my own game. I know I'll be watching the leaderboard. I got to play aggressive because I'm there, but I'm not all the way there yet. But then again, if it comes to a hole where I've got to play more conservative, I've got to do that. This is really going to be a true test for me the next few days.

Q. You talked about your mom. Does your family see you play a lot or is it a big deal when they see you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: They see me and my sister about five times a year. They come out to different tournaments. Obviously, when we're in Europe, it's a little easier for them. They do try to come here in the winter when it's cold in Sweden. The end of the year and early in the year.

Q. On the strategy on 6, how you play that hole when the tees are up?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, today I hit driver. It's kind of in between clubs for me. But I figure it's better being long than short. Of course, I can lay up or hit a 7 wood off the tee. A 4 wood just puts too much in play. So today I went with a driver.

I was hoping for the wind to take a little bit. Maybe I pulled a little slightly and up in the greenside bunker. You have a tough bunker shot, that's for sure. I did practice in the bunker for the practice round, so I knew what to expect, but it still didn't help me very much.

But it is a tough hole. I think it's a great hole in that sense because it's not long, but anything can happen. You can play it so many different ways. I haven't really figured out the best way. With the pin in the back there, it doesn't make it easy. Especially if the second shot, if it's downwind, it really is a tough hole.

Q. Are you even a little surprised being 10 under after two days on this course? If you had your choice, would you like it to be breezy tomorrow or calm?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I thought, I mean, today the wind was I wouldn't say opposite of yesterday, but it was very close. I like a little wind. I do think I prefer the wind that we had yesterday. Today, I felt like I was in between a lot from the tee. We talked about No. 6. No. 8, 18. There's a lot of holes where I don't really know what to hit with this wind. It makes it a little more difficult.

It's not longer, but certain things come into play and certain things doesn't. If I could choose a little wind like the first day, that would be great.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 10 under? You know, when I play, I don't put a score in my mind and say I want to be so many under after the first round or under 10. I take what I got. I'm pretty happy with the score, I must say that, yeah.

Q. What kind of coins do you carry in your pocket and how many?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have one coin. It's actually a coin I got from a fan a few years ago. It's a half dollar. It says 1959 on it. Uh oh, I can't find it. It's doubling. My money is doubling in my pockets. No, a fan gave it to me. I was wrong, it says 1958. I got two coins. I guess he wants me to shoot 58, so I got to work on that.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I just got it from a fan. I decided it was pretty cool. I like the big size. I can see it if I'm far away from the pin. I like it. It's been working, too, so I'm not really going to switch. But it seems like it's so big, I got to move it all the time. Always in some player's way.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think actually the '58 I got last year and the '59 I got two years ago.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not sure. It was a nice gentleman both times. I don't know if it was the same man or not. I think he's a coin collector. Maybe both are, I'm not sure.

End of FastScripts.

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