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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 2004

Annika Sorenstam

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in, Annika. Very nice opening round, 66. Eight birdies, two bogeys, three consecutive from 14 to 16. Going into the second round with a one shot lead.

Have some opening comments for us and then we'll do our card.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Of course, I'm very happy with my round. I think 6 under on this course any day is a good score. You know, I played very good today. I hit a lot of good tee shots, a lot of good iron shots. I thought I putted well, too. I'm very pleased with the round.

I made two bogeys. I guess that happens, but other than that eight birdies on this course, I'm very pleased.

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and do your card.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've had a week off so I'm a little rusty.

No. 3, I birdied, 7 wood, just off the green on the right and 2 putted.

No. 6, I hit a sand wedge to nine feet.

I bogeyed No. 8. I hit a 6 iron on the green, 3 putted. The pin was all the way in the back and I was in the front. I had like a 50 footer. I putted it about 15 feet by, 2 putted from there.

No. 9, I hit a sand wedge to 13 feet.

12, birdie, pitching wedge to 10 feet.

14, 9 iron to 15 feet.

15, I hit a 7 wood just pin high, chipped it up to three feet.

16, 7 iron to nine feet.

Bogeyed 17.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 7 iron, chipped it, and 2 putted from eight feet.

Then 18, I hit a 7 iron to seven feet.

Q. You've played a little less this year, but kept the same high level. I was curious, have you changed anything about the way you prepare for tournaments this year as opposed to previous years?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, to be honest with you, I haven't really changed much, but I haven't practiced as much. You know, I've really taken a lot more time off, just been at home, relaxing more. I haven't been grinding as much. But then when I have practiced, I think I've been practicing a little bit more with quality.

But overall, time wise, it's less on the course.

Q. Is this the easiest you've seen this course play? Did you feel early in the round you would have to take advantage of it today and shoot a low score?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I thought the conditions were as good as they could get. The course is in superb shape. But I must say I thought the pins were very tough. They were tucked behind corners, they were close to edges, or like on 10, just in front there, 6 on. I thought they were difficult pins.

You know, if you look at it that way, I didn't really think it was that easy. I told my caddie that it seems like there are ridges in the front or the back. So in that case, I thought it was difficult.

But then again, I felt like I was hitting the ball well. I wasn't afraid to be a little more aggressive today. If you would have caught me a few weeks ago when I wasn't hitting as well, today I would have had a lot longer birdie putts.

Q. Can you talk about 16? That was a tough pin.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah.

Q. Wondered if you could just talk about it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Talk about it.

Well, I had 149 to the pin. I was in the middle of the fairway, so I had a good lie and everything. But the wind is a little bit right to left. You know, the pin is on the ridge there, so you want to make sure you carry it all the way up. I hit a little soft 7 iron. Just turned out pretty nice. I was pleased with it.

I was a little bit if the pin is in center, I was like 4:00, if you can picture it that way.

Q. Did I hear you right on TV saying you have been swinging as well today as you were all year? Seems a little odd for somebody that's won nine times over the course of the year to be doing the best right now in the first round of the last tournament.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I don't swing the same all year. I mean, my game is not the same all year. Some times of the year, short game might be good. Another part of the year, the long game might be good. Right now I feel, like I said, I feel like I'm swinging really well.

I worked a few things out with Henry, my coach, the last few days, and suddenly I'm coming a little bit more shallow into the ball. I just like the way I'm hitting it, especially the longer clubs. A few weeks ago I was digging a lot more, dig divots. I hit a few high rights. When I hit those shots, I play with those shots. It's not the way I want to play, but if it's there, what else can you do?

Now I know where the ball is going, and like I said earlier, I can be more aggressive with these pins if they're tucked in the corners or just behind the bunker. I'm not afraid of being a little more aggressive because I have a little better feel now.

Q. Talk about play by play. On 17, looked like you had a fairly bad lie by the green. How bad was it? How tough was that shot?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's just one of those shots where it was totally nestled down. I don't know how tall the rough is here, but it was sitting totally nestled down. It's just tough to get a good feel how much grass is going to get between the club and the ball. A little bit of luck is to get it close.

I wanted to make sure I just got it up there, let it feed down to the hole. Kind of took off a little more than I wanted. Wasn't a bad shot from that lie. What did I say, eight feet, I just missed it a little bit.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, the chip wasn't a problem. I shouldn't have been there in the first place. If you put yourself on the green, you have a nice birdie putt.

Q. When you lose a tournament like here last year where it was so close, when you return, does it stick in your craw a little bit? Is there extra motivation?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I just felt last year Meg really won the tournament. I mean, she played so good on the Back 9 and I just didn't do so well. It was her championship to win.

Of course, I come back here and I'd like to win. You know, I know I can play well here. I think this is a really good golf course in many ways. I mean, it's probably one of the courses where you have to drive it well. A lot of courses we play, you can hit it anywhere off the tee and then you have to start thinking. Here you stand on every tee and you have to think, you know, "Where am I putting this shot?" That's what makes it such a great golf course. When you get the wind on top of that, it's a challenging course.

In the past, that's why the scores haven't been that low. Even though you have the Top 30 here, you don't see a really low score.

Q. I think yesterday you said you almost prefer being a shot or two behind. How do you consider yourself as a front runner? Do you change your approach when you do get the lead early in a tournament? Do you try to be more aggressive or conservative?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's the thing, I haven't really figured that out. You know, I've had the lead a few times with five shots, and I've won most of them. But I know there's one or two that I've lost. I think I've played too conservative at those times because I look at the leaderboard all the time, and I try not to miss fairways and greens, and suddenly I realize somebody's doing a charge, and suddenly I'm too far behind to catch up or I'm in a different mode that I can't get going. So that's why I think it's tougher to be in the lead, because I'm playing so much more conservative.

When I'm behind or chasing somebody or right there, I know what to do. You know, I still look at the leaderboard all the time, but I put myself in aggressive mode and I just go for it and it seems like I play better that way.

Q. If someone else was doing what you've been doing for the last four years, and that someone else went out and shot 66 on the first day on this golf course, would it take a little bit of wind out of your sails?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Hmm, maybe a little (laughter). But then again, this is just the first round. There's three more to go. If you get some wind here, anything can happen.

So, you know, I don't think a lot of wind would what did you say, less wind in your sails? Take the wind out of my sails (laughter)?

Anyway, it's just a little it's so early on in the tournament. I'm going to say I feel very comfortable in my position. Like I said, I'm just happy I'm hitting the ball well because you really have to do that on this course.

I come to a tournament, I'm ready to win. I'm not going to back out for whatever reason. If I play bad, then I'll try and bounce back the next day and shoot a low score.

Q. (No microphone) not only is it THE TOUR Championship, but it's also four rounds, that's it until March or February or something like that?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, probably. But I also think a lot of players are tired. I mean, we've had a long trip to Asia, then most of the players went to Alabama and played. You know, it's a long year. This week, there's a lot at stake really, if you think about the Vare Trophy, a lot of players want to move up on the Money List. They probably want to finish the year off good. So I think everybody's scrambling to get all the last energy they have. At least that's how I feel.

You can kind of tell, I spoke a little bit to Grace. She's been playing, I don't know, seems like every week the last two months. I mean, she's exhausted. She's trying to give everything she has.

Q. Back when you and Karrie Webb were exchanging Money Titles and Player of the Year awards, how much of a motivation to you was she?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, she was a great motivator for many reasons. You know, because first of all, I wanted to be the best player out here, and she was for a time. So, you know, I looked up to her trying to figure out how I can get better and what do I need to do to beat her. That's really when I started to analyze my game a lot more in detail and also the workout. That's when I started to work out. I started working with a trainer and trying to get fit and all that, because I figured that's what I got to do, I've got to be best in every part of the game. You know, I started to work a little harder. So I have to be a lot to be thankful for to Karrie and her success.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not much. I did play with her recently at Samsung. Before that, I can't really remember.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, uh huh.

Q. (No microphone.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Sure, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Annika.

End of FastScripts.

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