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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 29, 2004

Annika Sorenstam

SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTS

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the United States Women's Open Championship. We'd like to welcome the two time winner, Annika Sorenstam who won in 1995 and 1996 and is a big factor wherever she plays. I was thinking about the courses you won on, The Broadmore and Pine Needles, and those are Donald Ross courses, and this is. Have you had a chance to play a practice round?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I haven't had a chance to practice. I'm excited to be here. I'm playing this afternoon, and I'm looking forward to playing.

RHONDA GLENN: Before playing in a high profile event, how many practice rounds do you try to get in?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Normally it's two. Tuesday we play, and then Wednesday normally is Pro Am. And this week we don't have a Pro Am, so we practice Wednesday. I think I'll get a chance to see the course more than I'm used to, and I think it's going to be just fine.

Q. There was a time maybe four or five years ago in your career, where Karrie became No. 1 in the money list stuff, and it seemed like maybe you rededicated yourself to the game, talk about that period and what you did to make yourself better after '99 and 2000?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I just looked at my game, the whole picture and figured what I need to practice and where my weakness is, and I think the biggest difference was that I decided to work out. I went to look for a trainer, I figured I need to get stronger, maybe that will help me. I worked on my short game. I figured chipping and putting needed some help. And just spending a lot of time on those games. After a while I was starting to see some results, and I think that was the biggest difference.

Q. Is it safe to say Karrie got you to that level?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: She helped me, motive wise, definitely. I realize it's the best player out here that I wanted to beat. And to do that I had to step up. I had some good fundamentals, I was doing good, but it wasn't enough. And especially the way Karrie was playing. She was very, very solid and I knew I had to be better at everything.

RHONDA GLENN: Along that same line, Annika, at Crooked Stick, I believe you were still an amateur, when you played the Women's Open in Indiana.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I never played there.

RHONDA GLENN: When you were an amateur, how far did you hit the ball off the tee then and how far do you hit it now, how much yardage have you gained?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've gained a tremendous amount. When I played the U.S. amateur in college events, I didn't use a driver, I used a 3 wood. It wasn't until my first pro tournament that I used a driver. I have increased a lot off a tee.

RHONDA GLENN: Do you know approximately how much in yardage?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I can say the last three or four years I've gained 20 yards, at least.

Q. How much of that is equipment, do you think?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Equipment has a lot to do with it, definitely. I mean, I've been playing Callaway for many years, and they have a lot to do with my success on the golf course. The ball goes further, the shots go further, it's a combination of everything.

Q. Weight training, too?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Definitely, you put those together, that's the combination that's helped me.

Q. It's been 8 years since you've won, and been close a few times, is there any particular one that you were most disappointed about, and is there any reason in your mind that it hasn't happened, is this something that's kind of missing on your resume at this point?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, if we look back at last year, I haven't I had a good chance to win there, at least to get in the playoff. I think about that tournament quite a bit, especially the last shot, the second shot on 18. I mean, it's a par 5, and I was playing aggressive, I was going for the green, figured a birdie will do it and then just hit a bad shot at the wrong moment. And I think about that shot a lot. You know, I've had a few other chances. Actually the year that Juli Inkster won, she shot 66 on Sunday, she played tremendous, I thought I played well the whole week, it was not meant to be that week. I've had my chances. The Majors are just hard that way. Because first of all the competition is tough, the courses are tough. And I believe sometimes that I want it so badly that I screw up. But I've learned a little bit the last few years, I'm more patient, I hit one shot at a time, and I've been closer the last few years. I've got to continue with that in my mind and we'll see what happens this week.

Q. Talk a little bit about how you prepare for tournaments like this, and do you prepare differently for the bigger tournaments like the Majors?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, actually I try not to prepare anything differently. I like to have the same routine every week, it seems like it's working, and I just don't want to overdo it. This is just another tournament. I like to be prepared, which I feel like I am. I feel like I'm playing good golf. I don't want to overdo it. I want to have energy starting Thursday, and have as much as I can through Sunday, I'm going to do my regular routine.

Q. The British is going to go to St. Andrews, it looks like the Women's Open is going to Pebble Beach eventually, what does that say about the new stature of the women's game?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it says a lot. I think it's wonderful that we're getting a chance to play some fabulous courses. I just wish it was this year or next year. I feel like I'm getting older and I might miss out on those opportunities. It says how well women's golf is doing, and we're getting the recognition I think we deserve.

RHONDA GLENN: Speaking of that, anymore thoughts about how long you're going to play?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, that's a good question. I've always said that as long as I love to practice and I feel motivated in the mornings to come out and play I will continue to do so. This game has been so wonderful for me for so many years. But I do have other interests I want to pursue, so right now I'm taking it a year at a time.

Q. The Nabisco you said, "I want to go four for four this year", and it didn't happen. Then you wound up winning the next major, now is the next four, the Tiger Slam as it were, three and then one?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Why not? You know, those are some goals that I have. And but that's putting a lot of pressure on myself and I know that. And I just didn't handle it well at Nabisco, but then I won McDonald's and I felt really good about it. This week I want to come and play my best game. Winning four in a row is really, really hard, and that's why I haven't seen anybody do that, but I do love a challenge.

Q. Can you talk about your practice rounds, seems like you've been coming in a little later the next few tournaments. Talk about your other interests?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think the one you're talking about was the Corning, where I didn't play the practice rounds. Other than I've been playing a little bit. It does seem like I come a little later for tournaments for different reasons. Seems like my weeks off are not long enough anymore, I enjoy spending time at home. And I do practice a lot at home, seems like I get more done at home there.

Q. What's your thinking or thoughts on Michelle Wie getting the special exemption, and what are your thoughts on the slow play regulations that the LPGA has put in, is it beneficial

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Talk about the slow play rules? I think they're working. You can really see it out there as a player. When we started, I mean, right away, players are playing faster, we're making the turn in two hours, two hours 15 minutes. Hopefully we can continue to monitor this, because it's really working. Regarding Michelle Wie's exemption, I don't have an opinion on that, I think she's a wonderful player. And I think she's good for women's golf, so I'm happy to see her here.

Q. You talked about a trainer and weights and having energy for the week. How much does all that have an effect on your game throughout the season?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: What was the last part?

Q. How much does all that have an effect on you throughout the season, the trainer, the weight training?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean I wouldn't do it if I didn't believe it was beneficial for me. I definitely think it's helped me, stamina wise, just endurance, strength, the schedule that we have out here is pretty hectic with all the travel, all the practice, et cetera. If you're in good shape it's just got to help. When we played McDonald's Championship on Sunday we played 36 holes, that for sure helped me. So I think it's just very, very good for you.

Q. Is it at all appropriate that this be played at a college that's all women, this being an all women's college course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think the timing is very good.

Q. When did you first see the course, and what were your first impressions overall?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I haven't seen the course yet, I will see it this afternoon, so I will let you know.

Q. In its purest form golf has a lot to do with sportsmanship and etiquette and decorum. Your decorum is impeccable, how did you learn how to act on a golf course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, thank you very much. Well, one of my idols growing up was by Bjorn Borg, and I watched him play, I I've seen a lot of tennis, and I liked the way he behaved on the courts. I don't know if I have any resemblance of him, but I've always looked up to him very much. I have emotions, a lot of people don't think I have them, but they're inside, and I think I can control them pretty well.

Q. Players out here have to serve an apprenticeship, they get in contention for Tour events, and get in contention for a Major and learn how to win them, how shocked were you to see Hilary Lunke emerge, do you expect to see more from her, or is it a case of all the stars aligning for her?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, if I look back at my career, my first victory on the LPGA was the U.S. Open, and that was Hilary's first as well. She has a good game, a wonderful short game, that there were courses that would fit her better than others. I've talked to her a little bit. She's unhappy with the way she's playing right now, I think she'll be able to turn it around and we'll see more stuff from her.

Q. Could you talk about what it would mean to you to win this tournament since it's been a while since you won an Open?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It would mean a tremendous amount. This was been the biggest tournament in golf. Growing up in Sweden, practicing on the putting green, I always pretended I had a putt to win the U.S. Open. I always remembered that clearly. This is the biggest tournament we have, and it would mean a lot.

Q. They're bringing in a young player named Paula Creamer, she's gotten good enough to come in the tent. She wanted to play a practice round at the Nabisco with you, that didn't work out. She's finished second in a tournament since then. Have you had any contact with her?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I haven't seen her very much. I did talk to her after her good finish at Shoprite. I told her good playing. We've talked a little bit, but that's it.

Q. I know you said you haven't seen the course, but I assume Terry has, but have you talked and kind of get a feel for what you need to do on this golf course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I have a pretty good feel what this golf course is all about. My caddy was here a few weeks ago, and we talked about the course many times. I looked at the yardage book, and he told me what kind of shots I need, so I have a pretty good feel what it's going to be. When I came to a practice yesterday, it seemed like the putting green was pretty firm, and it will be interesting to see what the course will be like.

Q. How, if at all, has your life changed since the Colonial and has your perception of yourself changed after what you did there?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I would say it has changed quite a bit. A lot of people recognize me wherever I go. I don't have to wear a hat or golf shoes anymore, people recognize me, which is a good thing. I think I've matured a little bit since Colonial. There was so much I had to do, the preparation and everything, and just the experience overall was just overwhelming. There was a lot of wonderful things that I took from that week, and that I still use today.

Q. Speaking of the Colonial and the Paula Creamers and the Michelle Wies, there is so much attention given to the young golfers on this stage, as much as you accomplished, did it almost take Colonial for you to get the recognition for you to become a star with the public?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so. I do think that Colonial opened a lot of doors for me, and I think a lot of people recognized me after that. But I also want to say that I don't think I would have gotten an invite to Colonial if I didn't perform the way I did on the golf course the years before, that all set it up for me. I think one thing led to the other.

Q. I was told I believe there are 16 teenagers in the field this week. Are you surprised how young things have gotten, how good the young players are coming up?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not surprised, however I think it's wonderful that you see so many young players, it just shows that women's golf is growing, and that the players are getting better at younger ages nowadays, and I think that all has to do with the practice, the coaching, everything, high school golf, college golf, et cetera. I think it's wonderful to see.

Q. You talked a little bit about keeping the same routine, what do you do on the morning of a tournament, is there anything special you do, do you get up at a certain time, do you eat anything certain, what are your kind of routines?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It varies. It depends on what time my tee time is. Today I didn't do very much, I just took it easy. Other days I might hit the gym early. If I have a tee time, I get up three hours before, I have a good breakfast and go warm up. The days are pretty much the same, it's golf, it's sleep, it's workout, it's eating, that's about it, just different orders, that's about it.

Q. You said you played the Colonial basically, on the men's tour to challenge yourself, to give yourself a great challenge. How do you feel now that young girls aspire to play on the men's tour?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I love players with that type of attitude. They're not afraid of anything, and that's the way you've got to look to get better, to take the next step. And the Colonial was a wonderful experience for me. I think it did wonders for my game. Like I said before, I don't want to do it again, because this is where I want to play, I want to play on the LPGA, but the experience helped me a long ways, and I think it will help other players as well.

Q. Are you still playing tennis and how good are you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not pretty good anymore, but I do play once in a while, yeah.

Q. You have a lot of challenges, obviously, but Grace Park seems a little above the rest, could you talk about her game, and any major challenges this week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: She's definitely one of the major challengers this week. I think Grace has a wonderful game. I think she has developed to a really good player the last few years. I like her attitude, she's very aggressive on the golf course, she hits the ball a long ways, she has a good short game. I think that's why she won the Kraft Nabisco, I think she's going to win many more.

Q. Did winning two Opens relatively young, did that give you any false sense this was going to be easy? Did that contribute in any way to this being a tournament trying to get back and win after several years?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's never easy to win a tournament, but winning in '95 kind of caught me by surprise, I didn't even think I could win a tournament coming out on tour, and suddenly I won the U.S. Open. In '96 I ended up defending my title, at the time I thought maybe my game was great for U.S. opens, but since then I haven't really done it again. It is really hard to win this championship. And I think I said earlier, a lot of time I get in my own way because I want it so badly. Now I have to go back for basics, playing my own game, taking it one day at a time and one shot at a time.

Q. You said that you talked to your caddy in detail about the shots you need for this golf course. Could you give us some detail about what did you all say to each other?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He was telling me about the green areas, the greens are very small, they're elevated and they have these dropoffs, kind of like Shinnecock, I heard. And you have to work a lot on your short game. Hit the ball in the middle of the green, you're going to have 15 feet all day, all week, so that's my plan.

RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much for being with us, we wish you lots of luck to week.

End of FastScripts.

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