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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA

June 13, 2004

Annika Sorenstam

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

Q. A few housekeeping notes here before we start, Annika's 52nd career title, her seventh major which ties her with Juli Inkster in rankings for major title victories, she crossed the $14 million in career earnings and the $1 million mark in season-earnings, which she's crossed 7 of her 11 seasons on the LPGA Tour. This is her second straight McDonald's LPGA Championship, but the first to win back-to-back titles here since Juli Inkster in 1999-2000.

Can you give us some comments how you feel about all that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That sounds amazing. Obviously, I'm very proud of those stats. My whole career, I'm very proud about what I've done and pleased about my career. I can't really believe it, this day was totally up and down. I played so well in the morning and things were starting to fall apart. Believe it or not, I felt really cool and calm.

Even though it didn't look all right for a time, I came back and just wanted to win it so badly and, therefore, I just hung in there and tried and tried and majors mean so much to me. I feel so good playing here. I didn't want to let this go. I fought and fought through the end of the day and it's nice to sit down here and relax after a long day.

Q. Was Terry cool and calm?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He didn't look so cool and calm. I kept told him it was going to be okay. Even though 12 I had no feel and 11 I had no feel. I felt really good. I said it's got to be okay because I'm playing well. I rolled in a great putt on 12, and after that I felt a little bit.

Q. Can you walk us through 16 and explain what you had after the drive?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I totally missed my drive, almost came out on the left fairway. It's just a bunch of trees there. Thre was no way I could have chipped sideways, but Terry and I agreed, let's play down the left. Believe it or not, he had a sprinkler down there. He never told me, but it came in handy today.

I ended up having 94 yards over the trees, and the pin was stuck behind the bunker, and I hit my 54 degree, which I hit exactly 95 yards. I hit it high, and to tap in that for birdie was unbelievable. You're not supposed to play it that way, but I needed that at the time.

Q. How hard was that shot?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: How difficult? Extremely hard. I needed to get it, obviously, over the trees. I had a perfect club for it. The greens were so soft. If they would have been firm, there is no way.

Q. Annika, on 9 you had to wait for that ruling when Jennifer was getting the ruling on her ball. It looked like she almost hit you with that next shot. Did it startle you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, it didn't. It had nothing to do with my 7 on that hole. It was never close.

Q. Of all the majors you've won, is this almost as impressive, even though it's going to look easy, the fact that you were leading?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I told Terry, "We've just got to fight." In the end it's not how, it's how many. I had a nice little lead going into the last ten holes, but this game is so funny that way, you never know, and on number 9, for example, I had 90 yards to the pin, and I could probably hit that in my sleep, and I walk away with 7, it rattled me. It's never easy to win a tournament.

I've learned, never take anything for granted. I felt good on the 18th hole, I said, "How much more can go wrong?" I was hoping nothing would and, luckily, it didn't. Anything can happen in this game, especially when you've got players really fired up and really hot in the Back 9.

Q. Annika, it was a long day, you had a big lead, do you think you lost focus a little bit here today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't really think I lost focus. I mean, I got tired. The third round I played really good. I was focusing really hard. Leading is never easy because you always look behind your shoulders, and there is some holes out here where you think you're going to birdie, and you think some holes are really tough. With that in mind, I was always paying attention to everyone. It wears me out.

When I came out in the fourth round I was telling myself to play a good round, but for some reason I kept staring at the leaderboard. I kept saying, it doesn't matter if you shoot under par, it will be all right.

Then I was 4 over par and I looked even more at the leaderboard, and then you start thinking about all kinds of things. I was more tired then because I was thinking and watching too much about all the other players.

Q. Annika, on 16, the way you played the hole, how does that rate on the all time list, especially on the third shot?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That rates way up there. A lot of tournaments I've won, I have been in the fairway or had a great shot here. It took some guts to hit it over there. I wanted to win this, and I said, "Let's just play it this way." That shot I'm going to remember for a long time.

Q. Do you know anything about Ahn? Have you played with her?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've played with her several times. I think she's an impressive player, I think so. I've told my husband and my caddy that, that I think she's the real deal. I love the way she swings. She has good tempo and her putting stroke is real good. I have been impressed with her since she came out here.

Q. Did you end up feeling less tired once the competition got close again?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Less tired?

Q. Did the fatigue not matter quite as much and you were able to get yourself back into it with adrenaline?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think the adrenaline kept me going, and you have a big lead, and the last thing you want to do is throw it away. I was just grinding more and starting to play more aggressive. I had to make birdies and try to make up ground for what I had lost. I probably didn't think about how tired I was until the end.

Q. Annika, your caddy said in pivotal moments you make big shots, like at the Solheim Cup last year, and 16 today. Do you feel like you would have taken a great big swing with that wedge with a five or six shot lead as opposed to a 2?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's hard to say. I mean, I didn't really have a lot of choice after my tee shot. I mean, I had to play left. But I probably wouldn't have fired straight at the flag. I probably would have played a little more to the left where the branches weren't as high and the bunker didn't come in.

Q. How close to the trees were you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 40 yards, probably.

Q. Annika, how much more pleasurable is that walk up to the 18th green when you've got the feeling that the victory is clinched, and was that maybe when you first could start to enjoy it and relax a little bit?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I could definitely relax a little bit more. The Back 9 I was pretty tense. When you have a nice lead like that, and you're close to the green, you know you're going to get on the green and make a putt or two putts, you start to relax. This whole week I came here with high expectations, I wanted to do well, and every day it starts to build up.

Once the tournament starts, you're excited, and then you've got a rain delay, and you've got everything happening on Saturday and Sunday. Especially today I was so fortunate I played well this morning. Some days doesn't go your way. It was a lot of stake, and every day it builds up and gets bigger and bigger. Once you get to 18, you can relax. That's when you can enjoy it and it sinks in.

Q. The second 18, the first couple of holes you had, it looks like you were still being real aggressive. Were you still thinking aggressively with that big lead in the

second 18 or trying to be a little more conservative?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was trying to play my normal game, but I think the greens were faster in the afternoon, and all three of us in the group had the same feeling. I felt it really seems faster. It took me a little bit to adjust, and once you start rolling them past, and the greens are getting spiked up, I get afraid to run it by. That's not a nice feeling. Suddenly you start to see spike marks and all that stuff, it makes it hard to make putts.

Q. Is there something you consciously do to get that feeling back?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: My caddy said, "You played six holes, it's about time you adjust to the greens." I said, "Yes, okay, I don't have much choice." It's difficult, and I had a few where I was off the greens, and so now I've got fringe to deal with. It felt like I was sinking a lot on the golf course and I was trying to adjust.

Q. Annika, could you talk about the emotions of having gone double bogey, bogey, leaving it real short on 12, and what you were feeling when it dropped into the cup?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was relieved, to say the least. That shot on 12, it was a very similar distance, like on number 9. It's my 54 degree, which I hit 95 yards. I should be able to hit that shot in my sleep. When I hit it over the green on 9, I come to 12, same thing like on 11, I couldn't get it into the hole. On 12 it's the same thing. That's when I told my caddy, "It's going to be okay." It was kind of funny. He said, "I guess you are calm." It was a little ironic.

Q. How much did that one putt really shift the momentum?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was a big momentum shifter. My second putt, the par putt on 13, I thought was the key, too. I heard a big roar, and I think that was on 15. To walk away with that was a big relief like that.

Q. (Inaudible)?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: About 4 or 5 feet.

Q. How far was the putt on 12?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 12 was 40 feet.

Q. Was that the wedge you hit on 16, the 54 degree?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes.

Q. Did you have to open it up at all?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had to open it up a little bit because I wanted to make sure to get over the trees. I swung pretty hard at it because I figured if I hit it high, I would lose distance.

Q. That wasn't the wedge that Tiger

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, he can't get credit for that shot.

Q. When you beat Grace in the playoff last year, you were skipping around the green in celebration that day. Can you compare the emotion of last year and this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think last year, I mean, I was so excited I made it in the playoffs. Today I was more relieved that it did go my way. I felt so good all day, and then, like I said, it almost slipped away. It was more relief today that the ball finally went in the hole in the last hole and I had the fewest shots. Playoffs are different in that way. I remember it was also a long day. To make par and win against Grace was fun as well. It's a different type of feeling.

Q. You obviously had an cushion to work with, but did you think of majors past where you had control, a little hiccup, and never quite recovered?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't think I've had some big leads in any majors other than when I won at Pine Needles. I have lost tournaments. One comes to mind, Phoenix, I had a five shot lead and loft. I have some tournaments where I've had a nice lead and struggling the last day for different reasons. I think it's harder to play with a lead.

Like I said, I look at the leaderboard so much, and I pay attention to them instead of just my own game. It seems like some of the majors I've won, I've come from behind. I kind of just go for it. It tough to protect the lead.

Q. Did you learn anything about yourself?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, what gives me confidence is I was able to do it when I needed to. I came down to two shots and made four birdies in seven holes. I mean, that I'm going to remember for a long time. If it comes to another situation where I'm in the same position, I'm going to remember that I've done it before, because it's never over until it's over. You've got to hit one shot at a time. I think I proved that today. You can never take anything for granted. Anything can happen.

Q. Do you remember how big your lead was in the last round of Pine Needles?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't remember, six maybe.

Q. Annika, have you ever tried playing and not look at the leaderboard, or is that just impossible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I mean, I'm just so competitive. I want to know what's going on. When I have had a week off, I look at the leaderboards. I like to see if I need to be aggressive, can I play conservative. I want to know what's happening in the tournament. It's just something I've always done.

Q. Annika, after the shots at 9 and 12 were you at all nervous pulling that wedge out of your bag?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I mean, that shot, I've practiced that shot so much. Either at home or on tour we will do different yardage. Two bad shots is not going to take my confidence away like that. On 16 I did think about it, but I figured I've got to do it. Terry actually said, "Pretend I'm standing by the pin with my mitt." That's kind of the way I looked at it.

Q. Let's go over your card.

(Scorecard read.)

Q. You mentioned a little bit earlier about some of your great shots, great wins coming out of the fairway. For the smoothness of your swing, people see you as robotic. Is it almost fun this way, that you've become Arnold Palmer for a day?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I prefer being down the middle, my heartbeat wouldn't be as high. Some of the shots I've worked on. A lot of people say I'm robotic down the fairway, down the green. It's not always the truth. Today was an example of that, it's fun.

Q. Do you think you might not get enough credit to be able to get creative?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've gotten better lately. I wouldn't say I wasn't good at it in the past. I have a little more feel of what I'm doing and how I'm working the ball. I think when you have that, it's a little easier to imagine shots.

Q. When Jennifer was playing she had a big long tattoo on her back. Do you have any tatoos?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have a little one, yeah. How do you know this? I just got it three weeks ago.

Q. Really?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes.

Q. Can you elaborate?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's a pussycat on the back of my left it's a Halloween cat.

Q. Any significance?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I guess it's my feisty side.

Q. Did it hurt?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, it hurt, big time. When I saw Jennifer's today, I thought, that hurt a long time.

Q. Annika, do you know your plans between now and The Open?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm off next week, but I'm playing Rochester and then The Open. I'm heading to New York for the Metropolitan Award tomorrow night, and then we're actually shooting I wouldn't say an episode, but a part of the Apprentice with Mr. Trump on Tuesday in New York.

Q. What are you doing with Mr. Trump?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: We're playing golf on his golf course in New York.

Q. Which course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: His course. I don't know the name of it, actually.

Q. He's got two up there, I think it's Trump National.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, that's what it is.

Q. Do you plan on going up to the Orchards?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not, but my caddy is.

Q. I'm curious, you hear that a lot, especially from the men. (Inaudible)?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't think many of them do. We have a rule that you can't play there the week before, so I think that prevents the whole deal.

Q. (Inaudible)?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's an LPGA event. That means you can't go the course early because they expect you to play the week before. I could go there next week and play, not the week before.

Q. Do you think it's a fair rule?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't like the rule at all.

Q. Would you go?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Definitely, I would. Especially going overseas for the British Open. I think it would be a great opportunity to play the courses. In a way, I understand the rule. If you have the week off, it doesn't matter where you are. You have to prepare for majors. That would help.

Q. Did Juli say anything to you or did you say anything to her as far as major victories?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: She actually hugged me and she said, "I think you're the greatest." I said, "I think you are." That's kind of how we left the green on 18.

Q. Greatest golfer?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know what she meant, but I have a lot of respect for Juli in many ways. She's competitive. Her golf record speaks for herself. She's just a fun person. I admire her, what she's done off the course with her family. It's just a very nice compliment from her.

Q. You've accomplished so much in golf and so on. What are your future goals in golf and in life?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: In golf, right now, I don't want to think ahead too much. I'm really happy with this win, and take one tournament at a time. I still have some goals I want to achieve, and that's winning a few more majors. If I enjoy this game, I will continue to play.

Q. Anything else. Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts.

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