WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 3, 2003

Annika Sorenstam

NEAL REID: This is Annika's fourth victory of the season, 46th overall. She becomes the sixth player in LPGA history to achieve the career Grand Slam, joining Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb, Pat Bradley, Louise Suggs and Mickey Wright, and it was her 15th come-from-behind victory of her career.

I see by the tears on 18 that this is something you wanted pretty badly.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's true. It hasn't actually sunk in yet, I must say, for many reasons, because it was such hard work out there. I was looking at the leaderboard all day, and it seemed like everybody was right there and it seemed like everybody wanted to win. It's a tough golf course, and I knew that I couldn't afford to make a mistake. There's so many good players out there, experienced players, players that were hungry to win a major.

I felt the pressure, but then on the other hand, I felt this is what it's all about, to play in a major championship where you have to perform, and it was a great feeling. Now I'm here, sitting here with a trophy, this is what I wanted for so long. And so obviously I feel relieved at the same time as being very happy.

NEAL REID: The two majors you've won this year to complete the career Grand Slam, you really, really had to earn them. McDonald's, you had to be great in a playoff and today you had to hold off Se Ri. Does that make it even more fulfilling?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: In a way, yes. Because I looked at the leaderboard, and like I said, those players that are up there, they are all great players, so I knew that I could not make a mistake.

Same thing at McDonald's. It was Grace Park that was playing excellent and I really to work hard and play well. When you win, I think you feel like that you won it in a sense and there's no better feeling, really.

Q. It looked like you were relaxed and having a good time.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I had a great time, but I'm still nervous and still feel the pressure. Like I said, this is what it's all about, to have a chance to win a major championship where you've just got to perform. I'm nervous, but I love it at the same time. It's kind of a combination. I was very nervous on the first tee and I was very nervous on the last three holes. It's funny how the emotions works, but I hit some great shots when I needed to, and you know when you think about that, that's all the hard work. I mean, that's why I hit balls at night, that's why I hit so many putts, that's why I go to the gym, to be in this situation, and then to win. That's what motivates me and keeps me going. I love it.

Q. What do you do to combat those nerves?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I keep telling myself: You've hit the shot before and you can do it. Just focus on what you've got to do and try not to think about what happens if you make the putt, what happens if you don't. Don't think about consequences, just do what you've got to do.

It's same thing on the first hole, just hit this 5-iron, and 16, it was just a matter of hitting the wedge shot. On 18, that was probably one of the toughest holes out here, and I pull out the driver and I was telling myself: You've got to hit a draw, hit a draw, and that's just what I focused on.

Q. Were you planning driver all along or did you change your mind?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I could have hit a lot of clubs off that tee. I saw what Se Ri did, and I was contemplating about hitting a 7-wood left, making the hole long, but safer. But then I figured, you know, I have a chance to win. I can hit this drive just down the middle and have a short iron in and I can win the championship. I figured I had to make birdie, and with 7-wood it would be a very tough birdie.

So it was -- you know, I've never really been in this situation where I have to choose between so many clubs, and obviously, I'm happy about my choice and the way I hit the shots. So I think it was really the key shot of the day.

Q. Are you conscious of your place in golf history now?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. (Laughs) I don't really look at those things. I mean, I'm aware of certain things, but I try not to focus on that. I try to just play my game. I knew what was a at stake today, not just the championship, but the Grand Slam and so forth. But there's enough pressure just to play this golf course. There's enough emotion just to be out here that I try not to think about the history and what it would mean.

Q. You've won two majors since playing Colonial, so do you think you're better suited for playing in them now because of it?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think I've become a better player since the Colonial for different reasons. I have experienced a lot of pressure, and that's what you experience in a day like today. There were several times out there on the course where I was thinking about Colonial and I kept telling myself: This is nothing like that. If you can go around that course with the pressure and shoot 1-over the first day, I can hit this shot. Those are thoughts that I had in my mind all day, and I think -- I've said it before, the more you do it, I think the better you will get at it. I've been in this situation many times and I've lost a few and I've won a few. But I think just being there, I know how I react and I know what kind of shots is needed and that you need patience.

Q. Did you have a number in mind, what it would take to win?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was thinking actually about 11-under today. I thought if I could get to there, then that might be enough. Especially when we warmed up, it didn't seem like a lot of wind, and I thought -- then I figured maybe I need 12. But then we got going and it was some really tough pin placements today. And I looked at the leaderboard early on and I saw that nobody was really making a move; that if I just stayed patient, maybe I could get a few on the back, there might be a chance for me.

Q. Do you think there will be a point where you can make your game peak for all four majors?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's something I talked about with my caddie this morning. It's not just this year, since last year, I've played in eight majors and had a chance to win seven. It's been that close, we're talking one or two or three shots. So it is really a possibility.

But then, you know, when you look at the leaderboard today, there's so many good players up there that you need some good breaks, and I had some good breaks today. Actually, I had some great breaks yesterday and you just need to have the momentum on your side. If I would have had that in our majors, yeah, then I could have done it. But it takes a little more than just good golf. You need some luck, and I had that this week.

Q. Now that you've won another major, do you think you'll change your mind about playing in another PGA event, and are you aware of what you've done to help the popularity of women's golf?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: To answer your first question, I am not changing my mind because the Colonial was such a great week, and it will never be the same. I did what I wanted to do. Not winning two majors, I felt like it was really the right thing to do.

I've said before, if I get invited to a special event with the men, I'll do it, but not an official PGA event.

When it comes to the history and the record this week, I think it's fantastic. First of all, to see so many people out here supporting us, and also credit to Weetabix for putting up such a great event and giving us a chance to play course like the men so do. Women's golf has not been around as much as the men so, we don't have as much history, but, you know, I've seen the guys win here at Lytham, and this is the second time we're back. We are starting to get some history. And it's so neat to come back to a place like that because you remember shots that different players have hit, whether it was an LPGA player or a European player or a guy on the PGA TOUR. It's fun to be a part of that.

Q. Tell us about your morning in the hours before you came here.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Actually I was watching a movie, a little strange movie, it has nothing to do with this. It was "Saving Private Ryan," which is kind of a sad movie, I don't know why I was watching it. It's a very long movie, too. It's very sad. It's pretty gross when you think about it, so it wasn't the preparation that I normally have. But it turned out to be a great movie.

Q. Did you watch the whole movie?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think I have a few minutes left. I'm going to finish tonight. But, no, I slept in and had a great breakfast. We are renting a house just down the street and just did some laundry, things I do at home. I was totally relaxed, really. I never thought about today. I knew it was a big day, but you know I've been in the situation so many times where I get so geared up so early, you know some days I can't sleep but this particular week I could sleep. So thinking about these things, I was just being as normal as I am at home; and therefore, when I came out, I just felt really good about it.

Q. Do you normally rent a house at an event?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Certain weeks, yeah, just here it worked out well. I mean, it's more like home. You can do some laundry, you can do some cooking. It's a more relaxed atmosphere. I shared it with my sister and Liselotte Neumann. We've had a lot of fun. We are playing a lot of cards which kind of keeps my mind off what I'm really here for.

Q. Can you tell us anything about the event you're playing in Stockholm tomorrow?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know too much about it, other than it's a course that they have set up in downtown Stockholm with island greens. There's a little exhibition and I believe I'm going to play with Frederik Jacobson, one of the guys. So it's just going to be a fun thing in downtown Stockholm where I'm there to represent Callaway and Mercedes Benz.

Q. When was the last time you played that course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, that was a long time ago. I like the golf course, though. I think it's one of Sweden's best. I believe I played a team event there when I was probably part of the national team. That's like ten years ago, I believe.

Q. Did you think Se Ri was going to make the putt on 18, and when Colin Cann was on your bag, do you remember mental gymnastics about putts like the one he and Se Ri were looking at on 18?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I thought Se Ri was going to make it. She putted really good today but didn't make a lot of putts. She hit a lot of lips and I actually thought she was due on 18. Colin is a great caddie and he's really good at what he does. He reads greens well. So I expected the best from her.

Q. Does playing alongside Se Ri help your game?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I love playing with Se Ri for many reasons. First of all, she's a great player, and somebody that, you know, she is, I assume, as hungry as I am to win this championship, and it's fun to go head-to-head like that.

I expected her to play well today, and, you know, I wanted to play with somebody like that, hopefully get the momentum going. She drives the ball well and she's a great player and I love playing with good players.

Q. How are you going to celebrate?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Tonight, hopefully a little more champagne, and finish the movie, and then have a great dinner and just hang out at the house and have a good time.

Q. Are you cooking?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, actually my sister is cooking. I've got the evening off.

Q. Are the necklaces that you and David are wearing matching necklaces?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: They are not matching necklaces, but it's funny you mention it. Because I got this necklace in the mail about two weeks ago from this lady in Manhattan Beach in California. One necklace was for performance and one necklace was for grounding. And I put the performance on and David put the grounding. It said it will work in ten days, and this was actually ten days was last Wednesday, so I'm not superstitious by any means, but it worked. So it's on my neck and I don't know if David is any more grounded, but did I perform this week.

I don't know the lady. She sent me a brochure with a lot of celebrities that wear them and I thought, "Why not try it? Can't hurt me." So I put it on, who knows.

Q. How did you decide who was going to wear grounding and performance?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I figured I need the performance and he needs to calm down, so that's how we decided on it.

Q. Is women's golf better off with a dominant star like your?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know what's better for women's golf but, I can tell you this week that it was not about a dominant performance. This was a display of a lot of good players playing good golf, pushing each other to a higher level and I think that's good for women's golf.

Q. What is the necklace made of?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have no idea. It's some pearls and I don't know. I have no idea.

Q. How long will you keep it on?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I want to perform next week, as well. I'm just a little greedy. I'll keep wearing it until it doesn't work anymore.

Q. Do you think the PGA Tour players are elevating the level of their play because of what Tiger has done?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Are you asking me if I think the PGA is getting to that, is that the question?

I definitely think so. I mean, when you see somebody so dominant, at least in my case, it makes me want to work harder and try to catch that person. I think that's what you're seeing on the men's tour. There are so many good players both in the U.S. and over here in Europe. The margins now are so small, and anybody can win because they are that good. I think they are all just complete in every part of their game.

Q. What's one thing you're looking forward to in Sweden next week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, the food, we are going to have crawfish, we are going to eat a lot of licorice. I am going to try to catch up on all of the things I miss in the U.S., which is mostly food, but also just hope to enjoy the Swedish summer. They have late evenings outside when the weather is as good as it gets.

Q. Did the guy in the boxer shorts on 15 bother you at all, and did your caddie Terry actually kick him?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He said he touched him. I've seen that in TV on the soccer games and the PGA, but I've never seen it in my tournaments and especially not in my group. It totally caught me by surprise. Then he took his clothes off, and he wasn't even a good-looking guy so it wasn't really worth it. (Laughter). I was laughing. So he stepped in my line and I think that's when Terry had it, too, because he was laughing as well and he stepped in the line, I could see how Terry just wanted to kick him, so it was hilarious to see Terry start chasing him down. It was tough to focus on the chip because I was still laughing.

Q. It must have felt good to birdie 15 today after you'd had trouble with it all week.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Exactly. That's what I said to myself yesterday, at least improve on 15. Even though I birdied it once, I wanted to play it like you are supposed to, to hit it in the fairway and then hit the green.

You know that was -- as I say, I was very happy with the way it turned out. The wind today was a little more into, so it was longer but I decided to play it forward to play it safe. Then I ripped a 4-wood into just left of the green and had a good opportunity almost to chip-in. That was nice to get a little revenge on that hole.

Q. Did you watch any tapes of the 2000 Open when Duval won here?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I was when they were playing, but I haven't watched it since.

Q. Do you think a season Grand Slam is possible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Like I said before, I definitely think it is. I've been very, very close but it's going to take a lot. It needs a little help, as well, I believe. But now I've proven to myself that I can win all four majors, not the same year, yet, but it's possible.

NEAL REID: Let's go over your scorecard.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I bogeyed the fourth hole. I hit a 7-iron left of the green, bunker, 2-putt, from 25 feet.

Birdied 6, 6-iron, two putts.

Birdied 11. 4-wood on the green, two putts.

15, 4-wood left of the green. Chipped it up to about a foot, and that's it.

NEAL REID: How far were your first putts on 11?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: My first putt was 30 feet. 6 was about the same.

Q. The par save on 7, how fortunate was that?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That was a key putt. I missed my tee shot pretty badly to the right and just tried to play smart from there. I probably made an 18-footer for par that kind of kept me going, kept the momentum because Se Ri then rolled in birdie, as well. Sometimes you just need putts like that to go in.

Q. For majors, can you reflect not just that you win but are always in contention?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I'd like to go back to last year where I performed really well. I finished first, second and third. Second at the Open where Juli played fantastic. She just totally won it but I was right there. And then this year, Patricia beating me by one. And then at the Open, you know, if I birdied 18, I would have won. So there's a lot of ifs and would and so forth, but I'm right there. My goal has been to perform and get better in the majors and I really think I have.

Q. Is this your most dominant year in majors?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The last two, I think I have. It's the best I have performed. It's been my goal for a few times, and it's taken me a while to really learn how to play the majors. I've been so excited to come to a major knowing that I'm playing well and wanting it so badly that I get in my own way.

Now I'm just trying to approach it like any other week where I've got to play, hit one shot at a time and let it happen. This week, especially, it's a true test of that because of the way that this course. So you cannot get ahead of yourself. You've got to play one shot at a time, and I do think it helps me that this golf course is set up this way.

Q. Have you had a conversation with Tiger about peaking at majors?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I haven't had that conversation. I talk to him quite a bit actually on the phone.

Q. It must be annoying to have Tiger calling you all the time.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, he's a good guy. I can't believe he's worked in women's golf but I'm thankful for that.

NEAL REID: Thank you for your time.

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