WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 2, 2003

Annika Sorenstam

NEAL REID: Nice playing. You put yourself in good position heading into tomorrow. You're just two back right now.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I'm very, very pleased, very, very happy with the way I played today. One of those rounds where I just, really, wanted to keep on playing because things were really going on my way. I felt so comfortable with everything today, my stroke, I hit the ball better today than any other day. So very, very pleased.

Again, the conditions on the front nine especially was probably a really calm day for here, and then on the back nine it picked up a little bit, but I'm very pleased.

NEAL REID: What's your game plan going into tomorrow?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it seems what I've done is working pretty well. I'm not going to change too much. Maybe on the back nine, depending on where I stand, I might play more aggressive or more conservative, depending on what's happening out there.

I do think on a course like this, anything can happen. And you don't want to be too aggressive because it's easy to lose a shot here if the bunkers come into play. I hope I hit the ball the way I did today, and maybe make a few more putts, I'll be happy.

Q. Are you playing better despite feeling fatigued or are you beginning to feel revitalized out there?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I just feel a little tired, not extremely. I think when you play well, and it's a major championship, you get a little extra boost from somewhere. I mean, I'm not thinking about that. I've had a chance to work out three times this week. I'm starting to feel like I have much more energy and my brain is getting a little more into it. I know for a fact it will be tomorrow because tomorrow I'm right where I want to be, to have a chance to win the British Open, which is the reason I came here.

Q. Does it somehow feel right being in a position with a chance to win, does it feel like, "This is where I belong"?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you can never take anything for granted in this game, but I love to feel like I belong and I would love to win this championship. And to do that, you've got to be right up there. But I've got to hit one shot at a time, and if I start thinking too much ahead of myself, things might slip away.

So I'm just going to be very patient and stick to my strategy, and I'm not trying to think on the next hole. I'm just going to stay in the present and do what I've got to do.

Q. How important is it to complete the Career Grand Slam now that it's in sight for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: First of all, there are things I never really thought about when I came on Tour and I never really thought I could win a tournament, but here I am having a chance to do that. Of course, it means a lot to me. It's something that not a lot of players have done, and to be part of that elite group, it means a lot to me. But I try not to think about that. I don't need any more pressure. It's enough to just come here and play.

Q. If you had to pick one tournament that you haven't won and would like to, would this be it?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Right now, it is, yeah, that's for sure.

Q. How do you feel playing without a lead in the last round on Sunday?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I feel good about it, I really do. I remember a few years ago I didn't I didn't feel good about Sundays. My scoring average was way higher than other days, but this year I've felt more confident than ever.

I think the last three years, the times where I haven't won a tournament, I've had a nice lead and it slip away. This year I haven't really had that. I've either been tied for the lead or one or two behind, so I've always had to play really good on Sunday and I think I've done that.

Q. Is there more pressure coming from behind?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's a different type of pressure. You know, you just have to approach it a little differently. I think right now, I'm in a perfect spot, really. All of the eyes are on Se Ri and whoever is leading. I'll be right there but maybe not in the last group. I'll be playing the holes before they will, and I think that's a good thing.

Q. Does it have any effect, who you are playing with in your group when they're struggling like Michelle Redman was today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, some days I think it matters. I was just really focused and got off to a great start. I felt good out there that it didn't bother me today at all. Sometimes it can be tough to play with somebody that's not having a good day, but I know Michelle really well from playing in the U.S. You know, like I said, it was not affecting at all.

Q. When you were 8-under after 11, were you hoping you could keep going further under par?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, obviously I was hoping for it. But, you know, after 11, you start playing -- you come to the holes where it's more open, an open area and that's where the wind really picks up. I was helping to improve a little bit on 15, which has been a tough hole for me this week. I don't think I've hit the fairway yet, so, that's my goal tomorrow, hit the fairway on 15. That seems like a hole that a lot of players are birdieing, and maybe even play better on 16.

But other than that, I think that stretch, from 12 through 18, those are the toughest holes out here.

Q. Is there something about 15 that puts you off and is why you're having trouble there?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'd like to say it's just a coincidence. The driver can put me in the bunker on the left, and today I played a little bit more to the right, but my caddie said I got quite a big kick to the left and it rolled straight into the bunker. So if I hit 4-wood, I can't reach the green in two, anyway. So it's kind of a risk/reward type of thing on that hole. It's just the first day I hit 4-wood off the tee and I was in another bunker. So I haven't really figured out the approach yet, but I have a few more hours and hopefully I'll be ready when I get to that hole tomorrow.

Q. What do you need to do tomorrow?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: First of all, I think it's important to get off to a good start. The first few holes are important. I'd like to play the par 5s a little better. The par 3s this week, I think I've done really well on the par 3s, which I think are tough holes. It's just really tough, because, you know, when I came here, I thought I could birdie the par 5s and if I made par on 3s it was good; and now I'm sitting here it's the other way around. In golf, especially on a course like this, it's tough to single a few holes out. You've just got to play each hole the way it is that particular day.

Q. What holes will be key for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, 17, 18 are going to be key holes that's for sure. I think that will be for everybody.

Q. Why is that?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, 17 is a very difficult hole. Also, that's normally the hole where things happen in a major championship. I think they are both great holes. They are tough holes. You hit the ball really well and if you're under pressure, and you feel the nerves a little bit, anything can happen.

Q. Can you give us more detail about your approach to those last two holes?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it starts at the tee. 17, I find it's a long hole. It's over 400 yards, and you still can't hit driver. It's about putting the ball in the right position, and if you play too conservative, you're standing with another wood going into the green. Obviously it depends on the wind, but the way the wind has been the last three days, that's kind of a blind shot, as well. So that hole is really tricky.

18 is down on the tee and there's a lot of bunkers, and you don't want to be on those. And if you lay up short, then you have a massive shot in.

So, they are great golf holes. You just have to hit the ball exactly perfect to score on those two, I believe.

Q. The whole experience of Colonial, do you think that would be a contributing factor to your success if you were able to win the last two majors you hadn't before this season?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, yes and no. Obviously, if I won two majors, I would be very, very complete and happy with the season. The Colonial, on the other hand, was such a special week that whatever happens tomorrow, it's still going to be a great season and a great experience.

I believe that the experience I got at Colonial is going to help me long-term; and whether it's tomorrow or two weeks or five months from now, we'll find out. But I've learned a lot and I feel like I'm a better player today, thanks to Colonial.

Q. In what way?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: In many ways. Just because -- it's tough to single one particular thing out, but just to experience the challenge, the pressure, you name it. Just to experience that has taught me a lot about the game, a lot about me and what I love to do. The preparation for Colonial, just all of the things that I've experienced, I just think I've learned so much along the way. It's not that I hit the ball suddenly 20 yards further or so much straighter. It's just everything else that has to do with golf, the experience, the preparation, all of those things that matters to win golf tournaments.

Q. Did it make you realize you needed to work harder on your short game?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I already knew that, which has always been one of my weaknesses. But I must say that the last few months, I think I'm chipping and putting better than ever, and if that's a result from Colonial, I'm not sure, but I know it's a result from all of the practice I did to get to Colonial.

You know, I learned a lot by watching the guys. I played with Sergio and he gave me some pointers. But most of all, to see how the guys chip. Earlier in my career, I chipped with a lot with 7-irons, 9-irons. Depending on how much green I had to work with, I would change the club. Nowadays I just use my sand wedge and lob-wedge, and that's something that I saw that the guys do, and actually started with that after I practiced with Tiger in Orlando. Because I asked him, you know, "Don't you use any other clubs than your lob-wedge?" And he said no. He showed me how to hit it low, how to hit it high and I started doing this since April, and now I really feel like I'm getting some feel. I'm seeing it differently and I personally think I'm chipping better than ever.

Q. Do you ever feel like you let down women's golf when it was getting so much attention, added pressure, when it usually doesn't get a lot of attention?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, of course, I love to perform well every week. I am competitive person and I love to do that. I think everybody who plays golf understands what a difficult game this is and it's tough to be on top every week. You've got to realize that there's so many good players on this tour that if I don't play my best, I'm not going to be up there and I just think that's a credit more to women's golf. It's getting so good out here that you have to play your best to be up there.

Yeah, I would love to show every fan, every week, that I can shoot 59, but that's not really possible. I want to say there's at least 10 players every week that have a chance to win that are very, very good players, and you see them on the leaderboard this week.

Q. What do you think about the players atop the leaderboard?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I saw Se Ri Pak was up there and Patricia; those are both major winners. Se Ri, obviously she's Top 3 on the Money List and has been that for many years. She has won majors. She has won the British. Karrie is another player that's always on top of the Money List and has won majors.

I think when you look at the leaderboard, I think it shows what a great setup it is this week because it's players that are fairly long, but good ball strikers, but also good short game, and that I think is a true test of a championship. Wendy Ward, she's known as a good ball-striker and quite long.

I think it's one of the strongest leaderboards I've seen in a long time, and it's really exciting to watch.

I hit a 5-iron on 6 and chipped in from 20 feet.

Birdied 9. Pitching wedge to four feet.

11, 4-wood just left of the green two, putts. From 35 feet. 11, I hit driver and 6 I hit driver.

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