MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY AIG

June 7, 2003

Annika Sorenstam

MODERATOR: If you want to talk about the morning a little bit, I believe you were in the fourth fairway when they called it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was a very wet day, but, no, I think it was the right thing to do, to cancel play today. I mean, the course is getting really wet, and I noticed it on the second green and the third green was starting to get unplayable, so, you know, the course can just not handle any more.

So it was the right thing to do, and hopefully tomorrow we get some sunshine and we can finish the third and the fourth round.

MODERATOR: Okay. Questions?

Q. Annika, in the difficult weather, does that make it any easier for you to hold a lead or any more difficult for you to hold a lead when the conditions are like this.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's tough to say. I mean, the course, obviously, is playing much longer, and I thought it was much tougher today. I mean, with the water, the heavy air, I mean, the ball was not flying as far so the course is so much longer, so it's going to be tougher to shoot a lower score, but then again, you know, if you just plug along and shoot level par, I think that would be a good score under these conditions.

I mean, my concern was trying to hit the fairway and the green, I wasn't really thinking about a score, trying to think if I was leading or not, it was just a matter of hitting some good shots under the circumstances.

Q. Annika, can you talk about your first putt on 2 and how the water on the green may have affected that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I think number 2 was just a tee shot that put me in the rough and, you know, the water is making the rough so thick and heavy that I could just hit it out about 110 yards, and I hit a little sand wedge to maybe 12 feet and had a left-to-right putt, and it was a good putt, it just didn't go in. At the time there was not that much water, but I noticed past the hole there was kind of -- some water was gathering on the green, so, you know, it's tough to read the putts, in general, here, and then when you get water to think about, it slows the greens down, which means the putt won't break as much, but I only putted three holes, so it's tough to say if it will affect the greens.

Q. Annika, how much will physical endurance come into play tomorrow if you are trying to play 30-plus holes?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it's going to play a big role, especially if it's -- you know, if it doesn't dry out by tomorrow morning, it's going to be tough. I mean, the course will be playing so much longer, and playing a championship 18 holes, you think and focus so much on every single hole, especially on a tough golf course like this, so it's going to play a big role tomorrow, definitely, and you have to try and conserve energy and stay mentally tough throughout the day.

Q. Annika, when you are out on the course and you see the rain coming down and you see the water everywhere, do you start like thinking to yourself, you know, why don't they just cancel now, why don't they just suspend play now?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think we all wanted to play because, you know, it's only Saturday, and knowing what the forecast was going to be, you know, I thought it was a great idea to tee off early in the morning to hopefully get in a few holes, which we did, but I don't think we got as many holes in as we thought.

So -- you know, but when it started really coming down on the fourth hole, I saw the group ahead of us, they had casual water on the greens and they were trying to figure out where to putt, and then I saw the water coming down, and I figured, this is it. And the later we play in the day, the more water, so it was just -- it was the right thing to do at the right time.

Q. Annika, how important is it, given that this is a major, to complete 72 holes?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it's very important. I mean, I have always been a favorite of four rounds, and, I mean, especially in a major, I think it's a must to have four rounds.

Q. If, for whatever reason, they only play 54 holes, will that take something away from this being a major?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, it won't, but I hope they try everything they can to make it a 72-hole event. The majors are -- you know, those are the biggest tournaments we have all year, and, you know, I would like to see them do whatever they can to make it 72 holes. I mean, if it takes -- if we have to play Monday, obviously, I am all for that. A major needs to be 72 holes. That's just -- if it were Tuesday, I am all for that.

Q. Annika, is it difficult to leave the course knowing that you only got three holes in and you went from two shots up to a tie for the lead?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, maybe it was good that they blew the horn. I mean, I made one mistake and I made a bogey on that, but this is so early in the round that I don't really look at those things, anything can happen, and normally it's -- once I get going, I start to play better, and so, I mean, it doesn't affect me at all, it's a long ways left and anything can happen, especially under these conditions.

Q. Annika, just generally, how much do you know about Hee-Won Han as a player and have you played with her very much in the past?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I played with her a few times. I don't know her very well other than that she is from Korea and she is a very good player, upcoming player, and she is very solid. You know, she has had some good finishes, but that's about all I know.

MODERATOR: Okay. Anything else? Any other questions? One more up here.

Q. What are you going to do the rest of the day? And we are going bowling if you want to join us.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, thank you for the invite. Bowling is not my strong suit, but I am watching just a movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it's a really funny movie, just trying to keep my spirit up, and just take it easy, it's been a long last three weeks for sure, but I am fine with a little break, you know, drink some tea and stay warm.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Annika.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thanks, everyone.

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