Q. Have you ever had a round where you have had three blocks of three birdies in a row? You birdied 9, 10 and 11, 2, 3 and 4 --
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I see that. No, I don't think so. Good observation.
Q. Is that unprecedented for you? Have you ever done that before?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't think I have done that before. At least I haven't noticed it. But I have noticed if I make one, it seems like I do make birdies in bunches, so that I have noticed.
Q. Was there one that really got you going here today?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Number 2. I hit a pitching wedge to 15 feet, maybe a little longer, and rolled that in. And then I had some short ones both on 3 and 4, so I think that started the whole thing.
Q. Did you think you got a break on 16, the par 5 that did go in the bunker? Was it headed to the bunker? Was it headed toward the bunker the whole way?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I hit it forward, and I knew with the lie ahead I was trying to fade the ball a little bit, and I aimed at the bunker hoping it would fade, and it just kept going straight, but I was happy it was in the bunker rather than in the rough.
Q. Annika, on 11, your eagle putt was 6, 8 feet?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, something like that.
Q. Was it just a miss for you or --
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A little bit of both.
Q. On 13 in the bunker, was it lodged in the bunker? Were you able to get that out pretty easily?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had a good lie in the bunker, I hit to about a foot, so the line was good, I hit a 5 -iron in the bunker.
Q. Annika, you are playing well, any part of you thinking, if I play really well tomorrow, I could put myself -- really make it hard for somebody to catch me?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, there is a little part of me that thinks so, but I think tomorrow is -- I got to go out there with a fresh mind and try and play the best I can. Hopefully, I can play the way I did today and make some putts, and try not to look back, just try and look forward, what I got to do, hit one shot at a time.
I am in the position I want to be, but now I got to be able to handle it and take care of business.
Q. Can you just talk about comparing how good you feel about your game right now, Colonial, to winning last week to this round, compared to how you felt last year when you won 13 events.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I think I am hitting the ball as good as I have all year the last three weeks. I believe that Colonial, being in the past now, that I am kind of relieved, in a way, and I am playing better golf, and I noticed that last week, and I feel the same this week. You know, last year I had some good moments, I played some good golf throughout the season, but I think right now I am striking the ball as good as I have.
Q. And tomorrow, going off early in threesomes, does that have any effect either way compared to a normal Saturday?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think that's what we normally do, threesomes. I don't know what the tee times are.
Q. They are moving up the tee times tomorrow because of rain in the afternoon.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's not going to affect me. I mean, normally in the morning the greens are smoother, so I think that's a positive.
Q. You talk about being mentally drained at the Colonial, yet you came back, won last week, playing well this week, do you think your physical workout routine helps you through draining times?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so. I mean, physically I feel fine, and I haven't noticed on the course that I have gotten tired or anything. I think I am just so geared up for this week. I mean, this is the week that I wanted to be here, and now it's here, so I got to make the most out of it. I think if I am tired, I can't feel it right now. I probably will Sunday, but right now I am living in the moment and I want to do the best I can.
Q. Do you want to win this tournament as much as you have ever wanted to win any tournament because you haven't won this major before?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It ranks up there. The majors have been my priority all year, actually, the last two years have been my priority, and I believe I can play this golf course, and I showed it last year on Sunday and I think today I showed it as well for myself, that, you know, I can play here.
So, yeah, this tournament means a lot, it's a major, it's one that I haven't won. I have been close, but the goal is to put in four good rounds. So far, so good.
MODERATOR: Okay. Any other questions?
Q. You seem to be much more animated out on the course. Actually, since Colonial. I am not saying this is a bad thing, it's a good thing. Is there any reason for that.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I love what I do, and especially when I play well, this week means so much, and no, I don't really know why, I am just being me.
Q. This challenge, did you read about it or hear about it on TV?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I actually heard it last night from Mark Steinberg, my agent, at IMG, and then this morning I saw it in the paper.
Q. Annika, until you got to Colonial, had you ever been afraid of giving autographs?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Being afraid?
Q. Being crushed by all the people.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I have never experienced it like that before. I mean, we would have crowds, but not everybody was wanting my autograph, but now it seems like a little more people.
Q. A little nervous out there with the crowds?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I think I got a good team of policemen here this week, so I think I will be fine.
Q. Obviously, I don't want to beat that challenge issue to death, but I don't remember hearing or seeing anything about that from you that day at Colonial in the media.
Did you say that in public forum or did you say --
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Say what?
Q. About the top 100.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was a statement -- I should say it's a question that I answered last week in Chicago, and it was, you know, just a personal speculation, well, from my side. I mean, I didn't mean to offend anybody, and I believe I said it -- you know, maybe I am just dreaming, so I didn't mean to offend any of the guys out there. I respect them all, and I said it before, that I have no intention of playing again, and it was just a thought of mine that I had personally, it doesn't mean it's right or anything, it was just what I thought, so --
Q. Did you say it in a public setting or did you say it among --
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was just like this.
Q. Oh, it was?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah.
MODERATOR: Thank you. Anything else? Thank you very much.
End of FastScripts....
