KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 25, 2003

Annika Sorenstam

MODERATOR: If you win this week, you will be the first to win three majors in a row since Patty Berg.

If you just want to tell us how you feel coming into this week.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Sure. Obviously, I'm excited because this is our first major and one of our very prestigious events. I have a lot of good memories from the last two years.

So, happy to be back. This major has come up really soon, really, because my first event was last week. I've got to be playing on top so soon. I'm fine with that. I'm just excited to be here. It's always a great golf course, and see what happens this week.

Q. What is it about this golf course that suits you -- inaudible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think this is a golf course where you have to be precise off the tee. You have to have good control of your iron shots, which I believe is my strength. The last three years I've played really well here, especially my long game has been really good. I've been able to stay out of the rough, and obviously, that's a key here.

I think, also, it's a great golf course in many ways. The holes are -- they are good golf holes. You've got to drive it well. You've got to hit your irons well. The greens are maybe hidden behind some bunkers. It's just a true golf course, and I like that, as well.

Q. Do you still have your red shoes from last year on Sunday -- inaudible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: After throwing them in the lake they really didn't smell that nice. But I've still got them.

It's obviously a trophy for me but I don't really put it in my trophy case.

Q. You've mentioned before that you can't control what other players do, but if other players go really low, is that what happened last week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, definitely. Se Ri Pak played really well and also Grace Park. They each shot 8- or 7-under. I tried my best and actually I think I played really well. I didn't make too many birdies but I was pleased with the week. I finished 19-under for my first tournament out. I felt really good about my game. I controlled the things I could control and just didn't turn out the way I wanted. There are so many good players out here that to win tournaments nowadays, everything has just got to fall into place.

Q. Because this major jumped up so soon on the calendar, is there anything different that you had to do to prepare?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think obviously I would have liked to have played a few more tournaments. But the way the schedule is, I knew it in December. So I had played a lot of golf coming into Phoenix. I practiced a lot. It's just a matter of getting into the tournament mode, which I felt really good about last week. We'll see if it's enough. I'm hitting the ball where I want to hit it. I'm putting well. We'll just see if it's going to click this week or not.

Q. Winning three times in a row --

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Of course. I mean, I'm very familiar with the history of the LPGA and so forth. But, you know what, you stand on the first tee. I try not to think about those things. I just want to focus on my game, hit one shot at a time, and like I said, just turn to things I can control. Who knows how the other players are going to play.

I feel like I'm ready. I feel like I have an opportunity to do something that nobody has done, so, yeah, I think about it, but I'm not going to let it be in the way of my game or anything.

Q. The degree of distraction of your announcement about entering Colonial, can you share that with us, has there been much of a distraction? And if you had to do it over again, would you have waited longer to announce, like Tiger does sometimes, waiting until the event comes closer?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I wouldn't really change anything. I think it's turned out to be great for me. It been -- I wouldn't really say distracting. I've been busy. Luckily when I decided to play in the Colonial, I wasn't playing any tournaments, so I've been able to do a lot of things at home and from home. I want to say that committing early gives me motivation to get ready for the week.

It's been fun. I'm really looking forward to obviously playing Colonial, but also for the preparation.

Q. Is the preparation for Colonial different from an LPGA event?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, since this is going to be my first PGA event, I don't really know how to prepare. But I'm trying to do it the way I think I need to do, and that is playing a little longer courses. And for me, that means playing from the tips, trying to practice with some of the guys and just trying to get into the mode of how it will feel like.

But then again, here I am playing on our tour and I want to get ready for this week and last week and so forth, but I've got to focus on what I've got to do here.

In the back of my mind, I always think about it and hope that my game will be ready in May, but I've got to focus on our tour first. I do think about it.

Q. (Inaudible.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Bottom line, it's still golf. Instead of hitting an 8-iron, I'm now practicing maybe with a 6-iron, but I'm still getting ready for this tour. Like I said, it's still golf and I'm trying to become a better player, and that's why I'm playing in the Colonial, to get better. I'm practicing a few different shots, but then mentally just to get ready.

Q. What was your assessment of Colonial; you played it, and what it's going to be like for you, how it's going to play?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, first of all, I like the golf course a lot. It's a great, old, traditional golf course. When I played it two weeks ago, or maybe just a week ago, time flies, it wasn't really tournament-ready by any means because it had an overseed. It was brown. There was no leaves on the trees. They told me: "It doesn't look like this when you come here."

But I wasn't here to look around. It was more to get a feel for the course, the area and just feel comfortable when I go back next time.

Q. What's your idea now about how it fits the game and is this the right place?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, it confirmed it even more.

Q. We had Michelle Wie in here earlier and she said she's met you. Have you seen her play much and what's your -- are you impressed by what she's done and what she's trying to do?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I haven't seen her play -- well, over a year ago, that was the last time I saw her. So I'm sure she's gotten taller and stronger by now.

Of course, I'm very impressed what she has achieved. She's very young. She seems very talented. She's got some goals that are set very, very high. It's exciting to see. I wished her good luck.

Q. She talked about wanting to play in the Masters, U.S. Public Links of whatever. When you hear something like that, do you hear that that's a 13-year-old talking or does that seem realistic to you, given where women's golf is?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, she's the only 13-year-old I've heard say that, so I can't say that 13-year-olds talk like that. She's obviously very motivated. She has some really high goals. She seems very driven at such an early age.

She is very, very good. I mean, she is, I don't know, 6 feet already. Who knows what she will be when she's 20. Maybe she will be ready for the PGA TOUR; what do I know.

But it's nice to see that you have a young woman that doesn't limit herself and just wants to be better and better, and I like that attitude.

Q. Inaudible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, right now I just want to focus on this week and do well here. This tournament means a lot to me, and I'm going to try and stay patient and stay in the present and not think too much about December and the Colonial. This is the week that matters the most right now, and I'm just trying to get ready for this week. So, it's a major and I know that and I'm going to look forward to it.

Q. You do a lot of physical training; what's a typical regimen for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, actually it varies quite a bit, but I do enjoy the workout. In the off-season I worked out a lot, probably five times a week. Now I only do three teams a week.

You know, I lift some weights and try and get stronger. I work a lot on the medicine ball, work on stabilization, core training. It's tough to be more precise in just a few minutes, but I do work out a lot and it is part of my daily practice.

Q. How many LPGA events do you intend to participate in over the season?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A little more than 20 is my plan.

Q. How many do you intend to win?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've always said I always come to tournaments if I feel like I can win, so that's my plan. So, we'll go from there.

End of FastScripts....