ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 24, 2002

Annika Sorenstam

DANA VON LOUDA: Well, congratulations. Tying Mickey Wright's record of 11 wins. 42 wins in the past several years. Your new scoring average, your new record for 2002. And you have set or tied 20 records.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you very much. I can't say that I'm -- I don't know how I feel. I feel like I'm walking on clouds. Here I am sitting again, winning again. Life is nice. It's going my way, obviously. I set some high goals and here I am again and you said I broke 20 records that's unbelievable. I'm just very thankful, obviously, that it's all happening to me. And I've always said I loved what I do, but right now I really love what I do.

Q. Are you fried right now, or do you wish you could keep going?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I am totally fried. I was fried after 15 holes today. And I kept telling my caddy, just give me energy, give me energy. We got to do it. Three more holes. Give it all. And there will be no more holes to play all year. So that was kind of my mindset the last few holes. I gave it all I had. I grinded so hard on every shot today. Actually, all week. I felt like I had to work so hard. Especially on the greens. I had a chance today to do something incredible and I didn't want to let that go. So I just gave it all I had every little energy that I had in my body. And I know I got plenty of time to get it back. But I didn't want to let this go, for sure.

Q. So, you were fried before that big shot on 16 under the tree?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I think that you could tell that I was getting tired because I was starting to spray mighty shots a little bit. Especially on 15 and then 16. So I was scrambling in the end, really, just to be able to make par. And it was a difficult shot on 16. I heard from different people what Rachel was doing, so I knew I kind of had to play aggressive, but not too aggressive. But on 16 I didn't have a choice. I had to go and try and get in the green side bunker on other side and hopefully get up-and-down from there. That was my approach.

Q. What was your yardage on that shot on 16?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I hit 7-iron, I know that. I was just, I figured it's better just to hit it way hard to make sure I carried the water. And the lie was not the best. It was sitting down in the rough with a big little grass turf behind it. So I just took a lot of club extra and just to make sure I get it over. And came down, came out really low, but it landed on the green and just rolled to the back.

Q. Your caddie said 119 yards?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think that was to carry the water, right? 119. Yeah, because the pin was way in the back another 30 or so.

Q. Was there one particular mantra that you kept thinking to yourself when you were feeling tired?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, 13. 13. I got to get my 13 wins. I wasn't going to let it go. That was in my mind. I was tried for the lead or I was one behind or I was one up. I mean I was right there. I could almost touch the trophy. But that's what kept me going.

Q. In your mind you say 13, we've been saying 11, you kept saying 13?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I was always said I'm an international member of the LPGA and I'm an international player. And the tournaments that I did win overseas, I beat Karrie in a playoff. I mean she plays over here. So that's a big tournament as well. So therefore I say it's 13.

Q. Do you feel you have tied Mickey Wright's 13 win record?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well in my mind I won 13 times. It won't say in the LPGA history books that I won 13, it will say 11. But I don't know if they had an international tour when Mickey played. I believe they didn't. So there's some things I don't think you can compare.

Q. What are you going to do in off months ahead?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well tomorrow I have a sponsor day and then I have photo shoot on Tuesday with Golf Magazine. So I got to get energy for that. But after that I'm not going to do much. I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving. I'm not going to touch a club for awhile. But then actually I'm heading to Mexico in two weeks to play an exhibition match. It's going to be me and Jack Nicklaus against Lorena Ochoa and David Duval. So I have to kind of get geared up for that. But I don't think that will be any problem. But other than that I'm not going to do too much. I'm going to let this sink it. I want to be able to enjoy this year and not think too much about new goals or next year or anything that has to do with golf.

Q. Are you going to cook Thanksgiving dinner?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't know how to cook thanksgiving turkey. That's an American thing. We didn't have any Pilgrims in Sweden. So if Dave wants turkey, he has to make turkey.

Q. When will you make your goals for 2003?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well I hope that they will start to come out naturally. But by the beginning of next year, when I had some time, like I said, when this sinks in and my hands start to itch to start hitting some golf shots then. I hope the goals will come to me then. Until then I'm just not going to think about anything.

Q. When you're done with your exhibition match in Mexico, when do you think you will pick up your clubs again?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: End of January, maybe beginning of February. We're going skiing for at least three weeks. So I'm going to have my feet in the snow and I won't touch another one until February, probably.

Q. Are you playing the Skins Game?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I'm not playing in the Skins Game, no.

Q. Where is your sponsor day tomorrow?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: In Orlando. Yeah.

Q. Does winning get old?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, it's far from getting old. It's almost an addicting feeling. Because there's nothing better to be in contention on Sunday to go out and feel like you're playing well and you have a chance to beat the best players in the world. Today I was nervous all day, but I didn't want to be anywhere else than on the golf course. I didn't want to be, I didn't want it to be finished, I wanted to have a chance to win it. I wanted to earn it from start to finish.

Q. How aware of the leader board were you when Rachel made eagle on 10?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, when I stood on the 10th tee I saw that I was, I knew I was 11 under and Rachel was 8. And then when we were on the 11th I heard the big roar and I figured that was either Karrie or Rachel and then I walk to the 12th tee and I heard people talking about how she holed a 9-iron, Rachel. So then I knew that she was back to 11.

Q. You knew where she was on the leaderboard?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: But I have always looked at leader boards. So I was kind of keeping track on her. But it was changing too much too. Sometimes I was up and then she was up. And I was just thinking I got to birdie the holes I know I can birdie and then we'll see what happens in the end.

Q. Serena Williams has been the top player in tennis, how can you compare your success to hers this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I guess we have to play for it, I guess. She won three grand slams, right? I only won one. And a lot of times the Majors mean a lot. But I won more tournaments.

Q. Would you say its better?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's tough to say. I do admire her game, really.

Q. Can you put your game in perspective?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm so overwhelmed really, it's happened so much every week. I keep asking myself, why is this happening to me? Every week I'm in contention, but that doesn't mean you're going to win. There's so many good players here. But I'm just trying to be patient and I worked very hard. When I come to the course I feel prepared. So I guess that's what's in my bag. That I'm ready to go every week.

Q. Its no secret really, aren't you working harder than everyone else out here?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I work pretty hard. I don't know how the other players work. I don't know their work ethic. But I do know that I spend most of the daylight either on the range or in the gym. So, I know I give it all. I know that. And maybe there's a time when you just don't ask why. Maybe you just enjoy it and go for it.

Q. Have you felt any skepticism by us, by the public, or by others that we thought it was impossible to top last year's performance?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I have. But on the other hand, I play golf because I love to play. I set up goals for myself, not for anybody else. So people can have their opinions and their thoughts, but I know inside what I'm capable of. And last year was a wonderful year and I was determined to prove that I could do it again or even better. Just because I felt that my work ethic was coming all together in the sense that my workout was starting to pay off. I knew, I know I'm not there yet, and I figured if I work out harder and longer, I will see some better results. And that's what happened this year.

Q. What are you most proud of this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: My consistency. I've been in contention so many times. I know for a fact that at the British Open I wasn't in contention and in Atlanta I was not in contention, but other than that I've been in contention every week. And it seems like I've been playing in the last group or second to last every week, somehow. So I'm very proud of that. Especially with the consistency. That shows I'm shooting low numbers every week.

Q. What about shaving 7/10 off your scoring average from last year. Did you think you would have done that this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I wouldn't have bet money on that. When I look at my game I know where my weaknesses are. And I got a wonderful coach that listens to me, but he also has a lot of knowledge. And I tell him what I want and he is patient with me and we take it one step each time to get better. And I think that's the key is I can still play while I'm changing my game. Not a lot of my swing, but my short game we have changed a lot. And I think that's my strength. I know what my weaknesses are and that's what I work on. I work on chipping, I work on bunker shots. I work on trying to get some imagination. And he's there for me. He always has. And even now when I'm playing so well, I shoot 68, I might not be happy and he's there for me. He tells me, hey, let's work on my chipping. He even told me that when I got off the green, let's work on your chipping. I said I got an award ceremony first.

(Laughter.)

Q. You mentioned working on your chipping, but isn't putting the most important?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I think putting is, they say drive for show, putt for dough, and that is so true. And if I would have putted, I wouldn't say better, I think I putted good this week, I just didn't make anything. And I have gone from 100 to 38. I would like to be number one in putting ranking. However, it's a little tough with the stats that we have because we don't have putts for green hit. If we had that, which is the way I look at it, and I'm number one there, then I'm happy.

Q. When were you most tired on the course?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: On the 15th hole I was very tired. I felt that on the tee because I grinded so much for the 14 previous holes and I just felt like it was coming to the end, but it wasn't over yet. And I had to give more. And I felt like, hey, it's a long par-5, I got to try and reach it in two. And I missed my tee shot and I just felt like it was just a lot of effort at that time.

Q. What were you other options for the chip shot on 16?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 16? I didn't see a lot of options. I told my caddie I think this was 7-wood right away. Or maybe putt. But I was too far away from the green. And it was on uneven grass there in the rough, so I figured that that would be the right club.

Q. Did you have Patricia mark her ball on four?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, she was right in my landing area.

Q. Have you had players mark their ball from that far away before?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah.

Q. How far away were you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was 117.

Q. What do you think about Karrie and her game this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I don't really know. I haven't played with Karrie but once, I think this year. And she was so dominant in '99, 2000, and now she hasn't been up there the last few years. I really don't know. I've seen some of her comments in the newspapers and so forth. But I don't really look back any more. I just look forward. This is what I need to do now. Because I have the motivation, I have the work ethic right now and I don't try to worry too much about them, because I think that it's tougher to stay on top than trying to chase somebody. So I am just more worried about my own game than anything.

Q. You don't seem to know Karrie that well.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's true. I don't know Karrie very well. Like I said, I only played with her once this year. And I always say hello or see you tomorrow or that's about it.

Q. You say you play golf and work out all day, but some may say that that is no life. What do you say?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I love what I do. Especially I have a husband that's very supportive. And I have a life. But this is what I enjoy. For me to win tournaments, for me to reach my goals, that is my life. One day I won't be playing golf and then I will have time for everything else that I miss out on now. So I've always said that when I'm 50 years old I want to look back at my career and say I gave it all. And I'm very proud of that. And if I didn't do the things I thought was right for my golf, I probably would feel a little guilty.

Q. You said the other day that 50 career wins seems like a goal, and you wont continue to play. How soon will that come?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Like I said, if I enjoy it and feel competitive, I'll play. But I think it will come to a point where my body and my mind breaks down. Who knows when that will happen. I know that I'm going to go full force next year and then I'll be in the Hall of Fame and then we'll see what, if the goals come naturally, if I feel like I come to the course and I have to force myself, then it won't be the same thing.

Q. Do you feel you need to pace yourself more?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's one of my weaknesses. I am not very good at pacing myself. I think I have so much energy all the time that I just go and go until I break down. So I think that's just something that I learn and it's good that I'm starting out in March next year because then at least I'm kind of forced to take two or three months off.

Q. When you talk about family, have you ever talked to Juli about it?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I haven't. But I admire Juli for this and what she has done. I heard people tell me that when she had children she stayed away from the Tour for several years and then she came back and now she's playing great again. So the way she's done it I think has been fantastic. I just don't know how they can do it. When I'm on the range or if I'm in the gym it's just me and I got to do this, I got to do that. I don't know if I could have a family and do all the things I do today.

Q. Because Juli is a better golfer?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Because I'm just so focused on what I do. The kid might be screaming in the background and I wouldn't even hear it. I would be totally into my thing and maybe I wouldn't be there. So I'm just so into what I do that I think if we have children I want to be there for them and I don't want Dave to have to travel and being the Tour mom. It's enough for him to be with me and so supportive that, I mean, I told him one day, you know, if you support me now, I'll support you in a few years. And I think that time is going to come eventually.

Q. Have you studied Mickey Wright's game? In books? Videos?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I haven't, I haven't read a book or video, but I've seen her on her swing on TV. Several times. And it's just a beautiful move that she makes. I read her name in history books, but that's about it.

Q. Can you compare golf today to it in the 1960s?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know, it's so different, golf today than it was then. Equipment, I would say, comes to mind first. The competition now days is tougher, the courses are different. Mickey Wright played in skirts or a dress, I mean that's just so different. But then you wonder how could they play with the balls and the clubs that they had. I mean now days the clubs that I have has been researched and it's been years behind it. So I find it tough to compare it. The golf is obviously getting better. Now I broke the scoring average to 68.7. So the golf is better, but during those times, I mean I would love to take back 20, 30 years and take my Big Berthas and go play against her and see what happens.

Q. Have you ever played in a skirt?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I played in a short skirt, but not in a long dress the way they do. I think I would be stuck in my follow through.

Q. Are most of your goals just about bettering yourself?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I think so. Like I said before, I read the history books, I know what's out there. But I think short-term goals I just got to look at myself and my game. What can I improve. What has not been the best this year and just work on that. I definitely have time to work on that. So I have a little clue on my game what I got to work on already.

Q. Other than Wright, are there any other players that you can compare yourself to now?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: One player that has, that played in my era is Nancy Lopez. And she has 48 wins. I think I can compare with her more than anybody. Because she's still playing. Or this was her last year. But I played with her the last nine years. So that's somebody I would like to compare with when it comes to amount of victories.

Q. (Inaudible.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Okay. Bogeyed number one. Tee shot way right. 9-iron. Chipped two putt.

Birdie number 3. 4-wood. Chipped to about four feet.

Birdied number 4. Pitching wedge to 8 feet.

Birdie number 9, 7-wood on the green, two putts.

Bogeyed 12. Went for the green, had a chip and another chip, two putts.

Birdied 13. 6-iron to three feet.

Birdied 15. Sand wedge to four feet.

17, 7-iron to five feet.

DANA VON LOUDA: Thank you.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you.

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