TYCO/ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 2001

Annika Sorenstam

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do. I'm walking on clouds. I pretty much knew what I had to shoot today. Knowing, you know, the conditions and the course, I mean, I knew it would be a tough thing to do. But I wasn't going to let go if I had a chance. I'm so, so happy that I was able to finish the way I did. To play the Back 9 5-under, pretty much a miracle.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was thinking if I shoot 65, I mean, I actually thought I would win the tournament. But then during the round, let's see, the 13th hole, I saw she was 9-under, she was obviously playing very well herself. I knew she would be tough to catch. But you have some tough holes coming in, 16, 17, 18. I mean, I know what I did yesterday on 18. I mean, I wasn't going to give up until the end. Anything could happen, even though she was playing really solid. But I told my caddie, "She's 9-under." He said, "I don't care what she is. You have to play the last few holes." That's what I did.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: For the number, yeah, definitely.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, for the scoring average.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: When I was done (laughter). I mean, "I worked this hard and you tell me now (laughter)?"

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I mean, I wanted to be Player of the Year. I wanted to win the (inaudible) and the Money List. I achieved that. Actually, I had set up ten victories this year, and I didn't win ten. But I'm very, very close. Especially with one tournament in Korea being canceled, I could have done nine. I was very close this week. But, I mean, those were my goals. I set them early this year, pretty much already in January. I knew what I wanted to do.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm going to go home and just let this sink in. But I can tell you that I had a fun year in many ways. If this is what it takes to have fun, I'm going to continue.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: For the scoring average.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not really. I mean, I was so far behind. I figured if I shoot 65, that's all I can ask for. I mean, I thought that was digging pretty deep itself. But if I could do that, I mean, and if Karrie wins, she deserves it in many, many ways.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A combination of both. I mean, I knew a 2-putt would break the record. It was also a slick putt left to right. If I just got it rolling in the right line, it would go in. But I was going to give it a good run.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I felt like I was playing good. I was feeling so comfortable out there. I felt the wind, it was strong like the previous days, but for some reason I like this wind better. The holes were playing more to my favor than it has been the last few days. I felt good about that. I knew what kind of holes in front of me with the wind. I knew I could reach 15. I played a little more aggressive on 16 just to make sure I had a short club in. I think that's just what I learned from playing here for several days, figure out where to play it, where is the best place in these kind of conditions.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was. I wasn't afraid. I mean, I had nothing to lose. I knew I had a chance. Like you said, I didn't swing any more aggressive, but I was swinging very determined. I wasn't hesitating out there. I picked a target, chose the club, I hit it. It might sound easier than it really is, but I really did that today because I know I had to do it during these conditions. It was my only chance to shoot low today, was just to trust this. When you birdie one hole, then you get confident, go to the next, just keep going. I wasn't afraid for anything. I looked at the pin, just fired at it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Like you said, it's so far ahead. I'm pretty happy I finished second. I played so good this week. But it does help to know a golf course. Like I said, today I think I played with the knowledge of how to play this course. I'm not going to expect to do much better next year. If I improve by one position, I think that would be pretty good.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You tell me (laughter). It's a difficult golf course. I mean, I'm very happy the way I played this week. I made two mistakes. I really don't think that they were that bad, but they cost me a lot of shots. But I really hit the ball well, I putted really well, I played smart golf. When I played with Karrie, she did the same thing. I don't know how the other players have played, but it's a tough golf course. You don't get away with bad shots here.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I feel great. A little disappointed I didn't win, but I gave it a good run. It's like when I played Karrie (inaudible), she shoots 64, I shoot 65, you cannot be unhappy. That's how I feel today.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think you just answered me for next year. I think she's going to play well next year. That's her answer to my season. I think it means that I've got to be ready next year.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: All of them?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, thanks. Didn't I answer that question first? I might repeat myself. Well, I wanted to win Player of the Year, Scoring Average, and Money List. This is No. 1 on my priority. I had a goal of winning ten tournaments. I won eight. But Korea got canceled, which I intended to play. So who knows? But those were my main goals this year. 59 was not really a goal of mine, but I've always talked about shooting 54. That was really close to it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I can lift the bar. That's about it (laughter). I don't bench press. I do it with dumbbells.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 25 in each. Don't even print that. That's not very good (laughter).

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think people think so, definitely. I mean, the course has a lot to do with it. But, I mean, I must say that the conditions this week was as tough as I've seen it in a long time. First of all, it's obviously windy. But I thought the course was tough without wind. I don't know, I hope they don't look at it that way. The way Karrie and I played this week, it's like 20-under on any other golf course.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think they're very similar. I mean, I did hit the ball much better this week. You know, when you hit the ball that good, then you don't really see the trouble. At Pine Needles, I saw a lot of hazards and stuff. But, I mean, in this case, there's a lot of water here. There's a lot more punishment, I think. You get penalty shots. Pine Needles, I think it was more if you missed it in the rough, you could always chip out, lost half a shot. Here it felt many times you lost a total shot if you hit a bad shot, if you know what I mean.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't have anything on top of my head right now.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: They should let the mowers -- leave them alone for a while (laughter).

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it was very tough. Somebody asked me yesterday if I thought it was unfair or challenging. I said it was very challenging. I still think it's very challenging. The only problem sometimes is when you see the women with high scores, what people write, what they think is we can't play. That's sad, because we can play. It's just it was very difficult out here. But I also think when Karrie is shooting 9-under, myself 7-under, shooting 65, I think -- I hope people see that's a good score under difficult conditions when everybody else is high.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I like to see them this difficult. I just don't like when people criticize the way the women play instead of looking at the course and saying we're hitting 5-iron with really tough wind into small greens, really undulated greens, or par 3s where you hit woods in. I mean, that's very difficult, where you don't have a lot of room for error. I think that's the hardest part. Sometimes I feel like we have to (complain about?) the courses for people to think we play good. I mean, everybody can play out here.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm done right now. I'm going to ride home to Orlando. I'm going to do nothing. I just want to let this year sink in. Hopefully, I can look at some videos from the 59. I haven't even had a chance to do that. I just want to let this year sink in.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I haven't. I want to do that. I'm not going to touch a club probably -- well, maybe touch it the start of next year. It's a big break for me. That's right, I have the clinic.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm going to Australia in February. I'm actually playing an exhibition match in Mexico City the beginning of February. That will be my first real competition.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Australia, Hawaii, then I have to defend Tucson, Phoenix, Nabisco, LA. That i know I'm doing. Then we'll see.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I don't think I have much choice. I like to defend the tournaments that I won. I know eight for sure, then add the majors. Now we're up to 11. I really don't play -- I don't think I play more than 20 next year. I'm going to add another ten on top of that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Hopefully I learned a lesson. When I was No. 1, I got really burned out, I learned what's important and what's not. Now I'm going to have a long break. I'm just going to be home, spend time with my husband, relax, have fun. I don't want to think too much ahead. Next year will be a new year when it starts. Hopefully that will help. I mean, I'm not setting any goals right now. I just want to let my mind be free, enjoy what happened this year.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I mean, if you think about the weather, no, I don't miss Sweden. I mean, I like it over here. You know, I go to Lake Tahoe and ski if I want to be where the snow is. My parents nowadays come over to the US, so I get to see them. My sister, she lives here, so I see her also. It's not too many things I miss about Sweden. Nowadays, you can buy Swedish food on the Internet. That's all I need (laughter).

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Bogeyed No. 1. Hit a driver in the left bunker, hit it up, hit a sand wedge to the green, 2-putt.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Par putt was five feet. Birdied No. 2, chipping wedge to eight feet. Birdied No. 6, sand wedge to five feet. No. 9, birdie also, 7-wood short of the green, chipped to about eight feet. Birdied 11. 8-iron to five feet. 12, sand wedge to two feet. Eagle 15. 7-wood on the green. Made a 12-footer. 17, 8-iron to four feet.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you.