ARCH WIRELESS CHAMPIONSHIP

November 17, 2000

Annika Sorenstam

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I birdied the third hole. 7-iron to three feet. Birdied. No. 9. 7-iron to seven feet. Bogeyed No. 16. 6-iron, 3-putt. Birdied No. 17, 4-iron, 15 feet. And bogeyed No. 18, 7-iron, 3-putt. I missed my tee shot to the right and hit it out. I know I shouldn't be so down, down but I threw just two shots away like that, and I worked so hard for them all day, I don't think I made anything. And then I missed two short putts. I mean, it's tough to kind of enjoy it, even though I am in a decent position for the weekend.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I guess it just bothers me that I did that, and I'm trying to figure out differently for the next two days. I mean, I can't do it like these two -- the score, it just ruins my whole day.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I didn't really approach it any differently, but the wind was a big factor today. I mean there was some holes that played totally different; had a lot of different plugs into the greens. Today, you've got to play with the wind. Yesterday, perfect conditions for scoring. And today was a little more difficult, kind of died down and ended a little bit. But other than that, I'm still trying to play the course the same way. It's just different clubs into the greens.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think 6-under is obviously a great score. It's the lowest we've seen all week. But, you know, if you play like that, you aren't going to move up in the field, especially a day like today when the wind is a big factor. We'll see what's going to happen this weekend. Somebody talked about rain and some more wind, and that will make it exciting. If you can get a good round in, then you can definitely move up on the field. But if you're on top there, you've got to play steady. There's a lot of players, a shot here and a shot there; it's very, very close.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 30, maybe. 30 feet. Yeah.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's much better than the other one, the Championship course. I think this course has a lot of character to it. I think the trees make it more appealing when you stand on the tee shot. You can see the hole a little bit better. The greens are small, which I like. And it's playing longer. I don't know if it's the way it is set up or just a longer golf course. But I remember the other course, we were just hitting it as far as you could and you had wedges in. This course, I have a lot of middle irons.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. On the contrary. It is longer. It's longer and it is smaller greens. Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's quite wide open, but the scores are not that low. But, you know, when the greens are smaller and you're hitting a 5-iron in, it puts it a little more -- you've got to be accurate with your irons. Oh, definitely, yeah.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have this one and then I have two more. Well, I'd like to finish on a good note. I'm very pleased for the year it has been, but I'm not ready to, you know, to pack my bag and leave yet. I feel like I've got a lot of game in me still, and I'm not as tired as I normally am at this time of year. I really want to finish well. I think I've been hitting the ball really well and I've been putting it really well at home, and I'm so used to the Bermuda, playing on the West Coast the last few weeks, and it is a change. I mean, today I had to figure out where the grain was on every hole. It was so quick, downgrain, and so slow into the grain. Just tough to find the line. I'm going practice, I think. I've got to putt up the grain and putt down the grain and get the feel and just memorize how it feels. I mean, it's a huge difference. I think a lot of putts today I hit good, just I couldn't really get to the hole. It didn't matter how you hit it or how you read it. When you don't have the right speed, it is not going to go in very well. So something to work on, as always.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It really hasn't in a long time. Yeah, at the du Maurier and then -- but the last year, it has been great. I love to practice putting. I love to putt. Maybe because I've made a few this year. But, you know, when you think you've got it, it hits you. That's what makes it fun, also. It's a constant battle of trying to hit the perfect put. I mean, that's what I love about golf. It's always something.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes and no. But I like the challenge. I mean, let's say you went out there and made 18 birdies every day. I don't know if I'd enjoy it as much. I mean now -- (laughs). If you won every tournament, it would be great. I like, you know, to try and figure something out. I like puzzle, and golf to me is a puzzle sometimes.