DU MAURIER CLASSIC

August 10, 2000

Annika Sorenstam

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Okay. Let's see, I birdied the first hole. I hit a sand wedge to 10 feet. Birdied No. 4, sand wedge to about 12 feet. Bogeyed No. 6, I hit a 7-iron left of the green, had a flop shot, missed it, but then chipped it to about 2 inches. Birdied No. 7, sand wedge to about 7 feet. Bogeyed No. 8, the par-3. Hit a 7-wood short of the green, chipped it up; 2-putt. Birdied No. 11, 7-iron to 20 feet. And then birdied No. 14, hit a 4-wood short of the green, chipped it up to about 9 feet.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You're right. There was a lot of changes out there. I mean when we came out the second time, the weather was perfect. There was no wind, the conditions were as good as they get. But when we teed off, the wind picked up a little bit, not as much as yesterday, but you still had to be kind of cautious with your shots. The greens are so small, you want to make sure you're not long, if the pin is in the back. If the pin is short, you want to make sure you don't go past it. I feel tired. I've been thinking a lot, planning about all the shots, depending on the weather, because it changed so much.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Nine.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I think I played well the last four months. I know I can play. I know I can make a lot of birdies. But yesterday I did make a lot, especially in that wind. I've been putting really well. Today I made 5, and I'm very pleased with that. So I'm grabbing opportunities when I get them, which is fun, which is what I need to do this week. You are going to make bogeys, because there are tricky holes out there. If I make the birdies, that's all I'm asking for. I don't have to worry if I miss the green, I'll make a birdie here and there, and that will save me.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was very close. I played very good in the last few holes. I started out with a birdie on the 14th, and I had chances. And like you said, it was really close. Maybe with the rain, the greens were slightly slower. And especially on 17 and 16, they just kind of died a little more than they had earlier in the day. But on 18, I rammed it too hard, but it was a good putt. It could have been a little more, but I'm very pleased. It's a great first round. It's the best first round in a major that I've had in a long time. And I'm going to take that and come out tomorrow and keep going.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, you're out there for a long time, and you're focusing a lot. But I think the key is to only focus when you need to focus, is when you hit the shot or when you have preparation time. But when you go in the clubhouse, it's important to just -- you can goof off, relax, don't think about what you've done out there or the shot you're going to hit when you come out. I cannot concentrate that long. So therefore, just focus when you need to.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, we were talking about stocks. We were just talking numbers. We were talking -- we were just talking, I guess, other things than golf. We did not talk about any shots or anything.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I didn't. But some of the other girls did, so I got my updates.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, it was a long time ago. I'm actually really -- in my tournament, I'm a slow starter. It seems like the times I've started out well, I've done well in the tournament, that I know. I'm going to have to look that up to let you know.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, normally I look at the leaderboard. But today, it's only Thursday, and I figured it doesn't really matter. I just want to get off to a good start and play my own game. I do look at the leaderboards later in the tournament, but today I didn't feel that there was any need. It's too soon.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it's -- it varies, depending on who you ask. I don't feel like if I'm leading after the first round, I feel any pressure. I just get more excited I'm playing well and I'm up on top. Once you come to Saturday, Sunday, yeah, maybe the pressure will build. It's Thursday, it's a major, it's so early. I'm excited about my round, but we have such a long ways to go, that I don't want to get too excited. And I don't think whoever is up at the top at the end of the day should do that, either.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I know. I don't know her very well, but I know who it is.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had emotions. I don't run around and scream, but I do a little fist pump here and there. Like any other tournament, I get excited once I start playing and once I'm within the ropes. Obviously, I care a lot. You talk about 11 and 14, yeah, I was pumped, because I made birdies. And it came to 17, I missed two chances. But I guess this thing I was doing or whatever, was just trying to keep me going. It's okay, I've got one more hole, keep it going. Again, this was Thursday. So it was more just kind of to get me going for the last hole. It was nothing negative, it was more something to keep holding on to what you're doing.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, what I told you yesterday is like in the past in the Majors I've kind of --.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, because it's hurt -- I've hurt myself with a high score in the beginning of the week. And now is the first time I haven't done that. And obviously, I'm excited, but I'm also -- I can't wait to go out tomorrow and continue, because I'm playing well. And so it was a little tough to start in a major. You feel a little nervous, and butterflies -- how am I going to do this week? And especially in the past, I haven't done so well. That was something that was in the back of my mind: Hey, let's get off to a good start. I hope I can go out tomorrow and play like it's Friday and just keep going.