U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 2, 1996

Annika Sorenstam

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I can finally breathe. It's a wonderful feeling to win this championship. Once was wonderful. To win it twice is more than wonderful. It's -- I'm so glad to be in, it's been four tough days, but I have enjoyed every minute of it, and I will never forget this place.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: When I came in this morning I had a little stomachache, butterflies all over. I wanted to do it so badly. And I knew I was playing well, and I knew this golf course. The question was can I play good today when I need to? But fortunately I just -- I was in the zone today, I had nothing to lose. I hit a lot of good shots out there and made some good birdies, made a few bogeys. And I got a little upset with myself, I felt like a wasted two shots. And then got back and made two more birdies, and then I was going again.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I never knew until the putt was in -- I was real nervous on 18th tee. I knew I had a five or six-shot lead. But it's never over until it's over. 18 is a tricky hole. But once I hit the green on my third shot, I knew I could two-putt or 3-putt from there.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was so relieved. I just can't believe it. Most of all, I'm just so happy I played well last year. I came from behind, and I think I won because Meg Mallon made mistakes. This year I think I won because I played well.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes. I hit a 9-iron to about 6 feet -- no, sorry, about 12 feet. And then, let's see, I birdied No. 8. Hit a 9-iron there, also.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 15 feet. And then No. 10 I birdied -- I eagled No. 10. I hit the green with a 3-wood, and the putt to the hole was probably 20 feet there.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I can't believe it, whatever I did -- my shots went straight, my putts went in. There was nothing in the way. It was just my day. I enjoyed it a little more there when I made the eagle. It felt like I could close my eyes and hit, it didn't matter. And I guess I closed my eyes on 13 because I did bogey that one. (Laughter.) I was in the bunker and hit a bad bunker shot and two-putted from probably 30 feet. Also, I made a bogey on 15.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, sorry, you're right. I was in the bunker there to the right and hit it up and two-putted. Then I birdied 15. I hit a 7-iron to about four feet. No. 16, the par 3, I hit a 6-iron, and somebody told me I hit the pin too, so it landed pretty close; about nine feet. And then I parred the rest.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I didn't see it. I didn't wear my contacts today, so I couldn't see it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Sometimes I wear them and sometimes I don't. Today was one of those days I didn't wear them.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, not this week. When it's a little windy, I'm scared to use them.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had 197 to the pin and -- it was 25 on, so 222.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, as I said earlier, this year I felt like I really played well, and I was in a totally different situation. Being the Defending Champion, I guess, means you get a lot of pressure. And I felt like I wanted to perform well again this year, and I'm just so glad that I was able to do that. It's not easy to play when everybody is chasing you. And again, I'm so glad I played well. It means a lot to me to play. That's all that counts. If I play well, I'm really happy. And to win when you play well, that makes you feel even better.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm still a little nervous. It's a different type of nervousness. When I go out there, I know I can play, but I think you need to be a little bit nervous, and I think it helped me throughout the 18 holes today.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I didn't change anything. I think both my swings on 13 and 14 were just lazy swings. I don't swing through the ball. And when I get a little mad at myself, I'm better at swinging through.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it helped. It was a little bit of a wake-up call. I knew I couldn't go out there just playing along, I need to focus on every shot. When -- when Brandie and I were even, I realized every shot means you can't waste them, and you can't do that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I got a little more conservative. I was aiming a little more for the middle of the green. And especially if the pin is in the back, I made sure I was in the middle of the green. Just trying not to be so aggressive. I figured I'm not the one that needs to make birdies out here, I went for safety pars.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I always look at the leader boards. And today I think I looked at all of them.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think when I made a birdie on the third hole. I'm so glad I got a good start, because if I've got a good start, I can keep going. The worst thing you can do is get a bad start.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Very seldom. My fiance, he comes out a lot, though, but not my parents, or definitely not my aunt. So it's a special moment that they're here. And if we're lucky, I see them once a year.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was in trouble on No. 12 -- or No. 11, actually. I didn't miss it by a lot, but I ended up in real deep, deep rough. You need a lot of respect for these roughs. They're really deep. I made a bad shot out of there, but it wasn't easy to start with.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: To the right.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I've got a lot of help since I was a junior, but they helped me to think my way and the things that I believe in. They've been supportive. They've not told me what to think about or react. It's more just common sense, and do what you believe in and how you feel.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Did you say No. 6?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't think so, no.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I felt a little refreshed. Mentally, I was still a little tired, but tired in a positive way. I enjoyed being in the last group on Sunday, and to be able to have a chance to win. So I don't mind being tired on Sunday mornings.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so, yeah. I feel fine right now. No, I mean, I wasn't prepared last year. I think I'm more prepared this year. And I'm actually going to play next week, so that's an improvement.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, as I said I'm more prepared. I know what to expect. I know what I need. I know what my priorities are, and I think I can handle things better. I have a lot of people that are very supportive and that help me along the way, give good advice. I learned a lot from last year, and hopefully there's not as much to learn.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Three in a row. Let's take one thing at a time. I'm just going to enjoy these two for now.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm not going to change my goals at all. All year I decided I'm not going to think about finance and awards or anything like that, I'm just going to keep working on my golf game and trying to improve, try and lower my scoring average and hit more fairways and more greens. It seems like it's working. I'm just going to become a better player, and that's my goal.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, first of all he knows the golf course that I come to, he knows them very well. And he just tries to explain to me, this is a good place to hit it. On this green it slopes left to right. He also is very supportive. He always says calm down or it's okay or don't get upset. So mentally he gives me a lot of feedback that way. And when we practice he knows my swing outside, in, so he can always help me if I'm pushing it. And he's helped me a lot with my short came game. He's knowledgeable about golf and I think that's very important.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: His name is Colin Cann, C-a-n-n.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you very much.