U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 1, 1996

Annika Sorenstam

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be this morning. I had very high expectations and I felt a little pressure. When you're leading you want to hold the lead. But I think I got a really good start, three under for a while. I felt really good until 14 and I hit a real good shot into 14 and the ball bounced away and ended up with a double bogey. And Brandie and I were even. At the time I actually felt the best I've done all day. It was almost a relief, that now we're level, we can start over and just go from here. But then I was even happier after 17 when I made a birdie and I felt the momentum was back and everything under control again.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm glad I did that. They say it's a moving day, and I'm not sure if I moved, I probably just stayed there. I'm really glad with my round, one under par, I think, under the circumstances, I'm very happy with that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Let's start with No. 4. I birdied that. I hit a 9-iron to about 6 feet. I bogeyed No. 5, the par 3, chipped a two-putt. The first putt I had was probably 15 feet. I birdied No. 6. I hit a 7-iron into the green. And the putt was real long, it was probably 20 feet. Birdied No. 8. The par 4. Hit a pitching wedge to about 15 feet. Also birdied No. 10. I hit the green in two with a 3-wood and two-putted from 35 feet. And then I bogeyed No. 11. I hit in the green bunker and hit it up and two-putted. And then I double bogeyed No. 14, hit over the green, chipped, 3-putt.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I hit a 6-iron, I had 161 to the pin, a 6-iron and carried probably three yards short of the pin and ran or flew over the green and somebody kicked it or stepped on it. And we had to place it where we thought it would be. And after that I chipped it up and 3-putted.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I didn't see it at all, but people say that it did move at least a foot. And we placed it where we thought it was, originally.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was in the rough, I don't think you can ever have a good lie. But I take it. I didn't have to drop, so I could kind of place it a little bit.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. 17, yeah, I hit a real good drive there and I hit a 7-iron into the green and the putt was probably 30 feet.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I kept the corner, there. And I was just fortunate I didn't step in the rough. I hit it real solid and I think all the anger from 14 was done in me. And I just flew, luckily.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Everybody was screaming and I realized something has happened. I couldn't see it, because it was down in a little hole. But everybody was saying you've got to replace it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Gallery people and some marshals out there, also.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I played it on the left edge, I think I must have hit it too hard. It hit the left edge and almost made a 360. It was not far out at all.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's hard to say. But in a tournament like this, in a course like this you need lots of patience, and you've got to try and hit every fairway and every green. You don't want to be in the rough here, and you don't want to be outside the green, because you get some tricky chip shots, you want to try to get as close to the pin as you can. And I think with my consistency I've been able to hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. That's my strength and that's where I think I play well in these type of major championship or these tough golf courses.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I know the rules say you have to place it if you know where it is. Barbara told me that and I knew it, so it was good.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: This will be a little different approach. I'm happy to be leading. That's what you want to do after Sunday, and not take any -- I'll take any position I get. I'm just trying to do the best I can on every shot and trying to make every putt. If you're leading, let everybody else chase me. Luckily this course is not a course you go out and kill them. Somebody who's going to beat me has to play well and I have to play bad tomorrow. I hope not. I don't mind being chased. I think it's a good experience for me, and I've got to be able to handle this, too. You cannot always chase somebody. I think it's important to be able to hold the lead, also. You learn a lot from that and that's the way golf is. You've got to be able to adjust to every situation.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, not really. Fast greens like this, and downhill lies scares me a little bit, especially when the rough is so thick. I don't find it an easy shot at all. I need to practice a little more on those. Brandie today, I think she was excellent for those shots, especially 18. It's not a lie there I would like to have. But she made a nice up-and-down.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm going to try to go out with the same attitude I had today. I'll try and hit every fairway, every green. That's my game. And hopefully I can play my own game tomorrow. We'll see how the situation changes. The last few holes if I'm behind, I have to make birdies. I might have to be a little more aggressive.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not many times, only a few times when they moved up the tees and the wind has been behind us. I've hit a lot of drivers, only two or three holes where I hit a 3-wood.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it's just a reaction of my shot. No, I feel fine.