|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 16, 1995Annika SorenstamCOLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO LES UNGER: First, our congratulations. Describe your emotions. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is a great feeling. It is a dream come true. It is just a wonderful feeling. I really don't know what I have got myself into, but it is the first win in such a big event - it is wonderful. LES UNGER: Have you had any conversations either with Liselotte or Helen since you have won? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I saw Liselotte and she said congratulations. I gave her a hug. It was nice to come from her. LES UNGER: You know, since she has won, you are the first foreigner and so you have got a countryperson who is sharing this with you a little bit. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, she is from the same country and she broke it. It is nice to follow such a great champion, the same path. LES UNGER: You were even par coming into today and Meg was up there with a 5-under. What were your goals? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, all I thought, I am going to try to do my best; go for every shot; every putt; give it a go; and I had nothing to lose. I had to make as many birdies as I could. I got a great start; played solid golf for 14 holes. LES UNGER: Just before you made your first bogey, you looked through the trees to see the scoreboard; is that true? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That is true. I try and look at the scoreboard, I can see - I wanted to know how I was standing and what I needed to do and not to do. LES UNGER: And then you did what you didn't want to do? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I did anyway. Despite looking, for me, it helps to know how the other players are doing. LES UNGER: Let us go through your card, please, then we will go to questions. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: All right. I made a birdie on the 5th hole. I don't remember the 5th hole. I hit an 8-iron about 9 feet; made the putt. I birdied also No. 9, I hit a 3-wood into the green and 2-putted for birdie. Q. How far? LES UNGER: At that point in -- ANNIKA SORENSTAM: At that point in for birdie. The eagle putt was -- LES UNGER: How far was the first putt? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 20 feet. And then I birdied the next hole, No. 10; hit a 6-iron, 11 feet. Birdied No. 11, I hit a wedge about 7 feet. Then I made a bogey on No. 15. I was in the bunker and I hit it up and I missed the putt; it was probably 6 or 7 feet. Then, I also bogeyed No. 16, the par 3; hit a 9-iron and I 3-putted. LES UNGER: Describe your second shot on 17, what happened there? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was a big chuck, I was in the deep rough and I had a 5-iron in my hand and it was not a good shot. LES UNGER: How far did that travel? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not very far. Up in the air, but it kept rolling to the other side of the fairway and got me a little closer to the green, anyhow. LES UNGER: What did you hit in? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Then, I hit 8-iron that I clubed out too and kept going rolling into the green. LES UNGER: You had a save on approximately 5 feet, 6 feet? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 4 or 5 feet. LES UNGER: Any other saves during the day? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I had some par saves. They were about 3 feet, not any longer. LES UNGER: Questions. Q. Annika your second shot at 17, was it a very bad lie; a bad shot; or a little combination of both? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I wish I could say it was a bad lie, but it wasn't really. It was a bad swing. LES UNGER: Were you nervous? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I was. Q. Your wood off the fairway, No. 9, that seemed like where you decided you were going to take charge and do something about getting up there and taking the lead, did that go through your mind that that was a pretty great shot at that point? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, I knew I had to go for it; I didn't see myself playing defensive. I knew I had to be aggressive. I had a chance on that hole. I knew I could hit the green in 2 with a 3-wood and I just went for it. Q. At what point did nerves really become a part of this round; and have you ever felt your nerves take over the way, maybe the way they did in this? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have been nervous before, but this is - I have never been this nervous. I felt like the nerves were swinging and not me. As I said, I think I played very solid for the first 14 holes. Then on 15, when I saw the leaderboard there, hit the bunker and when I started making bogey, just kind of kept going and I lost my confidence for a while and I just said, I have a chance; I am not going to give it up and when you make 3-putt, you start wondering. Q. Annika, before you hit your last putt on 18, you kind of smiled to yourself. What were you thinking about at that time? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Very last putt? Q. Right. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, first it looked like it was so short; then I setup, it was real long, but I said, here is my chance, I am going to take it; I might not get another chance, so I am going to make this. Q. Annika, a couple of days ago you said you found pressure situations fun. Do you still feel that way? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. (LAUGHTER) It was fun for a while, but got a little bit out of hand. Q. Annika, going down 15, I think you knew you had a 3-stroke lead, second stroke, are you going for the flag? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: On 15? Q. Yes, second. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. Q. Where you put it in the bunker. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I aimed at the pin. I just pushed it a little bit and got it in the bunker. Q. Annika, two quick questions and then a longer one. How far was the 3-putt at 16? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I was in the front of the -- I don't know. I'd like to say the pin was 20 yards long, 20 paces, so at least 20. Q. 20 feet? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 20 paces which is yards. Q. 60 feet? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. Q. Then on 18, how far was your 2-putt? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: About 30 feet. Q. And could you talk a little bit about, you know, when you were a kid growing up, did you play tennis originally; then switched to golf? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That is correct. Q. Did you ever start thinking about winning the U.S. Open then? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I haven't since the last few hours. It has always been a dream for me, it has been almost unreachable, untouchable. I never thought I could ever be able to do it. When I was young, I thought about doing it in tennis because I was doing pretty good, but now, in golf, it never occurred to me until just a few hours ago. I just thought superman did it. Q. I am sure for most American players winning this Championship is their ultimate goal. What about for you? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'd like to say this is the biggest tournament in the world that you can win. It is played in the U.S., but I know a lot of people in the world who look up to this tournament and try to play in it, so, for me, it is the World Championship. Q. How did you feel standing over that par-putt on 17 after 2 bogeys, previous two holes; then how did you feel after you made the putt? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I felt a big relief. I said I am just going to hit in; par 18 and that is all I could think about at the time. I said, I am going to hole this; I am not going to let this slip away. I have had my chance, as I said before, I might not get this chance anymore. Q. Did your parents know about you winning the tournament? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, they knew about it. They have been waiting for me to call them and so it is hard to say anything because they were crying and I was crying, so we were just crying. I guess they knew what I was going to say. Q. You said that you had nothing to lose going into the round. 5 strokes down - did you really think you had a decent chance of winning? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I thought I had a chance as -- I would say, it is never over until it is over; especially on this golf course. This course has been up-and-down. I knew that. I shot 3-under the first round; I can do it again and that was my hope. That is all I could think about; try and play a good round. Either it is good or not good. Q. Could you talk a little bit about what it means to be a part of the Swedish program and another American champion from Sweden? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Sure. It is just -- you know, I started getting support from the Swedish Golf Federation, when I started playing golf, I was 12 and I started at my home course; had some great coaches there and a lot of support. Then I moved up to the regionals where I got also a lot of support. And I started travelling with the national team and that is when I came to the States to study at the University of Arizona, and you know, Liselotte, when she won The Open in '88, as I said, she broke the ice and I thought maybe I could do it one day too and then Helen Alfredsson won Dinah Shore, I think I have had some great players in front of me that, you know, broke the ice and just kind of being there and do it and, you know, I think that is what's been needed, to have somebody do that for me. Q. Why did you choose Arizona? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I met the team in Japan for a golf tournament and they asked me if I wanted to come and I said, yeah - I came. Q. Were you aware immediately when Meg ran into those problems early on, how quickly things changed and you were tied for the lead all of a sudden and then did that change the way you attacked your shots at that point? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I saw there was a scoreboard on the 8th tee. I saw that she had dropped and she was 1-under, 4-over for the day, and I was 1-under, 2-under; I started realizing I am just going to play here and maybe I got a little more aggressive. I mean, it was a fun time at the moment because I knew I had a chance and I was playing solid golf and I felt confident with my putter and, you know, being tied for the lead, it is a nice feeling. I knew I had a chance. Q. Do you have someone here in United States to help you with your golf; to help you with your game? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, a pro, Tom Olsen. He lives in Phoenix. The coach I started with is a Swedish guy, Pianilsson. I worked with him for seven years. LES UNGER: Get much assistance from your caddie? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do, his name is Colin Cann. LES UNGER: You two are -- ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Friends. Q. Did you allow yourself to think about a playoff at all or did you try to keep those thoughts out of your mind as you were sittinging there watching Meg? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I saw Meg putt on 18. I thought about a playoff, but I was just glad to be in and it was just -- I just wanted to relax. I never thought about what she was going to do or not. I knew if she holed the putt, it was going to be a playoff. I wouldn't mind staying here another day, I like Colorado Springs, but... Q. What has come together for you this day -- we talked last year; you seemed to be pretty confident that you were a good player; that you did belong in the LPGA. You have won now, three times, I think in the past month. What has been the difference? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I got engaged, I don't know if that helps, but I have kind of -- all the pieces in my life are coming together. I am playing very relaxed golf. My confidence level is very high and overall, my game has just come together. I am putting much better. I spent a lot of time on my putting and short game, overall, and playing well. Played well one tournament and at another tournament. I think, like you carry it over and just have positive thoughts. Q. What about the changeover from tennis to golf, what happened there? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I got burned out with tennis and I enjoyed golf better. It is a sport where you can practice all by yourself at any time. Tennis, you always need your partner and you wanted a partner that was even a little bit better. That was hard to find because no one wanted to play with you if you were not as good. Q. What two tournaments did you win in Europe this summer; when were they; what did it do for your confidence? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: First one that I won, it was my first tournament in Europe. It was in OVB Damen in Austria four weeks ago and then the second one I won was the Hennessey Cup in Germany. And well, obviously, when you win a tournament, it is a big confidence booster, so as I said, you carry it on through the next tournament. You know that you can do it and you try and do it again. Q. Tom Olsen, where is he from? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Phoenix, Arizona. Q. What club does he work out of? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He doesn't work at a club anymore. I just take lessons from him. Q. Your fiance's name, please and also the other day you were talking about how you had to go pick him up obvious willly he was here with you today is it normal for him to be with you or is it rare for him to be with you at your tournaments? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: First of all, his name is David, Esch. He tries to come tout as much as possible he got his own career going and -- but when he gets a chance he comes out on the weekends and we get time to spend together. Q. Is he trying to get you aid way from Callaway? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's a touchy subject. Q. Can you comment on Jill Briles Hinton she said finally her first round 66 whenever she is struggling with her swing she watches you she says she'd like to have your swing. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Does she? That is a compliment. I see Jill sometimes in the range sometimes and I guess we try and help each other. I try help her with her short game which is going to short game teacher hopefully week learn from each other. LES UNGER: Immediate plans and will they have changed at all because of today? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I hope not. No, I enjoy life right now and just going to go home and relax tonight and I have a tournament next week, so try and get ready for that. LES UNGER: Do you have a place in the United States that you call home? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, Phoenix. Q. Some people were making comparisons to your male counterpart that won the U.S. Open, Corey Pavin on television. Your thoughts about Corey and-- ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He is not Callaway. Q. Sorry. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He is not Callaway. Q. But making a comparison to your style, Corey Pavin being feisty and aggressive how would -- who would you compare yourself to on the men's Tour if not Corey? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That is a good question. I'd like to be compared with Fred Couples. I think he is a great player. But I think he is more relaxed and a little more -- he is a better player than I -- no, I haven't really compared myself to another men's player. Maybe Corey Pavin is the right one. Q. Now, you won the Women's Open. Do you feel being as Swedish -- (inaudible)? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I am sorry, I didn't really understand the question. Q. Do you feel something special coming from Sweden? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I am proud of being Swedish, but in a tournament like this or any tournament, you just play for yourself, and that is all I can do. It is nice to get support from home, but now, I mean, I play over here and I just try to be a part of what is over here. LES UNGER: We can only add congratulations. We look forward to your defense of the title next year and hope that you have a lot of wins between now and then. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you very much. End of FastScripts.... |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|