DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL

July 13, 2022

Annika Sorenstam

Madelene Sagstrom

Midland Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with team Fizzy Swedes. Annika, I want to start with you here today. Talking with Mike just as you got off the 18 green. Felt like you guys weren't missing any shots out there. Just take me through what today was like for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It really was fun. I think we had really good chemistry. We had a good time. I didn't feel -- I was excited to be here, and I told that to Madelene on the range. I was really kind of pumped and looking forward to playing.

Then I came out there, and it was just fun. I really didn't feel any pressure from my partner. I just felt good about most of the shots. I mean, there were a few that obviously could have been a little better and maybe a little bit more aggressive on my putts, but overall, it was calm golf.

It was fairways. It was greens. You know, when you play with somebody that makes everything you look at, I kind of stood and leaned on my putter. Obviously it's fun to make birdies out there, and we were lucky we had a little rain and nice to be able to finish too and kind of start over tomorrow fresh round.

Yeah, very enjoyable in a lot of ways. Yes, lots of laughter and just giggling out there.

Q. Madelene, what was the strategy for the format as you got ready for today?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think, like we mentioned yesterday, giving Annika as many wedges as possible, and my strategy is always to get on the green as fast as possible. If I get it going, I can make a lot of putts, which I did today. It worked out really well.

I was walking. I was, like, this is too perfect. It worked out so great. I hit some good drives too to give her some good opportunities. We just took advantage of some of the opportunities we had. We had plenty more, but it was overall just a really fun day.

Q. Taking a look, Annika, at the first nine holes. Three birdies on your front nine. When did you really feel the momentum start clicking for you both?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I would say the birdie putt that -- when you made that one on 8 for sure was really good. Actually, 7. Mike called it. He says, she's making this one. It was a good size. I'm not sure what it was, 18 feet or something.

Then you rolled a little shorter putt in on 8 that just felt like the rhythm was there. Like I said, I just felt really relaxed. I knew if I get her on the green, you know, she's staring the lines down, and her speed was fantastic.

You were right there, and it was -- I mean, I just felt very comfortable. I drove it pretty well for me. A lot of fairways. Gave her a chance when she had.

So, yeah, I felt the momentum was right there from the beginning. It was one of those days where I felt like I had some maybe good breaks. It just felt good today compared to some of the rounds I've had where I feel like I really had to work hard.

This one was, like, wow, it's going my way.

Q. Before I hand it over to Steve, just three in a row on the back nine, Madelene. How good did that feel?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think any time you get on a run and some momentum, and Annika was saying, let's just try and keep this momentum, we have it good right now. Just keep doing what we're doing.

I mean, I think if, I'm not mistaken, we only missed one fairway and I think we only missed one green. So it was really good just -- maybe two greens. We just had it going.

Then you're just try to ride the wave as long as you can, which we did. It was a lot of fun. I was a little bit more nervous in the beginning. I was, like, okay, I don't really want to mess this up now, but I think like we talked about, you just have to try and play your game in this team format, which is the hard part, but at the same time that's the charm of it.

That's what makes it so much fun. It was just easy golf today. It was really fun.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The drive that you hit on 12 was just spectacular. I mean, you got on the green and two-putt. I told her, I don't remember when I made an eagle. I certainly don't remember when I hit the green on one, the first shot, so that was cool.

Q. Annika, it's been at least 14 years since you've led at the end of any LPGA round.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah.

Q. How does it feel? Is it different than the old days?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is different because it's a team format. I have a great partner. I mean, I guess I really don't think about it, but it's nice to see your name on the board somewhere, you know?

I just try to focus on my game and do what I can with the skill set I have today compared to, like you said, 14 years ago. My game is different than it was then.

Just going to rely on what I still can do, is run the greens with my wedge game and iron game and hopefully hit fairways. Tomorrow will be a different format. It will be more like playing my own ball, but I think in this format, I think we were quite aggressive, I would say.

Normally in foursome it's easy to be tentative. I know, again, after I look back, the times I played foursomes, which is Solheim Cup in, what, 2007, I remember being a lot more careful, more just -- just not being aggressive.

Today we were aggressive, and maybe this course makes you play more aggressively with the rain. I just felt like we just went for it today. I think tomorrow we're not going to change anything.

Yeah, it's nice to be part of this event, and it's a long ways to go, as you know. It's a good start. It's a good start.

Q. I know you haven't played competitively foursomes since 2007. Have you done it casually?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't really think I have. I am trying to think. Sometimes at home maybe a little family golf, but obviously that's a little different. (Laughing).

We might play -- yeah, I don't think we do foursome either. It's a tough format. I think the key here today is we have spent a little time together, so it wasn't just, okay, let's hook up and play.

I'm comfortable with her game. I know what she's capable of doing, and I think she's also gotten to know me a little bit. It's not a surprise what comes out of my game, and I'm not super surprised even though I'm super glad what you did.

It's not like, wow, what she's going to do? I feel comfortable in her surroundings.

Q. Now the amateur on the sideline sits back and says, well, tomorrow you've really got a shot because Annika says I'm not going to make a bogey, and Madelene, just go for every flag. Is that wrong or right, or what is the strategy?

MADELENE SAGSTROM: I think just really going out and playing our games. We know what we can do, and, I mean, Annika is super steady off the tee, so I think that gives me a little bit. It depends on how they set up the course and how wet it is.

I think we just -- I mean, just going out and having each other's back like we did today and just trying to -- we're both going to try to make as many birdies as we possibly can. Just it's a little bit different. You play your own ball the whole way.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think I'd probably more the steady one and make her be the more aggressive. She hits the ball so far. You can be more aggressive with some of the lines.

Like on 14, I mean, your line is, like, right of the bunker. I'm playing left. I'm going to have different angles in. I think I'll probably be hitting shots first to the greens, and hopefully I can put them in good places where she feels comfortable and she can be a lot more aggressive.

You spin the ball and can fire more at the flags. I think that's kind of the strategy. I'll try to be her insurance. We'll see what happens.

Q. That will do it for me. Thanks, guys. Best of luck tomorrow.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you.

MADELENE SAGSTROM: Thank you.