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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 30, 2006

Lorena Ochoa

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

PAM WARNER: Lorena, thanks for coming in and joining us today. Congratulations on your round. 62 ties low round for a major. Just talk about your day.

LORENA OCHOA: Thank you. I thought to myself, this is a good start to the tournament. I didn't think it was going to be this good. I just tried to really focus and concentrate. And I made birdie on the first hole and a birdie on the second hole. I was very happy about that. And everything was easy and everything was so clear. It was a really good round. I had a really good time. Thank you to my caddie. It was fun to be out there.

Q. 62, wasn't that the best round you ever have played? Was that your low anywhere, practice rounds, anything?

LORENA OCHOA: In Las Vegas I shot 62. But the first round in a major championship, it makes it a whole different story.

Q. At what point did you know it was going to be a special day?

LORENA OCHOA: You're never thinking how many under you are going to go. You play one hole at a time, especially in a major, and that's what I did. When I was 5 under I knew the back nine would be easier. I told myself, just try to make a couple of more birdies and put yourself in good shape. And I kept getting close and making birdies.

I started on No. 10 first, so when I was on hole No. 6, I played really close, and on No. 7, I put it really close, and I thought, I'm going to go 10 under. And we finished with a birdie on 9 to finish. It feels really good.

Q. Did you know that 10 under would tie a major record, or did you just like the number?

LORENA OCHOA: I had no idea. It's just great. I'm very happy. It was a very special time. I have three days to go. I'm just going to enjoy today and then tomorrow, try to play one day at a time.

Q. When you played in the practice rounds here and saw the thickness of the rough and firmness of the greens, did you think a 62 was out there?

LORENA OCHOA: No, but in the morning when I saw there was no wind, I just told myself, I'm going to play early and there is no wind, so take advantage of it, the conditions are good and try to play aggressive today and make some birdies, and it turned out to be really good.

Q. With all the attention being given to Michelle and Paula and some of the other players, what's your emotion? Do you feel slighted or relieved? How do you feel?

LORENA OCHOA: I'm okay. I think they are great players. I also respect them a lot and admire them. It's okay. I'm going to show what I have with my game, and I think this is a good way to start. I have nothing wrong with that. It is the way it is.

Q. Do you feel like an old lady, considering that there are six women who are 19 and under? Do you feel old?

LORENA OCHOA: Do I feel old? Kind of, yes. This is my fourth year on Tour, and it seems to me I'm a rookie here. It's hard to believe it's my fourth season. So in a way that's good because I have more experience. I'm going to try to learn and take advantage of that and don't make the same mistakes and improve with my game.

Q. This is your fourth year as a pro, but you played here as an amateur, finished in the Top 10 here as an amateur, I think third the next year, your first year as a pro. Is this just a major that you feel most comfortable on, or a course that you feel most comfortable on?

LORENA OCHOA: This is my sixth tournament. I do like this course a lot. It is my favorite tournament. I enjoy very much this tournament. I have a lot of friends here. My relatives come to watch me every year from Mexico. This is a tournament I really enjoy. I did it also for them. They have a great time out there, and I like to see that, to keep them happy.

Q. You mentioned this is your fourth year. How are you different now than maybe a year or two ago, not just with the wins but with some of the disappointments? The Safeway last year where you lost the lead late, how did that change you and your game?

LORENA OCHOA: It helps a lot, just experience. Whether it turns out to be good or it turns out to be bad, you learn a lot, especially from the hard times. I learn a lot not only on the golf course, but outside the golf course, how many weeks we play in a row, and travel. I think it's important not to get tired. And I feel much better now physically, and take the time to rest.

You improve a little bit in different ways and it helps you to be more consistent and play better overall, during all year.

Q. What did you learn from that Safeway experience?

LORENA OCHOA: Just it's golf. I try not to be too hard on myself, just move on. It was a good experience. I played really good. I gave myself a chance to win the tournament, especially it was with Annika, so you want to lose against the best player. And now it's time to play more tournaments and hopefully it becomes my time. I'm waiting.

PAM WARNER: Let's go over your scorecard. The birdie on 10.

LORENA OCHOA: On 10, I hit my 9 iron 125 yards to about two feet and made it.

No. 11, I had 95 yards. I hit my sand wedge to about four feet and I made it.

15, I hit my 9 iron again 125 yards. I almost made it, 10 inches.

16, I hit my 7 iron 148 yards pin high, maybe seven feet and made it.

No. 9, I had 100 yards and I hit my 50 degree wedge to maybe 10 feet and I made it.

And then on the first hole, that was the longest hole today. I hit my wedge just a little bit long on the left side, maybe 20 feet, and I made it.

Then No. 3, I hit my 8 iron 145 yards to about 10 feet and I made it.

No. 4, I chipped in. I was in the rough on the right side and I tried to punch out just to be in the middle of the green, but I came up short of the green. And I chipped and I made it.

PAM WARNER: How far out would you say the chip in was?

LORENA OCHOA: 25 feet.

Then on No. 7, I hit my 8 iron 145 yards, really close, two feet.

No. 9, I hit my sand wedge. I was like 95 yards, a little bit long maybe, 12, 15 feet, and I made it.

Q. Any bogeys at all?

LORENA OCHOA: No.

Q. Annika said yesterday you needed to be on the right side of the pins because the greens were going to be so fast and slick.

LORENA OCHOA: Mm hm.

Q. It sounds like you were above the pin a couple of times and still made a few putts.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, but all of them were short putts. I think today the pin placements were not too hard, but I think on the weekend they could get really tough on those greens, especially because they are going to be more fast, so it's wise to play well the first couple of days.

Q. It sounds like, based on describing your card, your iron play, your first shots were very good. Is that normally your strength?

LORENA OCHOA: I improved a lot on my irons. I practiced a lot last week. Actually I've been practicing with my dad and he told me, if you put the ball close, you're going to be really good. Today, on the first hole, I got it close and I thought, just like this all day. It worked. I was very calm today and did really good. It was easy to see the shots and it was fun.

Q. You've had a couple of tournaments in the last few years where you have had a chance to win and didn't, whether it was the U.S. Open or Hawaii this year in the playoff, et cetera. Do you look at that as saying at least I gave myself a chance or do you look at that as somewhat of a negative thing, I need to figure out how to get this done?

LORENA OCHOA: No, I look at it in a positive way. I think as many opportunities you give yourself to win is the best, and there is going to be a time when they come my way. Most of the time I'm coming from behind. Like in Hawaii I gave myself a chance to win the tournament. I had a very bad first round. So I was just happy I was close, to be out there.

I've been frustrated a couple of times when I wanted to get that trophy. But I'm saying, Lorena, be patient and hopefully they come this year. I think I'm more prepared and I really want to win.

Q. Could the round have been any better? Were there a couple of putts that grazed the cup a little bit that could have been better perhaps, I guess?

LORENA OCHOA: Not really.

PAM WARNER: Thank you, Lorena.

End of FastScripts.

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