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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

April 1, 2006

Lorena Ochoa

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

PAM WARNER: Still a three shot lead, do you want to talk about your day today?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, it was a tough day today out there. I guess, the third round, a lot of pressure and adrenaline playing in the last group with Michelle, that was exciting. I'm happy the way I finished. I still have a three shot lead, and this course was very hard in the afternoon. It was good for me. It was a good round. I feel like I'm hitting the ball really good. I made a couple of bad club selections, just going right over the flag and it was a tough day because I was just on the edge in the rough. I'm happy with the finish, and I enjoyed it a lot, so I can't wait to be here tomorrow.

PAM WARNER: What are your thoughts going into tomorrow?

LORENA OCHOA: I'm going to do the same thing. I'm going to go out and practice a little bit and go home and rest. I'm going to come tomorrow and my goal is to have a lot of patience out there.

I think when you're playing a major and when you are trying to win a tournament, you know, things are going to happen, especially on this course. If you come in the rough or in the bunker, you can have a bogey out there. It's just kind of like be patient, accept whatever happens and be really focused. That's the plan, be patient out there and enjoy it, and hopefully one more round and we'll be out there.

PAM WARNER: Can you take us through your card?

LORENA OCHOA: I made bogey on the first hole. I hit a bad driver and then I hit a bad second shot and I hit a bad chip and then I made the putt. The putt was like eight feet.

Then on the second hole, I tried to hit a 5 wood to the green. I missed it on the right bunker. I hit it out, maybe another seven feet and I made it.

Then I made bogey on No. 5. I hit it on the green, short and I had three putts from maybe 25 feet.

Then I make bogey on No. 8. I hit a 5 iron to the left rough. I hit a chip really hard by the hole maybe ten feet and I missed that.

Then I make birdie on No. 9. I was 95 yards to the hole. I hit my sand wedge just a little bit long, maybe 15 feet and I made it.

I made bogey on the 14, par 3. I went over the green with an 8 iron. And I hit a hard chip, maybe went past 20 feet and I missed it.

Q. Bad chip or tough shot?

LORENA OCHOA: I got a really bad lie. So I just was trying to make sure I didn't leave it short.

Q. How tough is it playing with a big lead like that? How does your game change when that happens?

LORENA OCHOA: I tried to play the same. I got here this morning thinking I didn't have any lead and I wasn't at 11 under. Just take it one day at a time and focus on one hole at a time.

That's what I did. I tried to look as little as possible (ph) at the leaderboard, score board and just try not to pay any attention to the other players and it worked. I'm going to try to do the same tomorrow, just play my own game.

Q. You'll go home tonight and get off your feet and rest, but how will you deal with your mind and the emotions?

LORENA OCHOA: I don't know. I've never been in this position. I'm just going to try to rest, have a good dinner, spends a little time with my family. They came today from Mexico and so probably spend a little time with them, and after that, just forget the tournament and sleep good.

Q. How important was that putt on 18?

LORENA OCHOA: That putt was very important; two things: Michelle didn't make it, and I make the putt, so that gives me a three shot lead. I was happy to make that putt.

Q. Would your emotions be different if you missed that putt? Would you be thinking that over now?

LORENA OCHOA: I don't know. I think three shots makes a big difference from a two shot lead. I still have that lead that I had for many holes, so I feel comfortable and I'm going to good tomorrow.

Q. How scary was it on 18 when that ball started backing up?

LORENA OCHOA: Very scary. When I hit it, it was fine and when it started coming back, I was like, oh my God, it's possible I might be in the water. Then I was walking and I actually saw it that it just stopped like in a very small piece of grass, like thank God, yes.

Q. Michelle was talking about how hard it was out there today, but it seemed like the wind was worse than yesterday; was it the pins or what made it so hard today?

LORENA OCHOA: Just being in the third round of a major, and the wind was hard. It was picking up. The direction was different, so that made some holes play very different.

At the beginning we struggled a little bit with the drivers all over the place. It was hard to get our rhythm.

Q. The first hole you step up with the drive, and as you had said, bad second, bad chip, was that just a matter of nerves, and how important was that putt to save a double bogey?

LORENA OCHOA: I think that was the most the best hole of my day. Making that putt gave me confidence, kept me happy. I thought, you know, it's only one hole, nothing bad with a bogey, just keep going. That was probably the best putt of the day.

Q. Do you feel in a way you were fortunate to get through this day with a 74 to keep a three shot lead, or do you feel like you got your bad round out of the way?

LORENA OCHOA: Well, you know, I think if this is my bad round, I'm in good shape. I wasn't trying to keep my lead. You know, when I finished the front nine I was talking to my caddie, just let's go low on the back nine. Let's try to keep making birdies and finish strong so we have more lead. But the way the course was playing on the back nine, it was tough. I really tried to be aggressive and I went right at it a couple times to the pin. I'm good, because if this is my bad round, I think I am in good shape.

Q. And secondly, to your advantage is it to your advantage to be 24 years old and be the oldest person in the final group?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, hopefully I'm more mature. (Laughter).

Q. To follow up on that, the other two in the final group have not won. How much is that an advantage having won a tournament?

LORENA OCHOA: Just like I said, I think being out here a little bit more helps to kind of control yourself better and to know how it feels to be out there with the pressure and adrenaline.

But in a major, you don't know what's going to happen. You know, the last round is the last round. I don't have any advantage over anybody. I'm just going to try to do my thing and be very focused on the first hole.

Q. Is it a strange feeling to have the closest person next to you be the 16 year old?

LORENA OCHOA: To be playing with a 16 year old? You know, we just were trying to joke around and I was telling my caddie, sometimes you don't realize she's 16. I don't think we all realize she's only 16. You know, for her, she has a great game and it's great all she has done at 16 years old. I really admire her game and her being out here.

Q. You mentioned your family is out here. How many family members are here to see you, and do you converse with them or see them during the round?

LORENA OCHOA: My whole family is here and I have a lot of relatives and friends, maybe 40.

Q. Do they following you during the round, and do you say hi to them when you're playing?

LORENA OCHOA: They just got here this morning. They flew this morning and so I saw a couple of them on the range, a couple of them on the putting green and a couple of them in the round. I'm very happy that they are here and hopefully they enjoy the day tomorrow.

End of FastScripts.

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