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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

April 2, 2006

Lorena Ochoa

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

PAUL ROVNAK: Take us through your day and then we'll take questions.

LORENA OCHOA: It was really tough in the morning. When I started, I think I was playing solid. Michelle started really good. She made a couple of birdies at the beginning and got really close to me.

The first mistake of the day was No. 9. I came up a little bit short on the sand wedge. I finished with a bogey. And I told myself, I'm still in the lead, just keep going. Play the back nine and get the tournament.

On the back nine I tried so hard, I think my driver killed me. I missed four fairways in a row. 11, 12, 13, and 15. And I was in a really bad places, as well, I got three bogeys. I did the best I could from those situations, but it was a tough. So that was the problem, missing my driver.

I feel really strong. I was very excited to make the birdie on 16 and pop out and give myself a chance to make birdie on 17, even on 18. That was very special. It was just one hole in the playoff, so there's not much I can say.

PAUL ROVNAK: We'll take questions.

Q. When you look back on today, are you down on yourself for losing a lead or are you more proud of yourself for having to make the eagle on 18 when you were down to your last chance?

LORENA OCHOA: I don't understand.

Q. As you look back on the day, are you more disappointed that you lost the lead or look back at the fact that you made eagle on 18 when you had to make eagle?

LORENA OCHOA: On 18, I'll never forget that. I know I'm doing good under pressure when I need to. Again, I think I lost the tournament with my driver on the back nine. I had the lead. Michelle missed a couple of times with her driver. I didn't take advantage of opportunities. That was it, the problem.

Q. When did you know that Karrie made eagle on 18 and how did you find out?

LORENA OCHOA: Before I made my birdie putt on 16, somebody in the gallery yelled, "Karrie just made it from the fairway for an eagle." So I definitely needed that birdie putt and putt pressure on myself, and I made it. That was really good.

And then I saw the leaderboard on 17 and I knew I needed to make an eagle to have a chance, so I just went for it on 18.

Q. What was the distance on 18? And just sort of take us through what you're seeing as it gets close and then that putt for eagle?

LORENA OCHOA: It was a perfect distance. I had 225 yards to the hole. We needed like 210. I used my 5 wood. I usually hit it very high. I tried to go right at it and it turned out to be perfect. It felt really good.

Q. How far was the putt, eagle putt?

LORENA OCHOA: Eight feet.

Q. You knew right away it was good?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, but the gallery just kept screaming and screaming louder and louder, so I felt I was in a good position. I couldn't see anything. So when I started walking, then I saw it was close.

Q. But your putt?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, my putt. I had so many thoughts in my head. And I tried to putt everything away and focus on one stroke. I did really good. I was very happy to see that roll in.

Q. You mentioned playing aggressively on 18. Did you feel like you were aggressive enough on the rest of the round, or were you trying to protect the lead at any point and play more conservative?

LORENA OCHOA: No, I didn't try to protect the lead. I was frustrated because I was close to the hole on many putts and I just didn't make any. They weren't dropping, and a couple of times leaped out and a couple of times on the edge. I wasn't trying to keep the lead, I was trying to make more birdies and get ahead. But the back nine I was in trouble with my driver in the rough.

Q. On the playoff hole, the chip, what did you see on the chip and were you surprised that the green was so fast?

LORENA OCHOA: I knew they were really fast, down grain and with the water, and I just told myself to put it on the top and let it roll down; everything will go to the hole. I just hit it too hard. I think because of the grass, before I hit the green, I just swinged a little bit more hard than I should.

Q. The despite the fact that you didn't win today, you certainly made lots of Mexican people in this country very proud. How proud are you of your performance despite you didn't win the tournament?

LORENA OCHOA: I am very proud. I had a great run on Thursday at the start of the tournament. I was very happy to see that game. And shooting 10 under was very special. I will never forget that. And hopefully the Mexicans enjoyed it as much as I did. Unfortunately I didn't win the tournament, but overall it was a great tournament. I made really good shots and really good putts and it was very exciting. Hopefully they enjoyed it as much as I did, and I want to thank all of them for their support.

Q. You said you lost this tournament with your driver. Was there a point today where you thought this round might get away from you, and if so, when was that?

LORENA OCHOA: To be honest, I was hoping something would happen so I would have a chance to win the tournament. When I was 6 under on 16, I told myself, let's go, you only have three more holes, let's get birdies. I hit it really close on 16, so I never really said what's the word in English?

Q. (No microphone.)

LORENA OCHOA: Si.

Q. Karrie started pretty far back. Were you surprised that you got into a playoff and it was against her?

LORENA OCHOA: I saw her when I was like on the 12 and she was already minus 7. So I told myself, she has a lot of holes, and especially on 18 she can get birdie. I told myself to play my game, make a couple of birdies to be safe. But everything happened so fast, I wasn't worried about Karrie I was worried about hitting the fairway.

I didn't try to see the leaderboard or I didn't try to pay attention to their game. I was just trying to focus on my game, but it was hard.

Q. Beyond your own putt on 18, the eagle putt, can you sort of speak to the drama of all three players having a putt to join the playoff? And that's pretty rare to have that kind of drama in a major.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes. I tried just to not have so many thoughts in my mind. I was just looking for my break, thinking I was going to make it, I'm going to make it, I kept repeating to myself. And I was saying, God, whatever is going to happen, I'm going to give it a chance.

You can't think when we were walking down, I was a couple down and now I'm in a playoff and the other two players didn't make it. That's amazing. I'm just happy. I love to be here. I love competition.

Q. Take us over your scorecard today birdie on.

Birdie on 2.

LORENA OCHOA: I hit birdie on 2. I was on the left fringe in the rough. I chipped really close, two feet, and I made it.

PAUL ROVNAK: 9, you said you hit your sand wedge short.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I was on the rough short of the green and I hit my sand wedge far, hard. It went past myself 12 feet and I made it coming back.

And then I make bogey on No. 12. I missed the fairway to the right. I had a really bad lie and I was 15 yards short of the green. I left my sand wedge 12 feet short and I missed the putt.

And then I make bogey on 13. I hit my driver to the right again. I tried to hit a rescue to punch out and it rolled all the way behind the green in the rough. And I just chipped it out and left it short and it went way right, maybe 20 feet. It was a long putt, 2 putt for bogey.

And bogey on 15. I hit my driver again to the right. I under the trees and I was trying to punch out, but I didn't get through the rough. And then I put it on the green and two putts for bogey.

PAUL ROVNAK: Put it on the green with what? What was your third shot?

LORENA OCHOA: With a sand wedge.

PAUL ROVNAK: How far do you think the putt was?

LORENA OCHOA: 20 feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Birdie on 16.

LORENA OCHOA: On 16, I had 122 yards and I hit my pitching wedge just a little bit short, maybe seven feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: You said 18 was a 5 wood from 225 to eight feet.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes.

PAUL ROVNAK: Take us through every shot on the playoff hole.

LORENA OCHOA: I hit my driver and then I had 195 to carry. I had to go to a 5. I hit a (inaudible) it's like my 3 iron, and I hit it good. I hit it a little bit hard and it ended up in the fringe, in the short grass behind the green. I used my putter. It was maybe like 25, maybe 30 feet. I used my putter and I hit it too hard and it went past maybe another 12 feet and I missed it coming back.

End of FastScripts.

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