U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 6, 2002

Annika Sorenstam

Q. Can you talk about No. 12? You and Juli did almost exactly the same thing where your chip rolled off the green. What is it about that hole?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's a tough pin placement. It's sitting right on the ridge. I mean, I hit the wrong club, obviously. I should have hit one club less and played in front of the green and let it roll up to the flag, but instead it carried by the pin. I underestimated the pin a little bit; and therefore, I ended up in the back.

Q. You still have a two-stroke lead going into tomorrow. How do you feel about that?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, tomorrow is the most important day. So I'm in good shape for tomorrow, but I've got to make some good decisions tomorrow. I've got to play some good golf. And anything can happen on this golf course. I'm just going to focus on my own game and see what happens tomorrow.

Q. When you drive the ball as well as you did today, what does that enable you to do?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, obviously, when you hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens -- that's my game most of the time; I do hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens. It's tough when you have to chip around these greens. The pins are very tough, it's very undulating greens. The closer you can be, obviously the easier it will be. I stayed out of trouble all day.

Q. What happened on 14.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 14, well, I don't know, I had lob-wedge. I can't putt from there. You know, I had actually perfect yardage. I had 79 to the pin and I normally hit it 80 yards. I was trying to land it 82 and spin back a little bit and walked up and it carried 84 and rolled over the edge. We're talking inches or just a few feet.

Q. Are you happy with your overall performance today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, very much so, yeah.

Q. On a course like this, does have having a two-stroke lead mean more?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'd like to have 10 or 12. Obviously, that would be nice. You know, you've got Juli right behind. She's an excellent player. She's won the championship before. I'm sure she's as hungry as I am.

Like I said, it's not going to be easy tomorrow. This course is tough. Hitting it in the rough, anything can happen. But, hopefully I'll stay out there of tomorrow and things will be all right.

Q. How hungry are you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm very hungry. Last time I won this championship was in '96. So that just feels like ages ago. I'm playing well enough. I know that. It's just a matter of getting some good breaks, good bounces and hitting the right clubs.

Q. What was the difference between the front and the back today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it seems like I've done better on the front. I don't really know why. There are a few holes on the back I would like to improve tomorrow. 14, for example, and No. 12, it's really a short hole. I've been hitting 4-iron off the tee and got sand wedge in and just can't seem to make par. So those are things I've got to improve for tomorrow. Since I've got the front figured out, just keep on going.

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