JOHN Q. HAMMONS HOTEL CLASSIC

September 8, 2006

Annika Sorenstam

THE MODERATOR: Annika, thank you for coming in. 7 under, You tied the course record. Just talk about your day.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I'm obviously very happy with today's round. I thought I played pretty good. I didn't make a lot of mistakes. I hit a lot of fairways and greens. It seemed like I rolled in everything I looked at. Just one of those days. It was fun.

THE MODERATOR: Can we go over your scorecard?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. Let's start with the first hole. I hit a sand wedge to 4 feet.

No. 6, I hit a 8 iron to 16 feet.

No. 7, 9 iron to 20 feet, and then here on my last hole I hit 9 iron to 10 feet.

No. 11, 7 iron to 6 feet.

I bogeyed the 12th hole, 7 iron through the green.

Actually, I did miss the fairway there. So I hit it short of the green and 2 putted from about 20 feet.

Birdied 14, pitching wedge to 4 feet.

15, 4 iron to 24 feet.

And then on 17, 6 iron to 20 feet.

THE MODERATOR: You have a 3 shot lead right now. Just talk about that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's only Thursday. I'm happy to get off to a good round, kind of keeping the momentum from last week. This is quite a tough course, so I'm happy to hit the ball well. I've been working a little bit on my swing, and yesterday after the Pro Am I had a good session and was starting to feel good about it.

Happy with the start. Like I said, long ways to go. We'll see what happens.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Annika, the last two years on the opening day, you kind of, you know, scuffled a little bit during your opening round and you were able to recover. You posted a respectable score today. Seemed like you just came out and took charge early. Any different approach to how you're taking the opening round this year as opposed to '04 and '05?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I just feel comfortable on this golf course. I mean, I know it so well and know where to hit it. Today seems like I could read the greens really well. I've always had good touch around these greens. Today I could see the lines really well.

Just combined those two and it makes for good round. I wasn't really thinking about the second round or the third round or whatever, I was just want to go out there and play my game.

I feel, like I said, the momentum from last week is there. I was hitting a lot of balls last night. I was ready to go out today.

Q. Did the course play like you anticipated today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. Looks like they mowed up a few tees. I think the distance is similar to the previous two years. We have perfect weather. It's beautiful out. Just maybe a little bit in the Back 9, but other than that it was a good day for scoring.

Q. When you went over your scorecard, seemed like you rolled in a lot of 15 and 20 footers for birdie. How crucial is that to keep momentum going or I guess get momentum going on the greens here?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's always fun to make a lot of putts. The last two months I've been putting, I think, very, very well, better than I have in a long time.

It's fun to see the putts go in and have good distance control. Like I said, today I can see the undulations. I have a good feel. I want to enjoy it, obviously. I mean, you never know how long it will last.

It's fun. Even if I don't hit it closer than 20 feet, I still know I have a good chance to make birdie, and I think that's the key. The pressure is not there. You can go out there and relax a little bit and hit it and trust it.

Q. You said the other night that your swing, your drives, and your approaches pretty much sends the ball a little more off line. Was that the session yesterday, to get that corrected, straight?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, that's my goal. Actually, right now I'm working more on my technique. I think the results will come. I've been working with my coach really the last few weeks to really get a good turn back.

It's just tough, especially once I get on the course. It's easier when I'm on the range and I'm just thinking about the turn. It's something, I think particularly on this course, if you're in range I'm just thinking about the turns. So once you get on the course and you're thinking about putting a score together and putting the ball in place, it's tough it for me to think both.

The session on the range yesterday was all about technique and coming to the course today and hopefully having the same feel but still be able to focus a little bit on results.

I think this afternoon I'm going to do the same thing. Go back to the range and continue to work on my technique. It's very crucial I get this turn figured out.

If I get a good turn then I can come in a little better at impacting the ball. That's really been the trouble all year. I've been coming from all kinds of angles, and that's why that's why I've been sending the ball sideways.

Q. How much do you try to interact with fans during the round?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You can interact as much as you want. Some players do it more, some do it less. I saw the two kids following me all day, so I thought it would be great to give them a ball.

I had a lot of support today. I thought it would be great on a Friday morning to get a good group like that to watch you play. Pretty much just want to thank them. Throwing the ball here and there is a way of saying, Thanks for coming out.

Q. Do you think there is much of a condition change from a morning tee times to the afternoon tee times?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Today or just in general? In general, the wind picks up in the afternoon. The greens get a little slower a little more spiked up. Therefore, I think it's more of an advantage to get a morning tee time. I had a good draw today.

Q. Will you always go to the range after a round? Is that pretty common for you? Or when shoot a low round like you did today 64 with a lot of birdies, do you ever say, I'm satisfied with that. I'll come back tomorrow?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, yeah, I do that. Right now I am really in training mode. I really need to figure this out. It's not funny when I shot 10 under and then 7 under and you think, What are you working on?

Obviously I'm very happy, and I want to emphasize that. I am happy with that. It's just a long season, and I have some ground to make up. I need to make sure that my swing is good for the next three tournaments. I need to continue to be in the grinding mode, otherwise I might get lazy.

Q. A lot of your competitors are saying it is a premium to keep the ball on the fairways. Would you say that's fair statement?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I would say it's very fair.

Q. When you hit the rough, what's it like trying to hit it out of there?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's tough. It's thick. Bermuda is always tough. It's unpredictable. The key here is to hit fairways , like you said. That's why sometimes I've been hitting it forward off the tee, just to be able to place it in the fairway rather than hitting the driver where it might get more narrow or might put the rough into play. Just play more safe.

I did that today. I rather play from the short grass than being be in the rough, so it worked out.

Q. Yesterday I saw you had a gadget on your right arm. Is that something that you work with all the time? Is that for your turn or

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I've been working with that little gadget for a few weeks. It just helps me to get some width in the backswing, but also not to overswing. They have different settings on it, and the setting I've chosen is more three quarters, which means I should stop when the club is just about three quarters up here.

I have had a tendency lately to try to turn, but instead I do it with my arm. I overswing. So it's just a way for my to really feel where I should stop, otherwise I would just keep on going.

Q. You birdied three of your final holes. How big of a momentum push is that for you going into the weekend?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it's key to have a good first round when you have a 3 day tournament. It's also important to get a good round but, you know, when you finish strong the last few tournaments, the British Open, I've been throwing some shots away the last few holes.

Today, I really forced myself to finish strong and keep on concentrating through 18 holes and not just be so happy on 14 and let a few go.

It's something that I've been working on, and it seems like it works.

Q. Do you think that trip to the bathroom slowed you down on the last few holes, 16 and 17?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, that was about it. But, no, it's a great day. I don't want sound like I'm struggling too much with my swing. I'm a perfectionist and I want it to be right.

Q. Does your mindset change at all when you have the lead?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, not tomorrow. Like I said, tomorrow is Saturday. It's great to get off to a good start, but anything can happen. It's very different when it's Sunday afternoon and you have maybe nine holes to play and you're in the lead.

I look at the leaderboards very closely. Maybe change my strategy, play aggressive, conservative, whatever you needed to. But that's when things start to happen.

Q. You said anything can happen. You experienced that this year with some people catching you on Sunday. Is that more of a motivational force to play a full 18 and not try to coast in those last 3 or 4 holes on any round?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. I mean, it's happened this year. One of the reasons is focusing on 18 holes, and the other is I've been hitting some really funny shots. I've been very inconsistent with my game this year. It's hurt me a few times. It's something I'd like to change.

I mean, I think right now what I can do is concentrate and continue to work on my swing, and hopefully I will eliminate all those bad shots.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions? Thank you, Annika.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah. Thanks.

End of FastScripts.