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WENDY'S CHAMPIONSHIP FOR CHILDREN

August 27, 2006

Lorena Ochoa

DUBLIN, OHIO

PAUL ROVNAK: Lorena, congratulations on your third win of the year, the sixth of your career. It took a lot of birdies to get it done. 24 under par. That's the fourth best score in LPGA history. Go ahead and talk about your win and we'll take some questions.

LORENA OCHOA: Hello. I enjoyed my weekend very much. It was a lot of fun to be able to make so many birdies. It was close for a moment when we were both 22 under. I was very calm and I though she's made too many birdies. It's my turn to make them and finish strong. So that made a difference, the way I finished.

I was very comfortable. I'm really excited about the day. We were really lucky with the weather. I'm glad we were able to finish 18 holes, have a normal tournament, a normal Sunday. It's my first time in my experience coming in with a lead and winning the tournament, so it's something to learn and it was a special win for me.

PAUL ROVNAK: We'll go ahead and take questions.

Q. When you were tied at 22, I think that was through 12 holes, perhaps, can you go over what happened on 13 and 14? And was it almost like match play at that point because you knew you were tied for the lead with her?

LORENA OCHOA: In the morning I just tried to play my own game. I just kept telling myself, 5 under you'll be fine. It doesn't matter if you start with four birdies, just be calm and play your own game. The way she started playing No. 8, she birdied, and then the eagle on No. 9. From then on, like you say, it was more like a match play.

We both made birdies on No. 10. It felt like it, it's kind of like a different feeling. You look at the score board, and everybody is three, four shots behind, and there's only two players. It's relief to have so many players behind, but she made a really good birdie on 13

PAUL ROVNAK: She birdied 12 and then you birdied 13 and 14.

LORENA OCHOA: Okay, No. 12. So from there I didn't even think about her or the scores, just be calm, be patient, finish strong. I never lost my control. I was feeling good and knowing what I needed to do.

Q. Fundamentally, what did you do best today? What was the best part of your game?

LORENA OCHOA: I think my putts. I didn't hit as close as I did yesterday, but I was most of the time about 10, 12, 15 feet, and I kept making good putts. That was key for me.

Q. You talked about being in really good control of yourself all day. Were you close to being in trouble at all the last two days at any point? Have you ever played a tournament like this that well, that much in control?

LORENA OCHOA: No, first time. It's nice not to make any bogeys. It feels really good. I played really smart. When I needed to put a bunch of birdies together, I did that. I think Dave really helped me. I really enjoyed the week with him. He's very patient. He's calm, which I like that. He gives you confidence. He helped me with some technical, just club selection. I like that. It was the first week together, the first win, and hopefully we get many more.

Q. 14 Top 10s, three wins, and at the top of the money list. Is this the best you've ever played in terms of just week in, week out? In your career, is this you've ever played?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes. I think this has been for me a great year because I've played consistent golf. For me, that was the goal at the beginning of the year, just to be consistent. It really helped me, just my mindset, to be motivated every week. My goal is to be at the top of the money list in November, so I'm going to stay focused and keep doing the same thing.

Q. Is there a story behind why Reilley Rankin wanted to douse you with champagne?

LORENA OCHOA: We roomed together this week. She was my roommate. She's good luck for me. We're good friends. We help each other just trying to keep ourselves in good shape and motivate ourselves. It's good to have friends around.

Q. How important is it, in Mexico you are respected as someone who doesn't think of herself as better than anybody and you sort of are a celebrity of the people. Does that make sense?

LORENA OCHOA: I don't understand the question.

Q. In Mexico, you are, I guess, the biggest thing in Mexico as far as a sports celebrity, but it seems, in talking to the people out here who followed you, you don't think of yourself you don't have an arrogance about you. How important is that that you are respected there?

LORENA OCHOA: In Mexico, soccer is everything. Golf is like 1 percent. I feel very fortunate just to have so much support and attention from the media, from my sponsors and everybody. It's been great. I'm very proud to be Mexican.

We're all learning. Everything is new for everybody. I think it's exciting for everybody. Also, it's good to have change. Before it was just soccer, soccer, and soccer, and now it's something new. They recognize me over there. It's very nice to go home and feel warm and the support.

I have fans in the United States. The workers on the golf course and people on the outside, it's very nice to see them. They know about me and they come and support me. That makes a big difference.

Q. Before you sunk the last putt on No. 18, you flipped your ball marker and caught it. How often do you do that on the course and when did you start picking that up?

LORENA OCHOA: I do it all the time, for a long time, maybe three or four years.

Q. What happens if you miss, you don't catch it?

LORENA OCHOA: I pick it up. I miss many times. It's just something I like to do to feel relaxed.

Q. The conditions today with the soft and wet greens, do you think that played in your favor in shooting another low round, or are you just hitting the ball so well?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes. It was playing longer. We didn't get any roll today. But at the same time, in your mind it's easier because you can go for the hole and the ball will be fine. You can be more aggressive. Like I said yesterday, I needed to play aggressive today because this is an easy course. Many players can jump and be close to you. That was the idea, just be aggressive and try to make as many birdies as we could.

Q. Did you set a target score knowing that you had to go low again to win?

LORENA OCHOA: I tried to go 10 under to break the record. You just try not to think about that so much in winning the tournament. You shoot whatever you need to shoot to win. It doesn't matter if it's 1 under, 3 under, 5 under.

Q. 10 under to break the LPGA record or the one round record?

LORENA OCHOA: Yesterday I was one short of the record. I tried to do it today. I'll try again next year.

Q. What does it mean to you to be the leading money winner certainly at this stage, but at the end of the year also?

LORENA OCHOA: Very much. That's probably, so far as a professional, the highest goal you can accomplish. I worked really hard in the off season and I've been trying to be good for the whole year. So right now it doesn't mean anything. I need to go all the way to November, but that would be a really, really high, you know, a dream, a completion in my career.

Q. You had mentioned Lee eagled hole 9. What was going through your head at that moment, going into the back nine with her coming on pretty strong there? What were you thinking at that time?

LORENA OCHOA: Sometimes when you are playing and things are going your way, they just keep going your way. And for her, it was very easy. She kept hitting them really close to the hole and making them. She almost made two on a par 5. Like I said, I just tried to be calm, relaxed. She played good on the front. It was my turn to play good on the back. So it was good.

Q. What did your mother say to you last night when you called her to wish her happy birthday?

LORENA OCHOA: She was very happy, but she said, you know, make sure you win the tournament for my birthday and when they ask you how old I am, tell them twenty two. (Laughter).

I did have her in my mind and in my thoughts all day. This tournament was for her.

PAUL ROVNAK: Take us over your scorecard today. You birdied No. 4, the par 5.

LORENA OCHOA: I tried to get on in two with a 3 wood. I was just one yard short of the green and I putted maybe 25 feet, two putts for birdie.

Then on No. 5, I hit an 8 iron 150 yards, just one foot, really close.

No. 7, I hit another 8 iron 135 yards just past about 15 feet, and I made it.

9, I hit 3 wood. I had 125 yards and I was pin high on the left side about 25 feet, two putts for birdie.

No. 10, I hit an 9 iron 125 yards. It hit the flag and bounced to the right about 10 feet and I made it.

No. 13, I hit another 8 iron 135 yards to about six feet and made it.

PAUL ROVNAK: What club?

LORENA OCHOA: 8 iron.

PAUL ROVNAK: 14.

LORENA OCHOA: It was a par 5. I had 100 yards to the hole. I hit my 56 degree wedge, spun back maybe 15 feet and I made it.

PAUL ROVNAK: Thank you, and congratulations.

End of FastScripts.

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