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MICHELOB ULTRA OPEN AT KINGSMILL

May 14, 2006

Lorena Ochoa

WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

PAUL ROVNAK: Thanks for coming in and speaking with us. You've had a lot of success here. This is your third runner up finish at this event, your fifth this year to go along with one win. So you're playing some extremely good golf, and that carried over to this week. Talk about the week in general.

LORENA OCHOA: Well, I did have a really good week. I think that the trouble was that first round, just put me too many shots behind the lead.

You know, Karrie played really good golf, very consistent all four rounds. She didn't miss any chances. As soon as she makes one bogey, one mistake, the next hole was a birdie. So she played very consistent. She deserved to win. That was a very big margin of victory and it was hard to catch her.

Q. You talked yesterday about the need to get off to a fast start, and you did that with a birdie at 1. I know it's early in the round, but did you think that's the perfect way to begin the day and did you think that perhaps it was going to be your kind of day?

LORENA OCHOA: Well, yes, you know, it all has to be positive. I thought to myself, you need to get off to a good start and try to make birdies on the first few holes. I did make birdie on the first one. After that I knew I needed to do that to be able put a little pressure on Karrie.

Unfortunately on the third hole, the par 5, I didn't get a birdie on that one. That was a big mistake. Actually I was in a much better position than she and she is the one that makes the birdie. But still, I have so many holes to go and I'm very positive. Told myself, you know just keep going, giving yourself chances. She's going to give a little bit of room.

You know, it just happens. I played very good on the front nine. I made a couple of bad swings and ended up in bad position but I was able to do 1 under on the front nine. I told myself, you never know what's going to happen and this doesn't finish until the 18th.

I was trying hard, but I guess by hole No. 10, I rush a little bit. That's when it started raining, and my driver, I missed it to the right. I had like 50 yards and hit just little sand wedge in and I hit it too hard and ended up, I don't know, 40 feet from the hole and 3 putt that one for a double bogey. So that was you know, I was just really upset with that one and really mad. Good thing they suspended the tournament for that time. So I figured, get out of here, relax and forget about it and put myself in a better mood and just go out there. I have eight more holes and try to finish hard. That's what I did. It was tough.

On the last three holes, they were playing pretty tough. I think, you know, you can see the scores today; they were very low. It was a tough day today.

Q. Talk about a birdie you did make on 14, obviously at that point Karrie is running away with things, but there's a pretty good battle shaping up for second at that point.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I think that was a really important birdie. You know, I was you know I just told myself, just keep giving yourself birdie opportunities and they are going to drop eventually. I hit some good shots and finally I made that one on 14. Again, I think No. 15, I made a mistake hitting my wedge real short. So that was a bad one, I didn't take advantage and birdie the par 5. I did the best I could.

Q. What did you hit on your approach to 14 to the green?

LORENA OCHOA: A wedge. It was 120 yards.

Q. Karrie used to be the best player in the world. How much was it frustrating to see her just down the middle, very steady, few mistakes, how much did she look like the old Karrie?

LORENA OCHOA: Well, I think golf is all about experience. She is way ahead of me. She has been playing here for so many years. I just tried not to pay attention to her game, try to do your thing, make birdies and give her a little pressure.

She handled herself pretty good. Like I said, when she made a mistake, made a bogey on that hole, right after she made a birdie. So she never gave any room or hoping to at her. So she played very solid, very consistent.

Q. Can you talk about the approach shot on 8, you were in the rough, and you and your caddie had to figure out what club to hit, you hit like a rescue club up there?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, we hit a rescue club. You know, I had like I don't even remember. I had like 160 yards to the front maybe. You know, it hit short of the green and jump up there. It was a great chance. I had been having this discussion with him about the rescue club in the rough and after that, Lance, my caddie, he's like, I will always trust you, hit the rescue from the rough. That was good timing for that. That gave me good position and it was a good one.

Q. How much did you have left to do at 10 during the break? Did you have to finish that hole after the rain delay?

LORENA OCHOA: Mm hmm, just that much. (Indicating several feet).

Q. Were you still upset?

LORENA OCHOA: No, no. When I came back, I was just happy. No, no, I was good. I was feeling good. I told myself, just finish strong and make some birdies coming in. That point where they stopped the tournament was good for me.

Q. Having five second place finishes, is that a glass half full or half empty thing for you? Do you look at that positively or as ones that got away?

LORENA OCHOA: No, very positive. I think that the more chances you have, the more wins you're going to get.

I'm playing very consistent. My goal at the beginning of this year is just to make sure that if I don't win, finish in the Top 10. I have a lot of second places. I don't like to be in second place. So this is going to make me stronger and now I want to win really bad. So hopefully get a win next week.

PAUL ROVNAK: Want to take us over your score card? You birdied No. 1.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I hit a 50 degree wedge 110 yards, 12 feet and I made it.

6, I missed my driver to the left and I tried to punch like down and I ended up in the left bunker and I didn't get up and down, rolled over the green, and had two putts for bogey.

PAUL ROVNAK: How far was the par putt?

LORENA OCHOA: Like 25 feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Tap in bogey?

LORENA OCHOA: No, like four feet.

7, birdie, I hit the green in two. I was about 200 yards to the middle of the green. I hit my rescue club and had like 35 feet for eagle and had two putts.

PAUL ROVNAK: 10 you said you hit your drive right. What happened after that?

LORENA OCHOA: I had a punched to the fairway and had a sand wedge 55 yards. I hit it too hard, just went over, about 40 feet and 3 putt. The second putt went by maybe five, six feet.

14, I was about 120 yards and I hit a pitching wedge maybe ten feet.

18, I missed my driver to the right and I tried to hit a rescue to the green and just got a little bit left in that bunker. I hit it out a little bit short, maybe 12 feet and I missed that.

Q. Are you playing Sybase next week?

LORENA OCHOA: I am. I'm taking Corning off, one week off.

Thank you for everything.

End of FastScripts.

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