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GINN OPEN

April 13, 2007

Lorena Ochoa

REUNION, FLORIDA

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Let's go over your score card, starting on No. 1.
LORENA OCHOA: On No. 1, I hit a 7-iron to the green, like 145 yards, and it was just maybe two feet.
Then No. 3, I hit my driver to the right. There was a marshal there and the ball was just on the bottom of his chair. I was trying to get the thing away and I tried to mark the ball but just for an instant I picked up the ball. So it was a rookie mistake and I got a stroke penalty. And then I put the ball in the middle of the fairway. I had a chance to reach the green on my fourth, but I hit a bad 3-wood, fairway wood just short of the green about 25 yards and didn't make up-and-down. So just put it on the green and 2-putt for double-bogey.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: How far were the two putts from?
LORENA OCHOA: 25 feet.
Then I made birdie on No. 7. I hit my second shot with a 7-iron 155 yards about ten feet and I made it -- no. That's No. 8.
No. 7, I put it on the green with a driver, just left side of the fringe, pin-high, and I made up-and-down for birdie from just a couple feet.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: How far was your first putt on the fringe?
LORENA OCHOA: I chipped.
No. 8, that's when I hit the 7-iron about ten feet and I make it.
No. 10, I laid up for my second shot and I had like 75 yards to the pin. I hit a sand wedge for about five feet and I made it.
Then No. 14, I hit a 9-iron 140 yards, about 15 feet and I made it.
Then on 16, I hit a 4-iron 200 yards and just two feet.
Then 17, I tried to hit the green in two, and I just leave it short on the right side in the rough and I hit a flop shot and just went by a little bit about seven, eight feet and I made it.
Then on 18, I hit the green in two with an 8-iron.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: How far out?
LORENA OCHOA: 145 yards. And I had a really long putt, maybe 30, 35 with a big break. I was just trying to make two putts and I just made it. So it was a good surprise and it makes me feel a lot better.
It was a good round because the way I started with that with that double-bogey early in the day, I really didn't, you know, get angry or anything. I just thought, you know, there's a lot of holes left and you're going to be fine. And I'm glad the way I finished. I'm really happy with my round.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: It was a fantastic round. You obviously matched Laura Davies with your two rounds, back-to-back 66s.

Q. Did you know what Laura shot? Were you paying attention to the score board on Friday?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I was. I think the first time I saw it was on hole No. 7 when I tried to hit the green in one, and I saw the board and saw that she was at 12. Yeah, I was surprised to see the gap between like four or five players and that we were a little bit apart. I was 5-under at the time and I thought, I'm fine. I'm just going to make sure I get in the last group on Saturday.
So that just looked like a turning point and I started making birdies and I get a good rhythm.

Q. When you finished birdie, birdie, birdie, do you almost wish you could keep playing?
LORENA OCHOA: I'm hired, no. (Laughing) No, I'm ready to go and rest for tomorrow.

Q. What happened on No. 3? Is that the kind of thing that you've learned to handle better over the last couple years?
LORENA OCHOA: To be honest I'm very disappointed with myself. I think I rushed a little bit. I think I should have either asked him to move the chair and if it moves the ball, nothing will happen, or handle things differently.
I don't want to, you know, Brittany came and said, "You know, you can mark the ball." So I just didn't even think about it. I marked the ball and saw the reaction; just picked up the ball, so it was a silly mistake. I should know better. This is my fifth year on Tour. But, you know, you learn and I guess I just need to take more time and try to talk through what I'm going to do with my caddie and just try to make sure that I make the best decision out of something like that.

Q. 12-under was what won the tournament last year; can you talk about why you think the scores are lower?
LORENA OCHOA: I think because of the greens to start. They are very soft because of the rain that we had a few days ago. And the rough, it was really high last year. It was really a big struggle. If you hit in the rough, you were dead.
Today, it's a little more easy to put the ball out and to give yourself a chance to put the ball on the green. That's the big difference, and the greens were just like ice, like dead grass, very, very fast greens and they are a lot easier this year.

Q. You have a Superman-headed clubhead cover; who gave that to you and what's the significance?
LORENA OCHOA: I've had that since college. Just a friend gave it to me. In college, my coaches called me "Super Ochoa." It's not a nickname, but it's something that it brings me good memories, you know, from my college time. And I really enjoyed my time at the university and it was really good atmosphere just being around the team and the coach. It's kind of like my lucky head cover.

Q. Playing with Laura, she's a pretty fast player, obviously a long player; what do you think about that, playing with her tomorrow?
LORENA OCHOA: I love playing with her. I really enjoy playing with her. I think just the way she handles her game and how much she loves to play and to be on the top, I admire her very much and she's very impressive. When I was growing up I always look up to her, like looking at her hit 2-irons and 3-irons. So I always enjoy very much playing with her. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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