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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 30, 2007

Lorena Ochoa

SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA

MARTY PARKES: Ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to welcome Lorena Ochoa to the media center. I thought we would go right in and if you would talk a little bit about the way the course played today and a little bit about your round.

LORENA OCHOA: Thank you. Hello. It was a really good day. I started in the morning with my second round. I got my rhythm, I hit to the left my tee shots. And I thought just be patient. I was very conscious about it. I was just trying to make a slower transition on my back swing. And I started hitting the ball straight from the tee, which was very important.
I made a couple of birdies and got a good momentum. I played really solid my back nine. I was really excited that the weather was holding and we were able to play the third round, because I was feeling really good, really positive with my game, making good putts for birdies. That's what I did.
In the afternoon I made four birdies. And I had a lot more birdie chances, too. I missed a couple of short putts.
But I just really like my position. It was very important to go low in the third round. We still have a lot of holes left, but I like where I am right now.

Q. Do you feel like it may be easier to ease into the final round tomorrow because you have a few holes left to play in the third round? Does that make it easier playing for the championship?

LORENA OCHOA: No. Easier, no. It is not easy. I think -- I like the idea of playing more than 18 holes. More things can be done. If I keep playing as solidly I have a better chance. You have a better chance when you're playing good when you have more holes, not only 18 holes. And I think it's just going to be a physical challenge, what we've been through in the first two rounds and just today playing a lot of holes. In that part I'm happy because I'm feeling strong and I'm healthy and that could help my game.
I'm going to try to take it in a positive way and hopefully -- I think tomorrow is going to be important to get a good morning, to finish my third round. And then go from there.

Q. Is it important for you to play yourself into the last group for the final round?

LORENA OCHOA: I would love to do it. I don't even know how it's going to work, I don't know if it's going to be a three-some or two-some or split tees?
MARTY PARKES: It will be three-somes off split tees. We'll re-pair for the fourth.

LORENA OCHOA: It's always good to be in the last group. We'll see. That's going to be my goal. It's kind of like too hard thinking too far ahead, just kind of like making sure I finish good. I have seven holes left in the morning. It's going to be first, that's going to be my focus. My goal is to finish strong. And then get ready for the fourth round.

Q. What's a better indicator on your fourth round, how well you play those seven holes in the morning or how well you warm up again in the afternoon before you go out?

LORENA OCHOA: I think the way I finish in the morning will be important. For me and also to other players. You're feeling good, being happy and not feeling like you left so many strokes out there, just to finish solid in the morning and feeling confident with my game it would really help the attitude then, the confidence for the final round.

Q. At this point do you consider tomorrow one of the biggest days of your career?

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, for sure. Yes, and like I said before, I feel prepared to win a Major. I've been working really hard and giving myself chances. Tomorrow is going to be a special day. I don't even think about it and go too far ahead. But I'm going to try to take one step at a time and really concentrate on what I'm doing, one hole at a time, like we always try to play the Major Championships. But for sure it's going to be a big day for me.

Q. You were playing so well before you had to stop tonight, do you feel that you will carry that momentum over to tomorrow or do you feel you will have to start over again and build it up again?

LORENA OCHOA: I feel good, I feel I have a good momentum right now and I'm going to make sure I continue that. I think we'll be in good shape if we do that.

Q. Can you just talk a little bit about what you did yesterday? Since you didn't do much on the course.

LORENA OCHOA: I tried to sleep in. It didn't work. I'm a morning person, I always wake up early. I watched a movie. I had a nice breakfast and tried to rest a little bit after that. I went on a run. I came to the golf course thinking that we could play, but then after that we went home and played some cards, with my family. I lost $10 (laughter). And I went to bed.

Q. What card game did you play?

LORENA OCHOA: We play Continental is the name of the card game. I don't know it in English, I'm sorry. The movie, I watched Prison Break, the series.

Q. If you have a strong finish in the third round do you feel like you're in the position now where other players will see that and it could perhaps intimidate them going into the last round?

LORENA OCHOA: I can tell you that the -- I'm just really happy to be there. It was what I wanted to do, to make sure on Sunday I'm close to the lead, if not in the lead, and have a chance to win the tournament.
I'm really pleased the way I played today and I know my name means something. That's why I want to make sure I get a good start tomorrow and hopefully I can put the pressure on other players.

Q. Did you feel that 4-under was more a product of how you drove the ball or putted the ball?

LORENA OCHOA: I think the course plays a lot easier when you hit the fairways. I want to say because of my tee shots. I missed maybe two fairways, but I was just on the first cut, just in a really good lie. I could say I hit all of them, you know, I had good positions. And it does play a lot easier. I'm going to make sure I do that tomorrow.
MARTY PARKES: Thank you, Lorena.

End of FastScripts

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