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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

August 5, 2007

Lorena Ochoa

ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

COLIN CALLANDER: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the slight delay. However, we do have the 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open Champion with us tonight. Lorena, how does it feel to win this great title, and equally important, to become the first woman professional ever to win at St. Andrews?
LORENA OCHOA: I like the question (laughing.)
Hello. (laughter). Let me think -- no, it's really hard to describe and I think it's not going to be easy to realise what just happened but I'm just really thankful.
Like I said, it's been a blessing just the whole way, and a long way, too, 24 majors and finally I have this here and I think it's for a reason and I couldn't be more happy.
COLIN CALLANDER: You said out there that your time had come. Do you believe that is one of best four-round performances you have ever put together?
LORENA OCHOA: I think so, yes. I think so, yes. Today was tough. I like the wind, it's no problem, but when it gets cold, I don't like that. In México, it's pretty warm all year and it's very different for me. A little rain, the golf club slips, things just start changing but I was able to have control and I was able to manage myself. It was important to get a few birdies on the front and it made things a lot easier on the back. It was a great day.

Q. How was your day today?
LORENA OCHOA: Delightful. Today more than the U.S. Open for sure.

Q. At what point did you let yourself realise that you were going to win?
LORENA OCHOA: At what point?

Q. At what point in the round did you actually start to believe that you had won this tournament?
LORENA OCHOA: I believe that I would win the tournament Monday when I first start practising -- (laughter) -- but not until the 18 tee shot is when we did it. After we hit that tee shot and put it in the middle of the fairway, it's a pretty big fairway; it's nice and it looks good. I was walking with my caddie just saying that, you know, just we did it and it was a great feeling.

Q. Can you talk about the 17th?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, at first I was very surprised that my second shot went into the bunker. I thought I hit a pretty good second shot, a little bit low and I thought, oh, my God, we're in the rough, bunker. We were thinking it would be closer to the green and I was surprised to see that.
At the same time, I was very calm. I hit out of that bunker on the left side and I thought the ball would be maybe pin-high but for sure, it was outside the green. It was just a great bounce and it was like, wow, it feels good, to get a bounce at the right time. I was just so relieved and it was a great feeling to put the ball on the green.
COLIN CALLANDER: Is that the best bogey you've ever had?
LORENA OCHOA: (Laughing) Yes.

Q. When you were in that bunker, did you think or do you know that many men had been in there and taken several shots to get out --
LORENA OCHOA: Sideways --

Q. And what is your father's name?
LORENA OCHOA: Javier.

Q. What's your caddie's name?
LORENA OCHOA: David Brooker.

Q. You have won tournaments, now you have won a Major; what is the next goal?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I think that there is always, you know, higher goals. I think this is going to be for sure very important to me. After last year and then this year being ranked No. 1 in the world, that was my goal at the end of the season to finish No. 1 in the Money List and to finish No. 1 in the World Ranking.
But at the same time, you always want to improve. And this is my fourth tournament (win) and I won six tournaments last year and I want to improve that. You know, I think it's something that I could do. I think it's a great challenge but I have a lot of tournaments left. Right now that will be my goal, just short-term goal, just to make sure I keep playing consistent and I will be happy achieving what I want to achieve in November at the end of the year.

Q. For some players, this is the most important tournament of the year; what does it mean for you?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, just too many things. This is my fifth year on the Tour and my first time ranked No. 1 in the world. And there were a lot of people saying that I wasn't good enough or that I couldn't win a major or when am I going to win a major. And I always have taken all of the comments and understood very well because I didn't win. I just think now it's a big step forward. I did it and there's no more to say.
I love St. Andrews. I love to make history and this is one of those, it's going to be there for the rest of my life and a very special week.

Q. Would you like to come back every five or six years?
LORENA OCHOA: I haven't heard anything. What they said in the ceremony is that they would like us to be back. It would be great and hopefully we will be back and I can defend my title.

Q. Have you considered playing with the men, if they opened up the men's Open Qualifying to women?
LORENA OCHOA: No, no -- to play with the men? No. I think it's something, you know, I don't know what I'm going to be thinking maybe in the next five years. But right now, I just love where I am and I prefer to dominate what I'm going to do so there's no need for reason for me to prove. I think it's more -- it could be something bad for you.

Q. (Who do you work with and how
Q. You looked very calm out there. How do you manage that?
LORENA OCHOA: Thank you. Just like any other player, I have a sports psychologist and at home and I like yoga and there's no other way to learn than by being there and being there one time after another and when you make mistakes is when you learn. It's just the way you feel, inside you, like your body and just to be able to understand and to control the pressure. I'm learning. I feel very -- I'm just a young player, but I'm still learning and trying to get better in tough conditions but I think I'm doing good.

Q. How will you celebrate tonight?
LORENA OCHOA: How? I don't know, we'll see. But for sure I will celebrate. I have my whole family here and a lot of friends, so we will all just get together and maybe I will even have tequila.

Q. Have you spoken to your mother yet?
LORENA OCHOA: No, not yet. First thing I will do is get back and call my mom. She is the only one that is missing. She's in México but I'm sure she will be watching on TV and celebrating right now with relatives back home. I will call her and we'll see.

Q. Do you mind telling us what your father said to you when he greeted you on the 18th green?
LORENA OCHOA: Nothing, just "congratulations" and "great and we did it." I think we're both feeling the same; it's hard to say something. It's just you are -- you're kind of like blank.
And I want to mention another thing, today is my coach's birthday, Rafael (Alarcón.) We were talking with it would be great to win the tournament, and I want to say hi and happy birthday and thank you for the support. He's back home.

Q. Are you likely to go back to México and celebrate there like Cabrera did?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I'm going to stay in Europe this coming week, and then I'm going to play in the tournament in Edmonton and then Portland and then I'll go home.

Q. When you got here last Monday, did you just have a feeling from that moment on about this week, or did you have a sense of destiny?
LORENA OCHOA: You know, I've just been working a lot in my head that, you know, I want to win this tournament, I want to win this tournament so bad. And everything I did, and everything, any thoughts, it was just -- they were very positive and very clear to me. You know, I wanted to -- I saw myself on 18 green lifting the trophy, and it's almost something that you already believe. It was clear, it was great, and it's never been better now that we did it.

Q. What will you do in Europe for a week?
LORENA OCHOA: We are going on a cruise to Norway for six days.

Q. If you were to have a conversation with Tiger Woods, what would you say to him about St. Andrews?
LORENA OCHOA: Individual a chance to talk to him.

Q. As British Open champion of St. Andrews?
LORENA OCHOA: What I would say to him? I know that he didn't hit any bunkers, so -- I don't know. I think it would be great to take our pictures together. You know, hopefully -- and I would love to be back here not even for a tournament, maybe enjoy the course in a different way, maybe with my family and see everything in different eyes. Maybe I'll be back.
COLIN CALLANDER: On that happy note, congratulations once more and we look forward to seeing you next year.
LORENA OCHOA: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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