	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NAVISTAR LPGA CLASSIC

September 27, 2007

Lorena Ochoa

PRATTVILLE, ALABAMA

ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Lorena, thanks for joining us today. You're at 6-under, the leader in the clubhouse after the first round. Talk about how you played out there today.
LORENA OCHOA: Hello everybody. It was a good day today. A little bit of a slow start. I only make one birdie my first eight holes, but then on my ninth hole, which was the 18th, I made birdie over there, and that was important. Kind of like get a good rhythm for the other nine.
After it's just very solid, you know, the front 9. Give myself a lot birdie chances. Actually I miss a couple short putts, so it was just a good day. I think it was key to hit a good tee shots just put myself in a good position and make things a lot easier.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Can go over those birdies, starting with the first one on the 12th hole, your third of the day?
LORENA OCHOA: I can't remember.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: You want to jump to 18? We can come back to that one.
LORENA OCHOA: On 18 I hit the green in two with a 5-iron, 165 yards just a little bit long, maybe 12 feet, and I made it. On No. 1, I hit from for my second shot -- wow, coming from vacation. Let me see, the first hole. Yes, I hit a wedge 119 yards, I think a little bit long, maybe five, six feet, and I made it.
Then on the Par 5 I hit the green on 3 with sand wedge, 85 yards, just pin high on the left side maybe another five, six feet, and I made it.
And on No. 7, the Par 3, I hit a 4-iron, 185 yards just a little bit long, maybe 15 feet, and I made that.
On No. 8, tried to reach it in two but I just miss my second shot to the right side. It was maybe twenty yards outside of the green and then made up and down for birdie. I was about maybe four feet and I made it.
That's it. No. 12 I can't remember. (Laughing) I'm sorry.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Questions for Lorena.

Q. You seem to have picked up where you left off before vacation. Seemed like such an easy round today. No bogeys. I guess talk about what it was like to get back into it and have such a solid round right off the bat.
LORENA OCHOA: I'm really happy just the way I played today. Very solid and good rhythm, especially with my tee shots. Just putting the ball where I wanted it to be. That means that it was good to take some vacation and that it's good to practice and be home a little bit and get back to my game.
I feel comfortable. I think that's important. I really didn't know, you know, where I would be after four weeks to get in competition again. So I just tried this morning to really concentrate and get a good routine and just put myself in the tournament and tried to put a little pressure on me to make sure that it clicked that I'm already playing a tournament, and it worked.
That's where I want to be, and I'm already in a good position. I'm going try to do the same the next few days.

Q. Your birdie putt on 18, was it a little of a slider, did it have a lot of break, or was it pretty much straight down the hill?
LORENA OCHOA: Uh-huh.

Q. You had a little fist pump there.
LORENA OCHOA: Yeah, I think I had 17 putts today downhill, and I give -- you know, I tell my caddie, Maybe let's get this club. But I think we were in between clubs all day and I just couldn't feel that if I hit the 9 instead of the 8 that I will get to the pin, and I didn't want it to be short.
So we just kind of like tried to be aggressive all day even though it was a little bit long, maybe three, five yards long. Seemed like it worked really good, my putts on the greens, and I got really good speed from the greens.
It really didn't bother me. I guess if I would change something tomorrow I would just try to stay below the hole a little bit more and it'll be easier.

Q. On No. 9, just looked like it skimmed over the cup. Almost had another birdie there.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. I just needed probably a little more break. I just misread that one. The greens are not very easy. They are tough. I guess in the afternoon they will be bumpy. I'm glad that I took advantage of the early round and played solid, and tomorrow will be very different golf.
Also depends on the rain this afternoon. So, yeah, I'm excited for tomorrow.

Q. Did you recognize your fan from South Carolina that was waving at you?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. Nice to see her.

Q. Obviously you had some big streaks in your college career. Can you kind of compare this? Is this like the best stretch of golf you played in your career? There were some in college where you really got on a roll like this.
LORENA OCHOA: Well, college was, you know, it was great. I think all of them are good, just different times. Junior golf or college golf and professional. So far on the LPGA this has been my best game. But 2007 there's a lot of tournaments to go, so hopefully it's more special at the end of the year.

Q. What's it like when you get on a roll look this? What's this been like for you?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, number one, just to enjoy the moment. Sometimes you try too hard you don't play good. Other times it's just easy. It's of one of those moments where I feel that everything is clicking in. I just feel very comfortable out there, and I like that. I'm going to try to repeat that as much as possible and enjoy the moment.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Thank you.
LORENA OCHOA: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297