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HSBC WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS

February 27, 2008

Annika Sorenstam

TANAH MERAH, SINGAPORE

MIKE SCANLAN: Annika, welcome to Singapore. You've been here before, right?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have, thank you. Happy to be back.
MIKE SCANLAN: If you would just talk about this event, HSBC Women's Champions. It's a big one on the calendar, and I'm sure you're gunning to win this one.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would love to. You're right, it's a big tournament for us. You know, like I said, I've been here before, and it's a great place to come. It's a great golf course and great fans, and I think it's great to have such a big tournament so early in the year, kind of set the stage for the rest of the year.
As you know, the field is as strong as it gets, and we have a great title sponsor with HSBC and a good golf course, and it just sets up for a great tournament.
MIKE SCANLAN: If you would, I know you've probably answered this already, but how did winning that event already help you? Has that given you a little momentum this week?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think so. I mean, obviously it feels great to get off to a good start and kind of put 2007 behind me and just focus on this year. I feel healthy, I feel fit. I'm ready to play this year.
Of course it's great to kind of get off to a good start with some good results, so carrying that on to this week. It's always a new week; anything can happen. But I feel good about my game.

Q. Does it feel like you're starting off from scratch again after laying off for some time? Do you feel like you're starting off from scratch like after the injury?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm not really sure I understand starting from scratch.

Q. Well, I mean, because of the injury you had to lay off. Does it feel like you're restarting again like after playing for so many years, like you're back to square one? Any feeling like that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I'm not really sure I understand your question. I mean, I can answer it the way I feel about it.
I'll say I'm disappointed about '07. I had a chance to play 13 events, and half of it I was just trying to get back to playing some good golf. I did go back to basics when it comes to working on my swing this winter, but in other terms, I wouldn't say I'm starting from scratch. I mean, I still have experience that I'm carrying with me. I still have the excitement. I know what it's like to be out here. In that sense it's just a matter of going back to where I was. You know, it's going to take some hard work and some dedication, but nothing I can't handle.

Q. I was just asking Lorena, too, just about the globalization of women's golf. Can you sort of foresee a day where the LPGA is going to move more tournaments to Asia and the Middle East, for example, and what's the general feeling amongst the players if they'd be willing to travel more?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know what, to be honest, I haven't really spoken to too many players about the schedule and tournaments in Asia. But just in the last 16 years since I've played on the Tour, I've obviously seen a growth of the game over here. We see it in the amount of members on the LPGA. They're having some great success on the Tour. We're seeing more tournaments over here.
It is definitely turning out to be a global game and a global stage for us, and being an international player, I've always welcomed that. I think it's good for the game. It's good to reach out to different fans, to different companies, and I think this week is a good sign of that, where we have quality at the same time, which I'm all about. It's not just about adding tournaments just to add them anywhere in the world. We need to have quality fields, quality tournaments, quality sponsors. I mean, that's how we grow. That's why you have a good field this week. If we can do that, I welcome tournaments all around the world, and I think it's good for all of us.

Q. I'd just like to ask you what was the toughest thing to overcome on your way back from the injury? What was the toughest part to come back from your injury?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, the toughest part is not being in contention, not being able to perform to the level that I know how. You know, when I was sidelined with the injury, first of all, I was away from competition for two months. When you're a competitor like myself, that's not so easy. I mean, I love to play and that's what I do for a living. So that was hard.
And then I needed patience. I needed patience to start building from the ground up, you know, starting with lifting very light weights, being in the gym using rubber bands, which I can't even remember the last time I did. I was forced to take it easy, and that's not something I'm used to, either. I'm always full force, and I go, go, go.
So all those things put together just kind of made me appreciate the good times and what it's like to not have an injury and what it's like to just hit the shots that you visualize and all that.
Overall I would say that this injury put things in perspective and it made me appreciate everything I've done and what I've achieved and maybe a little bit more about the game. I think that's just giving me some more motivation for this year and how much I love being a part of it and competing. Things happen for a reason, and I've learned a lot. That's what I want to take away from last year.

Q. Lorena being No. 1, you've been No. 1 for so many years, and you are now not anymore the No. 1 position. Does it create a hunger right now, compared to where you actually started on your professional career? Do you feel more hungry now trying to chase Lorena and trying to get back the No. 1 position?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say it's a different type of hunger. It's excitement, it's -- I know I can do it. I lost the ranking for several reasons; I mean, obviously one is because Lorena plays so well, but another reason is because I didn't play. I want to play, I want to be competitive, and therefore I'm looking forward to a season where I'm going to play.
You know, it's always -- it's different to be in a position where you're chasing someone than when you're being chased. I think when you're being chased, you have to path your own way. You have to find ways to stay on top, and that's not always so easy. But when you're following somebody, you just follow, and it's different.
I've been in both seats, and they're different. But the end result is when you reach your destination, it's not working.

Q. Coming back from the injury must have been a very humbling experience for you. How humbling was it? Do a lot of guys also find you intimidating? Are you softer as a person as a result of that experience from injury, looking at life from a different perspective? That's a lot, isn't it?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think I heard the question. I don't know if I have softened. I'm still competitive. But like I said, I appreciate just being able to do what I really enjoy.
You know, just thinking about things that I've had time to do the last year, I mean, I'd like to just throw in that even though I was away from competition, I had a chance to work on some of my business ventures, which I'm very, very proud of, and I spent a lot of time on that. And one of them is the Annika Academy. I had a chance to be there for two months every day, just kind of kick-start that. It's in Orlando, and we've come a really long ways with that.
I'm very pleased with that, and also with designing golf courses. I've taken a step further there. I'm about to sign a contract for my fifth golf course, and the Annika Foundation. So like I said, I don't think I've softened. On the contrary, I'm working harder than ever and just trying to find a good balance between all the stuff I'm doing.

Q. Still not taking time to smell the roses?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I can smell, yeah. I can multitask.

Q. You're one of the quickest players on Tour, but the pace of play seems to be getting slower. Do you think it is an issue, and what do you think can be done about it?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Did you say the pace of play? Well, last two weeks we actually played the fastest that I can remember in a long time. So if that's a sign of this year, then that's great. I do think the last year it's been an issue, but the LPGA is addressing it, and I think all of us are tired of it. You know, we've got to think about the fans, we've got to think about the tournament, we've got to think about TV. It's for the better of the game.

Q. Is there something you can do, stop lining up caddies, stop lining up players?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: We don't have any plans like that, it's more just be ready when it's your turn to hit, and now that timing is a lot more regulated you have to be on top of things.
Like I said, the first two weeks it worked, so let's just keep our fingers crossed that it's going to work the rest of the year.

Q. Back to the injury again, but how did the injury affect the way you play golf? How did it affect your movement? Particularly what changes or adaptations did you have to make?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, right now it really hasn't changed much. The process has changed the way I was working out and trying to get back to where I am today. But I have no problems today, I have no pain today, I have no limitations today. I would say strength-wise I'm very close to where I was just two years ago.
Again, the injury is in the past. There's really not much more to say. I'm glad to have it recovered, and I'm just thinking forward.

Q. Based on current form, who do you think has the best chance of winning the title this weekend?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, first of all, we have 78 good players here this week. I think everybody has a chance. My goal is obviously just to play my own game and do the best I can. I feel good about my game. I'm excited about this tournament for the reasons that we discussed earlier. I really don't walk around thinking who's going to win other than myself.

Q. What's your personal opinion regarding new up-and-coming players coming from Asia in terms of their caliber? Compare from five years ago compared to today.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, there's no doubt that there are a lot more players on the LPGA that are playing some very good golf. Look at the Money List, and maybe not this year, we only have two tournaments, but the last few years, you see a lot of good players. The game is growing worldwide, and I think it's great. That's one of the big reasons why we have tournaments over here.

Q. I don't want to preempt anything here, but how long can you continue playing at the top of your game do you feel? Is it something in the back of your mind when you want to focus on course design or the Academy?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I'm not really sure. I mean, I have always said that as long as I enjoy it, as long as my motivation is there, then that's what matters. I don't think it's a matter of age, even though I'm getting up there.
You know, I would probably say that I'm on my back nine of my career. I'm not really sure what hole I'm on (laughter). But I have achieved a lot and I'm obviously very happy about that. There are a lot of times when I'm very satisfied with what I've achieved.
I think the positive thing with injury is that my motivation is back, and that's really kind of where I am today, where I'm focusing on each day at a time, each tournament at a time and one season at a time, and I will have to evaluate and see how things are going.
MIKE SCANLAN: Annika, thank you and good luck this week.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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