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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPApril 2, 2008Annika SorenstamRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you for joining us we are at the craft 2008 Nabisco championship, and you could possibly looking at being a four-time winner at this event. Has that crossed your mind entering this week? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I haven't really thought about those words, but I'm excited to be here. As you know, I've done well here in the past. I feel good about being here and about the way I'm playing. So trying to take one day at a time and not really think too much ahead and just enjoy the week and feel good, and I'm looking forward to playing. Q. You look like you're in excellent shape as always. What is the workout regimen? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The routine is pretty much the same I work out five times a week at home and try to lift a lot of weights. When I get on the road, I work out three teams a week. It doesn't change too much, I do certain repetitions for eight weeks and I change just to kind of change a little bit for the body not to get used to the same exercises and keep it fun. But overall, it's the same stuff I've been doing for years. Q. You looked good last year, too, but apparently didn't feel very good. Last year was the start when your body was not behaving properly. Wonder if you can just talk about where you were a year ago and where you are now in terms of how you feel and how you're playing and the progress you're making? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, last year, when I sat here at the press conference, obviously I didn't know -- I felt good, and I think I probably said I felt good. Little did I know that my neck was bothering me and something was wrong, and I'm sitting here and I feel great. You know, I hope nothing is wrong. I feel good and my game is good and physically and mentally I feel good. So I've kind of put 2007 -- it's in the past and I'm just looking forward to this season and how I'm playing, and you know, I have recovered pretty fast, I would say. I have no pain. I have no restrictions. I can work out as much as I want, so it's a good thing. Q. Your ball-striking last week seemed to like it was back to the quality of pre-injury; do you feel like that's true? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do. Well, you and I played in the Pro-Am, and I was very happy with the way I played. I didn't finish as well as I would have liked and I didn't really get the job done, but I feel good about my game. I'm in a good place. I'm excited my motivation is back and it's just a matter of can I get the job done and finish it. I feel like I'm very, very close. Q. Was there emphasis on getting off to a fast start this year after the off-season workouts and not having won a tournament last year? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's always fun to win your first tournament, and for me it was extra special to really feel like I'm back and feel like I'm contending and can be in the winner's circle again. It was important just for me personally to know that, you know, the winter practice has paid off and gives you a little extra step, a little momentum. It's fun. I missed it. I missed winning and I missed hitting good golf shots. When you see the results again, it makes you practice harder. Q. Is the gap right now that Lorena has got, is it attainable this year to get back to No. 1? And secondly, what would you consider a good year this year, or a great year? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, to answer your first question, I'm not really sure when you say if it's attainable; I can win Money List and Player of the Year and World Ranking, I'm sure if I win a lot of tournaments, I can pass her. It's a tough thing to do. She's playing some spectacular golf right now, and right now I'm just focusing on the things I can control and that's my own game and things I want to achieve. If I achieve my goals, I think things will fall into place. So you know, a good season for me would be obviously several wins, a few majors and just being the best player out here. I have high expectations of myself and I believe I can do it, and that's really what my mind is focusing on. Q. The rankings are still relatively new, even now, do you think it's a better measurement of Player of the Year, Money List, as opposed to looking at a mathematical rankings? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would like to say that I think World Ranking should be a good measurement. It goes back two years, and I would say two years is a better measurement than just one year. I know that we have changed the criteria in the World Ranking a few times, and I think it's pretty accurate, I really do. You know, but I've always felt like scoring average and Player of the Year is a better gauge than Money List, because the purses vary so much. But it doesn't mean I wouldn't mind winning the Money List, but they are all good gauges of who is playing the best golf. Q. How noticeable are the changes to the golf course this year, the bunkers and the new bunkers they have put out there? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I really don't think the changes are -- it's not really a big deal. It seems like the lips are not as steep or not as sharp. The bunker that they added on 11 is an addition, but you could still make up-and-down from there. So I really don't think there are some big changes out there. Q. Every great athlete like you who has won everything probably feels how many great victories you have left or how many seasons you have left. What do you feel, how many seasons do you have left right now? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, I have never really put a time frame on my career. I've always said that if I enjoy what I'm doing, if I feel motivated and I want to continue to compete, I will do that. I do think that I've kind of come to the back nine of my career and I'm starting to enjoy some other things in life. But having said that, this is an important season for me and I'm focusing on the top and I want to get back to the top and play some good golf and that's really what's on my mind. Then we'll see what brings in the end of the year. Q. Can you put a number on where your game is right now between 1 and 10, or how would you define that if you don't like numbers? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: If a 10 was in 2003, I would say I'm probably 8 and a half. Q. How were you affected the first time that you saw that you were no longer No. 1 and you mentioned earlier that your motivation is back; how much of that motivation is getting back to number one? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I think what really drives me is just the game itself, for me to play some good golf. It's different to chase somebody than be chased. And of course I was disappointed to lose the No. 1 spot that I had for a while and I enjoyed being up there and I enjoyed being challenge. With the injury that was a huge step back for me. I'm in a different situation today. I have different expectations and I'm coming from a different way. So it's not just me trying to chase Lorena; it's about me trying to play the golf I know how and I want to do. That's why I play this game, I enjoy it. It's not necessarily where I am on the Money List or the rankings. Q. What stirs you more, being No. 1 and crushing everybody and keeping them back, or having to chase, what's the difference? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it is a difference. I've been in both situations. I think when you're playing some good golf and you're at your peak, you think of things in a different way. Today I'm chasing somebody I know or you know where you need to go. And in my case, I know I've been up there and I know what it takes and I know what I need to do to get there. It's just a matter of doing it. When you're up at the top, you have to kind of be creative and you have to figure out ways to stay motivated and continue to work hard and play good golf. So it's very different. I enjoy both of them. I've enjoyed the good golf I've played and again, like I said, I'm in a good time in my life but I'm enjoying where I am now. I enjoy the journey as much as getting to the top. Q. What's your advice for Suzann, a player coming back to a place where she had a real tough time on a Sunday afternoon? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I don't really think she needs any advice. I'm sure she walked away here with -- I'm sure she was disgusted about the finish, but look at what she did after that. She had her best year. She won five times and another major. I think she learned from this week. You know, we can speculate if she would have won as many if she wouldn't have had that Sunday. I think we all learn from tough times as much as we learn from good times. I think on the contrary, she's really excited to be here and wants to prove to herself that that's not the way she normally finishes. Q. Many years ago, early on you said you wanted to take it one day at a time and not get too far ahead of yourself and there was a time, I recall you would be thinking about winning on Thursday and you were so anxious to get going and that's how you got ahead of yourself. Is it the same feeling now, or is it a matter of maybe lower expectations and not thinking too far ahead and just going one step at a time? And if that question made any sense, you're a genius. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I know I'm not a genius, so I may not answer your question. You're right, there's been a few times where I have been in my own way on Thursdays because I'm thinking so far ahead and how important the tournament is that I forget what I'm supposed to do what I really came here to do and, and that was to hit one shot at a time. I feel good about my game. I feel good mentally. I'm going to go out there tomorrow and just have some fun. I have every reason in the world to have fun, and I trust my game. It's just a matter of executing it and not really trying to push myself and force it. I know I have it in me and I'm just going to let it happen, and that's my plan for this week. Like Ron said, I'm hitting the ball well; I won this year; I have all the ingredients I need. Q. (No microphone). ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, that's a different story. Q. I was wondering your thoughts on the talent level in women's golf now, you see an 18-year-old win a major; your evaluation as you look back at some of the younger players. ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, yeah, it's a tremendous time for the LPGA. I think we are as strong as we've ever been. We have like you mentioned younger players and players like myself and Juli Inkster that are still very competitive. It's just a great time. The talent is as good as ever; the golf is as good as ever. You have international players. Like I said, it's competitive out here week-after-week. Q. You spoke about the frustrations of last year with injury; how much frustration did you get from losing ground to Tiger on the text-messaging front with majors won? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, with the way he's playing, it's tough to keep up. It's inspiring to see the way he's playing right now, and I have a lot of work to do, but I have to do it my way and the way I know how. So this is an important week for me and it's going to take a day at a time and see and hopefully I can send that text on Sunday and narrow the gap. Q. Did you ever set Patty Berg's 15 as a goal like Tiger set Jack's 18? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I never did and the same thing with Kathy Whitworth's 88 wins, that was not my goal when I started to playoff. I joined the Tour and I didn't know if I would Ken a single tournament. Of course I've changed my goals through the years after winning a few more tournaments, a few more majors, but I've never had wins like that in my mind. You know, that's not what motivates me. Of course, I'm very proud of what I've achieved and I know what's out there, but I can only do what I can do, and that's focus on each tournament and go from there. Q. Just kind of a fun question, I know you've jumped in the lake several times already, but do you still allow to think of different ways you might do it -- ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Or what I'm going to wear? Yeah, of course. Yeah, you think about those things because it's fun, and you visualize what would be the coolest way to go in the lake, and some of the memories to leave this place, but of course, but it's more just for fun. I have some ideas. I've never executed them. I don't think they were so great if they did in reality, but they sound fun. Yeah, I have some imagination, yeah. Q. Like what? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I don't know if I want to say. (Laughter) Like I said, they sound better in your mind than in reality. You always wonder what kind of bathing suit you would wear or just small things like that. Anyway, next question, please. (Laughter). Q. Do you still have the red shoes? ANNIKA SORENSTAM: They are still drying out, but I have a pair at my academy proudly displayed. DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all very much. Annika, good luck. End of FastScripts |
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