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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

April 5, 2008

Lorena Ochoa

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

Q. Thank you all for joining us. Lorena, once again you are in the clubhouse right now as the only leader on top of the leaderboard, so your round today was a little bit up and down, but you had some highlight moments. Can you talk about those.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. Hello, everybody. Yes, it was, for sure, an up and down day. The conditions were so soft that it was playing for sure like a Major championship. I am really tired, just mentally tired, every shot, it was special. I think for the first two rounds I played very easy, gave myself chances, making a few putts, but today it was difficult, it was, you know, hard from the tee to the green.
And I am pretty happy with my round, with finishing under par today, and most important is that I am in the lead and ready to play tomorrow the last round.

Q. You finished with two three-putt. Did you almost have to remind yourself that you were still in the lead?
LORENA OCHOA: You know, I mean, on 18 it was just -- it happened, and it's fine, I was in the rough and then the bunker and then I managed to put it on the green, but it was impossible first putt.
I think that hole number 15, that one really hurt me. You know, that one was probably the one that I felt a little bit frustrated right now. It would have been nice to be two shots in the lead, but at the same time, it was just a tough day that things will happen eventually, and I am okay.
I am not one to be upset. I am really positive, I am really happy that I am going to play tomorrow in the last group, that I have a chance to win a Major, and that's what I am going to do, get ready for tomorrow.

Q. Where would you place tomorrow in the level of importance in your career? Would it be the biggest win, even more than the British? Where do you see it right now?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I don't think it's even good to think on that. Like you mentioned before, why would I feel if I win? You know, I am going to wait until I finish, hopefully I win and jump in the lake and get that trophy, and then I let you now how high it is in my career.

Q. Lorena, was it the wind that made the conditions more tough today, or was it just the golf course was getting tougher, or just the third round of a Major?
LORENA OCHOA: The three and the four, because my rhythm was off today. So it was -- just everything together. It was a tough day. I think making those up and downs on the front, I think it was number 5, 6 and 7, that really, you know, put me in a good position, making the turn, making those three birdies really make a difference, taking the lead, so I am happy, I am proud of that, because I would say to just hang in there and really play the lead, so it was tough, but I managed to do it.

Q. Lorena, Jack Nicholas, when he was playing, would put a number in his head that he thought he needed to shoot in the final round of a Major championship to win the tournament. Tiger Woods does the same thing.
Do you have a number in your head or will you put a number in your head before you tee off tomorrow?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I don't think so. I mean, I was talking with Dave at the beginning of the week and we were trying to challenge ourselves, and we said, "Okay, let's try to shoot for 12 under." You know, right now I am 6, so I am 6 behind. I think we have good conditions tomorrow, it could happen. I think we have a couple of great rounds today, some players played really good today, so you know you can do it, they are playing so good.
It's not that I have a specific number. The most important thing is that you win, and you never know how it's going to be tomorrow because too many players are close. I just want to be excited and I am ready for this.

Q. Lorena, the only player who has beaten you this year is (inaudible) in a tournament. (Inaudible). Do you have a comment to that?
LORENA OCHOA: I just -- no. I like them. (Inaudible) is so nice, and she had a great round in Mexico, Maria is so nice, Annika always has my respect, and it's fun.

Q. Tomorrow, Maria, Annika and (inaudible). Is there anyone you care more than the other?
LORENA OCHOA: No. Every time I play, I try not to think of names or players. You know, I think all of them are playing good, and Annika is in a good position to shoot a lower round tomorrow and win, but I am going to try just to do my own game and concentrate in my things.

Q. Lorena, are you still struggling to get the speed of the greens down? It seems like every day it's kind of come and gone.
LORENA OCHOA: If I am struggling a little bit with the speed of the greens? Yes. You know, yesterday I think it was for sure harder, to me, I didn't feel very comfortable over the ball, but today I did, I was happy, I only made bad play on 15. On 18 it was tough to stay on (inaudible) over the hole, but no, for sure it was a much better day on the greens. I did gain in my confidence. I had a good practice yesterday, I am going to do the same today, and make sure I feel comfortable in the morning.

Q. Lorena, you talked about the conditions being tough today. How do you think your ball striking compared overall to the first two rounds?
LORENA OCHOA: I felt a little bit out of rhythm today. I didn't get in trouble, but I did miss three shots way right, and just losing my balance a little bit. I was a little bit anxious and a little bit quick, I had to stop in my backswing with a transition, so I am going to go hit some balls and, hopefully, get my rhythm back and get a better feeling and be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Let's go over your scorecard.
LORENA OCHOA: I made birdie on the second hole, hit the green on two with a hybrid club 208 yards to the front for birdie, long putt, maybe 40 feet.
Bogey on the third hole, missed my driver to the right and hit it short of the green, had a pretty good chip, maybe five feet, and I made that for par.
Birdie number 10, I hit my 50-degree wedge 109 yards, and maybe 15, 18-feet putt, and I made it.
Number 11, I hit the green on two with a 5-iron, I only had 170 to the hole, and I went long. It was a long putt, maybe 45 feet, even, and I two-putted for birdie.
And 13 I had 115 yards, hit a wedge, pin high on the left side, again, 15 feet, and I made that for birdie. And then I bogeyed 15, hit the green on two with a wedge, maybe 20 feet, but just -- I was on the left side of the hole downhill, hit it a little bit hard, and it went by five feet and I missed that.
And then on 18 I hit the green on three, pin high but way right, and I two-putted, maybe 35 feet.

Q. (Inaudible).
LORENA OCHOA: I think (inaudible) down play with the trajectory, it's only about 230 to carry the water, but (inaudible) from that back tee, so I was trying to be safe and hit on the right side with a 3-wood, and then that's it.

Q. Lorena, Cristie Kerr was in here earlier and she was saying that because she won a Major last year, that gives her more confidence this weekend, she reminds herself, hey, I have won a Major, I can do this. Is that the case with you, because you have won one Major already, does that give you a little more pace on the weekend here?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I didn't even think in a Major, I won last week, I think that's more important. I have confidence in my game and I show the other players that I am playing good right now, so I think it's more, you know, what I have done in the last two or three weeks, I really feel my confidence.

Q. Thank you all very much. Lorena, good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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