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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLAJune 6, 2008Lorena OchoaHAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND MIKE SCANLAN: Should we do your scorecard first. LORENA OCHOA: Hello. MIKE SCANLAN: Birdie 3. LORENA OCHOA: 3, I had a 6-iron 165 yards and about 10 feet. I made it. Number 4, I hit 8-iron, 135 yards, about 2 feet. I made it. Number 8, I hit a hybrid golf -- a 7-wood, 200 yards to the front the green. And I leave that a little short on the right side then I chipped about 3 feet and I made it. Then on number 10 I hit a 9-iron 135 yards, it was very close, like one foot, and I made it. On 15 I hit the green on two, the Par 5 with a 3-wood, 225 yards. I putt for maybe 25 feet and I took birdie. On 16 I hit a wedge 110 yards, 3 feet and I made it. On 18 I hit a 7-iron, 145 yards. I leave it long, maybe 20 feet, and I made that for birdie. MIKE SCANLAN: : All right Lorena great round today. 7-under. Puts you right in at the top the leader board heading into the weekend. If you would just talk a little bit about your round and where that seven-under came from today. LORENA OCHOA: I have to say that I shoot 7-under for Mike because it's his birthday. I promised him a low round. And it was a great day. It was just easy. One of those days that I hit a lot of fairways. Apparently all of them, if I am not wrong. And I think I gave myself like 17 birdie chances. It was very easy. I did enjoy it a lot. I'm going to try the do two more rounds like that. Stress free. It could have been one of those days I could have shoot 10 or 11 under. I am glad I hit my driver good. I think for a major it's always important to hit your driver good and hopefully I continue the same going for the next couple days. MIKE SCANLAN: Questions. Q. Lorena, the way you are playing right now, the way you are swinging the clubs is there any reason you won't win Sunday if you continue the same way you are playing. Do you see any reason? LORENA OCHOA: No. (Laughter) I mean, I don't think that's, you know, I think if I do the right thing, you know, if I keep playing the way I'm playing I think I have a good chance. It's not that I am going to say that I will win, you know, because you never know what is going to happen. You know it could be a couple players that they get crazy on the week and I shoot really low. I'm never worried about the, you know, other players. I'm just happy that I feel good with my game. I'm comfortable. I'm going to do the same routine, same everything tomorrow. Keep being aggressive. And take one day at a time. You know, play good tomorrow and then what I want is to have a good opportunity on Sunday and do it. Q. Can you talk about the par on 5? LORENA OCHOA: The par on number 5? The uphill? I hit a 3-wood to the bunker on the right side and I had like 188 yards. I hit a 7-wood pretty good just to the right and ended up in the bunker. Q. Did that surprise you it was in the bunker? LORENA OCHOA: I was happy to be in the bunker. I like the bunker. And you know in the rough you never know how bad it's going to be, your lie. I was just glad it was in the bunker, in a nice lie and I was able to get it out and just about three feet and make par. So I think that was an important par. It didn't break my momentum. Then I was able just to continue that. Q. When you are staring at leader boards on the green, are you looking to certain names or what are you thinking when you are look at the leader board? LORENA OCHOA: No. I just like to see. I think I always -- I like to see, you know, where I am at and what I need to do to stay in the lead. And when we start playing the back nine we thought let's make it to 10-under you know a couple, two digits and it will be great. And we did it. I think it's just very important. It makes a big difference. Being in the lead and playing on the weekend. So far I work on like we planed to and hopefully we'll do the same on the weekend. Q. Do you think it's more intimidating to other players being in double-digits? Being past 10. Do you think it's more intimidating to the field being in double-digits already, being at 10? LORENA OCHOA: I think it's just good to be in the lead. I don't think it matters being in the two digits. Because my name means something you know. And I think in a way that's what I am trying to do. You know to put pressure on other players and to let them know you know that I want to win. So, you know, I think both ways it helped me. Q. Lorena when you say it was easy, could you explain what that feeling is like? I mean is it just you don't even think about things? How is it easy? LORENA OCHOA: Just, you know, the stress relief. I'm never, you know, too worried or thinking about my swing or worried that I was missing putts or leaving myself a long putt coming back. You know, it was just an easy day. And I guess, you know, that's great. It feels good. And it's always nice when you have a long putt and you just leave it really close and you don't need to go back and forth you know trying to make it or for example when you miss the green to give yourself a ten-footer for par, you know that was just easy right there, you know 3 feet and made it. So no stress. I mean happy. Q. (No microphone) LORENA OCHOA: Yes. Q. (No microphone) LORENA OCHOA: It impressed me a lot. The way she played today was very impressive. She had a couple bad holes but I think overall she played really good. Just very aggressive, right at it. And you know making good putts for birdie. We were walking on number 10 and for the third time, you know, on the third holes -- in ten holes I'm sorry -- I had one 21 yards to the pin. I told her you know Morgan this is the third time I've had one 31 yards she's like shut up I had five times 195 yards. (Laughing) I was like I'm sorry I'm sorry I'll shut up. I'm not saying anything. And then I look at her and I said well you put it closer than me you know. Kind of like because it's true. It's true. I mean, they're so far behind and they put it closer than you. You know, it's funny. But that's why they're here and really good players. Q. Lorena, has power always been part of your game from the first time hitting the ball a long way? LORENA OCHOA: I think so. I mean its been increasing over the years but I think in college I was probably the top five too. And in Mexico I was probably top three. It's been increasing. I don't even know where I rank right now. I think a little better than last year. But every year I get maybe you know three, four, five more yards. And it's been a progress. Q. That putt on 18, did you know it was in when you hit it and how big was it to cap the rounds? LORENA OCHOA: I didn't understand I'm sorry. Q. The putt on 18, did you know it was in when you hit it and how big was it to cap out the round like that? LORENA OCHOA: No I didn't know it was in until the last moment. I thought it was a little bit left. And because all day I have so many so close to the hole and all of a sudden you know it would be left or right. I was just kind of hoping it would get in. And that's why it was bringing a smile on my face. For sure it taste good when you finish with a birdie. You feel a lot more positive, you know, and now I have a long afternoon that I am just going to be just enjoying my afternoon with a good attitude because of that birdie. Q. How long have you been doing that routine, when you put your ball back and take your coin and flip it, catch it and put it in your pocket, how long have you been doing that and how did that get started? LORENA OCHOA: I don't know. I think I started that on tour. Maybe my second year. I don't remember exactly the time. I think before I did it maybe, you know, three or four times in the rounds. Kind of like give me a good momentum, kind of like it feels good, you know. Maybe the end of my second year I just started having that in my routine. Q. Do you check to see if it's heads or tails? LORENA OCHOA: No everybody thinks I flip the coin but I don't flip it. I just toss it. It doesn't spin. (Laughing) It doesn't spin. I just go like this. If it's tails I make it. (Laughing) No, no, no. Before I use to do it with Mexican pesos, now I do it with a coin from or with the mark from my foundation. Q. Do you drop it? LORENA OCHOA: A few times. I actually once, I dropped it really close to the ball and I had an extra stroke so now I always try to do it when I walk away or when I'm far from the hole. (Laughing) Q. I was watching the hole number 9 you had a chance for birdie and you kind of were mad at yourself because you missed that putt. Talk about hole 9, you know the front 9 going to 10 you had a chance to hit a birdie and you looked really mad at yourself. LORENA OCHOA: I wasn't mad. I never got mad. I mean I missed this putt and I was like a little frustrated. I started leaving more left than I wanted to. But I was happy. I said okay we have the back nine and I'm feeling good and let's go on and make more birdies. Q. Lorena, who is your favorite athlete who is not a golfer? And why is this person dear to you? LORENA OCHOA: That's a tough question. I think Federer. Q. And why? LORENA OCHOA: Why? Just, you know, just like any other athlete I think we all admire him. You know the way he does things. He seems so effortless when you plays. It seems like he enjoys a lot and the way he handles his character and I hear good things about him outside the court. I guess he's a good guy. And I like him. Q. You said today was easy. Do you feel like you've had a lot of easy days this year? LORENA OCHOA: I think today was one my best rounds this season for sure. Just, you know, I think I hit all the fairways -- well that number 5 now that he mentioned it. But I think today was my best round in the season. Q. Last year when you came here you were still looking for your first Major. How much more confident are you now when you get in this position? LORENA OCHOA: I don't think you can ever get too comfortable, you know. You always need to just be aware and be careful, you know, and really try to be smart out there. But I think I'm more prepared. And I have more experience. And it's all about having experience. And I am ready to be in tough positions, you know, if something happens, you know, or playing in the last group I feel more comfortable playing in the last group. So I think, you know, I have better chances because of that. Q. Lorena, the way you describe Federer, is the way a lot of people describe you and your game. And what is that like for you? That effortless, you make it look fun, seem like a nice person, et cetera? LORENA OCHOA: Thank you. I think because I enjoy when I play, you know. And I'm very level. I don't get too angry with me or with others. And I don't, you know -- I mean sometimes I get mad, but that's the way it is. But I'm very level. And lots of times I'm just happy and trying to smile. And I think the take the good things and the bad things. You know it's just life. I think that's why, you know, I think it looks the way it looks because I enjoy it. That's the number one reason. Q. You are probably going to have a late tee time tomorrow and you are done early today. What are you going to do when you leave the course today to pass the time? LORENA OCHOA: I think I'm going to go to the movies. My brother is here and our friend and maybe I'll see "Sex in the City." (Laughing) I never seen that show and everybody's like you have to see it you have to see it. So maybe I'll do the movie so I'll be done with it. (Laughing) Q. Will you give us a review tomorrow? LORENA OCHOA: If I go, yes. I like to have a hot dog and a Diet Coke and chocolate. Sometimes I don't understand the English so I miss a lot of jokes. (Laughing) laughs it's okay. MIKE SCANLAN: I think we can end it on that one. LORENA OCHOA: Thank you. MIKE SCANLAN: Thanks, Lorena. End of FastScripts |
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