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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 19, 2008

Annika Sorenstam

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all for joining us. Annika, thank you for joining us after your Pro-Am. Hopefully, it was a good day today. We're at the ADT Championship, which I'm sure you've been reminded numerous times is your final official LPGA event.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it is?
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Again, we want to welcome and you just talk about you being here and this week going for the $1 million grand prize.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I'm happy to be here. This has always been, I think, the highlight of the season. It's always an honor to qualify with this tournament. As you said, this will be my last ADT, and pretty much last of the season and my career.
So it's a special week in many ways. You know, I feel I must admit I have some mixed emotions. I mean, I'm sad that it's coming to an end, but it's my decision and when I decide to do something, I stick with it.
I'm excited about the future as well, so the feelings are very mixed to be here. But I'm going to enjoy the week and try to play some good golf. Maybe the momentum from last week will continue, and be able to have a chance on Sunday to go for the big jackpot.

Q. I know you have said before that you're not calling this a "retirement" and you could be leaving the door open at some point to return. Is that something that maybe two years from now you pull a Brett Favre or Michael Jordan and come back to the sport you love and play again?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, time will tell. I mean, you're right. I'm not using the R-word for many reasons. I mean, if you know me well, I mean, I have a lot of other things to do. So I'm going to be quite busy the next coming years. That's why I'm excited. It's another chapter of my life, new challenges.
And I've enjoyed it immensely out here. And obviously achieved a lot more than I ever thought I could. So the game will always be with me. You know, if I get the urge to practice again and the motivation to go out there and grind and compete again, I know the door is open. So if that's two years from now, five years or if it never happens, I really don't know.
I do not have any plans other than in '09 I'm just getting married and work on the business I have and go from there.

Q. Is there a specific moment when you knew that you were ready to step away?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have felt it for a little bit. When I won in Dubai last year I really felt like I had come back from an injury, and, you know, I felt good about my game. I just realized that if I want to do it, I can do it.
I had an off season and practiced pretty good, but still felt like, you know, it wasn't the normal off season. My brain, I wasn't as focused as I should be. Then I came out and had a super start, and I was quite surprised about that. But that pretty much sealed the deal. Again, knowing that I could do it if I really wanted to.
Bottom line is I'm satisfied. I'm very content. I have done what I want to do, and nothing else is really going to change that. I mean, another victory, another three more years is not going to change my career, not the way I look at it. That's when I realized that, I said, hey, it's time to move on.

Q. Given that this could be, will be, might be your last, what would mean more, your 73rd LPGA win or another million?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've never played for the money, so that's just never been a motivating factor for me. I mean, I'll always enjoy the challenge coming down the stretch, and having to hit that perfect shot or that perfect putt to beat the best players in the world. That's been the driving factor from the start.
You know, I would say when I turned pro I might have thought about the money, but that's over 15 years ago. That's not why I played. But I will tell you that the million would come to good use. I wouldn't deny that.

Q. You've had so much success on this course in this event, but I do remember you last year, and I remember the look on your face when you left. How much motivation -- is there motivation in that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean I remember, too. I have not really done well in this format. This is a format that I'm not really sure how to play other than to try to just shoot 65 every day, you know you have a chance.
You know, I love to be part of being in the hunt. I love coming down the stretch and having a chance to win. You know, when you're out on a Friday, it just takes the steam out of everything. I know how to play this course. Like you said, I've had success here before.
So I know that it's just that this is such a different format as you all know. You've got to be solid for two days. And there's no room to come back, really. I mean a shot here can cost a lot, so you have to be just 18 holes or 36 and that's it.
I would say I'm a very consistent player, and the 72 holes works just fine for me. So I think it would be great to change that this year, and, again, walk away with some great feelings and really living at the top.

Q. Along the lines of what I was going to say, it's an odd format, and people might have tickets and there's no assurances that you'd be here Sunday or Saturday or how long your swan song's going to last. It's an odd place to sort of wave goodbye?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is.

Q. Not that you had a choice necessarily. It's the last one?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's true. I'm happy to be here, number one. So I know just going to try to play the best I can. I mean, of course we all say that ask we all try. You know, it's a little bit like match play. You know, every day is a new day, and that's just the way it is.

Q. You just talked about how much you like to be part of the hunt and in the thick of things. How much have you thought about what it's going to be like to not have that option and to have to do it in another way in business or however you're going to pursue the competitive side?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, my answer to that is, you know, that's probably what I'm going to miss the most is being in the hunt or having the chance to win the tournament.
But to get there, there is so much more than that. It's all the grind that it takes, all the motivation, and all the hard work to get there before the Sunday, if you're even lucky to get there. That's just what's hard for me to do nowadays.
I'm hoping to be able to channel my competitiveness in other areas. I mean, I've got my foot in other businesses. It's hard. Especially these times. So I'm going to put a lot more energy into that.
You know, I have a name and a brand to protect, and something that I stand for. I want to try to do the best I can there. So I'm not worried about where to put that. I have a place to put my energy. We'll see if I succeed or not. But the goals are there, and the motivation's there.

Q. First question, who all is going to be here to experience this last week with you? And the second one, what's it going to be like to not be around Terry all the time and working with him? I mean, you know, he's been part of your life?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, Terry's a huge part of my life. This is our ninth year together. We have experienced a lot of highs, I would say, just a few lows. He's become a very good friend of me and the family. Luckily he only lives 40 minutes away, so hopefully we can come out and maybe play golf for fun or just have dinner together.
You know, I know we're not going to lose touch by any means. He has a love for the game as I do. I mean, there might be things that we can do together down the road, so that door is always going to be open.
What was the first question?

Q. Who is going to be here?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, here. I actually asked for 50 tickets this week. So I have a lot of friends, a lot of family members coming in. I mean, normally I ask for between 4 to 10 tickets, and this week is 50. I've got people flying in to come here and it means a lot.

Q. Along those lines, is it difficult for you to have that razor focus, that locked in with all the extraneous last tournament this, last tournament that, and all the extra people here this week?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's been hard. I have to admit. Since June I really haven't played as good as I want. It's been very different. I come to a tournament I'm so focused on playing and nothing else. All of a sudden, it's a lot of responsibilities, a lot of extra things. You know, I've had a bad hole and you walk off the green and people say, We love you. You're the best. It's been very different.
The emotions have been there for me this year a little bit more of a roller coaster. Normally I'm kind of this cold Swede just going down the fairway. It's been very different.
But I have enjoyed it as well. It's been a great year in so many ways, and I really have had a chance to summarize my career, and had a chance to share my memories with a lot of fans and a lot of you guys and my family and so forth. So this year goes in the history book for me as one of the top years, maybe not performance-wise, but memory-wise, for sure.

Q. You had mentioned a few minutes ago all the business interests, your brand that you want to protect and see grow, of course. When you announced you were stepping away in mid-may, of course we were in the throws of this downturn, and we've kept turning down ever since financially it seems like. As a business woman is this the best time for you to devote all of your attentions to the business world? I mean, it is, again, you didn't create the situation. It is the situation. But as a business woman does the state of things right now, how much does that worry you?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I don't think I could have timed it any worse (smiling). But I guess, you know, you learn from the lows. The way I look at it, there are a lot of opportunities out there.
Bottom line when times are tough, you have to stick to the fundamentals and the things you stand for and quality. Those are things I've always believed in.
So, again, I'm just a beginner in this game, so I'm learning a lot myself. But times are trying. I think it just takes a little bit more dedication, and like I said, the quality, and what you produce is more important. That's really what I'm going to focus on.
So, again, it is a challenge, a big challenge, I would say. Who knows. I might just come back sooner thinking, hey, a three-footer wasn't so bad.

Q. Today is usually a big day because the new schedule is released. Did you even bother looking? If you did, was there some emotion?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I actually have it right here (smiling). I have not reviewed it. But I took it, so, I'm sure I'll check it. You know, the LPGA is -- I feel comfortable leaving the tour. It's in a good position. There are great players out there, and a commissioner that legally cares. So even though times are tough, we have some great loyal sponsors, and again, the product is good, so that's really all we can do.

Q. When that final shot in your final U.S. Open went in the hole, in your mind is that just a really good shot that went in the hole, or was there something else at work that made it go in the hole?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I believe in fate. I always have. I think there was a reason why that shot went in. I've had some moments this year that you can just not explain. I holed a 6-iron in the tournament in Sweden, my tournament, on the 71st hole. I hit a 6-iron into the 18th hole at the British Open, and it rolled over the hole and rolled in for birdie. Is that a coincidence? I don't know. I don't believe in that. So there's something to it.

Q. Is that the longest, the U.S. Open shot, would that be the longest shot you've ever holed in competition?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I believe so, yes.

Q. Do you recall what it was?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: 199, yeah.
So when I saw Terry in Canada he said, I'm going to lay-up to 6-irons the rest of the season.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Ladies and gentlemen, before you government we have a special presentation for Annika.
Marcia Bullard, President and CEO of USA Weekend magazine is here. USA Weekend magazine is one of the largest publications with a circulation of 23 million. And Marcia is here to present both for USA Weekend, National Most Caring Athlete Award for 2008. So we have a special presentation for that.
MARCIA BULLARD: Thanks very much. I'm glad to be here especially on such an important occasion as Annika's last LPGA Tour.
She's had a spectacular career, and of course over the years she's won, many, many, many, many awards for recognizing her athletic achievements. But today we're presenting an award to recognize the great work that she has done off the course, and that we hope that she will continue to do in the years ahead.
She, as you know, has formed the Annika Foundation, which is dedicated to providing scholarships and golfing opportunities to young golfers, especially young women golfers, to give them an opportunity to enjoy the sport and to achieve the great heights that Annika has.
She's also focusing her attention on finding ways to help American children become more physically fit, something that she feels passionate about.
Since 1994 USA Weekend has named a most caring athlete each year. And we do this because we want to recognize inspiring professional athletes who live up to being the role models that they are, and take their role model status very seriously. Annika has done that.
And so we published a cover story about Annika recently two weeks ago in the magazine, and brought attention to her foundation, encouraged readers to contribute to it, which I hope they have. And have a little kickoff check of $5,000 to add to your kitty. Also, a nice candy dish for your office.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Perfect, thank you.
MARCIA BULLARD: But really, I just think it's terrific when athletes use their time, talent, and money to do humanitarian work to get back to society, and to give other people an opportunity to succeed. So, Annika, congratulations for the Most Caring Athlete of 2008.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Marcia. Thank you USA Weekend. This is a great honor. You know, like you said, I have other trophies that I've played 72 holes to earn, and this has been a lot more than that, and hopefully it will be a lot more.
Really excited about the next chapter in my life which will include a lot of Annika Foundation and giving back to kids.
You know, I had that photo shoot in New York with Eli Manning, and it was just a lot of fun, and great to get a chance to talk to another athlete about his goals and some of the things that he's doing. So, therefore, thank you very much. It's a great honor to receive this award.
I have a lot of work ahead of myself to live up to this, and to continue to make a difference for children. But I'm also lucky to be in a spot to do that. Thank you for recognizing that. This is going to come to very good use, and make a lot of children happy. So thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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