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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 21, 2008

Annika Sorenstam

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all for joining us. Annika, first of all, 303 events, 207 Top 10 finishes and 72 wins. It's been a great career. Can you just kind of talk about this week?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, it's been a wonderful career. I've enjoyed it immensely. I don't think just a few words would summarize how I feel or what I've achieved or what I've gone through in experiences. But I've seen many of you before, so I don't have to go into details.
But it's been an emotional week. I felt it coming down here Tuesday morning. You know, the feelings still haven't left. Very mixed.
Like I said, I'm going to miss a lot of these things. The good thing is I have a lot of fun things ahead of me. So I'm looking back at it as something I'm very proud of, and something that I'm just very fortunate to have experienced.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Questions for Annika.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You might want to ask questions. I'm going to be drug tested in a little bit. So please fire away.

Q. Are you serious?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm serious and I was tested two weeks ago, so I don't really know what's going on.

Q. They didn't hear you were retiring?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have no idea. But they're not going to let me go (laughing). I have no idea, but...

Q. On a nondrug-testing note.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I guess you get tested every other week now, so (laughing).

Q. I was just wondering if you can just kind of talk about your thoughts walking up to the last hole? Was it hard to concentrate? Did it feel like you thought it was going to feel? Did it play out in your mind the way you had it?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Certain things you can play out in your mind, and certain things you just can't. I mean, it's just been, like I said, the feelings all week have just been, you go back and forth from happy to being sad, to just you always think, you know, have I made the right decision?
Even though I know I have, you just think that, you know, all of a sudden the time is here. You know, it was always at the end of the year, and the end of the year, another month or so. And then all of a sudden you're standing on the 18th fairway and it's the last approach shot in an LPGA event. And a lot of thoughts go through your head, and you're trying to win a golf tournament, and you're trying to enjoy it.
What's been the coolest thing this week is all these people that showed up that I just -- that I don't know and that have been my fans, they're bloggers daily. There's a connection there, I just didn't know who they were. Now they're here and I see them. With my family here and friends here, and you guys, everybody just following every shot of the way. It's just been very, very special.

Q. Were there tears at all?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, tears through the week. It's been, you know, it's almost that a tear wants to come out, but it's not really coming out. I think it's because I'm very happy with what I've done. You know, I'm content. I've said it along, I feel good.

Q. If you're going to drug testing, does that mean you're not closing the door on a return? I'm sorry, come on. Was the putt on 15, was that kind of the moment where you realized that there were too many strokes and too few holes?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I knew that -- I don't know what the scores are right now. But I was hoping to shoot par better today. I had to make some rounds. When I was making the turn and I was 5 over I had to get 3 or 4 under on the back.
You know, got off to a good start on 10. Had a good chance on 14, I knew that had to go in. 15 had to go in. It's just I was just playing for birdies. I was just trying to make up ground. You know, I had really two good chances there, and when you don't make those, you know it's going to be very hard.
So, I had it right there and I knew I had to capitalize, I just didn't. I wish I would. Like I said earlier, I want to play two more rounds. I didn't want to end it this way.

Q. When did you find out about the drug test? When did they tell you?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Just when I walked in the media center.

Q. Secondly, how do you think it's going to be to wake up tomorrow morning? How's your life going to change?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you know, I'm actually flying to Singapore on Sunday night. I'm playing two more events. So, as of now, nothing is really changing.
I come back from Dubai on December 15, and I'll have two sponsor days. Then actually give a commencement speech to the University of Arizona on December 20th, and that's pretty much it.
So, I think it's pretty ironic to finish the year giving a speech, something that I dreaded when I started playing. So, what can I say? It's coming around. I've changed. This game has changed me, and I'm glad.

Q. You know how Tiger had Jack's list of 18 majors as always something to aim for. Did you have something similar your whole career?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I never did. I know a lot about the history and the successful players ahead of me. And I just never thought that I would ever have the chance to do that.
So certain things have motivated me. Certain things haven't. You know, I look back on my career and if I would have won 89 LPGA, which I have 89 worldwide, it's not going to change how I feel about my career or how I feel about what I've achieved.
Again, I'm very content and another win or so is not going to change that. Sometimes it's more about the experience and what you go through and how you learn about life and yourself than just numbers.

Q. You were talking to your parents outside about when they put you on the airplane to fly off to school years ago, and you were still hitting 3-wood off the tees. Your first coach tried to change your swing five minutes after you got there, and how there were absolutely no expectations for you to become a professional golfer. It was more about social development and learning English. It's been a pretty crazy journey since that step given what you've accomplished over here. That's a lot of water under the bridge.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, you're right. A lot of things have happened the last 20 or so years. It's funny, you know, you start playing a game that your parents introduce you to and it's just a happy, kind of a thing you're doing in the afternoons.
Here I am all these years later, it's been my life, and it's been my job. And it's just taken me to all these incredible places. Like I said, it's defined me as a person. I have so much to be thankful for. That's one of the reasons I want to give back to the game. If I can do it, anybody can do it. It's just a matter of taking the opportunity and doing something with it.
You know, I could easily have turned around and not gotten on that plane, who knows where I would have been today. But I'll never regret anything.
I've made mistakes, but I think that's how we all learn, so I will continue to make mistakes, but, again, I will learn and, again, life is too short not to maximize what's out there.

Q. Something else your mom said out there was one of the things that she's noticed about you through the years is an emerging confidence. Your reference to the speech at Arizona kind of speaks to that. Can you talk a little bit about that part of your life away from golf, not the travels, but just the confidence that you've become as a woman in a professional atmosphere?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, that's a very good question. Like I said, I've learned from mistakes, but I've also learned, and I would say a lot of this is thanks to Colonial, that it's okay to be you, and okay to have your dreams.
You don't always have to follow everybody else, you can make your own path. Can you learn from others, but you can also do what your heart tells you. And the Colonial and some other things that really made me feel comfortable that what I want to achieve is okay, and if I work hard, I can achieve it. And that's given me more energy to achieve more.
So I know I'm going to go to U of A and give a speech in front of younger - it's a young crowd. I was there 17 years ago. You know, they have a journey ahead of themselves. It's not going to be the best speech, but it's going to come from my heart, and it's true.
What I've done, it is true. That's really what I want to get out, so you can do what you want to do, and follow your instinct, which is what I've done. Part of that is the foundation work as well. It's follow your dreams. And I'm living my dreams, and that's the message I want to get out to anybody, young or old. If I can do it, anybody can.

Q. Remember that season opening event that you didn't go to when you felt, I think all the winners were invited, but you felt you weren't ready to win. You said if I'm not going to win, I'm not going to show up at a tournament. This is years back.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, it must be, because it's not so clear in my mind.

Q. I was going to ask how much did that do -- it was years ago. But you said publicly, I'm not ready to win, there's no point in showing up at a tournament if you can't win it. And I just wondered if that set the stage for you to really do things your own way?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I remember the comment, and I think I've actually said it a few times. I remember winning the Open in '95, and the week after that was the Big Apple, and I decided not to go and play.
I got a call from the commissioner, it was Charlie Meacham at the time, and I said the same thing to him. I'm not there to just be seen; I'm there to play and I'm here for the long-term.
First, he just didn't understand, but then I explained and he did understand. It's funny when you look back at things, he's one of my better friends and he's on my advisory board now.
It's just that that's the approach I've always had. I've always believed in performing when showing up. You know, like I said, I've made mistakes, but I think long-term it's turned out pretty good. So you've got to go when you're ready.

Q. You said that you're getting on a plane for Singapore Sunday night, but honestly, have you got any idea what you will do tomorrow?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Tomorrow? I actually think I'm going to go home after the test (smiling). I'm going to go and pack my bag and drive home to Orlando.
You know, I'm sure I'll have some dinner with my parents and just kind of talk about the years. Just reminisce, I'm sure. Same thing tomorrow. Then pack and get ready.
There's a part of me that wants to stay here and enjoy it a little bit more. I wish I could say goodbye to the people that made plans to come tomorrow. But I hope to see them again another time.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all for joining us. Annika, thank you for 15 years. Good luck with the rest.

End of FastScripts

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