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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLAJune 14, 2009Anna NordqvistHAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all for joining us. Anna Nordqvist, congratulations your fifth start as a professional on the LPGA Tour at the McDonald's LPGA Championship. You were saying earlier it has not sunk in yet, so continue building and explaining those feelings. ANNA NORDQVIST: Obviously it's a great feeling and I think it's going to take a couple of days to realize that I actually won. It's just been an incredible week. I've had so much fun and I've learned a lot. It's just been great. Q. You had a five-shot lead after seven holes and it got down to one shot; I wonder what was going through your mind at that point. Were you churning inside? It didn't look as if you were churning anywhere. ANNA NORDQVIST: No, having the lead early -- she made a couple of birdies and I made a bogey on 13. I kept being patient and I think that was what's really paid off at the end. Q. You didn't look nervous. Were there any butterflies as you were going along carrying the lead? ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, of course there were. I think that's part of it, and I think my caddie, Gustaf, he should get a lot of credit, because he's been keeping me calm all week. I mean, I've just been really relaxed. Q. Can you just talk about last night and the nerves that you had? I'm assuming that you had some nerves last night, and maybe what you did? You didn't have a whole lot of time to sleep I guess. ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, was hard not to think about golf, that's for sure and I had a hard time to fall asleep. Once I got to the golf course, I felt pretty calm, like even though -- even though there were in nerves there, I felt pretty calm. Q. You had conditional status; can you kind of talk about the frustrations of not being able to play in too many events, and your decision on whether or not to play over in Europe or to play on the LPGA? ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I started out the year with a conditional card, and then it was really tough to get into tournaments. In the beginning I tried to Monday qualify for a few but I didn't get in. I mean, it was really tough to be onsite and not getting to play, you really are wanting to play, and you know you are playing solid, but you didn't get in. I think that was a really good experience and makes me keep working hard. At the end, I mean, you will eventually work your way up. Q. You talked about Annika earlier in the week; have you spent much time with her, talked to her before, and what was the message you got from her before the final round? ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I got the opportunity to meet Annika a couple of times. I mean, it's been a great experience and she's been very supportive. I mean, just sharing some thoughts about her career, and I mean, before the round, she just told me -- I got a few words from her through a couple of friends and she said just try and take one shot at a time and just enjoy it. Q. Did she Twitter that or text message you or just through other friends? ANNA NORDQVIST: It was through friends. Q. You're not supposed to win a major championship in your fifth start; that's not supposed to happen. How did you prevent that kind of thinking from getting in the way? ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I think I haven't realized I won a major yet. I mean, I just tried to focus on what I can do. I really can't do anything about what the other players are doing on the course. I just try to focus on my own game and keep doing what I'm doing, and then at the end, I mean, the results, there isn't anything I can do about it. Just give it my best and then we'll see at the end. I mean, this time, it was my time. Q. You saved yourself from qualifying tomorrow for the Women's Open; what do you plan to do instead? ANNA NORDQVIST: Yeah, I don't have to go up at 7:58 or something and play 36 holes. That's a great feeling. Q. How surprising was the champagne bath you took at the end, and who were the people spraying the stuff on you? ANNA NORDQVIST: Oh, yeah, that was great. I couldn't see anything, but it was my coach, Katarina Van Gogh, who flew in from Sweden to support me this week. And it was my best friend, Stali (ph), her caddie, Ryan Fisher, and my caddie, Gustaf, and his wife and fellow player, Louise Friberg. I think those were the ones I saw. There was probably a few more. Q. I'm thinking that you have a shot at getting on the European Solheim Cup team now. Have you thought about that that much at the beginning of the season? ANNA NORDQVIST: Obviously it's a Solheim Cup year, and I mean, I'm just going to go out there and play the best I can, and if I end up getting a spot on the team, that would be a great experience and a dream come true. If not, I'm going to work hard for next time. Q. Growing up in Sweden, I heard you played a lot of different sports; why did you choose golf? Was it because of Annika? Was it just because it seemed like the sport for you? ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, I did a lot of different sports growing up. I have a very sporting family; I have two brothers. And I mean, I was just really sporty and then I did a lot of team sports, but then eventually when I started to play golf, I felt like it was on my own terms and I could practice whenever I wanted. It was basically up to me how good I wanted to be. Q. You putted magnificently all through the tournament. I'm just wondering, is that the strength of your game, or were you surprised by how on fire you were, or can you talk about your putting? ANNA NORDQVIST: I mean, my putting has been awesome this week. I've been working with PING in the putting lab just trying to get a good roll of the ball. I think in the beginning of the year I was struggling with my putting, and I didn't think I rolled them that bad, but they didn't want to go in. But I mean, I feel like the last couple weeks, I've been putting well. I mean, obviously making putts gives you confidence and I felt very confident on the greens and I saw the lines. I mean, my putting has just been awesome this week. Q. The GOLF CHANNEL did a side-by-side, your swing and Annika's; did you pattern your swing after hers? Because it's very upright, both. ANNA NORDQVIST: Oh, really? Actually I haven't really tried to copy her but I think that's something that, I don't know, I started working with her swing coach this year, too, Henri Reis, and obviously there might be some similarities. Q. What is the putter you use? ANNA NORDQVIST: I use a PING iWi Anser. Q. And just the fact that Annika delivered a message to you, how did that affect you? ANNA NORDQVIST: Well, it meant a lot to me just to know that you have the support behind you and that someone believes in you; that meant a lot to me. DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all, very much. Before you leave, let's go over your scorecard. ANNA NORDQVIST: First hole, I hit a pitching wedge to two feet. 6, 8-iron to 15 feet maybe. 13, 5-wood to 12 yards maybe. 14, 8-iron to four yards. 15, wedge to ten yards maybe, or even more. 18, 21-degree hybrid to three feet. DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you very much. Congratulations on your win. End of FastScripts |
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