	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

July 28, 2009

Lorena Ochoa

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND

COLIN CALLANDER: We welcome back the 2007 Ricoh British Open Champion, Lorena Ochoa. Welcome back, Lorena. It wasn't very great weather-wise out there today, was it.
LORENA OCHOA: It's okay. I think it's the way it's supposed to be, being here, we checked the weather last week and they said rain, rain, rain, so we are prepared for something like today.
COLIN CALLANDER: You actually finished tied fourth the last time you were here a couple of years back. How do you think the course compared between then and now? Is it playing any different?
LORENA OCHOA: I think, for sure, the course, it's a little bit softer. I remember playing here a few years back and just getting a lot of roll on my driver and some different shots. Even when you go to the green, you could land the ball ten, 15 yards short of the green and just, you know, bounce the ball up there. But not today.
I think they have been getting a lot of rain and the grass is very green, it's not long like it sometimes is, and it's not very hard ground. So we need to try to adjust to that. I don't think the rough is playing as easy as before. It's not hard and you don't have that feather, it's more like longer rough. We need to adjust to those things, and just make sure that we have a good plan for the tournament and go from there.
COLIN CALLANDER: How would you describe your form coming into this event this year?
LORENA OCHOA: I'm feeling okay. The last few tournaments, I didn't have a great result, but I think it was more like one bad day during the week. I'm hitting my driver better today than a few weeks ago, and I think that's important for this week.
And I'm ready. I think the summer is very important. I didn't play the way I wanted to play last week, so maybe it's going to happen for me this week.

Q. It's been a while since MÃ©xico, are you feeling impatient about not winning in a few months?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I don't think impatience is the word. I don't play as much tournaments, and the last few tournaments I play, I had one bad day. I think I just need to give myself some time to regroup and feel more comfortable, to get a rhythm. I'm okay, because I know that I have been working on a few things and I feel that I'm getting better.
I think I'm doing okay. I'm happier. I'm doing okay on the course, even with not the best results, I'm enjoying playing. I think that it's going to be time and I'm going to wait for that time.

Q. Was there a stretch there where you weren't happy? You look more frustrated this year on the golf course than in the past. I don't know if you are feeling that.
LORENA OCHOA: Well, it happened early in the year, especially when I played in Singapore and then playing Phoenix and Nabisco, those tournaments.
But today is different. I don't see the best results, but I'm good. I feel that I'm moving forward and the change I think with my caddie is going to help me. I feel that I'm doing the right thing and I'm going to continue working the same way. But I'm a lot at peace on the course, I'm thinking about the results and I'm going to get better results.
COLIN CALLANDER: Could you tell us who your new caddie is?
LORENA OCHOA: Greg Johnson.

Q. You seem to have a lot of commitments off the course, as well, obviously with your charitable organisation in MÃ©xico. Do you think your commitments off the course are affecting your performance in terms of making you tired?
LORENA OCHOA: No. I've been trying to be professional all the time in this part of my life, and I have things inside and outside the golf course. It's not all about playing and practise. And no, I think I manage myself pretty well. I learn with the years to know how far can I go and how much time should I spend outside the course and how much time practising.
So that's not an excuse. I think it's just something that it's impossible to play good and stay at the top of your game forever, your career. I think I'm positive and I'm just going to be patient for a little bit and I'm going to get better results coming up.
COLIN CALLANDER: Do you think because you've won so often the last few years, we in the press actually expect too much from you? When you've won twice this year, it's hardly a major slump, is it?
LORENA OCHOA: (Laughing) It's okay, I can handle that.

Q. When you talk about working on things, has there been any technical problems that you've developed, technical problems with your swing?
LORENA OCHOA: I think you always have technical problems. I don't want to call them problems, but I think there's always things that you can practise and improve. Nothing is different with me. I'm trying to be good with my backswing, to have a shorter backswing to have more control like I always try to do every time I go to the range.
And with my putting, I made a few adjustments. I changed my putter, I change my hands, I changed my alignment. So I think they are big changes that is going to work in the next stage. So I think that I made a big improvement as far as now I'm in a much better position, the way it should be, and now I just need to get back on and seeing the ball go in and making more birdies.

Q. What is it about the caddie switch in particular that you think will help your game?
LORENA OCHOA: With Greg, for him, it's a little bit easier to get into me, the thoughts, and to help me a little bit more. That's one of the reasons why I change. I think it's somebody that is going to help me in a positive way, and that's what I'm looking for out there.
We've only played together three tournaments; this will be the fourth. It's been good so far. I'm happy and I think Greg, we are both still learning from each other, but I think it's going to be something good.

Q. The ladies don't get to play much seaside golf, is that a big challenge, the ball bouncing and rolling into the rough?
LORENA OCHOA: It's the same for all of the players. I think we all know what we are getting. We have an idea because we played here before, and I think you just need to prepare yourself, mentally prepare for bad conditions and just try to not get too frustrated about the weather. I like to play in the wind.
It's the same for everybody. You just need to be able to adjust and to take in a good way the bad bounces, and hopefully to get lucky a few times and play good.

Q. Did you in one of the recent tournaments have a score of 79, and if so, what went wrong that day?
LORENA OCHOA: I don't want to talk about -- nothing about my 79. I can tell you about the few good rounds last week. I don't really think of the negative days.

Q. A word from the local media; is Lytham treating you well, the Fylde coast?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, we played here yesterday morning and it's been great so far. We are staying in a nice place, and I like the food. I love to travel. I like to try something different than, you know -- being Mexican, having an opportunity to play tournaments in different parts of the world, this is a special tournament for us. I like this place a lot and I have good memories from years before.
So far, it's been a good experience, and thank you, everybody, that is helping, and hopefully we have a great week.
COLIN CALLANDER: Have you got many of your friends and family here this week?
LORENA OCHOA: Only one friend. My family didn't make it this year. They will be watching it on TV at home.

Q. Ai, a good friend of yours, can you give your reaction to her finally winning a tournament?
LORENA OCHOA: I was very super happy for her. I almost cried, we were watching her on TV on Sunday afternoon, and I got very emotional. She's been a good friend and I know how hard she works, how much pressure she has from the media back in her country.
And I just saw the news that I am going to play with her for the first two rounds, I'm happy about that. It's always nice to feel comfortable out there and to have somebody that you like. So I wish her the best and congratulations again.
COLIN CALLANDER: Lorena, thank you very much and good luck this week.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297