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ADT CHAMPIONSHIP

November 16, 2004

Lorena Ochoa

WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

LORENA OCHOA: Thank you for having me. I very excited about this week. I've been playing good. This year has been a great year for me. I'm extremely happy the way I've been playing and the results so far.

You know, I had one of my goals was to just make sure I finish a good year, I finish strong the last couple tournaments. It's been really hard.

I've been playing good, but I'm not playing good around the green or on the putting green. I think that's what cost me a lot of places, first in Japan and then last week in Mobile, in the last couple days, Saturday and Sunday.

I've been a little disappointed with that, but I think it's something I'm able to fix hopefully in the week. I much feel comfortable around the greens, I get good roll especially with the speed, it's very important.

I know there are the best players here, but I feel good. I think I'm ready just to put everything I have and be hundred percent out there for one more week and then go home after that.

Q. And do what?

LORENA OCHOA: Rest. I'm planning on just pretty much take off December. We are planning on going down to the beach with my family and just relax. I don't want to be probably working out hard, but I'm doing some exercises related with golf, but not playing, and then go back to Guadalajara, you know, with my coach and start practicing January and February to get ready.

Q. (No microphone.)

LORENA OCHOA: I think so. I always thought that this, my second year, is going to be a lot more important, just to make sure that I'm still, you know, out there and I give myself a place here on tour.

I do feel more comfortable around the players, just traveling, you know. I know the golf courses, I know where I'm going. It's been a lot easier than my first year on tour, so that's something that also help me.

Last year also I was so tired at this point of the year, you know, I couldn't swing the club, I couldn't think any more. I was just, you know, so, so tired. This year I think I paced myself a little bit better, and is because of that. You know the courses, you know the people, you feel more comfortable, so it helps a lot.

Q. Annika seems to be at the top of the list. Seems more of the players chasing her now are the younger generation, you included among them. Can you talk about the group that's coming up, whether it's you or Christina Kim or Cristie Kerr, some of those players.

LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I think the difference with Annika and us is just how many years more she has in experience. Golf is all about experience, you know. She's so much up there because she's been playing so much longer than us.

I think the group that is coming, you know, is really good. I'm just very happy to be part of that young group, has a lot of energy, you know, really good shape and plays aggressive, we're hitting the ball far. You know, we're all trying to go after her.

I think is fun. It's fun also we are all similar ages, so we could be competing against each other for many years to come. And it makes things excited.

Q. I wonder if you could talk about the two tournaments in Mexico next year. The Commissioner has basically made it seem as though without Lorena Ochoa there next year, there are no tournaments. How does that make you feel?

LORENA OCHOA: I'm just very, very happy that finally we're going to Mexico. Is just for me a dream come true. You know, since I've been here in the States, first in college, (inaudible), and now on the LPGA, everybody in Mexico always follow my career, know where I'm going, how I'm playing. When I play good, when I play bad, they're waiting for me. The fans are crazy in Mexico.

So now for the first time for them to just go and watch me play in my own country, it's a dream. I can't wait to be there.

(Pause in recording.)

Q. How does that make you to feel? How realistic is that?

LORENA OCHOA: Well, thank you for all those players that are saying that. I think, you know, I can do it. That's my dream, just to be No. 1. And I'm going to do everything it takes to get to the No. 1 place.

You know, I'm glad that Annika is here and she probably will stay, you know, a couple of years. I don't know how long she's going to stay. But I think gives me a lot of motivation. You know, is really hard just to keep going and train hard every day and focus, you know, set some high goals and do the best I can to catch her as soon as we all can. You know, we're all trying.

I don't know I can say, you know, two years or three years because we don't know how long she's playing. But I think in the next couple years we want to give her a big fight and she going to start to be playing more tournaments, you know, because she doesn't play as many tournaments as we do. So I think it's going to be a fun race.

Q. When you're in Guadalajara, is there a certain course you play at?

LORENA OCHOA: Guadalajara Country Club, yes. We live right there. In Guadalajara, we have four golf courses. One more is coming. And I belong all of them are private golf courses. So I play there probably five days a week and try to go once a week to a different course just to try different lies or greens or grass, different things.

Q. This is Donald Trump's golf course. Are you a fan of his show The Apprentice? Do you watch that?

LORENA OCHOA: I didn't understand that.

Q. Are you a fan of Donald Trump's television show, do you ever see him on TV?

LORENA OCHOA: Never watch it. I'm sorry.

Q. We won't tell them.

LORENA OCHOA: No, I seen him couple times, especially saying watch the show. I don't watch too much TV. I'm sorry. Don't tell him (laughter).

Q. The adjustment going from the amateur or college game to the pros can be a tough one. What for you this year has been easier than it was when you broke in a year ago?

LORENA OCHOA: I think knowing the golf courses, for sure. You know, last year I really needed to play 18 holes on Tuesday and play 18 in the ProAm, then 18 from Thursday to Sunday.

So this year, you know, knowing the golf courses sometimes I just practice on Tuesday, sometimes I just play nine holes, then I go in the tournament. I feel more relaxed, less tired, and that make a huge difference.

Q. Can I ask what you have treated yourself to with all the money? Are you going to put up a home in America or are you always going to go back to Mexico?

LORENA OCHOA: I always wanted to turn pro by the time I was ready to get on the Top 10. I didn't want to come out and struggle. So I make sure, you know, I play a lot of tournaments as an amateur (inaudible) and LPGA, I kind of saw where was my level of golf.

And I think, I mean, I was ready to get on the Top 10 and put myself out here. This year my goal was to get on the Top 5. Now I'm in the Top 3 so, you know, I am playing a little bit higher than where I thought. But I think it's just because the hard work and all the things I've been working just to be here today.

Q. Are there a lot more young girls playing golf in Mexico? Will there be a Korean type revolution?

LORENA OCHOA: Hopefully. There are a lot of girls playing. I'm very impressed every time I go home how many girls are playing in my club and in different golf courses just in the whole country.

Right now there are probably around eight or ten girls in college. Five of them are playing really good, in really good universities. So hopefully in the next I'm going to say four or five years, we have, you know, more Mexicans coming. I'm waiting for them with arms open (laughter).

Q. What areas in your game have you improved the most, if there is anything specific?

LORENA OCHOA: I think just the way of playing. You learn how to play and not to waste the strokes out there. Because in college we just play crazy. If you made a mistake, made a double bogey, lose a ball, you ended up in second place or third place. Here, one stroke, you go all the way to 20 or 30 place.

I really learn how important is just one stroke, and playing more conservative. I think I am an aggressive player, but I think I used to be more.

End of FastScripts.

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