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LPGA CORNING CLASSIC

May 30, 2004

Annika Sorenstam

CORNING, NEW YORK

PAUL ROVNAK: Annika, thanks for coming and joining us, and congratulations. This is your 51st LPGA win, 16th when you were coming from behind. You've won three out of six this year, and four out of seven worldwide, so you're off to a pretty good start.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you. I'm very, very pleased. And what can I say more than I love to win. This is you know, it's a thrill to have a chance to win on Sunday, come down the stretch, feeling at the birdie to win, and I got off to a tough start, but on the Back 9 I played good again. Seems like the Back 9 fits me here. It was fun.

I didn't really feel good about my game this morning, but the back 9 birdied 9 and 10 and off I went, so like I said, this is what it's all about. This is what I practice for, and this is why I come and play.

Q. Talk about what was the turing point for your round today. You got down to, I think, a few strokes down, and when did things start to turn for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it came to a point where I got totally frustrated with myself, feeling that I had to be inside, but couldn't produce anything, and walking away with the bogey on 6 was maybe a turning point because I made a nice par on 7; obviously to roll in a birdie on 9 and keep it going on 10, and I played really solid on the back. I felt really good about my game on the Back 9. It's almost like I calmed down a little bit. I felt more at ease with myself and then just focusing on what I had to do.

Q. Annika, were you keeping close tabs on Vicki? Do you score board watch?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I always score board watch. Today it seemed like if I just kept an eye on Michelle, that was my biggest concern, but then on the Back 9 I saw what Vicki was doing as well. Then on the front nine I had to be concerned about myself and make sure I did run too far behind because they were really playing well, so once I got in control of my own emotions, then I could look forward and I could look at the leaderboard and see what was happening.

Q. Annika, you made what I thought was a great save on number 17 after putting a drive into the trees on the left side, almost making a par there was almost like a birdie. Did you feel at that point that once you hit that safely onto the green, that was it, this is mine, this tournament is mine?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You never know what can happen. I've been in this situation many times before. And it's really funny because I hit a driver up 17 all three days, and today I played safe, and I ended up in the trees, so sometimes things don't add up, and then I got up there and I had a horrible lie, and I thought, hit it close to the green or on the green par if I can, and like I said, to make par would make me feel good going into 18, but Michelle birdied 18 yesterday, I felt she could do it today, and I just didn't want to be in too much trouble and, therefore, I hit 4 on 18 to place it somewhere in the middle.

Q. Talk about the experience of coming back to Corning, not even the fact that you won and walked off with a big check. Obviously, those are good things. But you obviously were a favorite here all week, a lot of galleries following you around, a warm welcome on the 18th green.

Other than winning, was it worth the nine year wait to come back.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I don't know why it took nine years for me to come, but a lot of times it's been scheduling why I haven't come. Obviously, I'm very glad to come, I don't have to say that. I felt very welcome since I came here Wednesday night, had two volunteers pick me up at the airport, they were very, very nice. I've had a good stay, I've had good food, people have been so supportive, I felt that Thursday morning when I showed up. I felt that through every golf shot I hit, especially the warm welcome on 18 today, I feel like I should have been here sooner, but then again, I'm glad I won, and I'll be back.

Q. How do you compare the crowds to other places where you've won? This is the 51st win, obviously it's nothing new.

Do the Corning crowds treat you better than they do other places, or the same, or do you feel more welcome here.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do want to say that I feel that the crowd and the people here are very, very proud of their tournament, there's a lot of history here, a lot of good players have won this tournament, and you can feel how proud they are of the city, and of the course, and the tournament, and you don't always feel that everywhere, so that, for sure, I felt.

Like I said, I felt welcome from the start, so if you add everything up, it's been a wonderful week.

Q. Look forward to coming back next year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I will.

Q. Annika, you didn't get in until Wednesday night, like you said, no benefit of the Pro Am or a practice round, and nine years not playing here.

I know you mentioned your caddy really knew what he was doing out there, obviously, but still, you had to hit the shots, and you hadn't been here for so long. Are you proud of the way 18 under on a course you hadn't played in nine years.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yes, I'm very proud of that. I did play really good the first two days, and that was solid. I listened to my caddy maybe more in the beginning than in the end. Maybe I should have listened to him more, but I did you know, it helps to have a caddy that knows your game. It helps to listen. Obviously, you've got to execute the shots as well, and I did that the first day for sure, but the more I played it, I knew where to hit, I knew where to aim, and I knew how the greens would be.

I did think, however, that the greens speed up yesterday and today. I thought today they were very fast, so it was good to have several rounds to get used to the speed, but my caddy, he works really hard, this victory is as much his as mine.

Q. I gather that's not normal for you to come on a Wednesday night for a Thursday event, is it?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I normally play in the Pro Am and I normally have a practice round, yeah.

Q. Did you have scheduling conflicts this week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, it's just i don't want to sound like an old lady, but this is my 11th year out here, and I do have other interests other than golf, and I love to be home, and the more days I can be home and practice and be a housewife is important as well, therefore, I kind of balance the two things, and, therefore, I showed up late.

Q. How key was the Back 9 for you this weekend, particularly the last two days here?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I heard on the 18th green they told me I was 15 under par, so it was a key nine for sure, and I did play some good golf there, especially 15, I think I birdied three out of four; I birdied 12, I believe every day; and then number 10, I think I birdied three out of four as well; the second hole fit me here.

Q. Since it has been nine years since you've been here, what specifically brought you back here? Did the one in four rule that they put in place last year, did that have a little something to do with that? It's kind of an obligation nowadays.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It had a little to do with it but not a lot. The biggest thing is that I felt the support last year when I did play Colonial, Corning was very supportive. They said whatever is good for the LPGA is good for us, and I thought that was a great comment from a big company that's been so supportive of the LPGA for so many years.

I know they struggle I guess their shares are down, I got some shares so I know that. You know, I just thought that was a great comment. To me, that's long term thinking, and that's the way I was looking at the Colonial, too, that was obviously good for me and my sponsors, but long term I always thought it was good for the LPGA and, therefore, I wanted to come back and kind of say thank you in my way.

Q. Last time you were here in '95, you win tournaments, you've hit 51 now. How many tournaments can you win? Can you get to 100?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's taken me 11 years so win 51, and I don't know, I cherish every win. I work very hard for every win, and they all have a special place in my heart. Who knows, I might never win again, you never know. You can never take anything for granted, but I do love what I do, and I love to compete.

My schedule i'm cutting down on my schedule a little bit, which gives me less chance to win, but I feel like if I have more quality than quantity, I'll be happy.

Q. Did since you and Michelle were able to put some distance between yourself and the rest of the field, did the last 36 holes almost feel like match play?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I wouldn't say that directly but, you know, I was playing close attention to Michelle because she was leading most of the way, so and then today Vicki played really good, and I saw some other players climb up on the leaderboard. It is hard when you're leading by a few strokes on your own or with another person because it's almost like you compare each other's scores, but if you don't pay attention they can sneak up from behind.

I think it makes it a little difficult that way. I've been in the situation before with another player, or just me alone, it's tough to look forward, but once I was always chasing, I thought that was easier for me because then I knew what I had to do.

Q. Did you want to chase from four strokes back around 6 or 7?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It wasn't really my plan. I wanted to go off to a good start and put the pressure on the rest of the ladies, but things happen for a reason. Maybe get off to a slow start kind of got me fired up in the back instead.

(Score card.)

Q. Comment on Michelle. She hadn't won since '91?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: She should give herself a lot of credit, I thought she played tremendous all week. It's not so easy to play so consistent if you haven't been there, you know, to go out there and be in the lead, which she was most of the time, and have everybody watching and feeling the pressure, and maybe think about the last few years, and suddenly you're in the position to win, there is a lot that goes through your mind, so I thought she did really, really good and had a good tournament.

End of FastScripts.

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