U.S. SENIOR WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 20, 2026

Annika Sorenstam

Barton Hills Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Annika Sorenstam, 4-under 68 to begin the 8th U.S. Senior Women's Open. Literally all pars, three birdies. What was the key to being so consistent all day long today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I hit a lot of greens. You know, just very patient. I felt like I was in a good spirit, just happy to be here. I love the place.

I mean, as you know, the conditions were pretty perfect. Not a lot of wind. Just nice temperature. Feeling good about the course. Had good speed around the greens.

I think most of all just didn't really push it, but then really didn't -- just not a lot of mistakes. You know, nothing great in a sense, although that chip was great, but I had a few more chances.

So I'm going to go fine-tune my driving. Didn't really drive it well, but I had really good speed on the greens.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of that, walk us through that eagle on 17.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I had a good drive. I had a chance to go for the green, so I hit a 5-wood, I believe, in and hooked it a little left, but had a nice pin high. Just chipped it on the green and kind of trickled down and went into the hole. So I was pretty happy with that, of course.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Annika, you were kind of, I guess, in par cruise control until you got to that eagle. Does that jump-start you when you hear that great big shot and all of a sudden you're in the Annika zone?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's a good feeling, of course. Yeah, it takes the lid off the cup, if you know what I mean. It's, like, okay, I can do this. Sometimes you need that.

You know, I had a few mistakes early on, but saved par and then had a few birdie putts. Just didn't really make it. It was just nothing really there. Then all of a sudden it's just, boom.

Yeah, then I felt more comfortable coming into the 18th here, and I love the front. So it was just a little bit more relaxed, a little bit more just go for it versus, okay, trying to get a feel for the course. I felt like I could release a little better.

Q. My final question, when you come to the course for practice tomorrow, is there any part of your game that you want to get that little extra edge on, or do you feel good about everything?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do not feel good about everything. I don't think any golfer does. I'm going to work on my driver.

Yeah, normally I drive it really straight. Today I felt like I started out with a few to the right and then, of course, had a few to the left. It wasn't as solid as I can be, and I think that's really the key here because you might have a chance to be more aggressive with the iron shots.

I felt like I really didn't have the exact approach shots that I wanted to be a little bit more aggressive to hit it close, so I'm going to try and go out there now and trying to figure out if it's an alignment thing, tempo thing, whatever it is.

Just I want to have a good feeling when I go to bed so when I come out tomorrow, I just can go out there and do it again.