KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 27, 2002

Annika Sorenstam

MODERATOR: We'll get started with a couple general comments about how you feel coming into this week and how the golf course looks and things like that.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, the golf course is in excellent shape. It seems like every year it just gets better and better. It's definitely great conditions. The greens are smooth. I think they narrowed some of the fairways.

I'm happy to be here. Looking forward to defending my title, obviously, and this is one of the best tournaments we have all year, I think. So it's exciting to be back and kind of prepare and get ready for tomorrow.

Q. I know last year was a great year, but you were not satisfied. Can you talk about how the majors are motivating you this year; how you can top last year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I was satisfied last year. It's tough to get better. Maybe in the majors I could have done better. Obviously, I did good here this week.

This is a different year and I've got some different goals. But I'm as motivated, I'm as excited to play as I was last year, and this is really one of the tournaments that means a lot to me. But this is one tournament, and we have so many more coming up, some other majors that I want to do good in, also. Hopefully, it's going to be another great year.

Q. There's about 16 women this week that are 40 and older. Do you think that they -- do you think it's probable that one of them could win this tournament? Do you think that's still a possibility? I know you and Karrie and Se Ri have dominated the majors last four years, but do you think it's possible for one of these women to win a major championship?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't really think age matters that much. When you said 16, I probably couldn't even mention half of them. I see them all as competitors and good competitors. I mean, a lot of them have so much experience. They know how to play this course. Some of them might not feel the pressure; so they come out and play relaxed. It's not really an age issue, I think. It's a matter of, obviously, how you are playing and how you feel about this event.

Q. Could you talk about the scheduling just for a second? Not a whole lot of events coming up to a major. Would you have preferred more tournaments, and what do you think about playing -- this being the fourth scheduled tournament and it's a major?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, personally, I haven't really played in January for several years. So it has not affected me. But I know for a lot of players. They normally play in January. When they come here, they have played five or six, or maybe even eight tournaments. So they might be more ready to play in a big championship like this.

But, you know, we are focusing on fewer tournaments, with quality events, and this year it turned out to be that we have no tournaments in Florida. Hopefully we'll get that for next year.

But, I mean, I'm ready to play. I have plenty of tournaments to get ready for this event, and, you know, I've had plenty of time to rest and practice. So it has not really affected me personally.

Q. Your game would seem to be perfectly suited for majors because you hit a lot of fairways, you hit a lot of greens, and you did win here last year doing that very thing. Are you disappointed that you have not done well -- as well as you wanted in some of the other ones? Are you surprised or do you feel like you try too hard?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, of course, I'm a little disappointed I have not done as well in the majors. Therefore, winning last year here meant a lot to me, knowing that I can do it.

I agree with you. I think my game fits really well for majors. I hit a lot of fairways. I hit a lot of greens. I just think in the past in some of the majors, I get too excited. It's almost like I try too hard, and that's just something I've had to deal with a little bit. When I tee up tomorrow, I'm going to think it's Thursday and I'm just going to hit one shot at a time and not think too much about Saturday and Sunday, which I have done in the past.

Hopefully with the victory here last year, I'll think better on the course and think better in majors.

Q. How important is winning this tournament again, defending your title, for the goals you've set for yourself this year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's part -- one of my goals. But it is an incredibly tough field here this week. The best women golfers are here. It's a difficult golf course.

But I feel good about my game. I have a lot of confidence in myself right now, and, you know, thinking back about last year, I know how to play this course. I mean, I'm not as intimidated by it as I used to be. So I think that's a good -- a good sign. But like I say, I have to play my best because there's some great players here this week.

Q. Is your main goal this season to be even better than you were last year?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've set some different goals than last year. I haven't, you know -- I won eight times last year it. Doesn't mean I have to win nine to make it a better season, because I think that's putting too much pressure on myself. But I have set some different goals, and one of the goals is to perform better in the majors.

Q. I apologize if somebody asked you this already about the course. The rough itself, a little bit shorter this year; how about the greens? I had the opportunity myself to play, obviously didn't play well, but are they faster? And if you would comment on a comparison to last year's.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think the greens are about the same. I mean, they are always good here. I think today they were quicker than they were Monday. They are as smooth as always. It's tough to compare. It's great. It's as good as it gets.

Rough-wise, I think today was a little thicker than it was Monday, but maybe not as thick as last year.

Q. You mentioned the majors again. Can you talk about how winning majors define a golfer's career and what it means to you to add to that number?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, to me, it's the tradition behind the tournament, the previous winners, the field, the courses. It's just a top-notch better tournament in the sense that it's tougher; it's more of a challenge. The tournaments that have been on for years and years; that's why they mean a lot to me.

Q. Is there anything you do specifically this week to prepare?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have slowly prepared in my off-season. This is one of the tournaments I was looking forward to. I mean, I feel like I'm hitting the ball as good as I can. I feel my short game is as good as it can be. I'm ready to play. The question is, is it there tomorrow? I'll find out. But I'm ready. I'm looking toward to play. This is what I've been waiting for, to sit here and just wait for Thursday.

Q. Did you get your putter straightened out last week? Did you feel good all week over the ball, and how do you feel going into this week?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think after Phoenix, it took about two minutes until I figured out. I had my coach there and he saw me in the last round of Phoenix and told me I had my hands too far back. After my round after I lost in the playoff, we went to the putting green and told me to putt my hands forward, and I rolled about five putts in. I said, "Why didn't you tell me"? So I have it figured out. That's not going to worry me at all.

I feel really good. Tucson is a little different type of conditions than this week. The greens are not as fast, and they are -- they really don't roll as true as this week, so I really want to use that as a reference the last few days are more, what I feel more comfortable with.

Q. Annika, Ty gave a state of the Tour today, and recently there's been a lot of talk about the role of players and what they should do. And you obviously being the No. 1 player, it seems there's all people wanting you or have an opinion about your role as far as what you should or shouldn't do. I wonder, as you've got older, have you become more comfortable dealing with that type of thing, or is it still -- does it bother you sometimes when people may want to you do things that they feel you should do or don't do or whatever?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you're right. I've gotten older. (Laughter.)

There are different opinions what maybe the best players should do and not do. You know, I was there at the Summit. First of all, I thought it was good. I understand what needs to be done. What I took out of it, I'm just going to try to be me. It's not easy to live up to certain roles that might not fit you, but I'm working on it. I'm doing my best. I want to see this tour grow, also. I'm doing my best. Like I said, trying to be me. It's not always easy, because there's different roles and people expect different things. I think in the long term, if I'm me, that's pretty much what I can offer.

Q. Ty had mentioned that each individual player would be working on their weakness in order to -- or what they perceived might be their weakness in order to present themselves better in conjunction with the five-prong effort. What are you personally working on?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm working all five. You know, like I said, one part of it is the performances; I'm pretty happy with my performance. One of the things they mentioned was passion and joy; I mean, I love this game, you can't really love it any more. There are other things -- they talk about approachability, appearance. I think the fifth one was what you do outside the Tour, and those are probably the things I'm working on.

It's a constant, always something. But being more approachable, sign a few more autographs, those are things I work on. I do a few things off the golf course to help junior golf, which I think is very important. So that's my way of helping out.

Q. Is there anything other than golf that are your hobbies or interests that you're involved with?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Not today. I have a lot of interests that I do, but it's not something that I do in a group or share with other people. I have a lot of personal interests, and for right now, golf is what I love to do and that's my No. 1 thing that I -- I golf every day.

Q. This tournament has a history of scoring up and down. Sometimes it's 15-under, and sometimes back in the 70s it was 1-over par to win. How do you feel the numbers will be this week? Should we expect a low-scoring weekend?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think the weather determines a lot of that. If the conditions are like today, the last few days, it's perfect scoring opportunities. The course is in great shape. You're going to see some low scores.

I remember playing here and it's been really windy; it totally changes the golf course, especially when the fairways are so narrow. If you get some wind, it's going to feel really narrow; and if you get in the rough it's going to be some high scores. I don't really predict scores, I never have, and I don't plan to do it this week, either. But we'll see. Like I said, it depends on the weather. But it's in good shape, so you should be able to see some low scores.

Q. Is there one thing that you have to do this week to win? Do you have to putt better -- not just you, but anybody -- do you have to hit the fairways, anything in particular that you've got to do?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you have to hit fairways, you have to hit greens, you have to make putts. You can say that every week. This week, you've got to stay in the short grass, hit greens and make birdies. It's like any major, you can't make mistakes. You stay away from bogeys, you're going to do really good.

Q. The issue of appearance by players, their looks and the way they carry themselves has been a major focus point as far as the five-point plan, do you feel like the players are comfortable with that part of the plan, you personally or other players?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think we all understand it. It's common sense, really. I mean, if you're on TV or if you're in front of people, I mean, what they say is what they believe and you've got to look good to attract people. I think we all understand that and we all try and do our best. But you have, naturally, different looks and different countries, different sizes, you name it. But we are all aware of it and we do the best we can.

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