KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 29, 2002

Lisolette Neumann

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: It was beautiful today. I mean, a little bit of wind compared to yesterday, but like nothing. Very, perfect conditions today, I think.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: When it's not always cold and windy. (Laughs).

No, it was pretty ideal conditions today. I think what was tougher today was I think some of the pins were really tucked in the corners. Just on 18, for example, it's just like three, four steps from the edge, and same on 16, 15. A lot of the pins were just -- I think that's probably why you don't see the scores being quite as low today. Because you think because of the conditions the scores are going to be much better today, but I think with some of the pin placements makes it more difficult.

Q. Are you hitting right at the flag or are you playing for a more of a roll and release --

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I've been playing for a little bit of release. With some of those really tucked pins, trying to go either just a little left of them or just a little right of them, just to make sure I give myself a good putt.

I feel comfortable with the putter right now. I've been rolling the ball really well. I've had great speed. So I have if I end up with a 15- or 20-footer, I'm happier doing that than maybe messing up and missing the green and ending up in the thick grass around the greens. So playing just a little bit on the save side today I must admit.

Q. What's the change now, what's back on form?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Just trying it play golf again, basically. Just took a lot of time working on my swing and basically just trying to hit perfect golf shots the whole time and trying to swing perfect. Just sort of came to a point when I realized it's just all about playing golf and getting the ball in the hole. I'm just more trying to picture my shot before I hit it instead of just trying to hit the perfect golf shot -- trying to maybe work the ball a little right-to-left or left-to-right and hitting low shots and just kind of paying attention to the ball flight and all those things. For some reason it just makes the game so much more fun than trying to just stand there and trying to swing perfect every time.

This off-season I spent a lot of time in the gym -- we had plenty of time off, so I got myself a trainer and really dedicated myself to getting in better shape. I looked at my stats from last year and realized, I think I was about 150th in driving distance on tour and about 150th in accuracy, too. So that's just a terrible combination. So I decided to spend some time at the gym and work out and just trying to get stronger and more balanced; and that way, be able to hit the ball longer and straighter.

So far, I think it's been paying off and I feel like I'm hitting the ball longer off the tee and just give myself some easier shots into the greens. It's difficult hitting 5- and 6-irons into every green, and now I feel like I'm at least a club or maybe two less. So whatever work I've done, I'm so pleased. Just hopefully I can keep it up.

Q. Were you on the Annika Sorenstam, 800-crunches-a-day training or was it weights or cardiovascular? What were you doing with the trainer?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: With the trainer, just tried to work a lot with the core. I always worked out, but just kind of done it on my own, just going in the gym and doing all of the machines. And now it's more -- a lot of rubber bands, more medicine ball, and just working more of the stomach and back and it's just more fun, too. I just learned a lot about different ways to work out. I feel much stronger in this area, which I think really helps my golf game, and also I've done a lot of balancing things. You go into the gym and you stand on a tube and try to lift weights; at the same time so you work all the low muscles, not just the big muscles on the outside. You've got a lot of muscles on the inside, too.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: That's a good question. I don't know. I mean, obviously I was doing something wrong. I came to the conclusion in the end that -- I mean, obviously I was thinking so much about my golf swing that I didn't picture the shot that I wanted to hit. But then I also think that I just wasn't -- maybe not using the right muscles or it wasn't very strong. Just from whatever I've been doing, I've seen some tremendous difference.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: No. Not really. I think the more you play and the more time you are out here on tour, the more you learn. Not only about the game, but about your own golf swing. Sometimes that can hurt, too, I think. I mean, for the most part, it's good to know more about your game and about your swing, but you just have got to be able to separate at least out on the driving range. You work on your swing on the driving range, but then you come out on the golf course and just try to hit golf shots you want to hit and try to picture it.

Q. (Inaudible)?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: When I was on the team I was only 15 years old. This is way back, like 20 years ago and we were already into fitness and having -- trying to get sort of a form. Like how do you do to get your game to a higher level and all of the things. We've always done that. It's always something I think that the Swedish Golf Federation have supported and they have sort of been behind that.

Q. I imagine that most of the communication was done with your own game in mind, but was the Solheim Cup also in the back of your mind?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: For this year?

Q. Yeah.

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Absolutely. I've been on every Solheim Cup team for Europe and this is the year -- I know I'm going to have to play really well to capture a spot on the team. There's so many good players now coming out of Europe. Obviously, I don't play enough on the European Tour; so I'm not going to get enough points. For me, my only chance to get on is to really prove myself and play really well this year. Obviously, this is the first year, too, and they gave us double points, I think during majors, the four majors that we play in, we actually get points for the team. And obviously that's important, too. This would help if it keeps going like this for the next two days.

LAURA NEAL: We'll do your scorecard real quick.

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Okay. Birdie on No. 2. I hit a sand wedge. I was actually in the rough and didn't hit a great shot. I ended up about 30 feet from the hole and made that putt to go 1-under for the day.

Then I made a birdie on No. 11; that's the par 5. My second shot was a 4-woods. I hit up on the green about 40 feet and 2-putted.

And then I bogeyed No. 14. I hit an 8-iron just on the right side of the green in the rough and took a bogey on that hole. Actually, it was on the fringe. It was a bad chip, probably 30 feet. My bogey was about four feet away.

And then birdied 18, and that was with a pitching wedge to 12 feet.

Q. Was there a low point in the last couple of years for you, a point where you got really, really frustrated?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, it's been frustrating. Has not been much fun, for sure.

Q. Was there any one moment that really aggravated you?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, I think it has. The end of last year I was not too happy with myself and my game. I think that's why I've done the changes. I think I have come to a point where I've got to change something.

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