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WEETABIX WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP


August 2, 2006


Annika Sorenstam


LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND

COLIN CALLANDER: We have world No. 1, Annika Sorenstam, the recent winner of the U.S. Women's Open and also the lady who won here in 2003. There must be some good memories you have here.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I do. Especially when you walk on the golf course and I can remember some shots I hit and saves I made and tee shots I hit; it's a great feeling to come back to a place where you've done really well. I'm excited to be here and really looking forward to the week.

COLIN CALLANDER: How is the course compared to how it was in 2003?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, today it was quite windy. I don't think the conditions we had last year was as bad as this.

You know the course is in great shape. You know, it's similar I would say. It's so nice to come back and play links courses. We really don't do that very often and to me, typical links course, you can putt from anywhere. You land 20, 30 yards short of the pin, play to the center the green.

COLIN CALLANDER: How does it compare to links courses you've played elsewhere, is this one of your favourites?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is. I love this golf course. I mean, I really favour a lot of links courses, but this is one of best, one of the toughest, one of the courses where you can expect anything. It seems like you can have weather like all four seasons in one day, so I think that makes it even tougher.

COLIN CALLANDER: Well, welcome to the U.K.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thank you.

Q. Do you have the necklace with you from the last time you won here?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I'm not wearing it. It did have some magic power I think. I remember telling you I had received it from a lady in California that braids necklaces with different kind of powers and I really don't believe in those things but I came here and I wore it and I won. But I really don't think it's going to work more than once, so I think I have my own this year.

Q. Do you still have it?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, I have it at home, yeah.

Q. Laura Davies was saying that you're one of the greatest golfers of all time, male, female, compared to Tiger and Jack, and what you think of that?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I want to thank Laura, that's quite a compliment. I mean, it's tough for me to think in that's such a big compliment.

Really when I come out, I play golf and I enjoy what I do. I do have some lofty goals and I practice hard and I like to achieve that. It's very tough when you compare with men and women and different generations. Obviously I'm very flattered and Laura is a good friend of mine, and obviously she's a lot better friend now. So, what can I say, I'm flattered.

Q. Trying to analyse why you haven't won as much this year but you won the U.S. Open after

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's been a little bit of an up and down year for sure. I started out well in Mexico winning my first event and didn't again until the U.S. Open. It's ironic, a tournament I haven't won in ten years, I come back and win it this year. It is ironic. It's golf.

To be honest, I just haven't played as well. I haven't been as consistent as the previous years. I think the stats stay the most. Something I'm continuing to work on and hopefully improve and this will be a great week too.

Q. Some of the records inaudible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, the 15 majors, but obviously that would be something very, very special. I think so, yeah. But hopefully before I get to 15, I'm up at 90.

Q. You're also one behind Tiger, is that something you think about?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It seems like I'm trailing him and it doesn't take long until I get another text to remind me who is ahead, so that is another little fun game that we have and a little bit of a motivator I guess. I watched him play and I thought he played fantastic and that was very inspiring.

COLIN CALLANDER: Very different conditions, as well.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say so. Obviously depends on what we get tomorrow. But I think these are the conditions you expect when you come over here.

Q. Did you watch the Open?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I did watch a lot of it. I actually watched the whole round on Sunday. What I thought was impressive was for his power and his strength to play so disciplined with irons off the tee even though, you know, he was leading pretty much the whole tournament. That takes some strength mentally to just stick to your game plan. I thought that was impressive.

He really maneuvered around the golf course. He played safe when he needed to and he used longer irons to get to the center of the green and let the other people make the mistakes. Sometimes that's what you have to do on a links course I think.

Q. How do you deal with

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's a nice thing to have to cope with in not winning for a few weeks. I just think, you know, I didn't really play as well as I have. If you don't play the best, it's going to be hard to win here. I just kept working on my game, trying to figure out, how can I hit it straighter, how can I hit more greens. I'm looking at my game rather than looking at the results all the time. I just felt inside it wasn't really there and I was just hoping it would turn around sooner rather than later.

Q. Inaudible?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, you know, it's kind of funny when people think you're in a slump when you haven't won in two or three events. I think that's a compliment rather than taking it as a negative. I know inside I just haven't played up to my potential from what I've done in the past.

You know, when you've been on such a run and on such a high for so long, I would say it's a matter of time, but you are going to hit a plateau. And I've hit a plateau right now and hopefully with a little more practice I can get to the next level and get another run, so that's really what I'm waiting for.

End of FastScripts.
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