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STANFORD INTERNATIONAL PRO-AM

April 26, 2008

Annika Sorenstam

AVENTURA, FLORIDA

ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Annika, thanks for coming in and joining us. Great round out there. One-stroke lead heading into tomorrow's final round. Just couple stats for everyone: This is the 71st time that Annika has held the lead going into the final round. She has won 47 of those times, with the last being her HBS Open victory in Hawaii. Just talk about the round and the shape you're in going into tomorrow.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Sure. I feel great. Again, I thought I played very well today. A lot of good shots. Very steady golf, fairways and greens. I think the greens were a little firmer today, it felt like.
You know, it was tough to get it close to the pin. I had some opportunities out there, but didn't make so many. Then again, I thought it was quite tough. A lot of the chances I had was between 8 and 15 feet and, you know, with two to three breaks on each putt. That makes it tough. But overall I was very, very happy the way I played.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: And going into tomorrow's round, having the lead is something you're obviously very comfortable with. Does that change your routine tonight or you outlook going into tomorrow at all?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No. I mean, not to sound boring, but it's another day tomorrow. I'm just going to focus on what I have to do. I'm going to get some rest tonight. It's a big day tomorrow. I want to continue to play the way I've done the last three days. I'm very pleased the way I'm hitting it.
Tomorrow is going to need a good day and a good round, and I need to be focused and fresh. Obviously I'm excited about leading going into the last round. It's a position that I like. It's a position that I strive for. I mean, when I practice, I mean, that's what motivates me: to lead and win tournaments. It's fun to be there. I'm going to enjoy it.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Can we go over your scorecard and then have questions?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Let's see, birdied No. 2. Hit 8-iron over the green and chipped in from 14 feet.
Then bogey No. 15. I hit a 6-iron short of the green, chipped it up, two-putted from seven feet.
17, I hit a pitching wedge to 13 feet and made the putt.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Questions for Annika.

Q. On a day where a lot of putts weren't falling for you, can the importance of making that little tester on the last hole be understated, maybe even if nothing else from a momentum standpoint?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Absolutely. It's always nice to finish with a nice putt. Like I said, I really thought I played well today. I had a lot of chances and hit a lot of edges. I thought the greens were tough to read. There are a lot of breaks out there.
A few times it seemed like I missed a break, and few times I over-read them. I made a key putt on 17 and made a nice save on 18. There was another putt that I made in the end, the Par 3, I believe it's 13. That was also a nice putt.
So it keeps the momentum going and keeps the rhythm. It's just nice to stay up there and maintain the lead.

Q. Paula was just in here talking about how she's struggled with her emotions lately. You always seem to be very calm and collected. Maybe that's a stereotype Americans have of Swedes, too. I'm wondering if you've gone through periods in your career where you've struggled with your emotions, and how you've dealt with that.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm sure there has been times where I'm emotional and I get excited, and there are times when I get disappointed. It's just this game is tough enough that you have to try and just stay as cool and calm as possible. You have to leave bad shots behind and you leave bad breaks behind and just go forward.
You can ask my caddie. I might look cool on the outside, but some of the things I say to him, it's different. Sometimes you just have to get it out of you one way or another.
But I think, you know, being out here 15 years I've learned that you have to stay cool and calm. Things will even out. You get good and bounces and you get bad. You make putts and you won't, et cetera.
That's just the way it is. You have to be even keel. It works for me. If you're stereotyping Swedes, I'm not really sure. Some Swedes are like that and some definitely are not. I'm sure it's different for different people.

Q. Are you surprised that you could shoot a 70 and go from second to leading the tournament? What do you think you're going to have to shoot tomorrow if the conditions stay the same and the people around you and how it's tightened up?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, it has tightened up a little bit, but I didn't think it was easy out there today. You know, the greens, at times I thought they were firmer, so it was tougher to get 'em close to the pins.
Still, I mean, it's taking five and a half something hours in the heat. It's mentally draining. That's why it's important to get some rest for me tonight and be fresh tomorrow and just continue to play the way I have.
I feel really good about my game right now, so I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm not backing up. I'm just going to play the best I can tomorrow and see where that takes me.

Q. The other thing is you've got now three days of six-hour-plus rounds with a lot of interesting shots. Tomorrow you're going to be up there with Paula and it's going to be more traditional. What's it like to make that adjustment back to true tournament golf again?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Tomorrow I think it's going to feel a lot more like a regular tournament. You know, I must say though that Russ has been a great partner the last three days, and today he played very, very well. He was just very courteous and professional today.
I think we got to know each other quite well, and hopefully we're going to be friends for life. So I think I can something out of this event as well.
Tomorrow is the day -- I mean, this is what I do for a living. I'm just going to focus on that tomorrow and play my game and go from there.

Q. A few years have passed since, but at the ADT at the end of '05 you and Paula did have that dispute in the third round there. How much friction was actually created there, and could you characterize your relationship now?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, that's a very long time ago. I don't even want to talk about it. I think Paula and I are pretty good friends today. We've spent several hours on the plane together, played in matches together and skins games, et cetera. I consider good friends.
We doesn't spend time together, but I have a lot respect for her and I think she's great for the game. I enjoy playing with her.

Q. There's been some talk about the raising of the profile of women's golf closer to the stature of women's tennis. I have some questions about that: As you may know, tennis is an Olympic sport but golf is not. Are you disappointed you cannot represent your country golf at the Olympics?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I would love to represent my country. There's no doubt about it. Luckily, we have the World Cup and Solheim Cup and a few events like that. I love watching the Olympics, but I'm not sure it would work for golf, I really don't.
If it was an Olympic sport I would want to be a part of it, but I'm not really sure it would work.

Q. Second question on that. As you probably know, a lot of marketing people have paired Tiger Woods with Roger Federer. Because you've been so dominate in women's golf, was there every any talk about you having joint promotions with Serena Williams or Maria Sharapova in tennis?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Nothing that I'm aware of. I watch tennis. I grew up and competed in tennis for eight years. I'm very familiar with the sport and players on the tour. But any partnership or any alliance like that, no, I'm not aware of anything.

End of FastScripts

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