KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 31, 2002

Lisolette Neumann

NEAL REID: Maybe you could just give us some general comments about today and how you feel finishing second.

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Boy, was that close.

I mean, obviously, I feel great, but I think I played really good golf today. I might have missed a couple of shots here and there, but overall, I'm very, very proud of myself, how I was able to come back after the way I was driving the ball yesterday and really turn it around. Just hit a lot, a lot of great shots today. I was fighting. I mean, if someone would have asked me, "Do you think 69 is going to be enough to win," I would have said yes; I would have taken it.

But obviously Annika was just one step better today. She just hit it a little bit closer than did; and, you know, she had a lot of chances, some putts that she didn't even make. She could have even played better than she did.

Overall, I'm very happy. But part of me, I just wish I was on that green right now and swimming in the lake and all that.

NEAL REID: Questions?

Q. Were you still nervous starting out today?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I was really nervous when I woke up this morning, and when I came out. Finally when I started warming up and kind of told a few people, "I feel really nervous," that kind of made me feel better, just sort of saying it.

By the time I got to that first tee, I was actually quite comfortable. I think it helped, the way I drove it good off the first hole. I hit good tee shots on the first three holes and that kind of got me in a good rhythm, birdieing No. 3. So from then on, I was very comfortable out there. And so I got over those nerves really quick.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: No. I mean, I think she probably just felt that she wanted to finish up and kind of get it out of the way. So just in case if I would have made the putt then she would have been sitting there with two feet, and people have missed 2-footers, so I understand what she was doing. She wanted to finish up and be done with her day.

Q. Have you had a lot of head-to-heads with Annika in the past?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Not too many, actually. We might have played a few times at home in Swedish in the Swedish Open head-to-head, but nothing -- I don't know. I can't really think of a time when we've been coming down like this, and definitely not as an important tournament as this.

I don't know, I enjoyed today. It was great, just being in that last group. I mean, that's what it's all about. You practice and you play all week just to put yourself in that situation to be in that last group and have a shot at winning. It was a good time.

I think we had a good time out there. We were chatting a little bit in between shots, and it was a good -- it was a good feeling out there.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: We did a little Swedish. We've got to keep practicing our Swedish.

Q. If you could have one hole back, might it be No. 11, do you think?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, that was a mistake, I think to make a bogey on a hole where I feel it's probably reachable in two if you hit a really good drive, and, yeah that, would definitely be the hole if I could go back and just take my putter. At least I was strong enough to come right back and make two birdies after that.

So, you know, it's always hard to go back and look at things.

Q. What did you think of Annika's red shoes?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Those are cool. I thought I had cool shoes. Yeah, we were mentioning something in the beginning, but she liked them. She said they were comfortable. I guess red for red numbers. So can't blame her.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, 16, I thought I had that putt. It was really tracking the whole way, about two or three inches in front of the hole and just kind of lost the speed and turned on the end.

It felt good, and I think all week I've been comfortable. I've been putting well and I've had really good speed. I haven't really had -- I have had no 3-putts all week, and basically most of my 2-putts have just been tap-ins. I haven't been in too much trouble. And my short game overall, some good bunker shots, chipping and everything has been great.

Q. How many fairways did you miss today?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I don't know, I'm guessing I missed maybe three or so. I hit a 7-wood off the last hole. I think it was more my second shots -- I mean, if I could have put myself in a little bit better position on the fairway, being able to hit a better shot into the green there. But, you know it was a little bit of a thick lie and left it out right.

Q. What did you hit?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: 9-wood.

Q. You said yesterday that you were hoping the crowd would be behind you; did you get the feeling they were behind you today?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, it felt good out there. I think a lot of people were cheering, I think for both Annika and myself. I think a lot of people were cheering on. It was a good feeling. I enjoyed it. It was a fun day.

Q. (Inaudible.)

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah, I think I would have been more devastated, say, if she would have shot even par and I shot 1-over or something and she would have beaten me by one. But shooting 69 on the last day in a major, it's just not a bad round. I think I played well, too. I was comfortable. I drove it good and I gave myself some chances out there. It's just that one little putt away from at least a playoff. (Laughs).

Q. 69 is a great round in a major, but how bitter a disappointment is losing today, considering your last major won was so many years ago?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: It's hard because the only thing I think -- because you never know, when am I going to be in that position again this year; or when is it going to happen again. I think that's the feeling. When I missed the putt on the last hole, you kind of go, "Oh, when am I ever going to be in this position again." At least now I feel like I'm playing well and feel strong and I'm just going to -- hopefully, I'll be here in every major. Every week.

Q. Because of where your second shot wound up on 18, did you feel like you were in pretty good shape where the ball went on the green?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: Yeah. Actually, I had a pretty good lie in the bunker, so when I hit it in -- actually when I walked up to it, it was actually a little bit closer to the hole than I thought. That straight putt, the only thing was I had to go over that little hump, and I don't know if that -- I just didn't put a very good stroke on it or I think I pulled it a little left.

I think I was about, I'm guessing, about 15 feet away. And Annika's was probably more like 18 or so, something like that, 16.

Q. (Inaudible)?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I'm glad it wasn't my dog. (Laughs).

Q. Just wondering if you could comment on Rosie. Rosie finished third today, and in her career, she's had 22 Top-10 finishes in majors. What do you think that says about her, the 22 Top-10 finishes?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: I think maybe it's surprised everybody that she has not won a major. I think Rosie, she's always been a top player and she is so consistent. She always plays with the same sort of ball flight. She has a little draw and very consistent off the tee. She always gives herself a lot of opportunities and she has a great short game. She's a great putter. And she's a fighter. She's one of those girls you don't want to play in the Solheim Cup because you know she's just going to be there grinding it out. She's really tough.

NEAL REID: Let's do your card.

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: My first birdie was on No. 3. That was an 8-iron to six feet.

Then I birdied No. 9. Sand wedge to 15 feet.

I had a good save on No. 10. I missed my second shot in the bunker right. Hit a bunker shot out to four feet and saved that for par.

And then a bogey on No. 11. I missed my driver to the right and basically I had to just pitch it out down the fairway. And then I hit a 5-iron into the green and ended up in the left green bunker hit a bunker shot up to about eight feet and missed that putt.

Came back with birdie on No. 12. That was a 6-iron to six feet.

Then birdied 13, that was a 7-iron to eight feet.

NEAL REID: And your putt to tie on 18 was 15 feet, you said?

LISELOTTE NEUMANN: 16 feet, something like that. It was just on the fringe.

Thank you.

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