Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill
Kingsmill Resort & Spa, River Course
Williamsburg, Va.
May 9-10, 2006

Pre-tournament interviews: Cristie Kerr | Annika Sorenstam | Paula Creamer | Lorena Ochoa | Morgan Pressel

Cristie Kerr, defending champion

DANA GROSS RHODE: Thanks for coming in today. You've played in nine tournaments, obviously you're coming in in a great position defending this tournament, but coming off of a win last week, just talk about being in that position right now.
CRISTIE KERR: Well, I feel good about my game. I didn't hit it exceptionally great last week. I've got my coach out with me this week and we've done some good work. I'm managing my energy a little bit. I've been tired this week so far, and tried to work out a couple times to boost my energy. I'm going to take the rest of today off after I practice and just kind of relax and watch some TV or something. I just feel really, really good about where I am in my career and looking how I can get better and go forward from here.

Q. Could be mucky tomorrow. You've actual played well out here in the muck.
CRISTIE KERR: At this time of year in the northeast is touch and go as far as the weather goes and if the temperatures are warmer. You can get a cold front or some rain move through which tends to cool things off a bit.
I don't mind bad weather. You just have to be really patient and just know that-well, sometimes it's the same for everybody but not all the time. You just have to just be patient and just accept what you've been given, and, you know, I'm pretty good at that I think.

Q. How hopeful is it that you're coming off such a nice win to build momentum in a tournament that golfers enjoy coming to?
CRISTIE KERR: It's definitely a great confidence boost for me to win last week. I felt like I've been playing well all year and it just had not really come together.
I definitely like my chances for this week. Just for me, I've been doing a lot of off the course stuff as well, and, you know, for me it's just about managing my energy right now. That's what I'm probably going to do today is kind of relax after I hit some balls and practice a little bit.

Q. What kind of off the course stuff have you been wearing yourself down with?
CRISTIE KERR: I have great sponsors: Mutual of Omaha, Lacoste, Ginn Clubs and Resorts, Titleist, Footjoy, and the last three or four weeks, I've had Monday outings for each of those sponsors. So really, I took Monday and Tuesday of Nashville off. Flew in Tuesday afternoon. It was supposed to be that Tuesday afternoon, but it got rained out, so I did a three hour photo shoot before the Pro Am. It's my fifth week in a row, which is a lot for me. I'm really enjoying playing golf right now, and I'm even going over to Korea next week, and then I'll have a week off after that. So this is my one big stretch of tournaments that I play in a row so just trying to manage my energy right now.

Q. What's in Korea?
CRISTIE KERR: The Korean Open.

Q. Is that Sybase week?
CRISTIE KERR: It's the week of the Sybase, yeah. I put in for a release from the LPGA months and months and months ago.

Q. Just having had such a great start to the season, do you then start looking at (ADT Official) Money List, these sort of things?
CRISTIE KERR: Yeah, absolutely, these are all sort of things I pay attention to now, little goals here and there.

Q. And how about majors, are they another big
CRISTIE KERR: Absolutely. Those are all things that I have my eyes on. You just have to be able to put yourself in position to be able to play well in those major tournaments. If the recipe is right and everything works out well, you end up playing well.
Those are definitely things all the players pay attention to, not only winning tournaments, but majors and little other goals like that. So (ADT Official) Money List, being competitive, seeing how much you need to move up to whatever spot you're looking at. I think those are all things that good players pay attention to.

Q. This is a very interesting season so far in that you've got all these young players of tremendous talent, and you've got Hall of Famers who are, some of them, finding their game again all of a sudden; Karrie Webb, Inkster playing well, and then you have players like you who are in their prime. Are we hitting like a peak for the Tour right now?
CRISTIE KERR: Well, I think I've told this to a lot of people: If we were a stock, it would be a really, really good time to buy because we are about to tip. I feel like, honestly I feel like if I had gone to college, I would only be in my fourth or fifth year out here. So I feel like I haven't really hit my prime yet, which is a good place to be. We have a lot of great young talent out here and we also have some great veteran players who are playing well.
I think you're seeing that as a result of everybody really excited about the LPGA right now and where the LPGA is headed, and you know, it's never been a more competitive place to play golf.

Q. One of your non members just went to Korea and made the cut in a men's event, obviously. There doesn't seem to be a lot of buzz about it here this week, or am I just missing something?
CRISTIE KERR: About Michelle?

Q. Do people talk about it?
CRISTIE KERR: I really haven't heard a whole lot about it. I think people know that she did make the cut and that she played. But I mean, I'm with you on that, I really haven't heard a whole lot about it.

Q. In your mind, what kind of an accomplishment is that?
CRISTIE KERR: That's a great accomplishment, especially having to travel all the way from the United States where her home is to play in the Korean Open, the men's Open, rather.
It was inevitable that she was going to make a cut eventually. I mean, she's too talented and I think she's great for us. I thought she was playing here but I don't think she is. So maybe that's why there's not as much buzz, because she's not here on the heels that have maybe.

Q. Is that something you aspire to, ever aspire to attempt?
CRISTIE KERR: Play in a men's event? I think it would be interesting to do that. But if I were to do it, I'd do it for the right reasons and, for me, that would be to raise money for charity or something that was near and dear to my heart.
So if the chance ever came to me, nobody's ever contacted me or asked me to play in a men's PGA Tour event. I think it would be interesting. But I would have to look at the opportunity as it came in and where it fell on the schedule and everything, and go from there.

Q: But you've never been proactive yourself?
CRISTIE KERR: No, I haven't, I really haven't. I'm not as long as Annika. I'm trying to get longer, I'm trying to find a driver I hit farther, but I hit my driver pretty good.
I think it would be just interesting to see how I match up and to see how much longer the course plays and where I can improve on my short game. I think that would be a good learning experience for me, but I haven't been real proactive at doing that.

Q. When you come back to a place that you've won, just talk about the thoughts that go through your head when you come back out here knowing you would be last year?
CRISTIE KERR: Definitely great memories. You walk around the course, and, oh, I hit a great shot here or got up and down here, just places that you come back to that were great wins and you have great people that you say with and great memories. It's just-there are really vibes all around.
I've always enjoyed this tournament and being here and everything that goes along with it. So it's just a real fun experience for me to be here.

Q. Is there another stop where you have a better track record than this place?
CRISTIE KERR: I don't know. I'd have to think about that. (Smiling) I'd have to think about that. I walk around the grounds here and I just feel magic. I feel special vibes. I've always felt that since I've come here. Maybe it's the family I stay with. Maybe it's just the overall feel of the tournament and the competition, the course, everything that goes into that. I've just always had really good feelings when I've come here.

Q. Who do you stay with, if you don't mind me asking?
CRISTIE KERR: Michael and Linda Whittaker.

Q. Here on the grounds?
CRISTIE KERR: On the grounds.

Q. When you play, you know you're going to play well, week in and week out, but when you come to a place you've played really well, you walk in here even if you flew in Thursday morning and teed it up 30 minutes later, you know you're going to play really good here, is that how you feel when you come here?
CRISTIE KERR: I think so. But again, nothing's guaranteed. I try to draw upon my past experiences and I've had a lot of good success here. So, you know, confidence is half of the battle, as everybody knows, and this place just gives me a great deal of confidence when I'm here.

Q. What do you recall from last Sunday here last year?
CRISTIE KERR: Being really tired. Actually, from playing so much, I partially tore one of my lower abdominal muscles and went to run in New York City a couple days after I finished the tournament here and I couldn't run. I was in a lot of pain and went to see my ART specialist there and he's like you partially tore one of your lower-not a huge tear, but enough to make a difference to where I could feel it when I was running and it took four or five weeks for that to heel before I could start running again.
So it was a tough day. I remember eating a lot on the golf course because, you know, we were out there all day, 10 or 11 hours of golf. It was just a great experience for me. I take away great memories from this place.

Q. Did that injury affect you at all coming down the stretch?
CRISTIE KERR: No, it was just more running, because you use your abdominal muscles a ton when you're running. You use your core in golf, but not to that extent where you have to physically move yourself around.

Q. Did it manifest like a cramp?
CRISTIE KERR: It was like a sharp pain when I was running and I couldn't-I could do the StairMaster and other stuff like that. But it kind of felt like a pulled muscle. It healed itself in time. Because you're in that posture, and you're tweaking your body around for 11 hours. You're not used to doing that much; maybe one round a day.

Q. Did it bother you at all that day or not until a couple of days later?
CRISTIE KERR: I actually felt it when I got back to the house. Everything relaxed and all of the adrenaline was gone. I started feeling it then but didn't really pay attention to it. I just thought, 'Oh, I'm just tired.'

Annika Sorenstam

PAUL ROVNAK: Annika, thanks for coming and speaking with us. We always appreciate your time. You've played in five events this year and have one win and four more Top 10s. You are fourth on the ADT Official Money List, talk about your year to date so far and we'll take some questions.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I'm happy to be back here. This is a great place and a great tournament that we have throughout the year. You know, the start that I've had has been a little bit so . So I got off to a great start in Mexico, but after that it's been a little bit so so. So I am looking forward to a great week here and we'll see what happens.

Q. A little bit so so in what regard, ball striking or putting, both?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A little bit of both. I think the last month, I've been hitting the ball really well, just nothing has really kind of come together. Phoenix, I felt so good after Mexico and then in Phoenix I started, it was just a mix, with some good shots and bad shots.
The last month I've hit it good but just haven't been able to make anything and really not scramble. Make something bogeys and making a lot of birdies. Got to get rid of the bogeys so I can score a little better.

Q. Last year, I remember you making a point of saying you were having trouble reading the greens here, and I was wondering if you had noticed anything in practice rounds about the greens?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Thanks for reminding me. (Laughter).
No, this is a new year, and I think the greens have kind of settled down a little bit. The course has really grown in since we were here last. They are really, really rolling smooth. This is as good as I've ever seen it. You know, I'm just going to go out there and read them the way I normally do, and let's hope that it's the right way.

Q. You said you're off to a so so start, how much of that, it seems like the competitive level is at a higher level than it's ever been before out here?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, there's no doubt, there's no doubt that the level is better. The players in general are getting better and it seems like they are hitting the ball further.
When I say "so so," it's more the way I feel about my game. I'm looking at my scores, and I feel like at times I'm hitting the ball better than ever, but I'm not scoring as good as I should. So I'm using myself as a reference when it comes to the way I play, but there's no doubt that the competition is getting tougher.

Q. Can you talk, for years it's like you've been the hunted, do you still feel it's like that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've only played five events. So, you know, I think it's too early to say anything differently. I mean, I'm going to play quite a few events now. I always start a little slower than some other players and we'll see by midsummer, by the end of the year, we'll see. I still have some really high or lofty goals that I want to achieve, so I'm not stepping back by any means and I love the position I'm in.

Q. What are your lofty goals you want to achieve?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Majors. I want to win majors. The more, the better.

Q. Just as a follow up to that, we all know, you've said publicly you want to win a Grand Slam, how much of a letdown was it for you after Kraft Nabisco for you this year, if there was any at all, and is that part of the, I don't want to say malaise, but is that part of the so so business?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, a little bit. The tough thing when you set a goal like that is every tournament, you have to do it in a sequence and when you don't do it, it seems like the whole goal goes away.
You know, my goal right now is just to focus on the next three. I've never won three in a year and if I did, that would make it a super year.
When I look back at my career and when I'm at home and trying to set some new goals, those are the type of goals that get me motivated today. I can't just go out and say I'm going to win an event here, win an event there. I really need to push myself. I really need it do things that nobody else have done, otherwise I think I'm not going to be excited to play and practice.

Q. Last year you came in here with a streak intact and the first round just got away from you, how much pressure was there last year when you came to this tournament?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Maybe a little bit of pressure, but then, I mean, I love to be in that position when I can do something that, you know, very few people have done. It's not like I push myself. I go out and I play and I see what happens. Luckily I've been in positions where I've had a chance to do several things, break several records and I love that position.
Like I said, that's what keeps me going today, to be in that unique situation. I didn't get off to a good start, you're right about that and it was difficult to come back after that.

Q. Just following up on an earlier question about being the hunted, is it hard, and is that a burden that you carry in a way when you've been as successful as you have; that everyone else on the Tour is has you in their sights?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I take that as a compliment. I like the position I'm in. It does get tougher and tougher because the competition gets better every year and I also have to find different ways to get better myself.
When you're chasing somebody, then you can see it. But when you're up in front, you have to kind of find your own little vision of where you're going, and I've enjoyed that. It's been challenging and made me think about things that I probably wouldn't have thought about and be more creative in my practice and so forth. Like I said, I see it as a compliment, and I'm not ready to give that away yet.

Q. Where do you want to improve your game?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, short game is something that I've always fell like I can improve. We're talking putting, chipping, bunker shots, just a little bit more imagination around the greens, not just a flat chip, maybe a little bit more feel, just check the ball a little bit more. I think I can do that, but it takes a lot of practice, and then keep on doing it.

Q. You spoke earlier of majors, do you ever think about Kathy Whitworth's 88 and approaching that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Obviously I'm aware of it, and I get reminded a few times.
When I joined the Tour, I never thought I could win a single tournament so, that wasn't really a goal that I had from the beginning. But then the last few years, I've won a few more, and you know, I start thinking, is that something I could do.
It still just seems to me very, very tough. I'd rather just focus on each year and take it as it comes, and for me, it's the majors that I like to do well now and we'll see what happens. We'll see how long I want to play and see how long I can keep on grinding and stay up at the top.

Q. Can you tell me a little bit about Lorena Ochoa's skills as a golfer and if there's anything that you see that keeps her from being a dominant player for a number of years?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't see a reason why not. I mean, she's got good short game. She has a lot of touch around the greens. You know, very handsy type of player.
But I think she's got a good mind set. She's been one of the top players since she came out on Tour which is five, six years, I'm not really sure. She's had a few chances to finish strong and she hasn't. But this year, on the other hand, she's come out with a bang and she's playing very, very consistent.

Q. You talk about your goals, majors, given the field that's here every year, how important does this stack up on your list of goals?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: This is a big event for many reasons. I mean, player wise, the Top 50, I'm sure they are all here. Tough golf course. This is a first class event. You see it with all of the bleachers, you see the way the golf course is set up. It makes you feel like it's a little bit of a major the way the setup is. This is a great event and I don't want to miss it, and I don't think anybody else wants to.

Q. You've been in the Top 10 here most of the time but it's not like we've come to the 18th hole on Sunday with you having a big chance of Sunday, what's your attitude coming into this, do you think about that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I don't really think about that. Certain weeks, things go your way, certain weeks it doesn't. I mean, I like this place a lot. I like to play well here. Right now I feel like I'm ready to play well, so we'll see what happens.
I always fight to the end, and I think in the past I've been able to come back with a good round on Sunday and climb up the leaderboard. Hopefully I don't have to climb that far this year.

Q. Tomorrow is supposed to be really iffy weather, do you consider yourself a good crumby weather player?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think I've had some success in bad weather. You know, when it's windy and rainy, it really puts a premium on ball striking which I don't mind because I think that's one of my strengths. But then again, it makes it a lot complicated with the umbrella and the towel, you have to really be organized. It's just a lot more work. It does separate you from the field if you're playing well.

Q. I wonder, looking at Paula Creamer, can you imagine yourself at 18 doing what she did last year. And do you see any sophomore slump the second year?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: She's only played in a few events

Q. Too early?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, she's young and she has a lot of potential. I think she proved it last year. She had an incredible rookie year. I mean, it's just getting her feet wet a little bit and getting into coming back. Her expectations are very, very high. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if she would be back sooner rather than later.

Q. Were you surprised by what she did last year?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It was impressive, very impressive, yeah. She's a good player. She strikes the ball really solid. I think her iron shots are very, very accurate and I think her strength is probably her putting.

Q. Do you monitor your stats at all, and so, which ones to you are most telling in terms of driving accuracy, distance, greens in regulation, scoring?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've always believed in stats. I've been keeping track of my stats since 1987. So I go way back with that. I think stats are very important. They really tell you kind of it really dissects your game.
It's tough to just pick one. If I can just pick one, that would be greens in regulation. It means you have a birdie putt if you hit a lot of greens. But to hit greens, you have to hit fairways, and there's a lot of stats that are important, but I would say those two are the most important.

Q. You've been I think top 20 in driving accuracy at least the last two years and I looked today and you're 118. Granted the year is very young, but is there anything to read into that, have you been really crooked off the tee?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It doesn't feel like it but the stats normally don't lie. I've been working on my driving quite a bit last few weeks, and it feels a lot better. I'm playing a little bit more aggressive off the tee. But still, it is important to hit fairways. I think being able to score better, that's one part of my game that has got to improve.

Q. You go to each one of these tournaments and basically get asked pretty much the same questions with a different spin. Is there a question that you've always wished that someone in the press would ask?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I do get a lot of the same questions. (Laughter). I'm sure there are many questions that I have not been asked and probably some I don't want to be asked.

Q. What do you wish they would ask, how to make a souffle?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: How to make a souffle. (Laughter). I'm not really sure. I think, we come here, we're here for golf, we talk about golf and I think that's very appropriate, it's about the game and who I'm playing with and my expectations. I don't really expect anything differently, I really don't.

Q. Michelle last week made the cut in the men's event. I wonder what your impression of what she did last week, how important was that, was it significant?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's always impressive to make the cut in a men's event, especially that not too many women have done it before I think Se Ri Pak did it once.
Yeah, she's young and she has a lot of potential. Yeah, I would say that's a big step for her. It's tough to follow it over here. I'm not really sure how she feels about it. I have no idea how she played or anything but I think making the cut was a good deal.

Q. This is one of those old questions, I'm afraid. Throwing yourself out of the equation, who are some of the other golfers in history who you consider the greatest, if you can name two or three or four?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That I have played against or just in general? I would say Patty Berg and Kathy Whitworth would be ones that I never saw them play but more in the modern era it would be, I mean, Nancy there's so many. Patty Sheehan, Betsy King, and that's just to name a few. I hope I didn't forget anybody. There's so many out there. The ones that play very active today, obviously Juli Inkster, Hall of Famer. Yeah, there are many. It's tough to pick the greatest.

Q. Have you been invited since your one men's event to play again on the men's Tour?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Have I been invited again? Yes, I have been invited to play again.

Q. Are you going to do it again?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I'm not going to do it, no. Not an official PGA event. I have played in different Skins Games. I've played in TV matches and I love that. I hope I get invited again to those type of things.
But I'm not going to do an official event like I did at Colonial.

Paula Creamer

PAUL ROVNAK: Paula thanks for coming in speaking with us. We know you just got back from Japan so imagine you're still a little jet lagged, so we will make this very quick for you. Talk about your year to date so far and then we'll take some questions.
PAULA CREAMER: Well, obviously so far this year, I haven't, you know met my expectations. But I'm just trying to stay patient and not get ahead of myself and be able to just go out there, relax and have fun, let all the hard work that I've done pay off.

Q. From last year, your caddie breaking his leg, how much did that shake you and what's it like?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I won two weeks after he did it, so I don't think that it was too much, you know. It was funny, yesterday when we played, we looked down the hill and I'm like, how do you walk down that, why would you do that. And actually someone hit it over there today, he didn't go get it, someone else did.
I think that Colin and I work really well together. It's just, you know, he doesn't hit the shot, I do, and I think that's the most important thing to remember on a golf course is that, you know, he can help mow the most with the number and I get the confidence from him.

Q. Just wonder your reaction to last year when it happened.
PAULA CREAMER: Well, there's not much that you can do.

Q. They carried him off?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, they carried him off. We all thought it was just a sprain. We didn't think he broke it in three different places. My boyfriend actually came and caddied for me after that. You know, it's just a freak accident, really.

Q. What's your confidence level coming into this particular tournament?
PAULA CREAMER: Right now, it's actually pretty high. I feel like I can I'm hitting the ball well, I'm putting well and that's most important thing is I played well the last two days in Japan so I'm coming off of a good finish. I'm excited to be here. This is a big event and it's a big purse and it's a well known tournament. I want to play well and I want to be in contention.

Q. Why did you go to Japan? Just for the experience?
PAULA CREAMER: No, I went to the Salonpas tournament. It's a great golf course. The tournament's been there 35 years. So it was a nice experience for me to go over there and play some golf over in Japan.

Q. First time over there?
PAULA CREAMER: No, my third.
PAUL ROVNAK: She won in both trips over there last year.

Q. The Big Sister program, were you in that last year, and who was yours?
PAULA CREAMER: Lorie Kane.

Q. How much does that sort of help as a rookie coming in to have a veteran to introduce you to folks and guide you through maybe some pitfalls?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I still I think you just learn things every day when you're out on Tour. If you have someone that you're able to go and talk to, especially your first year out, it's quite a whirlwind experience.
It was nice that, you know, she was always available for me if I had any questions. You know, there's little things out here that you kind of take for granted, like where is the nearest gym; where is this; where is that; what time do tee times come out, things like that. And just it's nice that they are available for you when you need them.

Q. How much did that help you get through more smoothly than maybe you might have?
PAULA CREAMER: I mean, like when I had a question I played in a couple LPGA events before that, so I knew what it was like. But it helped; when I had a question, she answered it for me.

Q. How does it feel to be a part of a young generation of very talented golfers kind of giving the LPGA a lift, along with the veteran golfers on Tour?
PAULA CREAMER: How does it

Q. How does it feel to be a part, we talked to Annika and we talked to Cristie about the younger players are coming through here just so talented, and it seems that you guys seem to be pushing the others; your reaction to that?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I love what I do. I think that I'm very lucky that this is my job, I guess you could say. I have so much that I want to try to achieve out on the golf course, not only there but as a person, as well. I think that I've been given so many opportunities to try to achieve those dreams and to be a part of that movement is very exciting because it just shows that there's so many young girls getting involved with golf. Basically we've been proving ourselves that we can play out here, and I think that we wouldn't be here, though, if it wasn't for the veterans. I have a lot of respect for them and I hope that they have the same for us. We just want to do what they want to do.

Q. Did you expect it to be this good this fast?
PAULA CREAMER: My expectations are very high, definitely. I feel that if I don't achieve what I want to achieve then I basically have not necessarily failed, but I haven't proven anything to myself.
You know, I work really hard at it. I wouldn't expect anything other than to be the best. That's just what I've always thought. I'm very competitive.

Q. As good as you were last year, has that raised the bar for your sophomore season; like if I don't play at least as well as did I as a rookie, it's not going to be as good a year?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, there's always that in your mind. You have such a good rookie year, you come out, I think that's what's happened to me the first couple of events. I just put so much pressure on myself, and I have to just sit back and relax. That's what happened last year and I won a couple times.
So there's no reason why I can't win again. I've worked just as hard as I did last year, if not harder, and you know, it should be I feel that I should be able to win out here. That's basically what it comes to.

Q. Michelle Wie brings up the age factor, does that get brought up a lot to you, do people come up to you and say you're not supposed to be doing this against veteran players, or does that even matter to you or even come up in conversation?
PAULA CREAMER: Does what?

Q. Like coming on this young and being that good.
PAULA CREAMER: No, I don't know anything other than who I am and what I want to do. So I feel that this is the right thing for me.

Q. I'll ask you the same thing I've been asking everybody coming through. With Michelle playing in Korea last week and making the cut in the men's event, is that something you took notice of, and is that something aspire to do at some point in your career, to play against men, to maybe even play on that Tour?
PAULA CREAMER: Right now, I don't have any desire to do that. Maybe later down the road. There's just so much I want to do out here first. I mean, this is my second year, and I feel that there's just so much to achieve.
But lake I said, maybe later down the road. I was in Japan last week, so I didn't see any of the coverage of it.

Q. When she's in the field, do your juices flow a little more?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I'm not playing her necessarily when I'm on the golf course. I'm playing the golf course. You know, you can have the best players in the world but you can only take care of yourself. And I feel that I play my best golf when I play with good players, and I play under pressure and like I said, it doesn't really matter who is in the field or not but definitely, she brings a lot of attention to the events and the tournament.

Q. Do you like this course, does it set up well for your game, just talk about playing here.
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, I love this golf course. It's a great test of golf. It has huge greens. You have to hit sections and there's smaller greens out there. It's a variety.
You know, when the wind starts blowing, it gets difficult. It's a little wet still, so it's playing a little longer. But, you know, it's fun to play. It's definitely different than what we play in the other tournament.

Lorena Ochoa

PAUL ROVNAK: Lorena, thanks for coming in and joining us. You have had a very successful year so far with one win and four runner-ups finishes. You are leading the ADT Official Money List as well. Can you talk about your season and then we will take some questions.
LORENA OCHOA: I have started pretty good this year and it has been a fun year for me. I enjoy very much playing and I worked very hard in the off-season on my backswing. I worked out to get stronger and have seen good results, so that means you are working on the right path. I also changed my caddy. His name is Lance and we started together at the beginning of this year, so I made a couple of changes and I feel very good. It is fun to play good. I have been close to winning a few times, so it just makes me want to win so much more. I am ready to win and am excited to be here this week. This is a great tournament. I just practiced this morning, went out and played the back nine, and the course is in great shape so I think it is going to be an exciting tournament to play.

Q: What told you that you had to make those changes? Why now?
LORENA OCHOA: I only made a few changes. When I turned professional, my coach and my support group back home and I talked about goals and long-term goals, like five, six and seven years. Like what we need to do to make sure we are at the top of our game. Last year, especially physically it was a tough year for me, too many things happened for one year. I was tired especially at the end of the season and I just could not play anymore, so we worked a lot on being stronger and playing the right number of tournaments, so I can go home and rest and get ready for the big ones. The changes I made in my backswing are something that I have been working on for a long time, but I think it helps me to have better position in the backswing and improve more at the top. I used to cross the line a lot and just over-swing. I feel a lot better especially under pressure. I can hit the ball more solid and be more consistent.

Q: You have had so many rounds in the 60s so far this year. Do you feel you are mentally stronger this year as well?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, this is my fourth year playing out here and I am a very aggressive player, sometimes you risk yourself and make bogeys out there. But this being my fourth year, I think I am a little bit more mature. I play smarter and just making less mistakes have given me low rounds, so I am going to keep doing that.

Q: You have been so close a couple of times here. Does that change your attitude at all coming into this week?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I play every week to win. I think if we have a good week that we can win. I do the same every week, just be very positive and do my same routine and do the things I always do. I am going to keep trying and I think the more I try then the more that will come. I am going to keep doing the same thing.

Q: You have had a lot of second-place finishes and you have to be very good to do that, but how do you handle the disappointments that come with them?
LORENA OCHOA: I am not disappointed. I think the only one that really hurt me was the Kraft Nabisco, the first major of the year. I tried so hard and put myself in a good position and made a really good finish with a birdie on 16 and an eagle on 18. I will never forget that. That is the number one rule for, to try and not be too hard on yourself. There are so many tournaments out there and you really learn from an experience like that, you learn a lot. It makes me want to win more, so all of that helps.

Q: There are so many people that follow you in Mexico. Is it hard to know there are so many people following your career? Does it put any pressure on you?
LORENA OCHOA: I enjoy it. I am very proud to be Mexican. I love to represent my country and I do have them in my mind every time that I play. I also do it for them. I want to say that I am very thankful for them. They have been great in the good times and the bad times. They know that I am taking it one step at a time and that I am trying to get better every year. When I win, they enjoy it very much and when I don't win they are waiting for me and support me. It is a very special feeling know that you have people following you and cheering for you.

Q: You still make your home in Mexico?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I do not have a place in the States, so every time I take a week off I go back home. My coach is there and my family, so I go home.

Q: Are there any other Mexican players on Tour?
LORENA OCHOA: Nope, I am the only one.

Q: Does that put any extra pressure on you?
LORENA OCHOA: No, no, no. When I am playing I do not think about it. I think it is a good pressure. I take that pressure in a good way, I think it keeps you motivated and helps keep you focused and working hard, especially because a lot of people are following what I do, and I want to be an example for them. I enjoy very, very much what I do and every time I go back home and see kids playing, it is a dream, it is wonderful.

Q: How difficult is it to win out here these days?
LORENA OCHOA: It is very difficult. There are so many good players. Before there may have been five or six players that could win every week but now there are 25 or 30, there are so many good players out here. That is a good challenge, but it is something that keeps you working hard and raising the level of golf. I think we are all trying to catch up with Annika and that is a big motivation. You need to work so hard and try to be one step ahead.

Q: I know you have talked about this before, but how did you get into golf?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, we were really lucky growing up. Our house was right next to the golf course, so we were members of the club and we would go outside and play at the golf course or at the swimming pool. Mt dad introduced me to the game when I was five and I just really liked it. I started playing tournaments when I was six, so I started right away. My first tournament in the States was when I was eight.

Q: When did you realize that you could make a career out of golf?
LORENA OCHOA: I always knew that I wanted to play golf, but in Mexico there is no high school golf or college golf. I used to play by myself or with boys. I was the only girl playing growing up. I was lucky to have a head pro at my club that was from the States and he told me that I need to go to the States and play some tournaments in the summer and you need to try and get a scholarship to college. So I came to the States and played in tournaments and a lot of coaches came and asked me to go to school to play for them. So I asked people, and you go to college and then you turn pro, I found out. When I was 13 or 14, I knew I wanted to do all of it.

Q: Why do you think you are the one out here playing golf?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, because golf is not very popular in my country. I was the only girl. Girls and boys, it is very unusual that you go away from Mexico and study in a different country. Usually you stay home and the girls get married younger. My friends got married when they were 20, 21 and 22 and just stay home and have a family. I was different in that way. My parents really supported my in that decision. They said to go to the States and do whatever you want to do. They were very, very supportive. Right now, it is very, very popular, like right now at my home club there are 300 kids playing so hopefully-like in Korea-we are going to have more Mexicans out here. It is becoming popular and they are trying.

Q: I read a story recently about you not being a political person, but about the immigration issue going on right now, I imagine you are paying attention to that?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I am very concerned. I can only say that I am proud to be Mexican. Everywhere I go, every tournament, it does not matter if it is in the East, West or North I always find so Mexican fans that are watching me play and cheering for me. So I hope everything, what they are doing and the government just take it in a good way and that the decision does not hurt them because I know there are a lot of people out here working really hard to make a living and support their families. I wish them the best and I have been following it in the newspapers.

Q: Is that hard to watch? It seems to be getting more and more attention.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, it has been hard. I do feel sorry for the ones that are going through a hard time. They do not know exactly what is going to happen. I am just paying attention to the news and I just want to say that I support them and hopefully the decision is good for them.

Q: Your decision to go to college, was that a hard decision or was it easy?
LORENA OCHOA: No, it was a hard decision. I was the first one. I did not know what a letter of intention was or the SAT or the TOEFL test. So many new things came at it, so it was a tough decision and I struggled a lot. My English was very bad. I would spend all night writing papers, learning the language and reading books. There were some times I would ask, 'Why am I here?' I was playing good golf and that kept me going. It was hard, but it was worth it.

Q: When did you learn to speak English?
LORENA OCHOA: A couple of years before I went to school. Actually, I learn English because I was going to go to school the next year, but I failed the SAT and the TOEFL. It took me three times to pass them. I had to wait one more year, so I studied four hours of intense English everyday and then I passed the test and then I went to school.

Q: Did you follow the LPGA growing up?
LORENA OCHOA: I did not know much about it when I was 13 or 14 when I decided I wanted to play golf all of my life. My coach talked to me a lot about Nancy Lopez. I kind of always have her in my mind, how good of a player she was and how good of a person and all of the things she accomplished while playing on the LPGA.

Q: Did you look at her; the way kids might look at you now?
LORENA OCHOA: Nancy Lopez is a great friend and she has helped me out a lot since I have been here, what to do and where to go. She has been a really good friend and I admire her a lot. So when people say to me, 'Hey you are like Nancy Lopez,' it makes me happy. It is a great compliment.

Q: You finished second a lot before you won and were getting a reputation for finishing second. Did you realize that? Did that ever give you any self-doubt?
LORENA OCHOA: Did I ever doubt myself?

Q: Yes.
LORENA OCHOA: No, never. I don't pay attention to comments like that or people like that. I cannot worry about what anybody is saying. I think there is only one time where I just really messed up and lost the tournament. They rest have been a challenge for me; I have tried to win tournaments many times. I try to take everything really positive, I was the only that had a chance and was up there. That means a lot and gives you a lot of momentum. It gives you a lot of confidence that you can do it when you are up there and are close. I take it in a positive way. I am going to keep trying.

Q: What event stands out in your mind?
LORENA OCHOA: Phoenix, the playoff that I played with Annika. I was like four up with maybe five holes to go and I took a double-bogey and a bogey coming in on 16 and 17 and then the con sequence is that I lost the playoff, but the rest I have been coming from behind, posting low scores and trying to win tournaments. That means a lot to me.

Q: What is different from your rookie year to now? I think this event was your first runner-up on Tour.
LORENA OCHOA: Well, you learn so much from being in that position, just to play better under pressure. How do you feel, how is your body under pressure. How do you feel? I am more comfortable playing in the last group on Sunday and being up there trying to win a tournament. This is my fourth year and that experience helps you a lot just to be better, especially when you are in the thick of things.

Q: When you go home and there are 300 kids playing golf, how many are girls?
LORENA OCHOA: A big number, I would say about half.

Q: Do you spend time with the kids?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, always. I always do. I see them on the range and talk to them and give them a little chat.

Q: How big was your eagle on 18 at Kraft?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, it was amazing. I felt like I won the tournament right there. It was a great feeling. I dream of that, that is on the top of my head. It is all about getting better, especially on 18 when you are under pressure and have to put up a tough shot when everything is. It is a good feeling.

Q: You mentioned earlier about maybe reconfiguring your schedule. How have you do that?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I am not going to play any event or tournament that is outside of the LPGA. Last year or the year before, I played some tournaments in Europe or Australia or Korea, so this year it is going to be only the LPGA, so I can be really focused on the Tour. Also, I make sure when I take a week off to have two weeks off so when I go home, I can spend time with my family and coach and have a whole week to rest and get better. My last three seasons I did not finish strong enough. My last seven tournaments, I was so tired, so I am going to make sure that that does not happen this year.

Q: What part of Annika's game do you respect the most?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, there are so many things, but I think what I admire the most about Annika is just the mental toughness, how good she is in her head.

Morgan Pressel

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thanks for coming in after your practice round? How is the course playing out there? Is it playing long?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I was out playing yesterday morning and it rained for a solid 10 holes. There were puddles in the fairway; it was hard to find a dry spot and, today, the course really dried up well, which is great. It's playing long, but you'd expect there to be a lot of mud with the kind of rain we've had the past few days. The course has really dried out nicely and, give it a couple of days, the course will be a little bit firmer and faster.

Q. Morgan, after your first couple of months out here, is it all it's cracked up to be? Is it all you expected it to be?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I'm having a great time and this is what I've always wanted to do and I did get some experience last year and basically what I was expecting. I'm trying to enjoy it and work really hard to keep improving and I'm just trying to have fun.

Q. Your big sister on Tour is Juli Inkster. When did you find out about the pairings and have you had any interactions with her?
MORGAN PRESSEL: The end of January, when Hilary Lunke, who sets it all up, sent me an e-mail saying Juli would be my big sister and sent me all the contact information. She's been great and she's a really great person-I've known her for a while. I know she'd be there to help me whenever I'd need it. We've talked a few times, e-mailed and played a few holes in a practice round together, things like that.

Q. Has she given you any advice so far?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Nothing, specific, yet, but if I need it, I'm sure she'd help.

Q. The perception has been so many hot shots on the Tour among the veterans. Is there cockiness in a program like this that bridges the gap?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Oh, didn't even think about that. I think the idea of the program is to give the rookies someone who knows the Tour much better than they do; somebody they can talk to, to find out whatever they need to know. A way of getting used to it, a way of preparing rookies for what to expect.

Q. Hilary Lunke seems to have paired people up for pretty specific reasons, why do you think you and Juli were paired together?
MORGAN PRESSEL: There are a lot of big sisters who are paired w/ little sisters that have a lot in common and I think Juli and I have a lot in common and I've known her for a while. I don't know exactly the reasons why Hilary paired us together, but we have similar attitudes and she also has three younger daughters, so there are a number of reasons.

Q. Michelle Wie has gotten a lot of attention this week about making the cut in a men's event. I'm curious as to your own aspirations in regards to, at some point, trying to play in a men's event and how do people sort of feel about that? What's the general consensus?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Personally, as of right now, I wish to concentrate on the ladies tour and play as well as I can out here. Maybe sometime, down the road, I wouldn't rule it out, but it's unlikely that I would ever play in a men's event. I don't know what the feel is - it's not something that's really talked about much in the locker room-but I'm sure there are many girls that could go out there and make a cut or so in the men's event, they just don't wish to do that.

Q. It's not something that's on your radar screen?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, not at the moment.

Q. I've got a question I don't think anyone else out here would have to answer: You've got final exams and graduation coming up. How crazy of a time has that been?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It's ridiculous because every other time I've gone away, I've had a little bit of time to make things up, but when I get back, I have to have everything done by Wednesday and I still have a few papers to write and things to finish up on. I do have exams when I get back, but right now I'm here and concentrating on this week. I hope to do well on my finals, but I don't think I'm going to drive myself crazy studying for them.

Q. You have a laptop with you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Always.

Q. What kinds of papers are you working on?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I have a book review in World Religions on a book called the River Sutra that we just read and I have a term paper on Dr. Faustus in English and, let's see, I have other stuff to do.

Q. Have you started them?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I have started them, yes … 'start' being the key word.

Q. Do you think you have more in common with your big sister's kids? Juli's kids … have you met any of them?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I've met one of them, I believe.

Q. She has a daughter close to your age, doesn't she?
MORGAN PRESSEL: She's 16, now, I believe.

Q. She probably can't write your papers for you can, she?
MORGAN PRESSEL: A couple weeks ago, it was pretty funny, when we were in Atlanta, we were in a rain delay and I was using the Internet at the club to do my work-this multiple choice-thing I had to do-and it was marine biology and she took it and she was like, 'Let me try it.' She was trying to answer it and she's like, 'I don't know any of this, I don't need to know this!' and it was pretty funny. She couldn't help me; neither could Nancy Lopez, they were trying to do it together. It was pretty comical. She said, 'If the LPGA can't answer this, you don't need to know it!'

Q. What's your routine? Do you practice and go home and work on homework, or do you put it off?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I have been putting it off until Monday, which has been the worst because when I get back to school, it's been crazy-hectic. But this week, in between my TV shows and my shopping trips … tonight is going to be a hard night because tonight is my TV night, but I will do some work in the next few days because I want to get it done and I don't want to have to worry about it next week when I'm home.

Q. What's the biggest change you've seen, now that you're a member of the LPGA this year, as when you first came on-when you were 12 and played in the (2001) U.S. Women's Open (conducted by the USGA)? What do you see as the greatest change for you and the Tour that has happened in those four, five, six years since you made your debut?
MORGAN PRESSEL: The Tour is a little harder because that is not technically a Tour event. It's on the schedule, but it's run by the USGA. But, after playing in that Open, I realized this is what I want to do with my life. That was when I really cracked down and really worked hard and, obviously, gotten longer and straighter and my coach Martin Hall and I have worked weekend after weekend trying to perfect my swing to the best possible. I think I'm more confident and, there are so many different things from when I was 12.

Q. Do you see competition in a different way now from then and totally in awe of what was going on and, now, feel more comfortable in this setting?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I wasn't trying to win the tournaments. I knew my limits, I guess, I was just there to have fun, but I'm here to win and to really play well and to compete on the weekend. It's a different attitude, obviously. I know my capabilities as they were then and as they are now.

Q. Have you seen enough of Lorena Ochoa's game to have an opinion of her as a player?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I played with her in Orlando, in the first two days and we had so much fun. She's a great person, she's the sweetest thing, but she's such a great player. She's very sneaky long. She'll hit a drive and-it doesn't look like it's going that far-and it ends up 50 yards past me. So, it's a little heartbreaking, and she's not a very big girl, so it's amazing how far she hits it. She hits almost every shot right up next to the pin. She' gets on these streaks-I saw it both days I played with her-she'll make four or five birdies in a stretch of six or seven holes and she just gets hot and makes every putt. It was great to watch, it was a great experience for me.

Q. Can I ask you the same question about Paula Creamer? How much have you played with her?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I haven't played with her that much, recently, in the past year or so, but I played a lot of junior and amateur golf with her. WE get along well and she's a great player and she has really worked hard on her game through the years and is really playing well, and it's great to see somebody who I know and I know her game well, who has been able to improve like that and I hope I can do the same.

Q. Is she the person you look at out here as the one to keep up with?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, not at all. There's a lot more players out here than just Paula Creamer and there's a lot more players out here than just Annika or Lorena or anybody. Every week, there are a number of good players that could win. It's not just one person to keep up with; I mean, I want to win; I don't want to keep up with somebody. I want to play my best and win.

Q. Is there anything about the 'elite' players on Tour that you feel sets them apart or is it just experience?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think experience plays a lot into it, but they've worked really hard and they know what it takes to win and they have the demeanor to do it. I don't think there's any one-specific thing that would set somebody like that apart.

Q. Is there anything that is intimidating to you starting out and going against it?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I guess, if it's Sunday, and you're in the lead and Annika's one behind, I don't think you'll fall asleep. You've seen her record and know she's a pretty good player. You know what they're capable of and you know how you have to play and I think it's something where it's not as intimidating as it's you see how well they're playing and you know that's how you have to play so when you play like that, you know that you're going to do pretty well.

Q. Are there any facets of some of the elite players games or personalities on or off the course that you try to emulate or you admire?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think one of the biggest thing is their consistency and their ability to play well week after week and be in contention. That's something I always want to do, I always want to be in contention, I always want to have the chance to win. I think they're just solid in all parts of their game. They don't have any overwhelming strengths or overwhelming weaknesses; they can count on any part of their game when they need it.