Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open
Reunion Resort and Club
Reunion, Fla.
April 25, 2006

Pre-tournament quotes: Dakoda Dowd | Annika Sorenstam | Paula Creamer | Lorena Ochoa | Morgan Pressel

Dakoda Dowd

Q. What's it like with all of the attention from radio, TV?
DAKODA DOWD: This has all been great. I mean, it's been a dream come true, and I just hope that we'll go over there and see my mom tomorrow.

Q. I wonder how much you know about Morgan Pressel's career, and with an experience kind of similar to yours, playing in professional tournaments while she was still an amateur, have you had a chance to meet Morgan?
DAKODA DOWD: I haven't had a chance to really formally meet her yet. But my heart goes out for what she's been through, that's such a hard thing to go through, she's so strong on the golf course and I think I hope that she pulls through.

Q. What's the last couple weeks been like?
DAKODA DOWD: Six months turned into like six days, or it went by really fast and I can't wait until tomorrow. I'll be nervous but I can't wait.

Q. Will you be able to sleep tonight?
DAKODA DOWD: Probably.

Q. Has this turned into much more attention than you ever thought it would be, this whole process?
MIKE DOWD: Absolutely. We even had a couple of people ask us, you know, why did you choose to go public with your wife's illness. I said, we didn't make that choice. When Mr. Ginn made the incredibly kind gesture to offer the dream of a lifetime to my wife and daughter went public and then we had to decide, are we going to shy away or stand up. We decided that we wanted to stand up. We wanted to get messages out there.
My wife feels like it's very important to be able to say to women, do your shower exams, get your mammograms, and love each other and persevere through this. We can't kid anybody. This is an extremely difficult thing we're dealing with as a family, but I've got great women, and, you know, we're happy that we're able to get things out there like makingmemories.org. Our community has supported us through this, and people from outside of the country have been contacting us, sheltering us with love through this very difficult time. My wife and my daughter and myself feel like if we can do that for somebody else, if we can, you know, makingmemories.org is just a great organization, they grant wishes to metastatic patients, and Mr. Ginn did that for us and our community has done that for us. So, you know, we just wanted to try to do something positive out of it.
KELLY JO DOWD: I bet that's the last time will be will ask him a question.

Q. How do you go about just focusing on playing golf?
DAKODA DOWD: Even though there's going to be a bunch of cameras around, it's going to be a great day and everything. Once I step on the golf course, I'm totally focused on, okay, I want to do well. So hopefully I can try to focus tomorrow.

Q. You've played on the course a couple of times, what do you think of it?
DAKODA DOWD: It's long and there's a lot of bunkers. I love this course. It's definitely by far the prettiest course I've ever played on. And I'm just really looking forward to playing in the tournament tomorrow.

Q. Out did you get interested in golf?
DAKODA DOWD: When I was about five I saw my dad doing it. So I tried to picking up some golf clubs and it was fun and it just stuck.

Q. What drew you to the game of golf?
DAKODA DOWD: I really like the fact that there was so much competition. You had control over the game. I never thought about this much when I was five, but, I don't know, I like the way that you can control golf. It's all about it's up to you about how good you want to be at it and you can always improve your game. The harder you work, the better you are.

Q. How did you get started?
DAKODA DOWD: Well, they had cut down clubs. I just picked it up as a fun thing when I was younger. I didn't worry about all that. It was just so much fun.

Q. Has this week made you want to become a professional?
DAKODA DOWD: It's been fun. I mean, but it's also my dream. It's crazy that I'm doing something that I love and it's also my dream and I can also maybe one day if I'm fortunate enough to do it as a living when I'm older.

Q. So do you dream about becoming a professional
DAKODA DOWD: Yes

Q. Do you have college plans?
DAKODA DOWD: I do. I want to go to college.

Q. So go to college inaudible?
DAKODA DOWD: Yes.
KELLY JO DOWD: Oh, good, I get my turn now. Yes, sir.

Q. What has this experience been like for you?
KELLY JO DOWD: Whenever I've gone to practice, every single time I get emotional every single time just talking about it. Out there seeing my daughter swing off the tee box, I think I'm just going to break down. I don't even know how to explain it. This is a dream come true for me and if you've ever had a dream come true for you, you know it's very intention emotions that go along with it. I know that I'll break down, there will be tears of joy and tears of happiness, as well.

Q. Playing with Annika and Paula, how was that and how did you feel that your game compared? Did you learn anything that you want to improve on?
DAKODA DOWD: The one thing I notice about them is their putting is absolutely incredible. They step up to a putt and they just make it, it's like no big deal, a 20 footer and like, okay; I'm like, okay, I'm happy with a 2 putt. I've learned a lot from them. Their attitude when they hit a bad shot, rarely, but when they do, it's just such a great attitude. They are always so positive.

Q. Kelly Jo, what happens, this week, how will your life change?
KELLY JO DOWD: As far as I'm concerned, it's been changed forever, No. 1. How is it going to change? We'll get back to being a normal family, even though we're pretty normal right now, we're happy doing this well, maybe not really normal, but as normal as we can achieve normal.
You know, Dakoda and I will get back to mother/daughter day, which we've missed a few because of media which we're happy to do. As long as we get our message out there about metastatic breast cancer and as long as I can get my message out there about women not waiting, I'll be thrilled. If we can do a little less media, that would be great. As long as it still keeps coming, that's great, too. I hope I said that right. (Laughing).

Q. "Missing mother/daughter day," what exactly do you do?
KELLY JO DOWD: It ranges from anything to listening to music, going music shopping, going clothes stopping, pedicures, manicures, anything that takes money out of dad's pocket, basically is what it amounts to.
MIKE DOWD: Otherwise it's really not mother/daughter day, right?
DAKODA DOWD: It's not the same.
KELLY JO DOWD: Good girl. (Laughter.)

Q. What is the story of the letter Dakoda wrote to you?
MIKE DOWD: Yeah, she wrote me a very personal message and I shared that. I did ask that it not be shared; that it just be kept private. Basically, because she could see our relationship, Dakoda was nothing but a daddy's girl up until a couple of years ago and you know it's true, don't even try.
KELLY JO DOWD: Now she's a mama's girl.
MIKE DOWD: It's incredible from a father standpoint, husband's standpoint, watching their relationship blossom. Sometimes from an outsider looking in, it looks like Dakoda and I are just butting heads and going at it all the time. But she's 13, and I'm a cranky old guy, and you know, we love each other to death.
I just wanted to share something private and personal with this reporter and asked that it please remain that way, and it didn't. But it's something special I carry around. So when we're having our hard moments like every parent does with a 13 year old, especially an athlete like this that's so powerful and rambunctious and spirited, I have to pull it out of my wallet to remind me as I'm going away and she's pork chopping me, calling me "Pork chop, Dad, that's what you are."
"Thanks, Honey, I appreciate it." I have to pull out that note and remind myself how she really feels about me.

Q. I have a 13 year old daughter, too my question is, have you always been comfortable conversing in public? You seem very mature for your age.
DAKODA DOWD: Thank you. You might want to ask my friends about that one, I don't know. (Laughter) I tell them just about everything, sometimes stuff they don't even want to hear, but I can't help it. I have to tell somebody. So I just tell them, you know.
KELLY JO DOWD: As far as the media goes, as far as I'm concerned I didn't realize that Dakoda had the natural ability to be able to be so open and speak so well. And I'm very proud of her for that, because until you do it, sometimes it might look easy. Sometimes it isn't easy. But she makes it seem easy like she makes golf look easy and he know it's not easy, either. So I'm very proud of her for what she's done. I rather like it, myself.
MIKE DOWD: My wife is a former model, so she's a ham, sort of gets the ham ability from her.
DAKODA DOWD: First pork chop, then ham
KELLY JO DOWD: Are you hungry, Michael? (Laughter).

Q. Where did Dakoda's athleticism come from?
MIKE DOWD: I have no idea. My wife was an athlete. It hurts me to say that because for so many years, I heard cheerleaders are not athletes and she made me realize oh, yes, they are, for any of you former cheerleaders out there. But she was a collegiate cheerleader and I was a college basketball player, so she got athleticism from us. My brother has two remarkably talented softball players. The golf, I have no idea, because I stunk. She was beating me when she was 7 and that pretty much made me put my clubs away.

Q. Where will she go to college?
MIKE DOWD: She's a Chippewa, Central Michigan with the same colors, and I'm a Nole, Florida State (ph).

Q. Can you clarify what kind of Bulldog?
DAKODA DOWD: Georgia Bulldog.

Q. That's okay with you?
MIKE DOWD: Absolutely. As long as she's talking college.

Q. There are quite a few other people in the country, in the world having to experience what you've experienced, can you offer any words to anyone in a similar situation?
MIKE DOWD: I'm a social worker by trade. That's what I've been doing for 23 years, so my job has been helping family with crises, and then God lays this on our plate to deal with now. It's so individual and so unique. Just love each other and make the most of every day you have together. Keep your head up, God is great, God is awesome, and you're going to be amazed at how people get you through. You know, we have we would not be where we are today as a family if it wasn't for all of you, who have reached out to us. We have been completely embraced and it's just been overwhelming. Let people come to you, let people help you through it, people's hearts are good.
When you mentioned earlier about Morgan, Morgan's mentioned all the time because she's the phenom. But there's a little Madison in Mitchell, too, and Dakoda played tournaments and they have embraced her. They have walked down the road she's walking down now. She gets humbled when she's got her mother here and we're talking about this and there are these little children inaudible beautiful golfer who is more deserving from a talent standpoint than Dakoda right now sorry, honey. Vickie hurt who was here to qualify do a practice round and she went home and Vickie and Kelly (ph) found out her father passed from a massive stroke. So life is precious and just love each other.

Q. What do you think you're going to shoot tomorrow what's your goal?
DAKODA DOWD: 64 (laughter) on the front nine. So I'm not sure what I'm going to shoot. It's just a great experience. I'm just looking forward to my mom being there and whatever happens, happens.

Q. What did you shoot today?
DAKODA DOWD: I haven't played yet.

Q. What's your best score on this course?
DAKODA DOWD: Like 74. I shot 1 over the other day but that was the front nine.
MIKE DOWD: This is a long and tough track for our kid. This is probably 400 or 500 yards longer than what she's used to and greens that are huge and undulated and speedy. We don't want anybody to get the impression that we think you know, we're not here about that.
DAKODA DOWD: We're just here to have fun.
MIKE DOWD: She does have game, though.

Q. What have the other players told you?
DAKODA DOWD: Paula Creamer has talked to me about, like, not giving up and stuff; Annika. One of my junior friends, always super supportive, they are all just super supportive. They all tell me, don't give up, I know what you are going through and my friends help me get through this.

Annika Sorenstam

PAM WARNER: Annika, thanks for coming in and joining us today. The Ginn Open is a new event here in the Orlando area, and close to home for you. Can you just talk about playing here?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm very excited that we're back to Orlando. Obviously, to be a resident here and have a little bit of a connection to the Ginn Company, I'm very excited to come here and get a chance to really showcase this place. It's a really fantastic place, and I'm anxious to get around and see what they have done. The course is in excellent shape, and you know, just fun to be here. It's going to be a good tournament.

Q. Follow up on that a little bit, it's been awhile now since the Tour has had a full field event in Florida, do you feel like it's about time and especially having a home here, being able to sleep at home and drive to a tournament must be kind of nice?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it is kind of nice. I just hope I make my tee time. It seems like there's a lot to do. I have to take out the trash and get the phone and all that, and all of a sudden I have to rush to the course, which is what happened this morning.
No, it's great to be back in Orlando. We have not had a full field event here in quite some time, and this to me is a good golf town, or city. There's a lot of courses to showcase women's golf, and I'm glad it's here and I'm glad we're back and hopefully it will stay here for some time.

Q. How would you assess the early part of the season? Has there been any frustration level right now or are you satisfied with what's happened so far in the first few events?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say I'm very satisfied. I got off to a good start in Mexico, thought I played pretty solid. The last two events it's been a little bit up and down. I'm playing some really good golf and then I'm mixing it with not so good golf.
So I hope to find a little bit of consistency the next few weeks and maybe the start of this week, I have my coach in town. My game, it's just up and down, a lot of birdies, a lot of bogeys. The good stuff is good, so hopefully I can eliminate the bad.

Q. Anything you're working on in?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: A little bit of driving, a little bit of some of the short game. I'm very happy the way I'm hitting my irons, probably as good as I have in a really long time. So luckily that part is working great. But I think I have to fine tune it and clean it up a little bit.

Q. There's a lot of talk about an academy here at Ginn, your golf academy, can you give us an update on that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, we've come a really long ways and we're about to sign a contract, with me and Reunion, and we're going to put it on the other side of the driving range. It's going to be a golf school for about seven or eight months of the year. We're going to combine golf training with fitness. It's going to have my name on it, but the people that come here, they are going to be able to work with my swing coach and my fitness coach and once in awhile I will make an appearance and play some golf as well.

Q. A fitness center to go with it, are they separate, can you belong to one and not the other and vice versa?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's not really about belonging to a certain part of the school. You come in for different packages and different type of instruction and some of the programs we have are going to combine with golf instruction and fitness, so when you leave, hopefully you'll be swinging better and you'll have a program you can take home and work on at home.

Q. Between Carly (Yadloski) and Dakoda (Dowd), you've got a couple of girls that might be able to attend that academy. What's it been like playing with those two youngsters the last couple of days?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's been really good. They are both very, very talented. They are still very young and they have a lot to learn and a lot to experience. They are impressive, both of them are. I mean, it's fun to see, because, you know, golf is really growing and you can see these young girls, 13, 14 years old are really impressive. They already work with coaches; they already are doing their fitness and already talking about driving it 250 yards. When I was that age, you know, I didn't really talk about that. It was just more let's go play a little bit and that was it.
Now they are totally serious and they come out here and one is playing in the event and one is playing in the Pro Am. It's fun to see and it's really great that so many young girls are picking up the game and they are so good at such young ages?

Q. Dakoda's appearance has drawn a lot of media attention and I'm assuming you can relate having gone through that at the Colonial, do you plan on saying anything to her or trying to give her any advice?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I mean, I've had a chance to spend some time with her already and we already talked about it. I think she's as prepared as she can be. I think the key for her here is just to come out, enjoy it, absorb the atmosphere, it's a fantastic place to be and just have some fun. I told her, enjoy this week, this is what this is all about. If you play great, you know, you will. It's more about being part of the whole thing and just being able to fulfill a dream, it's pretty cool.

Q. There's been steroid scandal in baseball and other sports with golf becoming such a power game, could you ever foresee steroids infiltrating this sport?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, that's a good question. I mean, I guess time will tell. But I definitely hope not. I mean, this is a game of power, it's a game of finesse, it's about accuracy. I mean, I hope is that you know, if you think about it, when you go out there and play, we're kind of our own officials out there, and I hope that it stays that way, even outside the golf course so, when you come here it's going to be fair and square. That's what I'm hoping for.

Q. Could you talk about the last time you played close to home and how much the Tour has changed since that last time?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You mean here in Orlando or just in general home? I've lived in many places and I've had tournaments

Q. What would be close to home?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I played in Sweden last year, which was pretty close to home. It's not an LPGA event but I think I mean, the game itself has grown, the Tours are growing all over the world. It's not necessarily just the LPGA. The game is getting better, the tournaments are getting bigger, the purses are growing. I mean, everything is going in the right direction, whether it's a year ago or five years ago, you can see the progress. I bet ten years from now, I can say I played in Orlando in 2006 and it was great then and it's still getting better.

Q. You just finished playing with Carly, what are your thoughts on some of the skill level that she's at right now, do you see a little of you or what?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, I was very impressed with her. She's only 14, but she hits the ball a long ways and she had her sister on the bag. She was so supportive in telling her what to do. The chemistry between them was pretty cool to see.
She has too much potential. She already hits it a long ways. She has a good short game. When we were out there we were talking a lot, she was asking a lot of questions, how can I get better, and she is just really keen on learning more. I think at that age it's just great to pick up some pointers here and there. For her to be a part of this week, and I told her, look around a little bit and see how the other players practice; what's their routine on the practice tee and how do they practice putting, etc. I said this is a great week for you to learn a lot. She was totally excited and I think she learned a lot, and also, she realized, I'm pretty good and one day I want to do this.

Q. There's now a rising generation of American stars like Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, what do you think that could do for the popularity of the women's game here in the United States?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it's going to grow the game even more and I think it's going to make the LPGA even more popular. I would like to say that this is the beginning of a new generation. These are two names of many that's coming up and have a dream to play on the LPGA.

Q. On Sunday if you had shot under par and somebody simply beat you because they shot one lower, would that have been easier to take than the way it happened, or does it not matter when you don't win?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it matters. (Laughter).
I'm competitive, and yeah, I was very disappointed in the way I played on Sunday. I mean, I was in great shape. I played really good for three days and I made a few mistakes down the stretch. Of course I was disappointed in myself and wished things would have been a little different. You know, when I look back on my career, I've been very fortunate. A lot of times, I've been on the good side.
I think, you know, this just gives me a little bit more fire and maybe that's what I need for the rest of the season.

Q. We have seven tournaments, I think there's one American winner, and that was Juli Inkster, and are you surprised maybe that the younger like Paula Creamer, has not been up there more this year so far this season?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, like you said, it's only been seven events. You have to remember that there are a lot of good players out here. The depth is there and the talent is there, and you can't forget that.
You know, even though you write more things about certain players doesn't mean they are better players. It's tough out here. You have to play very consistent. You have to be able to pull through down the stretch. Let's see where the season, after 20, 30 tournaments, maybe then we can look at it and evaluate a little bit. Right now it's too early in the season I think, for me, to even think about it.

Q. One of your goals in your career is to catch Kathy Whitworth's 88 wins. You're at 67 now, are you going to stay with it until you beat her record or are you trying real hard for it? What's going on there?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you know, I said this before, that, you know, when I came out on our, I didn't even know that I could win a single tournament. So that was never a goal of mine to have the most victories on Tour, and it has not been for maybe the last two years that I thought, wow, I'm doing pretty good and maybe one day I have a chance.
It's a little bit of a goal but again, I just want to focus on each year in time. I'd like to win some majors and then we'll see what happens. I know I'm a player that won't be out here forever. I have a lot of interests off the golf course that I would like to pursue a little bit more one of these days. We'll see what happens. Who knows, if I'm at 85 or 87, maybe I'll push a little harder. But until then, I'm going to continue to do what I'm doing.

Q. You've accomplished so much in your career so far, had some unbelievable seasons, ten wins a year ago, what do you consider a good year for you now at this stage of your career?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I've gotten a little spoiled, I must say. Every year I set some goals and it's about the majors and about a few other tournaments, but I must say that I think I've done a lot better than I expected. You know, especially now, sitting here I've played, what, four events or five events and I've won twice, including the World Championship. I have to put things in perspective. It's not necessarily all about the amount of wins I measure in the season, but the consistency is very important to me. Last year I would say is probably one of the best years I've had, maybe the best or the second to best.
This year, just come out in the first event and you think, how am I going to improve from last year. That's putting a lot of pressure on myself, so I try to change the goals a little bit. I looked a lot at my stats and trying to improve in different areas. If I improve there and win some majors, then it might be a better year.

Q. How much more difficult is it getting to win, though, with the depth of talent that the Korean players have shown? We've talked about the Americans not winning, but the Korean players have come true and won several tournaments.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, it's totally getting tougher, every year, I'd like to say the last five years, you've seen a lot of players from all around the world and especially Korea. They have a lot of talent and they seem to do really well once they get to the top on the leaderboard and they seem to stay there.
So it does get tougher every year, and having said that, I mean, I've got to get better. I've got to get more consistent, so it takes a lot more hard work and you have really, really play your best to have a chance to win nowadays.

Q. How much does being physically fit and strong help a golfer?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think a lot, a lot, in many ways. Especially the season is so long, my season is ten months, when you travel overseas three or four times a year and practice pretty much every day, a lot of travel. I mean, it wears on your body. So I think the better shape you are, the stronger, I think you can prolong your career, you can probably prolong the season and be more steady.

Paula Creamer

PAM WARNER: Paula, thanks for joining us today. We're here at the Ginn Open in the Orlando area, also in your home state. Do you just want to talk about playing here at this new, premier event?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. It's a new event and a good golf course. It's hot out there and it's going to be difficult the next four days. I guess the conditions because it is so hot, you have to drink a lot of water. Overall the golf course is in great shape and it should be a good test of golf when it gets windy.

Q. Now that there's a new group of young American players like you, like Morgan (Pressel), Michelle Wie is not on the Tour, but kind of waiting under the wings, what do you think that means for the LPGA in terms of raising its popularity?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, it helps a lot, it's benefiting us all. It's new excitement, it's fresh and it's new. I think that it's just exciting that there's just so many new people coming out on Tour and especially the Americans, it's nice for people to watch.

Q. In your mind, where are you at this year, where is your game at and do you see yourself searching for some things or struggling?
PAULA CREAMER: It seems like I've had three good days, and every tournament I've always had one bad round or something didn't work properly. I'm just trying to have four good rounds of golf.
I've been making some mistakes out on the golf course, and that's just myself getting in the way of letting it do its thing. I get anxious out there and I want to win and I miss that feeling of winning and I think that that has a little to do with it. I think I practice too hard out on the golf course and I think I just basically need to let up out there.

Q. Is there any one part of the game?
PAULA CREAMER: I think it's just a little bit of everything. I have a pretty big six weeks in a row now. I go to Japan next week, so it's been a lot of golf. I'm just trying to figure out, you know, off time, what do I do, things like that. I think that I just need to just say it's okay, you have a lot of tournaments to come out and eventually and just give myself chances on Sunday.

Q. Compared to last year, is this in some ways more difficult, are you finding it?
PAULA CREAMER: Oh, I think it's much more different. The pressure was more for myself last year. It's a little different now. You know, people have their expectations of what they expect me to do, and I think that, you know, I have to just forget about that and do what I want to do. It's a lot more busy, there's a lot more things that I have to do and be aware of. But it's all fine because it means I'm doing well and there's a reason why it all happens.

Q. You've had a lot of media attention since you were pretty young, could you imagine yourself, though, being in Dakoda Dowd's shoes and dealing with media attention for the reason that she's getting it?
PAULA CREAMER: I don't know how she does it. That's pretty remarkable what she does. I got to play with her yesterday and she's such a good kid. She's fearless on the golf course, she just steps up and hits it and hits it again. I couldn't even imagine what that whole family is going through.

Q. How did golf get into your life, and how do mom and dad feel about your not going to college?
PAULA CREAMER: The first question, how did golf get into my life, I started out at 10. I lived on a golf course in California and I just, I loved the game, I loved the pressure of it. My dad used to play.
My parents support whatever I do. I was going to go to college, but now I have the opportunity to come out on Tour and they support me 100% in whatever I do.

Q. Your parents are golfers?
PAULA CREAMER: My dad is, not my mom. Like I said, I lived on the golf course. I did that for a really long time and did that with my friends when I first started out with golf.

Q. You decided not to go to college first. Would you rather take the money rather than go to school?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, it's not about the money. I don't play golf for the money. I play it because I love it and I enjoy it. It's just another thing that benefits what I do. But it's another I think that I do what I do and I like what I do and I feel that I belong out here.

Q. You still haven't answered my question at all. You're okay about turning pro
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I did it, so yeah.

Q. Without going to college now, there are no second thoughts about it in your mind; correct?
PAULA CREAMER: About not going to school?

Q. Yeah
PAULA CREAMER: No, there wasn't any.

Q. Or for someone like Michelle Wie where she's getting all this money from Nike and her parents are very concerned about her not finishing her education, so she has to finish her education, and more and more of that is going to happen.
PAULA CREAMER: Okay. I have great sponsors and the people around me do what they do the best, and I'm lucky that the team around me wants to support me in whatever I do.

Q. This will be a little bit easier. (Laughter). I know you didn't play in your Pro Am today, any reasons why, and are you feeling okay?
PAULA CREAMER: I'm feeling a lot better. I think I'm just dehydrated. It's difficult coming out this morning and I wasn't feeling very good. I was a little under the weather but I'm feeling a lot better now. I do feel much better.

Q. Next week you go to Japan, you said, and you're two for two, won twice last year, your general impressions about Japan as a country and also the Tour; and lastly, your favorite Japanese food.
PAULA CREAMER: I love Tokyo. Tokyo is one of my favorite places besides New York City. When I go to Japan, I have so much fun. The people there, they take care of me so well. I feel very welcomed when I come there. It's very exciting. The golf is good. You know, when I come there, I want to win, but it's just as hard to win over there as it is here.

Q. And is your calendar only in Japan?
PAULA CREAMER: Only in Japan. And I like sushi. (Laughter).

Q. You have a lot of demands on your time off the golf course with the photo shoot and all of these interviews every week, do you ever have to make sure that it doesn't take away from your game and doesn't in any way adversely affect your game; do you have to be conscious of that?
PAULA CREAMER: A little bit. I think everything revolves around how you play. If you don't play good and you don't post a score, then those things are not going to be happening. So lately I haven't been playing that great, but I don't think it's because of what I do off the course. I know it's very important to practice and get my time in with my golf. If that becomes a problem with stuff off the course then we'll take care of that.
I don't mind doing things because it takes my mind off golf and it's a fun thing to do. Like I said earlier, if those don't happen, that means that my golf isn't there and if nobody wants to take pictures then I'm not succeeding.

Q. Is your mind set different from last year in terms of goals or what you want to achieve now, considering what you did last year?
PAULA CREAMER: Like, have my goals changed?

Q. Yeah, are the expectations that you put on yourself even greater?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, definitely. I felt what it feels like to win. I've been in that situation of winning. I've been in contention, so coming into this year, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I expect myself to do well. If I did it last year no reason why I can't do it again this year. I worked as hard in the off season as the year before, if not harder. At the same time I can't force things and I have to just let it happen. I think that, you know, once I get on a roll, I think it's going to be for a long stretch.

Q. On the main road in here, there are these banners of great players like Beth Daniel, Juli Inkster, Annika, you're also on one of those banners, have you seen those, and what was your reaction when you see something like that? It seems clear that you are becoming quite a draw on the Tour now.
PAULA CREAMER: I think it's neat when you come down and you see everybody come down that road and you see the pictures and it's pretty exciting. I like the outfit they have me in there, that was nice, my pink socks, that was cool. It's great to be with those players at that caliber of level.

Q. What's the buzz been heading into this tournament, big money tournament, full field tournament, certainly is a big step up?
PAULA CREAMER: Yeah, I think everybody is so excited to be here. You know, I think it's a great event and a good opportunity for us to do well. You know, the purse is big and you want to play well. I think everybody wants to do well and go out and play their hardest. I know I do and I would love to win this event, it's very exciting. The golf course, they have a good golf course and it's in good condition and it makes everything so much better.

Q. Is there a draw because it's in Orlando where the Tour has not been in five years?
PAULA CREAMER: Yes, would I assume so. I haven't played at an event when it was here in Florida, but it's an event that definitely brings excitement again for the Tour.

Q. After your experience in the Solheim Cup last year, how eager are you to get back to that kind of a competition?
PAULA CREAMER: Oh, I mean, I wish Solheim Cup was every year but I don't know if I could handle that excitement. That week is amazing. You get so much energy and then it's like it's so hyper for so long and then the end of those three days, it's done and it just ends and the next week you're playing in an event. I love team events, I love playing for the United States, and that team that we had, it just made it even more special.

Q. You are scheduled to play with Annika the first two days, I've been doing my research, the first two rounds that you play with Annika, you have a very good record head to head. Anything that you are watching her play or are you just kind of playing your game?
PAULA CREAMER: Well, I think when I get paired with Annika, I definitely focus a lot harder. I don't know what it is. It's not like I don't focus hard when I'm without her, but it's Annika and you want to play well when you're with her. More people are watching, so it's just, I don't know, I like that. I like that, being with her, playing and Cristie Kerr has been playing great the last couple of weeks, so I think I have a great pairing. I'm very excited about it and hopefully it will be good on the weekend, as well.

Q. What would you advise for young golfers who are coming up?
PAULA CREAMER: Just have fun with golf. I think it's a sport that you can play forever and not to get too hard on yourself when things don't happen soon. You're not going to live a normal life when you play golf. You know, there's so much that you do, your time, there's so much time involved, you won't live a normal teenage life. Once you do it, it feels like it is. Once you get on the 18th green of the tournament and you have a trophy in your hands, I think that's what we have to work hard for, you have to be very driven.

Q. A good sport for pretty and young girls?
PAULA CREAMER: Sure, why not? I think any sport is good if you're pretty and young. (Laughter).

Lorena Ochoa

PAM WARNER: Lorena, thank you for coming in and joining us today. You've had quite an early season so far and then you had your win in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. This is your first tournament back, do you want to talk about being here at this new, premiere event?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, thank you, one, I'm very excited to be here. Everybody has been talking about this tournament, and it's true, all what they say. It's a beautiful course. It's in great shape. The greens I think are going to be a big challenge, which should be fun.
I feel very good, I went home last week and spent some time with my family. The tournament in Vegas was a really special week for me and I spent some time practicing whatever I need to improve, working especially on my short game, so I feel good. I'm ready to go on and I'm just trying to do the same thing and, you know, take one day at a time and see what happens.

Q. You went to Mexico last week?
LORENA OCHOA: Mm hmm.

Q. Guadalajara?
LORENA OCHOA: Guadalajara, yes.

Q. The game you took to Vegas with you, were you satisfied with the way you were playing going into that tournament, and kind of take us through what winning that tournament meant to you after what happened to you earlier in the season.
LORENA OCHOA: Well, you know, I've been playing very good. I have two really good chances to win a tournament, playing in that playoff. And after that tournament, Nabisco, I just tried to just get the good things from that and tried to be really positive and not being hard on myself. You know, I just felt really good with my game and happy. I know I can win any tournament I play.
After Nabisco, I was ready to win a tournament, he wanted to win so bad. I just went to Las Vegas really strong, positive, and it worked. I played very solid the whole week, and I'm really happy, that was a really not relief, but just a really special moment for me, because I had been working so hard, and I'm ready to go.

Q. It was almost like you had positive vibes from that tournament from the year before, because you had a close call the year before, after the first day, you had you're A-game going, it's almost like that tournament itself came at the right time for you.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I did play really good the year before. I knew that golf course. It was a short golf course and I've been hitting my driver good. It's all about short game and giving yourself lots of opportunities for birdie. That's what I did.
I also had my sister there that week and a lot of friends from home. It was a special week for me, when you have little extra things that work out and it was a really good finish.

Q. What were your goals heading into the year, and have they changed at all because you've been playing so well and are at the top of the Money List now?
LORENA OCHOA: No, same goals, and especially being right now at the top of the Money List is not going to change anything. I think what matters and what is important is who is on top of the list at the end of the season. I'm going to try not to let that distract me or get out focused. I'm going to try to do the same thing. I think it's really working, the same things I'm doing, spending a little more time, practicing especially on the short game and also doing exercise, work outs really strong not to get tired during the season. I'm going to do the same things that I've been doing. I don't want to even think about who is going to be No. 1. Just want to try to take one week at a time and I'm ready to win tournaments and I want to win tournaments. Hopefully, you know, it works out and I will have a good year this year.

Q. Majors?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, majors. I'm going to try hard every day and hopefully they come.

Q. When you go back home, can you tell how much your popularity has grown?
LORENA OCHOA: It's hard for me to answer that. But I love to go home. Every time I go home, it just feels good to be over there with my friends and people are just waiting for me. They check my results in the newspaper or on the computer and it's always nice to go home. It gets a little more crazy when I went to Mexico City. I had to do some things related with work and TV. But I would never change home for anything. So hopefully, you know, I can go back home all the time all my life.

Q. What's it like playing here in Orlando, knowing that so many LPGA players live here, like Annika Sorenstam plays here all the time, what's that like knowing that they have such a home course advantage?
LORENA OCHOA: I can't think about that. If you think that other players have an advantage over you I believe in my game. I have really good practice yesterday and today, so I'm ready to go.

Q. The greens are huge, right, and apparently if you hit the ball on the wrong place on these greens, they are very penal; is that correct?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I think it's very key to be on the right side of the green. The ball breaks so much and the greens, especially, because of the speed. So, you know, we pretty much have to worry about the speed and to know which part on the green you want to be. Even though there are some pin placements that are going to be close to the edges, just play to a good area where I can have a good opportunity and have a good chance to putt uphill and not have so much break, that's a big key, and the speed. So right now, I'm to go out and practice long putts and get the speed of the greens.

Q. Have you seen enough of the golf course to have any rough idea what you think the winning score might be?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I'm not the type of player that thinks like in winning scores. I think the par 5's are reachable if you hit a good driver. I think the conditions will change if you have wind, especially in the afternoon. The last three were playing pretty tough and yesterday in the morning they were playing fairly easy. So it depends on the wind, and I would just say, take advantage of the par 5s, get some birdies and just go from there.

Q. It seems like the last three holes are all sort of difficult in their own right, you have a par 3, a par 4 and a par 5, and the 18th hole might be the hardest hole out there if you don't hit your drive in the right spot.
LORENA OCHOA: It is, it is a tough hole. I think it's very important to make birdie on 17, the par 5, but the harder it's more fun for everybody.

Q. What kind of company is Banamex?
LORENA OCHOA: It's a bank in Mexico, Banamex.

Morgan Pressel

PAM WARNER: Thanks for coming in and joining us today here in Orlando, pretty close to your hometown. Just want to talk about being here?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yeah, I'm really excited for me. It looks like from the first two days, it looks like they have put a lot of effort into putting this event together. It looks like it's going to be a great week. It's a great golf course. I know a bunch of friends there home are going to come out and watch. It's going to be great.
The course is a fantastic course. It's probably one of best courses that we'll play all year, and you know, it's a great setup, got some really great closing holes that anything can happen on. And it's tough. It's certainly not going to be a pushover.

Q. Can you talk about coming into your rookie season so far and how things have gone?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think that everything has gone pretty well so far. I mean, obviously, you know, there are a few events where I wish I could have done better, and you know I know that like last week, I really hit the ball really solid tee to green and just couldn't put. So I mean, I know that every week there's just that little bit that I need to work on and hopefully I can contend more often pretty soon.

Q. Your stats look pretty good, putting kind of stands out, is that something that you've worked on a lot?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, you know, like I said last week, my putting was actually pretty atrocious. And I tried out a new putter last week and that was snapped over my knee not really, but I wanted to throw it in the garbage, and my grandpa said it have been okay, because I'm never using it again, so it wouldn't matter.
You know, I've got a different putter, I'm using still a two ball, but now with a new prototype, the same one that Phil Mickelson used to win The Masters. And you know, I hope I'm stroking it well this week and fixing little things in my stroke and hopefully they will all go in this week.

Q. What courses are you taking?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I'm taking basic English 12. I haven't been in school in a while. I have to go through my schedule. (Laughing). I'm making Marine Bio, which is pretty tough, I actually have to finish a test today. I'm taking Digital Darkroom, 20th Century Ideologies and Conflicts, Economics and I'm missing one, World Religion.

Q. When do you graduate?
MORGAN PRESSEL: May 20.

Q. No P.E. classes for you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: You have to take an athletic credit every year. So my golf is in the fall, so I'm done with that.

Q. What did you say about Mickelson, the putter?
MORGAN PRESSEL: The insert is a prototype insert for a new Callaway Odyssey putters, the new insert. I have it in a two ball.

Q. You were born in Tampa not too far from here, how did you get started in golf?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, when I was 8, I moved to Boca Raton, where I live now and have been for a while. My grandfather took me out, we were spending at his place for a couple of years, or we were settling in and trying to find a place to live and he took me out to play golf a couple of times and now he says that it was because I was too slow for tennis. (Laughter). So it just started there. Just put the racquet down and now I'm playing golf.

Q. What do you think of women's golf and the LPGA Tour, having young American players like and you Paula Creamer out here on Tour?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I really hope it helps the Tour. I think that everything, you know, storylines with Annika and trying to meet her goals and the young players that are coming out, all of the different players who have the capability to win every week, I hope that that really helps the Tour and makes it, you know, more of something that people want to watch, something that people can relate to. We'll see. We'll see what happens. If something is going to happen, hopefully it will happen soon.

Q. There are posters of you coming into the facility, Annika, Beth Daniel, great players, and you up there
MORGAN PRESSEL: And me, it doesn't fit, is that what you're saying? (Laughter).

Q. What is that like for you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: That was really cool. When we were driving in, you know, there are all these great players, Annika, Cristie, Juli, Beth, Lorena, all of these great players and then there's a picture of me. You know, it is quite an honor for them to put me up there, definitely. That was very neat.

Q. Talk about how Dakota Dowd's story touches you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think it's really nice that she's here this week and I hope that she and her family have a great time. I think that the course is going to play extremely difficult. I hope she doesn't have and I don't think she will have, you know, really high expectations but I hope she's just here to have fun, which I'm sure she will.

Q. Does the story touch you?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, definitely, it's a subject that's close to my heart, so you know, I understand what she's going through and if this is a place where she can kind of get away from all that and have fun playing in a tournament like this, great.

Q. Does it matter what she shoots?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It doesn't matter what she shoots at all. You know, she's here to have fun and that's all that it should be.

Q. Have you seen her play?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I have not. My sister knows her and has played with her. I have not.

Q. She gave you the scouting report? (Laughter)?
MORGAN PRESSEL: She told me to watch out. She tells me to watch out for her, too.

Q. You and Brittany Lang have been on the Money List, you guys are pretty close, are you looking at that at all, kind of keeping track at all?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I mean, I want to see the most important thing is how I'm doing with regard to everybody, because that's who is out here. Everybody is out here. It's not just rookies that are out here. But, I mean, obviously I do look at that. It would be it's a nice short term goal to have, you know to, win Rookie of the Year, but it's not the most important thing, that's for sure. And Seon Hwa Lee has definitely played really, really well and she's had some great finishes and played solid golf.

Q. Do you have the time down for your graduation down to hours and minutes?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No, I don't. I know I have five days of classes that I have to go back for. And then exams and graduation. So I can't wait. But I have plenty of work to do while I'm here and while I'm on the road, that's for sure.

Q. How do you take a test when you're on the road?
MORGAN PRESSEL: This one is a take home test. But we also have a pretty strict honor code at the St. Andrews where I go to school. A couple of teaches have, you know, said here is the test, study, and put it in an envelope or put it in the back of a binder and said, study when you're ready; it's an hour and a half, take it on your time and your honor.

Q. Are you going to graduation?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Yes, I'll be there, definitely.

Q. Is there a prom?
MORGAN PRESSEL: There is a prom, but I'm not going to that. I'm going to be in Kingsmill for the Michelob Ultra Open. I went to the prom last year. It's overrated. (Laughter).

Q. Have you gone through any other equipment changes throughout this year? I know you were starting the year with some new stuff.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well if you see, a couple new Callaway drivers back there I've tweaked a few things, whether it's a shaft mainly my driver. I switched my 11 wood that I've used for two years. The Callaway made a new 11 wood in the new X Series line which they were not originally going to do. I'm using that now and I like that.
But, you know, just switching different shafts. These were a couple of drivers with a little less loft because I was hitting it a little high. We'll see. Just a little tweaking, nothing major, that's for sure.

Q. What's the best advice you've received in terms of being a rookie out here?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know if I've really talked to too many people about that. I guess personally I don't really get too nervous, I don't really try to let the pressure affect me too much. I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed and to do well and that's really all that I'm worried about.

Q. First time around, any rough idea what a good score would be?
MORGAN PRESSEL: You can't that's hard to predict. Right now the greens are pretty soft but, you know, I'm assuming that they are going to get firmer and faster and I think it will be a tough test. We'll see. It's really hard to predict. That's hard to tell.

Q. Are you keeping up with your position in terms of qualifying?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think I know where I am, 15th or something like that. Yeah, I look at all that, I look at all the stats and position. It's interesting to me. I can't calculate it myself. I have to wait to see them updating on Monday mornings. I can't calculate that myself. I don't even know the distribution of points or anything like that. It's an interesting concept, so we'll see.

Q. Are those new earrings that you are wearing today?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I got them in Palm Springs. So they are somewhat new. They are recent.

Q. Talk about the big sister program and Juli Inkster being your big sister?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I think the idea of the Big Sister Program for rookies is just so that new players have an outlet where they can, you know, ask about anything they want. And it's just it's just a person that I know that I can go to because and I have known her for a while. So not just through the Big Sister Program, but there are any other people I could ask whatever I need. They would be there to answer my questions.