Brittany Lincicome

DANA GROSS RHODE: Brittany, thank you for coming in after your practice round. This is an inaugural tournament, but you won the Ginn OPEN earlier in April this year, and now you're at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA.

Do you feel kind of like maybe there's is a chance for you to claim both Ginn tournaments this year?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: That would be pretty cool. It's definitely a good vibe. The Ginn people know how to put on a great tournament. Everything so far has been top of the line, so it's really exciting to go into a tournament and just have everything at your hand. If you need something somebody's there to get it for you, which is really awesome to have that feeling. You feel like you're at a PGA tournament or something.

So it's a fun feeling to come out and play a beautiful golf course. The greens are going to be really fast by Sunday for sure, so it's going to be exciting.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the golf course, what type of play it's going to take this week?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Fairways are definitely key. That rough out there is pretty thick already and only going to go to get thicker, I'm sure. So fairways are key.

Greens, they're not too big, but if you're in the wrong spot you're going to have a tricky putt. I believe the superintendent this morning told me they were running 11 already, so I'm sure they're not going to water and they're going to cut them and roll them and everything so they're just going to get faster and faster.

So definitely hitting the fairways is key, and par is going to be good out there, I'm sure.

Q. I'm just curious, when you look at the older generation and your generation of players, where do you see the competitive balance right now between those two groups? And where do you see it going over the next couple years?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: It's definitely only going to go forward. The older veteran players, I guess you could say, are definitely teaching us younger players how to play the golf courses. I always try to do, if not with someone by myself, do it with Pat Hurst or Juli Inkster just to get their take on how they do an a practice round.

Juli is always hitting two or three balls off the tee, she's hitting a million chips around the green. Just watching their work ethic and following what they do. So they give us a lot of advice, and with our talent coming up these nowadays it's only going to go forward.

Q. Is there a rivalry there between those two groups? Do you guys sense that? You guys coming up and the old guard? Is there some give and take there?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Only when we do $5 birdie games. Other than that, I mean, they're excited for where the Tour is going with us young guns coming in they're calling it now, I guess.

We're excited just to help them out and be a part with them. Because to stand by an Annika or Juli Inkster, I mean, you looked up to them growing up so to be hitting on the range by them means you've accomplished a lot growing up.

There's no rivalry. They're happy when we win and we're happy when they win. We give reach other credit.

Q. This event obviously have Annika's name on it. Can you just speak to what Annika has accomplished in her career and the manner in which she's done it, your impression?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: That could take a while. She's just fabulous all the way around. Her golf game, just the way she's played, if she wants to hit a draw she hits a draw, and if she wants to hit a cut she hits a cut. The shots she has are phenomenal.

Off the golf course, I mean some people think that she's mean or whatever, but when you start to talk to her you'll find out that she's just very shy. If you can get her talking, she's awesome to talk to. She's accomplished so much, and hopefully she just keeps going forward and no more injuries to keep her out.

Q. Did it seem kind of strange not having her out the last month?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: It was. It was definitely weird not having her out. People were asking, and we were trying to tell them as much as we knew at the time. It's definitely great to have her back, and to be so quick.

She thought she was going to be out a little bit longer, so it's awesome that she's going to get to play in her own tournament.

Q. Can you talk about beating Lorena in that tournament (Ginn OPEN)? She's number one now. What it meant to you? There were a of lot big names on the leaderboard in the final round that day.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: There was. Lorena and I are such good friends. We fellowship and just hanging out on the golf course or the driving range or whatever. To beat her, she's such a great, steady player, that it meant that I was playing pretty good that week, which is a great feeling just for myself just to know that I have worked so hard to get where I am today and the work has paid off.

But she's a phenomenal player, and I was impressed with myself for winning that match.

Q. Just one quick follow up. Where does she fall in the young/older player category?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: She is definitely young. We definitely need her on the young side.

Q. Can you comment on the field this week? And is that maybe a testimony to Annika's popularity and what she's done for the game, or is it also a testimony for the Ginn and what they've been doing with their tournaments on the Tour?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: I think it's both. I think a tournament run by Annika, we were all excited to see what she had to offer. She's been doing this for so many years she knows what works and doesn't work, so she was going to do it right.

Then having the people from Ginn be a part of that also. Just, they have so much money, and whatever we needed whatever the tournament needed, they were there to offer it.

So it's kind of both to be together. I mean, it's going to be a good tournament for a long time hopefully.

Q. When you won the Ginn OPEN, in April your picture wasn't on the banner. Maybe you weren't getting as much attention as some of other young guns. Has that changed for you since you've won your second title? Has anything changed?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: A little bit. I have banners driving in, which is awesome to see. I like seeing my name out there. I don't know, just means the hard work has paid off to see the banners out there. Just something as simple as that makes my day go so much better.

To be in the little brochure we have out this week, just to have a little page in there, simple things like that that make me excited. Whatever works for me, I guess.

Q. It appears that the Tour's going to have some pretty stringent drug testing type penalties. Can you just speak to that? Obviously most players would say, ‘Well, we don't really have a problem.' But if you don't have a problem, why such strong penalties?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Right. They're dead serious about it, which is fine. I have nothing to hide. I don't think any girl out on our Tour has anything to hide, so I'm pretty sure we'll be fine.

But, obviously, if you're using there needs to be a penalty and it needs to be pretty severe. Because obviously if you can do it and miss one or two tournaments or something like that, you're just going to keep doing it and nobody is going to care.

What is it, 22 tournaments or 25 tournaments, something.

DANA GROSS RHODE: They haven't announced anything officially yet.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: It's going to make you think. That's the whole year basically. So I think it's going to the right direction. They just need to tell us a little bit more information, because they can't tell us what we can and can't take.

Like the power bars they're telling us might have something in them, and that just scares all of us. A little bit more research will be okay.

Q. There's a lot of talk in recent years about all the new young faces coming on the LPGA Tour, one of which is you. How do you think it's changing the Tour, if it is? Is it strictly athleticism and distance? Is it different ways of approaching the game? What do you think?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: I think it's all of the above. I think the young talent obviously is a huge key. We don't want to be the Anna Kournikova of golf. We want to be beautiful and be able to play good golf.

It's obviously both. Obviously myself being able to hit it really far; Natalie for her looks. We all have our little thing that we try to build on. I think it's all of the above like you just mentioned.

Q. Is that then all about sort of carving out individual niches? Like you said, you've got the length and she's got the commercial with Butch and John Daly?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Right. I think you've got to find your thing, for sure. Mine is hitting it far. I obviously do that well. It comes naturally to me. I'll build on that.

I actually had some funky nail polish on last week and all the fans seemed to like it. Maybe that will be my new thing. Paula has the pink thing on Sunday.

It's just something that you build on that gets you exposure and gets your name out there a little bit better.

Q. But the bottom line is, too, you have to win, correct? It's not just about show.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Correct. Correct.

Q. You had mentioned the style over substance thing, Anna Kournikova thing, but do you feel like the way this tour is being markets now is more toward the golf and athleticism and personalities than it was at one time? Do you sense that?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: A little bit. I think it's the whole package is what people are looking at now. Obviously you can be beautiful and not play well and play well and not be beautiful. It's kind of like the whole package. You have to be all of it.

I mean, well rounded. I think it's the whole package. I think you have to be both.

Q. With Michelle Wie being here this week, there's going to be more attention on the tournament, but it may be because she's here as opposed to your guy's accomplishments. How do you handle that? Because I know that comes up time and time again when she gets a sponsor's exemption.
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Right. Personally, whatever helps our Tour I'm all for it. If she brings out fans and the sponsors, I will do anything that that girl wants me to do for her. We need more fans to watch. We need more people to come out and watch the tournaments. We need bigger sponsors. We need more money out there.

If she's going to do that, then I'll do whatever she wants me to do. She's a very nice girl, so if she's bringing the people out, go for it. I'm all for it.

Q. I've heard that there's this sort of feeling of, I don't know if ambivalence is the right word, about Michelle that's because she's not a member of the Tour, that she sort of drops in and drops out. What you're saying is very pragmatic. In other words, Okay, she may not be out here and maybe I'd like her to be out here, but since she's not I'm going to take advantage of whatever she brings to the Tour. Can you expound on that a little bit? Am I going down the right track with that?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: Yeah. It kind of sounds mean, but she picks and chooses what she wants to play. I mean, if they're going to give her a sponsor's exemption, that's totally fine.

But, yeah, I wish she would play out here full time. I think she could bring a lot to the Tour. She's an awesome player. I would love her to play out here full time. She's a very nice girl and she brings the fans out.

So it's kind of a win win when she's out here. If she were to play a full schedule, I mean, there's no telling where the Tour would go. With you young guns coming up and how great we're playing, with all the fans loving her, I think we could be getting closer to the PGA eventually someday.

Q. From one end of the generation to the other, as far as bringing fans out, the tournament that's hosted by Annika this week, how is Annika toward the young girls? Is she supportive? Does she help you out? So you kind of seek her out? Or is she just another player?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: We definitely seek her out. She's been out here for some time. We still think of her as being number one in the world and being very high ranked. So she knows a lot of the answers to the questions that you seek.

I could go watch her just hit on the range. The swing that she has, the things that she can do with the golf ball, it's really face phenomenal. Whenever I could ever play a practice round with her or do something with her, I mean we definitely jump on it.

Q. If Annika is sort of, I guess the face of the LPGA Tour now, even though she's not number one at the moment. Everybody kind of concedes that she's one of the best, if not the best. If she is the face of the present, what is the face of the, future and where does Michelle Wie fit into that?
BRITTANY LINCICOME: That's a good question. I mean, obviously if she joined our Tour I believe she could be the next Annika. She definitely has the game and the skill. She can hit it a long way. She definitely has everything going for her.

Not to take anything from Annika or Lorena because they're both great athletes, too, but Lorena is actually stepping up. She knows she's going to have to be making those birdies and making those putts and everything, so she's definitely working her booty off—can I say that—to get where she is right now, and that's where she wants to be.

So she's working really hard to get there. Whoever is going to come up to beat her and Annika you definitely got to work hard.

MacKinzie Kline

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all for coming in. We're going to get started with MacKinzie Kline, who has a sponsor exemption into the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika.

MacKinzie, obviously congratulations for this opportunity. You've got be looking forward to this week. What have been your emotions getting ready for this.
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, I'm really excited. I can't waiting to play golf. This has been a dream of mine forever to playing on the LPGA Tour, and being able to play with a sponsor's exemption is incredible. I'm so excited. It's going to be so much fun.

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Also we have another question. Obviously the LPGA Tour when they're in Mexico City the players do use carts, but you are the first player to use a cart for a medical condition.

Can you describe that for people who may not know why you are allowed to use a cart?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Because of my heart condition, I need a cart and oxygen because of the fact that I only have three chambers and my oxygen level isn't as high as other people's oxygen level.

So when I get tired or nervous and stuff like that I tend to my oxygen level goes down, which isn't good obviously. That's why I need the oxygen. And then using the cart just helps me get through the 18 holes.

Q. Does the heat have any affect on your stamina? Is it good or bad or what?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, actually, for the oxygen, when it's hot outside I need it more than when it's cold outside. So, yes, definitely heat affects me a lot more than when it's cold or cooler outside.

But I definitely need the oxygen more when it's hot outside, and I really need to watch what I'm doing when it's hot outside.

Q. I'm curious, how often do you have to go to the oxygen in the course of a typical 18 holes?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, again, it really depends, but on tournament days I try to use it quite a bit. I try to use it probably I'll at least start on the 4th hole, because the Back 9, that's where I really need it the most so my energy stays up.

But when it's cold outside or if I'm just playing for fun I won't use it that much because it's not a tournament or a really, really big deal.

Q. How long have you been here? How many practice rounds have you played within the last week or so? And is stamina going to be an issue?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, I played here on Monday and then I'm playing today. I was here I think a month and a half ago with my coach. We came out and played.

Hopefully because I'm playing so much golf I won't get too tired by Friday or however long I'm here for. I'm trying to keep my stamina up there and hopefully I'll be fine.

Q. Is stamina something that gets any better the more you play? Or do you find yourself getting more fatigued the more you play and your days off in between events?
MACKINZIE KLINE: I think for me it's better if I take a few days off. If I play a tournament and I'm gone for five days I really need to go back home or go somewhere and just rest for two days and then I'll be better. But it's really hard for me to just keep going.

I mean, I work out and that's helping me to get stronger, but still it's really hard for me to just keep going.

Q. So far in your career as a golfer what would you say have been some of your highlights?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Some of my highlights. Definitely getting into the U.S. Women's Amateur was really fun. U.S. Girl's Junior was really fun, and playing the U.S. Women's Pub Links. Those are some really great events and it's been really fun, and this one is obviously going to be up there. It's going to be very fun.

Q. And besides your parents, who would you say has had the greatest impact or influence on you as a golfer?
MACKINZIE KLINE: My parents have been great. My little sister. She's awesome. She's a great soccer player, all this stuff that's happening to me she takes it well.

She's only nine years old and she's a great little sister and so much fun to have around and she supports me. Same with my coach, he supports me a lot.

Same with my caddie, S.C., he's awesome to have. My whole family, they're just awesome. They're very, very fun to have and very supportive.

DANA GROSS-RHODE: What's your caddie's last name?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Montgomery.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: And you said S.C.?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Yes. His first name is Hugh, but I call him S.C.

Q. What tournaments have you played in since you were here in January and how have you done?
MACKINZIE KLINE: I've played a few qualifiers. The U.S. Women's Open qualifier, the U.S. Women's Pub Links qualifier. The U.S. Open Women's qualifier I didn't make the cut, but it was a beautiful golf course. It was very fun to play there.

And then the U.S. Women's Pub Links, I'm actually a first alternate for that. That was a monster course. That was pretty hard, but it was really fun.

Q. Refresh my memory. I know the USGA gave you a cart for the women's amateur or which tournament?
MACKINZIE KLINE: For the U.S. Girl's Junior and the U.S. Women's Amateur, yes.

Q. Okay. Sis you qualify for those without the cart, or were you able to get those from the very beginning?
MACKINZIE KLINE: No. The qualifiers I qualified without the cart.

Q. The, for lack of a better word, negotiations or whatever with the USGA, how did you take all that? Were you pretty upbeat about it? The fact that you were able to play the qualifiers without the cart I think showed a little bit about your desire and drive to get in the tournament regardless.
MACKINZIE KLINE: Right. Like I say, it's my summer. The USGA events are my summer, and making those cuts are what my summer is based on. I've been working pretty hard and I want to play those. I didn't want to miss the summer.

What was I going to do, just practice and just hang out. I really wanted to go places and make those qualifiers.

Q. Would you have played those events without a cart if you had not gotten the exemption?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Yes. I would have definitely really talked to my parents about that and really tried really hard for me to be able to play in them. But it worked out fine. I don't know what would have happened, but I definitely would have played in them no matter what I think.

Q. When you play without the cart or without the oxygen, what kind of risks do you potentially run if it's a really hot day, et cetera, et cetera?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, it's mostly the fact that I just get really tired and I really won't be able to concentrate. There's no point of me even playing because I'm just tired and completely out of it.

But it's not like anything horribly bad is a going to happen to me. I just get extremely tired and I really can't finish 18 holes if it's really hot outside.

Q. Can you talk about the course here, RiverTowne, the parts that you like, the parts that are going to be difficult for you, what plays into your game here, and how you expect to do this week?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, it's a beautiful golf course, of course. It's incredible. But it's definitely a hard golf course. The greens are really nice. The fairways are great and the rough definitely seems pretty thick.

But I think if I just play my game and hit some good shots I'll be able to do pretty well, and hopefully just keep in the fairway I think and we'll see what happens.

Of course, I would love to make the cut. That's one of my goals, but I really just want to come out here and learn from the other LPGA ladies and watch them. It's going to be a great time.

Q. I understand you're playing a practice round with Paula Creamer this afternoon. Is there going to be anybody else in the group, or just you and Paula?
MACKINZIE KLINE: I'm actually not quite sure. I think it's just Paula and I, but we'll see. I'm really excited to play.

Q. I'm curious, I guess you were nine or ten when it went down, but did you follow the Casey Martin case at all when it went on six years ago?
MACKINZIE KLINE: I really didn't follow it that much. I mean, I knew about it but I wasn't completely following it. But I've always known about it.

Q. Have you had any interaction with Casey Martin? Has he said anything to you?
MACKINZIE KLINE: He talked to my dad and I talked to him a little bit. He just said if we need anything or need any help just give him the call and he'll try to help or do the best he can to help.

Q. How much do you think that what he went through might have helped your situation in terms of being a trailblazer and getting the issue out before you came along?
MACKINZIE KLINE: I think what he did was great. Truthfully, if he haven't hadn't done it, it would be me doing to for someone. The fact that he's done it I get to use it, and it's really great and I'm really thankful that he did do it. It's just amazing that he did.

Q. I'm curious, your goal is I guess to play as many rounds as you can. In terms of what the public might be able to derive from watching you play, what would you like to send as far as a message or anything like that?
MACKINZIE KLINE: Well, because I'm the national spokesperson for the Children's Heart Foundation, I just try to get that message out there about the heart conditions and there are a lot of them and I'm raising money for the Children's Heart Foundation.

And if there are people out there or kids out there with heart conditions they should do what they want and try really hard to do a sport. Just keep working at it.

Michelle Wie

DANA GROSS RHODE: Welcome to the season. This is your first event at the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA. So are you excited to start playing this summer?
MICHELLE WIE: Most definitely. I've been waiting all year for this basically, literally, and I'm really excited and so happy to be back here.

Q. Welcome to Charleston. To ask you about your high school graduation, I'm not clear. When is that graduation, and what will the time be here when you're supposed to graduate?
MICHELLE WIE: It's actually this weekend so I won't be able to go. They were basically like, ‘We have good news and bad news for you.' I was like, ‘Okay.' ‘The good news you survived high school and you're graduating; the bad news is you won't be able to go to graduation.'

I was like, ‘That's fine. As long as I get my diploma and I've I'm off to college now I'm good with that.' I wish I was there at graduation, but I knew for over a year that I wasn't going, so did it didn't really come as a shock.

I gave them a nice picture, so they're going to try to sneak in a full size cardboard picture of me so I'll be there in person.

Q. Saturday?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't really know, actually.

Q. It's been said, I don't know if it's true or not, that you've changed strength coaches, caddies, I mean, is this kind of a complete overhaul kind of thing?
MICHELLE WIE: Just life is, just makes you differently, and I feel like I'm different as a person. I'm having a fresh start and just trying out some new people.

I still have my Team Wie around me: My managers, David, my coach, everyone around me. I have a really strong group around me. Just added in a couple new people and just extending the family.

Q. What was senior year of high school like? Was it good to be spending time with your peers for all these months?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, most definitely. I had the best time second semester. Actually, junior year I thought that was going to be my hardest year, but no one said that first semester senior year was going to be as tough as I thought it was going to be. College applications and taking tests and flying to tournaments were really hectic for me.

But after I got into college for early admission, after that I announced to my teachers, ‘Ah, don't expect too much from me second semester because I'm not really studying.' So basically all cruise for me second semester. I had some nice classes. Just relaxed and had fun and just really got to enjoy high school life. It was my last semester, and I really enjoyed it.

Q. What are your expectations this week considering you've been out for a few months? Do you expect to win or contend or just play well?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'm just so excited to be here. Of course I have expectations, but I'm just so grateful to be out here again. I never realized how much I missed it. How much I actually love golf and I love being out here at tournaments. So I'm just so grateful that my wrists are better and I can actually hit a golf ball and be at this tournament and play this week.

So my expectations are to play well. I'm not really sure how well I can play because I've been out so long. But I feel really good about my game right now. My expectation is still really high, but we'll have to see. I'm just still warming up and trying to get back in the game.

I know I won't play my absolute, absolute best golf, but I'm still going to try my hardest, and if my best golf comes out, then great; if not, I'm just really grateful to be here and I'm still going to try my hardest.

Q. Had your wrists not been hurt, how much golf would you have played up until now? And was it maybe a blessing in disguise that you were able to enjoy your senior year like that because you weren't playing as much?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, unfortunately because of my wrists I missed out on a couple events. But like you said, it was a blessing in disguise. I think that I can always play golf tournaments in the future, but high school will never come to you again.

I feel like last semester senior year I really got to enjoy and really got to hang out with my friends. I was actually the one who was calling my friends and telling them get me out of this house. I need to be outside.

They're the ones saying, ‘Oh, I'm sorry. I'm too busy. I'm practicing or doing something else.' I was like, ‘God, why is everyone so busy?' And my friends were like, ‘Michelle, you're the one that's always busy.' I was like, ‘Well, get me out of this house.'

It was nice. I got to understand, like be in the other side of the situation. And also the blessing because I got to hang out with my friends a lot more.

Q. How much golf have you been playing lately?
MICHELLE WIE: Lately I've been practicing every day.

Q. When did you start practicing?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I mean I'm not really sure. I forget. A lot's been going on.

Q. What was the attraction to return to playing at this tournament? It is the fact that Annika is involved in it? It is the timing as far as the injury is concerned? Did you just have a deep-seeded desire to see Charleston? What is it?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think as soon as my doctor said I was good to go, I was like, ‘I'm playing the next tournament.' I couldn't wait. My doctor said that everything's better now. You can play now. You can practice as hard as you want to. Well, I mean, as hard as you can handle.

So I said, ‘I'm playing the next tournament I can.' This is it, and I'm really excited to be here. I love Charleston, and I was out on the hammock all day yesterday looking at the beach thinking of home. But it's really nice here.

Q. Are you playing without any pain now?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. Relatively there's mostly no pain. But once in a while when I hit a bad shot there's a little zinger here and there, but mostly it's been feeling really great.

Q. When you got to spend all that time with your friends, was there a part of you that said you missed out on things in high school, our are there no regrets at all?
MICHELLE WIE: There's really no regrets. I wasn't expecting this so it was a really nice surprise for me. But at the same time, half of myself was so happy that I got spend time with my friends and hang out and to go to prom and everything and just got to see movies and stuff like that.

Other half of me was very frustrated with myself that I couldn't play golf and I couldn't be out at tournaments. So I was very torn in between, but I felt like it was a good semester for me.

Q. Annika Sorenstam has been sort of the face of women's golf for quite a while now. There's a lot of speculation with all the young guns as to who will be the next face. Do you see yourself in that role, or at least in some part?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't really think of myself as I'm going to be the face of something. I just like golf. I like playing it and I enjoy it. I enjoy the competition. I think there's a lot of other really great players out here and a lot of really capable people.

So I don't really see myself or consider myself to be a face of anything really. I'm just out here enjoying life and golf and really trying to be the best.

Q. Other than the John Deere, or including the John Deere, can you talk about your decision to play there and how you see your schedule shaping up for the rest of summer, what tournaments you might do and play in?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'm really excited to play there. I think that golf course owes me a lot of strokes actually. I like that golf course and I really like the people that run it. I just love the whole event.

Unfortunately last year did not go the way I wanted it to, but hopefully this year I can take some revenge on that golf course. But I'm not really sure how the rest of my year is going to schedule out. I haven't really decided yet, and I'll let you know as soon as I decide.

Q. You talked about the injury maybe being a blessing in disguise. You could stay at home. Has burnout ever been an issue with you?
MICHELLE WIE: No, not really. I really enjoy playing. I really enjoy the competition. I really I think I'm starting to enjoy actually practicing. Now I am because I realize what life was like without golf. Truthfully, it kind of sucked. I don't really like it.

So I don't think burnout is really an issue. Before I was like, ‘Oh, God, I don't want to practice. I don't want to work out.' But when I'm sitting on my butt all day watching TV it was like I want to go out and work out and practice.

Before it was like I want to go home and rest and watch TV. Now I'm just like, ‘I was stupid. Like why did I want that?' It was truly a blessing in disguise, because it put things into perspective and gave me a reality shock.

Q. Considering, like you said the first semester of your senior year of high school was difficult, do you have any trepidation of how you're going to mix college with your career?
MICHELLE WIE: I'm just really excited, because college isn't really about college applications. You're already in college. So I'm just going to enjoy it. I'm dorming next year so I'm really excited for that. I just think it's going to be super exciting. The classes that I'm going to take and just having the freedom of taking classes you want to take.

Because I think that high school is a mandatory education. You have to go to high school. It's part of life. It's the law. You have to go to high school. But it's your choice if you want to go to college or not, and I feel like college is going to be a great place to broaden my horizons and meet new people and educate myself more.

The fact that it's not mandatory, that I want to go there and actually study, I think it makes it a lot more exciting. And the fact that I'm going to be dorming with everyone else and having a roommate and everything I think is going to be really exciting.

Q. At what point do you see yourself joining the Tour full time? And college what are you going to?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I'm going Stanford next year, starting September. I'm really excited for that. I was really excited when I got in. I was like freaking out for about three months, so I was really excited to get in.

About joining the Tour, I really haven't made any concrete decisions yet. But definitely I do want to join. I think it's a great Tour. But like I said before, I'll let you know when I decide.

Q. Will your parents be moving to California?
MICHELLE WIE: We haven't figured out the logistics yet. Still negotiating.

Q. You mentioned wanting to be the best. Annika has made a career of being the best, and she talks a lot about the drive that it takes to be the best. I know it's early in your career, but do you see yourself having that kind of drive to be the best in the world?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah. I definitely feel like I have the drive in me. I practice really hard and I work at it for hours and hours. I feel like now I'm getting more mature about it and realizing that the quality is more important than quantity, and I definitely have that drive.

I think this injury has made me even stronger. Like I said, it makes me even more determined and more excited to be out here. You know, I'm just going to give it my 110 percent and see where it gets me. If it doesn't get me to the top, then I guess I'll have to try something else.

Q. You said you went to your prom. Can you tell us anything about that? Was your date a golfer?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes, my date was a professional golfer. Her name was Michelle Wie. Yeah, I went to prom with my friends and just had fun. The food was a little bit cold, but it was okay. They played some good songs. Had a lot good memories and pictures. We got a nice limo, too, so it was a lot fun, although we did have 10 billion people inside of it. I was really glad to be able to go, because they say that prom is one the high school experiences.

So I was really glad to go and see all my friends all dressed up and really pretty and I got it wear a dress and all that, so it was a lot of fun.

Q. David Leadbetter created little bit of a stir a few weeks ago when he said that he thought that maybe you would just concentrate on women's events for a while, and then couple weeks later you accepted the Deere invitation. I'm curious, was there a miscommunication with David or did he speak out of turn? What was the situation there?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I think that it was an unfortunate event. He got misquoted in the media. I don't think he was represented the way he wanted to. He knows definitely what's going on my life. I keep him updated. Call him almost every week. ‘David, help me,' is what happened every week.

I just really like having him as a coach, and it was unfortunate that he was misquoted. I don't think it was his or anyone's fault. If you have any questions it should be directed to my manager or my parents or my publicist or me. I don't think my coach is the person that would talk about what events I'm going to play in.

Q. When you show up, people come, and this week, people will come to see you. Talk about handling that pressure. Because when people come they want to see you play and hit it long, as opposed to some of the other ladies out here who have won some tournaments.
MICHELLE WIE: I don't really see it that way. I think people come to have a good time. I think people come to watch some good golf.

I think that golf is entertainment, and I really hope that people have fun here. But I don't really think that people are coming just for me. I'm just here to provide some good entertainment, hit some good drives, and play some really good golf.

I'm just out here trying to play my best, and I don't really see it as extra pressure. I'm just grateful when people are here. I guess that since I haven't played for a while, it's going to be a nice change. I got here Monday and it's weird seeing like leaderboards get up and all that. I really miss it. I really miss the fans and the gallery, so it's going to be a lot of fun.

Q. I'm just wondering if watching Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel win, the young guns win while you were on your couch. Did that motivate you even more? What kind of reaction did you have to young players winning?
MICHELLE WIE: I think that they did a great job and they deserved it. They work very hard and are very determined to win. I actually wasn't surprised that they won this year. They're very good and talented players, so I was very happy that they won.

But obviously it got me more determined and motivated. It was very frustrating for a while because I had a very strong determination but really couldn't do anything. Now that I'm back and can practice now it's a really good outlook for me.

I can really work at it and I'm really determined. I'm just going to try my hardest, and they did really well.

Q. What was the extent of the injuries? It was both wrists that were injured?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I don't really want to go back into the past and talk about the injuries. I mean, everyone kind of knows what happened. I don't really want to go into the details of it. Both wrists have bothered me for a while. It's all better now and I don't think that talking about the injury will help me or anyone.

I'm just really excited to be here and I'm going to concentrate on playing well.

Q. You're definitely playing in Baltimore next week?
MICHELLE WIE: Yes.

Q. Brittany was asked about your impact on the LPGA Tour and she said, ‘Boy, we'd love to have her out here.' Do you get that sense when you're on the LPGA Tour, and so you sometimes get the feeling there's a little bit of ambivalence from the other players because they're not sure how to take where you're going with your career?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, it's the same with everyone. Like when I got here, everyone was really welcoming and everyone was like, ‘Oh, nice to see you again,' and all that. It was nice to feel welcome and be back here and see old faces again. It was really nice to see that.

But I think it's like with everyone else, no one really understands everyone, so it's like, ‘Oh, I wonder what's she's doing and blah, blah, blah.' It's like that with everyone. I'm like that with everyone, too. So it's a given that they'll do that with me.

Q. What do you get out of playing in an event such as the Deere where you're trying to make the cut and doing this against the guys as opposed to coming to a tournament like this where you're coming hoping to win and being in contention and all?
MICHELLE WIE: I think that the John Deere is just like playing in men's events, I learn so much from playing with the men. They play a different kind of game from the women, and it's just nice to see the difference in the two.

I'm not saying which one is better or not. But it's just a different game. The courses are longer and they attack it differently. I just feel so grateful that I have the opportunity to play that kind of golf and it brings a different perspective into the way I play, and I learn a lot of cool shots from them. I just like it. It brings excitement into my game. It's something different and something that I enjoy, so I'm going to do it as long as I enjoy it.

Q. Annika, when she played against the men on the tour, said in a sense that she just wanted to see how her game measured up against theirs, maybe test herself. Do you look at when you play a men's event as testing yourself? If not, what are you looking for as far as how you grade yourself when you play against that?
MICHELLE WIE: I don't really like test myself. I think there are so many tests in the world that you don't really have to put added pressure on you and test yourself. There are so many tests, like tests of golf and tests of life.

But I don't really feel like I have to test myself, because I know who I am and I know how well I play. I'm just going to play as hard as I can. I'm just going to learn as much as I can and just enjoy and have fun, and like I said, do everything I can to become the best.

Q. How do you think that the year or however long you spend at Stanford will impact your golf game? And also, are you looking forward to the freedom of being a college student?
MICHELLE WIE: To the second question, I'm looking very forward to having the freedom of a college student. I think it's going to be awesome. But I think that college is going to add to my life in way that high school didn't. High school felt like a mandatory education system. College is where pay my tuition and I go there and I study what I want. I'm going major in what course I want to major in.

It's going to affect my future I think in so many ways so positively. I don't think I'm going to be there for the full year, so when I'm out there playing golf I'm going to be out there playing golf. When I'm back at school, I can have that—it's almost like that—you have to be outside of golf and be in class, so it forces me to have a life outside of golf.

It forces me to not think about golf 24/7, so I think that's kind of a forced break on me, and I think it's going to be very good for my career and mental health and physical. I think I'm going to meet so many great people there and make life long friends and, you know, learn some good stuff.

Morgan Pressel

MIKE SCANLAN: Morgan Pressel, welcome to the interview room here at Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika. You've had four top 10 finishes and you became the youngest major winner in LPGA history at the Kraft Nabisco. You had a week off last week and now you're back. Can you take us through what the season has been like for you.
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, it's been pretty crazy so far. I came into the season playing really well. I obviously won the Kraft Nabisco Championship. That was very exciting. Since then, after I lost my clubs, I'm struggling a little bit. Hopefully I can get it back on track here.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the golf course out there, the conditions, what type of player it may favor this week?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, it's a very nice golf course. It's a traditional, modern golf course. I haven't played it today, but yesterday was a little bit slower, actually, than it was playing on Monday. It played really fast on Monday. I think they watered it a little bit.

The greens are really, really firm, so that is going to favor somebody who can spin the ball a little more. Hopefully I can start hitting the ball higher, stop them on the greens.

It's a good golf course. The greens aren't huge, but they're undulating and they're tough. We'll see.

Q. I know you've been busy with your schedule and all, but have you had any time to sit back and think about what you accomplished at the Kraft Nabisco?
MORGAN PRESSEL: You look at it. To see the trophy in my dining room, that's pretty cool. But other than that, I don't really like to sit and think about it too much. I want to be looking forward, looking to playing better, hopefully winning more events.

By the end of the year, I'll look back and glance over everything that happened this year. That's really the time that you take to reflect.

Q. Can you talk about having Annika back in competition after her injury?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, we're all happy to have her back. I'm sure she's happy to be back. I hope she's feeling great. I'm sure it will take her a little while to get totally back into it. Swinging up to full speed is what I heard she really can't quite do that yet.

I'm sure she's happy to be back especially for this event that she's hosting. Timing for her is okay, it's good.

Q. Did you say your lost your clubs?
MORGAN PRESSEL: My clubs were stolen, yes.

Q. Where and what were the circumstances?
MORGAN PRESSEL: On my flight home from the Kraft, they were stolen out of the airport in Fort Lauderdale. Word is we might have found them, some of them, in Miami. I'm not sure exactly what's going on there. But that's exciting (laughter).

Q. How big a deal is that to a player? Can you go and get another set of clubs that are made for you or are those special clubs you really have a feel for?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I change clubs quite often. I tried to look at it like that, that it's just another change. Unfortunately, it was a forced change.

But everything in my bag was fine to adjust to. Callaway got me a new set right away. They were great on that, set to my specs. The only thing I had a little bit of trouble with was my driver, finding a driver I really liked with a shaft, a loft, the whole combination, the head.

This week actually is the first week that I'm playing an FT3. It's almost the exact same driver I played at the Kraft. It's the exact same shaft, the same head, same loft. Obviously each head is slightly different on the composition. But this is the first time I've been able to find the shaft, the exact same shaft. I'm kind of excited about that. I don't want to jinx myself (laughter).

Q. Now that you've won a major championship, how does your mindset change going into the McDonald's (LPGA Championship Presented by Coca-Cola) next week? Does your preparation or mindset change at all?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Well, I wanted to win it before I won the Kraft and I still want to win it. In that sense, no, I'm out there playing to win. I can't think too much about anything else other than winning next week, this week, any week, but obviously next week is a major.

Q. Given that you're only looking forward to winning, you're the only person that could take the Grand Slam this year. Any thoughts of that in your head at all? Have your friends joked with you about it?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Obviously they joke about it all the time. But it's just something that I don't think you can necessarily think about. Maybe after three majors, then we could talk about it at the British (laughter). That's a little ways away. We've got some golf to play before then.

Q. Obviously the majors are the majors, but where does an event like this rank with the players on the LPGA?
MORGAN PRESSEL: This event here, look at the field. It's a great field this week. The best players in the world want to come here and play. Obviously we have a great experience in Orlando as well as here. It's a wonderful tournament. It's going to bring out the best players.

Q. Is there a different feel out here without a truly dominant player? Obviously Lorena is number one, but not dominating the way Annika did the last few years. Is there a different feel every week on the Tour?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know if there's a different feel. I wasn't really out here too long while Annika was really, but Lorena is playing great. I played her the first two days at Sybase. I'm excited to play with her again this week.

But that being said, there's so many great players out here, anybody can win any week. I think that's what has brought a lot of extra attention to the Tour, that there are so many different people that can play well on any given week.

Q. Do you think that's better for the Tour, to have that type of versatility in terms of players who can win?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I would say yeah. I would say yes. Definitely, yeah. Leave it at that (laughter).

Q. You said you found some of the clubs in Miami. Did you find them on eBay or did they surface somewhere? Where were they?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I don't know all the details. I just found this out yesterday. It's hot gossip (laughter).

Callaway was helping me try and locate them. Supposedly they were maybe in some small store or something in Miami. I'm not sure.

Q. Pawnshop?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Something like that. I'm not sure.

Q. Was there ever a doubt in your mind that you would be able to have the kind of success that you've had this quickly? How much did that experience back in I guess 2001 at the (U.S. Women's) Open as a 13 year old set the stage for what you've done?
MORGAN PRESSEL: We'll start with the Open. When I played, what was I, 13? It was like a light bulb went off in my head, this is what I really want to do, this is where I want to be in five, 10 years, this is what I want to be doing with my life. That being said, thinking that, say, I would have won a major by now, it's not something that I turned pro expecting to do, but it's not something that I didn't think could happen.

Q. Can you appreciate, especially now that maybe she's not in her top form, what Annika accomplished over those prime years of her career, maybe what that did for the Tour that you're enjoying now?
MORGAN PRESSEL: It's amazing what she's accomplished. It's nothing short of amazing. If you could tell me right now that I'd have half the career that Annika has had, I probably wouldn't be disappointed.

She's an amazing person and a great player. I've had the opportunity to get to know her a little bit. We're happy to have her back out here. I think in all of her years dominating, she brought a lot of publicity, especially playing Colonial. She has been the face of women's golf for quite a long time.

Q. Have you been back to Pine Needles since the Open?
MORGAN PRESSEL: No. I've been to Pinehurst a couple times, but not Pine Needles.

Q. You heard about the renovations, I suppose?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I have.

Q. Do you plan on getting over there?
MORGAN PRESSEL: I will be there a couple weeks early to practice.

Q. What does Michelle Wie do for this tour?
MORGAN PRESSEL: She brings tons of attention when she plays. I think we all hope that she does well because when she does well, it brings more attention. The Tour certainly could use the publicity. They think it's helpful.

Q. Why does she bring more attention than other golfers?
MORGAN PRESSEL: Because you guys help it (laughter). The media's promoted her so much that she is this figure that everybody wants to come out and watch, everybody wants to watch on TV. It helps ratings and everything.

When she comes out, I'm sure the seven events, however many events she plays out here, they feel the effects or notice the effects, which is why they want her in their fields.

Lorena Ochoa

MIKE SCANLAN: Lorena, welcome. You're the No. 1 player in the world right now, eight top 10 finishes this year in 10 events. You became the first repeat winner of 2007 two weeks ago at Sybase. Took a week off last week, now you're back. How are you feeling?
LORENA OCHOA: Hello. I'm feeling really good. I think was a good time to go home last week and spend a little time with the family and just relax. Even better after a win, it's just really good to go and have some quiet time and just do something outside the golf course.

I really am feeling comfortable. I can recharge. I went and saw my coach, make a couple adjustments with my swing, also with my putting. I've been working hard on that. I think I'm feeling good for good things for this week, a big tournament.

Q. Can you comment on the golf course this week, how you think it's going to play and also the field?
LORENA OCHOA: I think it's a golf course that is going to take a lot of good ball striking. I think it's going to be a good challenge for all of us. The fairways are just playing faster and faster. And the greens are hard, too. It's going to be important from the tee to get a good position on the fairway and just play from there.

The good thing is the par 5s are reachable, especially two or three. We have to take advantage of that, of the distance, try to make birdies on those holes, and just try to play the rest smart because it's a golf course that anything can happen. That's why you have to be also patient. If something comes up, you make a bogey or a double bogey, just be relaxed, try to understand and go from there.

Q. What was it like to have a Hall of Famer ask you for your autograph?
LORENA OCHOA: No, I was just talking to my dad, and I wanted to get some autographs from them. I really want their autographs. I think it's a good idea. I'm going to try to get that (laughter).

Q. One of the ladies asked you for your autograph.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, but I want to get theirs. More important. We owe so much to those ladies. They are very nice, always so enthusiastic, just beautiful women. It would be great to take a picture with them or have some of their autographs.

Q. Could you elaborate on the adjustments you're working on, specifics.
LORENA OCHOA: Being specific, I was a little bit bending my knees, and now I'm just trying to have a little more better posture and be a little bit taller. On my putting, I was a little too anxious, sometimes coming from the inside on my stroke at the start of my backswing. So I work on that.

It's always good to have just little things to work on and feel confident when you do them. So I've been working last week, two, three days with my coach, then the beginning of this week. I think it will be something to help me play some solid golf.

Q. This obviously is not a major, but can you put where an event like this ranks on the LPGA schedule as far as the quality and so forth.
LORENA OCHOA: Well, this is a great event. We all know that the Ginn Resort has been supporting the LPGA a lot. We appreciate that very much. Everything is great inside and outside the golf course.

My point of view, as a player we treat all of the tournaments thinking that this is the best and also just try to focus where we are, try to do our best where we are. I play one week at a time trying to win every tournament I play.

But this is a great situation. Never been here in South Carolina. My first time in Charleston. I enjoy very much the town and the sea. We're doing good.

Q. I know your goal was to be No. 1. In the time that you have been No. 1, have things been different for you on the golf course? Are the expectations different now? More people looking at you like you're No. 1, you have to prove it?
LORENA OCHOA: I think in a way yes. But for the other part, I think I been working for many years to be in this position right now. It's not something that happened, you know, quick. I feel prepared. That's where I want to be, in the No. 1 position.

I think the pressure, everybody talking, in a way, is something positive because now my name means something. Players or fans, they know that I'm a good player and that I can win. That's always good.

I'm enjoying myself. I'm going to try to enjoy as much as I can. I'm going to work really hard because I want to be in that position.

Q. Could you talk about playing in a tournament hosted by Annika and what she has meant for the Tour and for your career personally.
LORENA OCHOA: That's a very important point. Me as a player, I grew up, and when I came to the United States, to Arizona, I always hear about Annika, Annika, how good she's playing. Then when I was playing college level, how much she dominates the game. I admire her so much and respect her so much. She's the one that make us be better players, just to be in good shape, work hard, hit the ball farther, really raise the level of golf. I will always have that respect and admire her. I want to say thank you for that.

It's great being here playing her tournament. I think she's back. She sounds like she's better, in better shape. I wish her always the best. We want her to be back playing for sure.

Q. Do you want to see her stay near the top, maybe not No. 1, but do you think it would be good for the game for her to be at this level for a little while longer?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes, I think Annika is a competitor; she likes to win; she likes to be No. 1. I know is going to be a big challenge. I know is going to be hard. She likes to win and be in that position. I think as long as she stays and plays here on the tour, it's because she believes and she can be No. 1.

I think the next few years are going to be a lot of excitement. I'm just happy to be part of that. I always say when it's time to change from the dominant player, Annika, I would love it to be me. I'm doing good so far and I hope to stay in that position.

Q. You said Annika made you all get into better shape. How much does fitness and strength and conditioning play into women's golf these days?
LORENA OCHOA: A lot. I think that's probably the most important change in the last few years, what makes a really big difference in my results from 2004, 2005 to 2006, it was the good shape that I was able to maintain the whole year.

We always train hard in the off season, but it's really hard to maintain that for the whole year. That was a big difference for me last year. In 2006, at the end of the year, I was strong, had a lot of energy, was still working out, running. That really make a difference on being on the top of my game all the way to the end, so I'll try to do the same this year. Not much chocolate (laughter).

Q. I don't know your status in Mexico, but how do you rank among the sports heroes of your country. Not to brag on yourself, but are you like Tiger Woods in Mexico, like one of the soccer stars?
LORENA OCHOA: I don't think I will be able to say that myself. My life in Mexico is changing a lot. Every time I go home, people are there waiting for me, the media, just the fans. They recognize me more and more outside when I go to the movies, restaurant. But I'm really enjoying it.

I think why I'm really happy is because golf is really changing in the minds in the people. Before everything was soccer. Now we see different sports. That's a big step forward just to make golf everybody is aware what is the game. They understand now how is the LPGA, where we play, what we do. That's great to see that we have more fans and more interest from the people.

Q. Financially has it meant more endorsements for you, financial aspects of being a top rated golf star?
LORENA OCHOA: I'm doing good, even five years ago when I start playing. I'm lucky. I'm unique. I'm the only Mexican. Get a lot of attention. I'm always on the TV, on the media, in the newspapers. I'm lucky in that way.

Hopefully we can continue that. I will always appreciate very much my sponsors. Since the beginning they've been loyal and really enjoying this year by year, the new things that come to all of us.

Annika Sorenstam

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Annika, it's good to see you, good to have you back. What has it been like, your last tournament was the Kraft Nabisco, but to make the comeback at your own tournament?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The feeling is great. I'm happy to be back on tour. It's been a little weird to be away for a while in the middle of the season. You know, obviously I'm extremely excited to be able to come back to this tournament, of all events.

I'm in good spirits. I'm looking forward to a wonderful week.

Q. How are you feeling? Is your swing full? Any effects from the injury still remaining?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, my injury is getting better. I went from a badly ruptured disc to a mildly ruptured disc. You know, I'm not a hundred percent and probably won't be for a while.

Right now, hitting balls is not going to make it any worse. I made some great progress the last I think it's about 50 days since I had my first MRI. I've come a long ways. Like I said, I'm happy to be back.

I cannot hit as many balls as I used to. I'm trying to avoid the rough, just trying to hit it straight down the fairway. I'm probably swinging about 85% of what I normally can. I still have some weakness in my right side. Like I said, I'm going to focus on the positive. I'm happy to be back. Give me a few weeks and I hope to be up there again.

Q. Did you rush back to play in this tournament or would you have waited a few more weeks?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, I wouldn't have waited. Like I said, I made some great progress. The doctor actually gave me thumbs up last week. I took that week off just to kind of start playing again. I've only been on the course for about a week. Today was actually my first 18 holes. Today the goal was to finish 18. I managed my first goal.

But, like I said, it's going to take time. Just got to be patient. I'm continuing to do the rehab exercises. I'm doing a little bit more cardio, not as much weights. It's just going to take time.

Q. Are you fully committed to playing next week or are you going to use this week to judge whether you're ready to play?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, my intentions are to play next week. I'm going to try and follow the schedule I had in mind earlier in the year. We'll see how things go. If I feel the way I do right now, I'm going to continue to play.

Like I said, golf is part of my rehab. I just have to be patient. The key for me is trying to avoid the unexpected, which is hitting a rut or walking in a hole, something like that. Regular golf shots, I should be fine.

Q. When a tournament has your name on it, how is it different for you throughout the week, obligations, commitments that you have, than a normal week?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: There are a lot of differences. I mean, first of all, when you drive in here, I saw a lot of signs (laughter). It's tough to miss it.

Obviously I feel honored to be the host. It's flattering when you see the name everywhere. It's kind of a little different feeling. When it comes to obligations, I feel like it's a busy week. I'm a lot more involved in the event. I think I look at things a little differently than just kind of walking down the fairway; now I want to make sure that we all have drinks on the tees. You look around, make sure spectators...

It's just functional. I think I'm more part of the organization and the way things are kind of working. I did this in Sweden the last two years and I've done well. So far so good.

Q. With you obviously not being able to play golf or practice the way you wanted to, how did you fill up that time? Was it relaxing? Maddening not to be able to go do what you usually do?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know what, I actually had a good time. I enjoyed being at home. It was almost like I had an off season. I've had two off seasons in just six months.

I've been busy. I've been working a lot with the academy. I've been working on some golf course design projects. Time flies. I really don't know what I've done other than staying busy every day. The rehab takes some time. It's probably an hour and a half, then hit some putts, chip a little bit. It's taken all day long.

Like I said, I've not been bored at all. As a matter of fact, I've enjoyed it. Then again, I realized once I got out here again, I did miss it a little bit.

Q. You're used to performing at a high level. Arguably when you're healthy, you're the best women's golfer in the world. You may not be able to play at that level this week. How hard is that as a competitor when you know what you're capable of doing and you might not be able to do it this week?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: That's a very good question. I think that's going to be the hardest because I am so competitive and I have high expectations. But I keep telling myself and my caddie, we come here, who knows what's going to happen. I hit some good shots today, but I'm not hitting it as far. I have to be a lot more conservative off the tee. I'm hitting for the center of the green. It's going to take a lot of patience even more than probably a major championship.

Right now I think I just got to think positive than say five weeks ago I wasn't even hitting balls. It's all going in the right direction. I just have to remind myself of that all the time.

Q. When did you start thinking about being a host for a tournament and how did that process go from the time it was first an idea until the time they told you you had a tournament?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say it was a long time ago. I started with a tournament in Europe, in Sweden. Already after the first year I was thinking maybe I can do this on the LPGA. The idea has been in the back of my mind for quite some time.

With my partnership with Bobby Ginn, everything just kind of fell into place. Here we are. Like I said, I'm thrilled to be the host. I look forward to many, many good years here.

Q. You lost the No. 1 ranking to Lorena. Do you have the motivation to be No. 1 again? Is that a driving force for you now?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Right now, I mean, I think I have some other things on my mind. I just want to get back on Tour and play full time. I want to be able to play my game up to a hundred percent. We'll see where that goes.

Like I said, my expectations are a lot lower. I have to be patient. I think for me to come out here and start thinking about No. 1, I think I'm just hurting myself. Like I said, I got to take one day at a time and see how it goes.

Q. How have you been able to manage your life, which includes a lot more business interests than when you were younger? How has it gone managing all of that in addition to the golf?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think it's going well. I love my life. I love the stuff I'm doing. Things are going well on the course and off the course. So far so good.

Q. You said you are enjoying life so much outside the golf course. Do you see an end to the tunnel now, retirement?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't think I will ever retire. I don't know if you're talking about golf, the competitive level. No, I haven't really thought about it. Like I said, I enjoy what I'm doing. I think this setback right now just kind of gave me a little bit different perspective. Right now I'm just trying to focus on getting healthy, a hundred percent, then we'll go from there.

I've always enjoyed the competition and I still do.

Q. Could you comment on this golf course, what condition it's in, some of the better holes, what you like about it.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I must say this is a golf course that's growing on me. I played a few holes on Monday. The conditions then, they were a little different than today. It was a little bit drier. I felt like the fairways were a little bit firmer, and so were the greens.

Yesterday I played nine holes. It was a little softer. But today I thought the course was in better shape. I think they watered the fairways and the greens overnight. It was a little softer. It felt like the first two days, didn't really matter where you hit the drive, they all end up in the same place. Today I felt like I was playing really good.

It's a fun golf course. I think the challenges are out there. We have some interesting greens, the shape of them. You have to work the ball off the tee. It's a good golf course.

Q. Could you comment on the field. All the other players are saying they're here for you. Heck of a field.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is. It is a great field. Somebody said the top 50 are here. Doesn't get much better than that. No, I'm excited about the field. I think it shows that the support that Bobby is giving to the LPGA, good golf course, it's going to be a fantastic week.

Q. Do you foresee a day where someone can dominate the way you did? Do you foresee doing that again? Do you think it's good for the LPGA they've had so many first time winners this season?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think I'm going to start with the second question.

I just think we're seeing a lot of new faces. We're seeing a new generation joining the tour. I think just the depth is there. It's just a lot more competitive. I think that's good for the game. I think the players are a lot better today than they were maybe 10 years ago. It's a lot tougher to win out here today.

It's tough to foresee the future, if somebody is going to dominate the tour. We have some great talent out there. Wouldn't surprise me. Lorena is playing fantastic now. If you see the teenagers, the ones in their early 20s, they have some great futures ahead of themselves. We'll see what happens.

LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens
Charlie Mechem
LPGA Founder Louise Suggs

COMMISSIONER CAROLYN BIVENS: Good morning. It's terrific to welcome you here to the Ginn Tribute Hosted by ANNIKA. It's especially nice to have Annika back for it. I am especially pleased to be here with some of my colleagues to make a very important announcement.

Late last year, we decided that we were going to focus on several areas. One was The LPGA Foundation. We decided the first thing we needed to do was go out and hire an executive director. Fortunately we hired one, the right one, which is Pat Browning, sitting right down here at the front. There were a number of people who helped us find Pat, one of whom is with us in the back. That's the deputy commissioner, Libba Galloway, who gets credit for that. I also, again, owe more thanks to Bobby Ginn and the Ginn organization for making it possible for us to be able to do this announcement today.

I have always enjoyed my job as commissioner, some days more than others. But this is a day that I will say of the two years is going to be—is a highlight. You're going to know why in just a minute.

There have been a lot of people throughout the years who have supported the LPGA and its members. For 58 years, the LPGA has grown in stature and the members have entertained fans around the world with their talents, contributions and growth of the game. Last night we honored four of the founders. We have three founders here and we also have Peggy Kirk Bell, founder/charter member. We also have Carol Mann. I'd like you all to be recognized again.

Shirley Spork had to leave. Shirley Spork is one of my heroes. The reason she couldn't stay over for the press conference is that she had scheduled a cruise. Seemed like a pretty good reason to me.

In addition to the pioneers, there were Hall of Famers of the game. For those of you who didn't read, last week Peggy Kirk Bell was honored with the First Lady of Golf award. Carol Mann, you know, has won a number of awards throughout her years and is one of the best supporters and one of the best ambassadors for the LPGA. It was especially important they were two of the people that we went out, when we knew we had this announcement to make, they were people we went out and tapped.

The executive directors and my predecessors at the commissioner's office are people who helped get us to where the organization was when I was handed the baton. In 1991, a couple commissioners ago, Charlie Mechem decided the LPGA needed a foundation. Fortunately, Charlie was able to join us today. Our announcement has to do with The (LPGA) Foundation, but I want Charlie to talk to you all about why he started The (LPGA) Foundation and what his dreams, visions and hopes were for the foundation.

Charlie.

CHARLIE MECHEM: Thank you, Commish. It's nice to see a lot of friends here, both media and others. Any time I can spend any time with these great ladies, it makes my day brighter. I really mean that.

Before I address the subject at hand, I want to tell you something you probably know. In case you don't, yesterday was quite a day of honors for Louise Suggs. Before she was honored last night, she was honored at the Memorial tournament in Columbus. For those of you who follow the Memorial tournament, you know receiving an honor there is no small accomplishment.

Louise was warmly greeted by everybody and did herself proud as she always does. I wanted to be sure that all of you knew that as well. Louise, you're going to get a head so big, you'll have your trouble keeping your eye on the ball.

Those of you who know anything about me, for those of you who don't, perhaps you know I'm very big on giving back. Whether it's golf or business or whatever endeavor you're engaged in, I think it's critical that you recognize who got you there and that you never forget the sacrifices that were made to do that.

I think when I was commissioner, the players got sick of me saying it, but I am never going to stop saying it because too often we go flying off in our own direction, so busy and impressed with what we're doing, that we forget that we might not be doing anything if it weren't for others who worked hard along the way.

I think probably as I've reflected on this, that's probably been the single driving force in my mind in creating The LPGA Foundation. When I became commissioner, I thought it was important to create the foundation for more mundane reasons, such as having a vehicle by which people could make charitable gifts and so on, but the main purpose was to have a focus, both within the LPGA and among its supporters everywhere, that here are things that the LPGA is doing to give back. ‘Give back' has another aspect in addition to the one I mentioned, and that is not just honoring those who got you there, but helping those who are coming along behind you get where you are and farther.

The LPGA Foundation, as it has developed, really encompasses those goals in its four major goals, with education, junior golf, the financial assistant fund for players who have fallen on difficult times.

Now, this gift, as important as it is in and of itself, is probably at least as important for the inspiration that I hope and believe it can give to others to join in supporting The LPGA Foundation and the reasons that it exists.

I think so often when a significant gift comes to an organization, others look and say, ‘Wow, that's pretty impressive. That's something that I ought to think about doing, too.' Not just to The (LPGA) Foundation, but to the other elements within The (LPGA) Foundation that are being supported.

So I think we need to thank everyone who's had a part in getting this gift to a reality. I think that as we think about this down the road, we'll look back and say, ‘This was probably a real critical day in the history of The (LPGA) Foundation.' This may be a tipping point really where The (LPGA) Foundation goes from being the organization that it was yesterday into the organization that it will be tomorrow and into the future.

I guess I'm like any other old retired guy or gal. I am always flattered and honored and really just plain happy to be invited to participate in something like this and to be part of something like this. I want to close by saying that I think Commissioner Bivens, when she came into the job, decided that this was a priority. That makes me very, very happy.

To all of you, it's good to see you, it's wonderful to be here, and I hope you will all take the word out and say there are a lot of good things about the LPGA, and it's not all on the golf course. Thank you.

COMMISSIONER BIVENS: I talked to Charlie several times a week, but recently we talked last Saturday, and we talked again on Sunday. He tells you he's retired. We joke that he's definitely failed retirement (laughter).

I want to make the announcement. I know it's been a long drum roll. Like Charlie, I also believe that this is a turning point for The (LPGA) Foundation. I want to talk for just a second. Dolores Hope is the one who has made the first and the largest contribution to The LPGA Foundation and it's for $1 million.

Many of you know that Dolores is an honorary member of the LPGA. She's directed the gift goes to The LPGA Foundation Financial Assistance Fund. That is a fund, for those of you who don't know, that assists members of the LPGA and others within the golf industry who are in dire need of financial help. It can be for a variety of reasons. It could be because of serious illness, loss of income, some kind of significant hardship. It's generally when there is no other safety net available to someone.

In recognition of the donation, it seems only fitting that we're going to rename that fund. The fund will now be known as the Dolores Hope LPGA Financial Assistance Initiative. That's going to leave a lasting legacy for Dolores.

We are so grateful to Dolores for this gift, and not just for the gift which is an awful lot of money, but again, as Charlie said, for a gift that we believe will have a whole lot of other people looking at and saying maybe this is a good place for some of my money.

Dolores has been an extremely devoted friend and a supporter of the LPGA and of the 13 founders since 1950. She actually knew many of the founders prior to the actual establishment of the LPGA.

By virtue of the champions and legends of women's golf who have joined us here today to witness this ongoing commitment with Dolores, and the fact that she's been a remarkable champion, I want one of the Dolores' closest friends, and somebody who's been talking to Dolores about this for 25 years, to speak to you about Dolores and what she's meant.

Louise, you're on again.

LOUISE SUGGS: Thank you, folks. I want to tell you something, Dolores and I started on this 25, 30 years ago. She's a little bit slow, like molasses, when it comes to getting rid of her money (laughter). But, anyway, we've gone back and forth. She has done a very, very good job for the LPGA. She used to play in our tournaments. She was a pretty good golfer. She was about a four or five handicap. We played for nickels and dimes occasionally, and she took 'em mine (laughter).

It's a great pleasure and honor to have her do this. I just hope none of us ever need the help, but if we do, it's here thanks to her. All of the kids are appreciative. I don't know, I was going to make some wisecrack, but I don't think I will, I still owe her money for June. She has beaten me quite often with that.

But she's a wonderful lady and I've been talking to Linda (Hope's daughter) and Donna (Ellis), and I talked to Dolores about 10 days ago. She had her 98th birthday Sunday. I think it's remarkable of what she has done for us. This is really put us on the way. I hope you all will support it. Dolores, I'll see you soon.

COMMISSIONER BIVENS: Dolores has been a friend to our founders and to the LPGA for over 60 years. I really do believe that we will look back on this day as a turning point, as a very special day in the history and timeline of the LPGA. I feel especially grateful that the planets and stars all lined up so this would happen at the Ginn Tribute by ANNIKA, and the tribute being to our founders.

I have a very special thank you to make to Scott Hipp, who is sitting in the back. It's only because of Scott that we were able to get Peggy Kirk Bell and Charlie Mechem down from Columbus and to join us. It would not have been the same celebration without all of them. Thank you all very much.