Round one interviews from the Evian Masters

Evian Masters Golf Club
Evian-les-Bains, France
Thursday July 24, 2008

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us. We have the leader in the house, as well as the Rolex Rankings Number 1, Lorena Ochoa. You had a slow start on the front nine, one birdie. But you still finished the day bogey free and six birdies on the back nine. So you want to talk about your day? It was quite a run on the back nine.
LORENA OCHOA: Yes. Hello, everybody. Yes, that’s right. I had a slow start. I make birdie on the first hole and didn’t give myself a lot of birdie chances. I couldn’t make it. I par and didn’t get good momentum.
Then on the back, I had a break on 10 and 11. I got a really good confidence, and started feeling good over the ball and the putting. And I finished making six birdies on the back, so I have no complaints. I’m really happy. I didn’t make birdie on the last hole, but I made a long putt today, so it’s fine.
I’m just glad I’m at the top, you know. It was a few players behind, but I’d like to stay there and continue that.
We have another three rounds, and I’m going to take it one day at a time and just try to be patient. But I would love to be in a good position on Sunday to win the tournament.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, can we go over your scorecard?
LORENA OCHOA: I made birdie on the first hole. I hit wedge 110 yards for about six feet and made it. On number 10 I hit wedge 118 yards about five feet. I made it. 11, I hit a 7 iron 145 yards, a little bit long, 15 feet. And I made it.
On 13, I hit again a 7 iron little bit short maybe. That was a longer putt, 25 feet. I made that. On 14, the par 5 on 3 with a wedge, 115 yards, again about six feet. Then on 16, I had 88 yards. I hit a gap wedge about ten feet.
Then on 17, I hit a pitching wedge 115 yards. About 15 to 20, 15 to 18 feet, and I made it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lorena.

Q. That gives you how many putts in total?
LORENA OCHOA: No idea. I don’t count my putts. I’m sorry. I don’t know.

Q. You said you had three weeks off; what have you been working on in your game? Anything in particular?
LORENA OCHOA: It was more about taking some time off. Just to wait a little bit and recharge and be happy. You know, I have my goal for the second part of the season. I’m very motivated to continue playing good, and I’m glad I got a good start today. I would like to go in that direction.

Q. Were you doing any more of your triathlons or your extremes?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I will always do outdoor sports, but no competition lately.

Q. No competition lately?
LORENA OCHOA: No, just for fun.

Q. I know how well you and Alexandra did last year?
LORENA OCHOA: No, just for fun.

Q. So what did you do to chill out during those three weeks?
LORENA OCHOA: I spent some time at home, and I came here a little bit earlier to do some things also with my sponsor, with Rolex and Lacoste. So a little bit of both.

Q. You’ve come very close in the past here. Do you think you can actually go the extra step and win this time?
LORENA OCHOA: Yes.

Q. What will you have to change? Will you have to change your game? What is going to make the difference this time?
LORENA OCHOA: No, nothing. I don’t think there is reason to change. Just sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
I did lose a few times here. I think it’s all about how do you feel on the course. And this is a course I feel very comfortable. I feel a lot of support from the fans, and I’m ready to do it. I’m ready any time. Hopefully, this is my time.

Q. You’re feeling lucky?
LORENA OCHOA: No, well, I’m feeling the same way. This is a place where I feel comfortable. Like I said, we’re just starting the tournament. This is only the first round. I don’t want to talk about winning the tournament and getting too far ahead.
I’m going to concentrate and play good my second round. We’ll go from there, one step at a time.

Q. Are you playing in the football match tonight?
LORENA OCHOA: I am, yes.

Q. And how come you’re such a good footballer?
LORENA OCHOA: Well, I’m from Mexico (laughing). We grew up playing football. And I played before going to college, and I play once in a while when I play with my friends.
I’m not very good. I’m good running because I run a lot. So I’m no good, I just run all over the place.

Q. Who is your footballing hero?
LORENA OCHOA: There are a lot of players that I like that I’ve been close to them in Mexico. For sure now I better support the French team, you know, with all the players that are coming. I’m very, very excited to see them again. They come every year. And especially this year we’re all excited to be there.
I think there are going to be more than 11 players playing this afternoon, because everybody wants to play.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Lorena, good luck the rest of the week.
LORENA OCHOA: Thank you.

Sun-Ju Ahn (South Korea) 66

Q. What was the highlight of your game today?
Today the 10th hole. I hit a good drive but it hit a tree. The second shot was 145 to the pin and I hit number eight. I was 20 yards short. I holed the putt. That was the best hole.

Q. What was the best part of your game?
Today the putting was good and I hit some great iron shots.

Q. What are your thoughts on this tournament?
I like the Evian Masters. This course is very long with wide fairways, which is good. I like long courses and this course is very long.

Q. Are you a very long hitter?
Yes. I like long courses and wide fairways.

Q. What is the target this week?
This tournament is top five.

Q. How happy are you with the position you are now in?
I like it. It feels good. I am very happy.

Q. What did you expect today?
I thought maybe a three or four under today. It was a wonderful day. Today six under was very good.

Q. Did the lack of wind make it any easier?
It was not easy.

Q. What was tough about the course?
This course is very difficult. The greens are very undulated and downhill is very fast. Uphill is just a little slow. The rough is normal. The greens are very hard. I hit great iron shots so they weren’t too hard today.

Angela Park (Brazil) 66

Q. Tell me about your play today?
ANGELA PARK: I hit really good today. A lot of makeable putts there. So today was an easy day. No bogies.

Q. Did you have a goal, a score that you wanted to shoot?
ANGELA PARK: I don’t know. I don’t know.

Q. How does this compare to last year? How is this different from last year?
ANGELA PARK: Last year was more – was a lot. This year the greens are more soft. I like the greens.

Q. What do you feel really good about right now? What part of your game?
ANGELA PARK: I think keep going. Just keep going. I feel really good now, yeah.

Q. What are you looking forward to tomorrow? What are you going to concentrate on?
ANGELA PARK: Tomorrow is keep on fairway, the tee shot.
And I’m going to think about keep on the fairway.

Laura Diaz (USA) 67

Q. You had a great round, some great putts. What was going on, the hole look like a basketball hoop?
LAURA DIAZ: Oh, no. I wish. No, I’ve been working a little on my putting and made a little change on my putting with my shoulders, and really just staying in the present. Because when I start off not so great, I tend to start thinking about the next hole, and the next hole and the next hole. So I just really tried to stay in the now.

Q. How has this course been for you? What are the keys to doing so well?
LAURA DIAZ: I think the greens are in really good shape. I think unfortunately in the last cup of years we’ve had it really wet. We’ve had some bad storms.
But I think without the rain it’s been a little firmer, so the footprints aren’t showing up as well. I also played very early, so I only had a come groups in front of me.

Q. Compared to Europe, how different is it from the rest of the schedule at this point in the season?
LAURA DIAZ: I don’t really think these two weeks is that different for me. I played the European Tour. I was lucky enough to play both of these events on the European Tour. And I feel extremely comfortable here and the British as well.
But, you know, golf is one of those games that you’ve just got to take what you get and try to make the best of it.

Q. Are you looking forward to tomorrow?
LAURA DIAZ: Yes, of course. I’m happy to be here. My son injured my right ribs last Saturday, and I was forced to withdraw from the Jamie Farr event.
So we took a whole week. We didn’t hit balls until we got here, so I wasn’t sure I was even going to be able to play. So I’m very happy.

Angela Stanford (USA) 67

Q. Did you think after shooting 5 under, did you think you could have gone lower?
ANGELA STANFORD: I didn’t expect 5 under, I guess. I drove it really well today. Got myself some good shots off the tees. Had a lot of wedges in my hand. Really didn’t have to hit many out of the rough today.
Around here, if you can put yourself on the fairway and give yourself a good look at it, you have pretty good chances.

Q. How were the (indiscernible) fairways today?
ANGELA STANFORD: 12 for first.

Q. Have you done well on this course? Do you do well on tight fairways?
ANGELA STANFORD: I think I did well last year here. When I say I drove it well, I guess I drove it well on the holes I haven’t in the past.
So there are a few fairways that I missed. They weren’t really fairways that I necessarily needed to hit. But the ones I needed to hit that I haven’t hit in the past, were good today.

Q. So what do you think on this course is the key to keep going well for four days?
ANGELA STANFORD: I think driving the ball well. Because I felt the pin placements were accessible today, and I think they can put them in spots that aren’t accessible. So they just have to be on the fairway.

Q. Is this going to be difficult with the travel coming over here and getting ready for next week? Do you find yourself getting ready for next week or do you just need to stay?
ANGELA STANFORD: I’ll stay in the moment right now. I need to stay in the moment (laughing).

Annika Sorenstam (Sweden) 71

THE MODERATOR: Thank you all for joining us. We have Annika Sorenstam in here. Annika, can you talk about your day? But, obviously, being at Evian Masters it’s a special place for you where you’ve won in the past.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It is special. I wish I would have had a little better round today. I had a few chances up there. Got off to a very good start. Felt very good about everything, and then I wasn’t able to close. But, you know, it’s not always the most fun.
But I can go over my scorecard, if you like. I birdied the first hole. Hit a 9 iron to I know you do meters over here, but I’m going to do feet. So you can translate four feet.
And then birdie number 3, I hit 8 iron to 7 feet. I bogeyed number 6, hit 8 iron on the green and three putted from 35 feet. And my par putt was about 18.
And then birdied number 7, the par 5. Hit a sand wedge to six feet. Birdied number 14, 5 iron to 12 feet. Bogeyed number 15. Missed my tee shot. Hit a long iron into the green, and chipped and two putted from six feet. Bogeyed 16, sand wedge over the green and three putted.

THE MODERATOR: From how far?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: The par putt was 8 feet.

Q. How were the greens compared with other years, and how did you find the course play?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think the course is good. I mean, they’ve lengthened two of the holes. I would say 13 has become a really good hole.
You know, the greens are the way they are here. I think they always vary every year. I think I have a good feel for them. The speed was pretty good. It was just a few that I hit a little bit too hard. But, other than that I thought, I read them quite well this year.
Sometimes or in previous years I’ve had to go back from the past and know where they break in certain directions. But they seem to vary every year. I don’t know if it’s because you have snow here and they just change. But this year I feel good about the greens.
So I wouldn’t say that’s where I left all my shots. But you’ve got to make putts here to score well.

Q. But I’ve heard you on the greens before, and some of the years they’re a little more bobbly because of the rains. But today they were rolling good?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I think so. The hardest part was controlling my approach shots. I had a lot of shots in and three that just didn’t release. I had three that released, and I don’t know where they came from. So it varied, and it’s hard to play that way. So when you look at the shots that I hit in, I’m very pleased.

Q. Lorena is already ahead. What strategy can you have for tomorrow? Is it a course where you can take some risks? Or do you have to be more defensive?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, tomorrow is only Friday. We have a lot of holes to go. You know, 54 holes left. You know, I have a good strategy. I know how to play this course. I’ve done well here in the past. I try not to think too much what everybody else is doing at this point. I just got to focus on my own game.
Today I left a few out there. Tomorrow, obviously, I can’t do that. I have to capitalize on every single shot tomorrow. Make up some ground.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Annika, and good luck tomorrow.