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Sorenstam Tries Out Colonial Course

Aired May 21, 2003 - 14:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A little naive, a little nervous. Less than a day before Annika Sorenstam tees off on the PGA tour, the LPGA phenom says that she was naive to think that she could test herself without the whole world watching. She also says she's a little more nervous about the Colonial Invitational than she was about her wedding. Sorenstam squeezed in a practice round today and CNN's Josie Karp, along with hundreds of her media colleagues, was there.
Josie, how did she do?

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, she's still out on the course. She's playing in the pro-am today, and she teed off about an hour ago, and she's getting just a little bit of an indication about what things are going to be like tomorrow when she tees off for real.

When she teed on the first tee, it looked like she gave a little sigh of relief after making that first shot. The crowd, which was about five deep at some points down the fairway gave her a huge cheer, and she has been going for about an hour now, trying to get acclimated on this course.

One thing that's a little different that she won't see tomorrow is that one of her playing partners in this pro-am is another woman.

Yesterday, during a practice round, there were a lot fewer people and Sorenstam said after the 18 holes, she played nine good holes and nine bad holes, and she said her goal for this week for the entire tournament is to shoot even par, and if she does that, it will be a success in her mind. She also said she's careful to not think about the fact that she's making a statement for all women.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM, LPGA GOLFER: There's no way I would have accepted this invitation if I was trying to prove something here. I'm just here, you know, maybe a little selfish in the sense I'm just here to test myself, but there is no way I would like to have all the women on my shoulders and have my game rely on all women in this world. That's too much pressure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be a unique experience to be able to play with her in a tournament atmosphere like this, and I've been a big fan of hers throughout her career, watching her. I think it will be great to be alongside her and watch how someone like her handles herself in this situation, in this tournament.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: Ever since she announced her decision back in February that she would play this tournament, Sorenstam has been taking extra steps to try to prepare. When she isn't playing LPGA events, she's been teeing off from the men's tees. And just last week, she spent three days with her instructor, working on shots that she thought she might have to make on the course here at the Colonial, and she says that if she had another three months or another three years, she would never be more prepared than she is right now for this challenge -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I'm just curious -- Josie, I don't know if you know the answer to this or not, but when I've seen her play in LPGA tournaments, I have noticed that her husband is her caddy. Do you have any idea if that will be the case tomorrow or Friday?

KARP: I can tell you only that her husband has had the flu and he's been home, and he hasn't been here. He was expected to arrive late in the week. So as for who her caddy is, it's a good question, and when I talk to you next, I will get the answer.

PHILLIPS: All right. Josie Karp. I can bet you it's not Vijay Singh. That's what Miles says.

KARP: I'd put money on that one, too.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, Josie. We'll be checking in with you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 21, 2003 - 14:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A little naive, a little nervous. Less than a day before Annika Sorenstam tees off on the PGA tour, the LPGA phenom says that she was naive to think that she could test herself without the whole world watching. She also says she's a little more nervous about the Colonial Invitational than she was about her wedding. Sorenstam squeezed in a practice round today and CNN's Josie Karp, along with hundreds of her media colleagues, was there.
Josie, how did she do?

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, she's still out on the course. She's playing in the pro-am today, and she teed off about an hour ago, and she's getting just a little bit of an indication about what things are going to be like tomorrow when she tees off for real.

When she teed on the first tee, it looked like she gave a little sigh of relief after making that first shot. The crowd, which was about five deep at some points down the fairway gave her a huge cheer, and she has been going for about an hour now, trying to get acclimated on this course.

One thing that's a little different that she won't see tomorrow is that one of her playing partners in this pro-am is another woman.

Yesterday, during a practice round, there were a lot fewer people and Sorenstam said after the 18 holes, she played nine good holes and nine bad holes, and she said her goal for this week for the entire tournament is to shoot even par, and if she does that, it will be a success in her mind. She also said she's careful to not think about the fact that she's making a statement for all women.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM, LPGA GOLFER: There's no way I would have accepted this invitation if I was trying to prove something here. I'm just here, you know, maybe a little selfish in the sense I'm just here to test myself, but there is no way I would like to have all the women on my shoulders and have my game rely on all women in this world. That's too much pressure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be a unique experience to be able to play with her in a tournament atmosphere like this, and I've been a big fan of hers throughout her career, watching her. I think it will be great to be alongside her and watch how someone like her handles herself in this situation, in this tournament.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: Ever since she announced her decision back in February that she would play this tournament, Sorenstam has been taking extra steps to try to prepare. When she isn't playing LPGA events, she's been teeing off from the men's tees. And just last week, she spent three days with her instructor, working on shots that she thought she might have to make on the course here at the Colonial, and she says that if she had another three months or another three years, she would never be more prepared than she is right now for this challenge -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I'm just curious -- Josie, I don't know if you know the answer to this or not, but when I've seen her play in LPGA tournaments, I have noticed that her husband is her caddy. Do you have any idea if that will be the case tomorrow or Friday?

KARP: I can tell you only that her husband has had the flu and he's been home, and he hasn't been here. He was expected to arrive late in the week. So as for who her caddy is, it's a good question, and when I talk to you next, I will get the answer.

PHILLIPS: All right. Josie Karp. I can bet you it's not Vijay Singh. That's what Miles says.

KARP: I'd put money on that one, too.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, Josie. We'll be checking in with you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com