Q. We're pleased to welcome Annika Sorenstam to the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions media center. Round one you were T10, round two, T9, and now you're sitting alone at third place. Can you just talk about the grind over the last three days and how you'll approach this evening into tomorrow's final round?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm glad to hear I'm moving in the right direction, so that's a good thing.
I would say that overall today I thought I played a little better. Thought I putted a little better. Still make a few silly mistakes out there. Just missed a few greens and then little tentative on my chipping. Not sure why.
Overall I would love to be a few better. Like I said, I left a few out there. Gets a little tough out there. Thought the greens were speeding up a little bit. Some of the hole locations were a little tricky. I keep looking at the leaderboard and I'm trying to make a run and not really making a run so I start pushing and kind of bites me in the butt.
Got to be a little bit more patient and let it happen.
Q. You won so many times on Tour. Is it difficult? Do you want to enjoy this as more of the celebrity side of the tournament or is being so close to the top of leaderboard really get that competitive nature back up?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I enjoy being at the top of the leaderboard, so if I'm going to have fun that's where I need to be. Obviously I'm in a different phase in my life that I just need to go out and enjoy. Being here, it's so wonderful to be at home and wonderful to have friends and family here watching. I feel so much love and support from the club.
It's just a great tournament to be part of. It's a double-edged sword. When you want to be focused and concentrated as possible but then go out there and just relax. So haven't really found that mixture, but it's nice to have a chance tomorrow anyway, and just knowing if I can just go out there and improve every day I have a good chance.
Q. When you look at some of the players from the LPGA Tour, top in the world right now, do you see in their games things that they might have taken from your game as they looked up to you?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know. They're all so good out here. They work so hard on their game. I see Lydia all the time, Leona all the time at the back of the range. For me it's like I'm playing with my club members.
And then I obviously enjoyed playing with Nelly the first day. I mean, it's wonderful to see how good the LPGA is. The way they drive the ball, the way they hit the shots into the green and their short games. It's just a nice display of golf from everyone, so I hope people are tuning in and feeling the same way.
Q. What was your best shot today?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: My best shot today? I hit really some good drives and I think probably the 9-iron on No. 5 was set up for a nice birdie putt and I made it.
It's funny, I've been playing the holes very differently every single day. Hopefully I can do more tomorrow.
Q. When you say differently, how so?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I mean, one time I would just miss it right and then miss it left and up and down and next time I hit the green and four-putt 16. It's like how is this possible? It's golf. You think you know what you're doing and then it really keeps you on your toes. You can't really relax.
And especially the amount of golf I play nowadays. I felt really prepared coming in here but it's just not enough, right? I need several more weeks to get ready and I just don't have that. I think there is a lot of ups and downs and so could be 14 great holes and then you just wonder what happened on the other four. Yeah, just makes you scratch your head sometimes.
Q. Your son had a day off from school on Thursday so he could come out here and check out the golf action. Did you chat with him about what he experienced?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Oh, yeah. He had the day off on Friday, too. He's had plenty of chances to watch me, and I know he has. I appreciate the support. He's with me in the morning and telling me what to do on the putting green. We are chipping and he's like, come on, mom, hit a little higher. You got to land a little softer. It's got to stop. On the range, same thing there.
I get a lot of good feedback from a him and it's fun that he's around and wants to help. I always keep telling him, buddy, I'm trying. I'm trying to do it. Come on, mommy, where are you aiming? I am aiming over there. Well, focus. It's good to have somebody that's on you all the time.
Q. Have any of the celebrities or LPGA pros offered any tips to Will?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No, but he's getting a lot of the high fives, a lot of acknowledgment. It's fun to see because a lot of people watched him play in the PNC and I think he's enjoying the limelight a little bit.
Q. Be honest, how badly would you love to beat some of these guys?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, no, as you know, I've been there, in the hunt, been everywhere really. I've had a chance so many times. You know, obviously it's a long ways to go and they're playing well. You know, if I shoot in the 60s tomorrow that would just be awesome.
I mean, it's my home course. Everything is right here. It would really be really, really cool to do it. But I got to go out and earn it and things need to fall into place. But I've had good days in the past and maybe tomorrow could be one of those and certainly be a highlight.
Q. When you see Lydia or Leona or whoever at the back of the range, what's the biggest difference between what they're bringing to the game and you and Seri and Karrie and Lorena brought in your era?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I mean, obviously they're great players. Lydia especially last year had a wonderful year. You know, getting inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame finally and the Olympic gold medal. She's an amazing ambassador. Just super sweet and represents the game so well.
Playing with her yesterday, I mean, here is somebody I think she could have shot a little lower yesterday. She hot a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, had a lot of opportunities. Just a very solid player.
Leona, I've known her for quite time, whether it's been the Solheim Cup or out here. She won an ANNIKA Award that we have, so I've seen her in college golf and then obviously moving on. I'm proud of both of them. I think they represent the game very well.
Certainly Lake Nona and when you get to play with them you're going to have a good time.
Thanks everybody for coming.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports