Q. Just curious when you talk about achievements and accomplishments in the game, what makes you the proudest?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, I'm lucky. I have several things that make me prowd. Overall, just the consistency, playing every year and being in contention and to be Player of the Year eight times is something I'm very proud of.
To single a few things out: Shooting 59; my performance at the Colonial; winning ten majors; there's a lot of things, I mean, three U.S. Opens, my mind is going a little blank. I'm just very thankful for everything.
Q. How important was it for you to really go out on top? I mean, you just beat an LPGA field by seven strokes last week; how important is that to you, as opposed to playing later in life and maybe struggling to play at such a high level that you've always been used to?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, you know, I enjoy playing golf at the top level, and you know, the win the other day was just a bonus, really. I had made this decision awhile back. Again, I almost felt at peace winning on Sunday knowing what was going to happen here today. You know, I'm all about giving 100-percent. I know what it's like to be at the top, and therefore, I think the timing is perfect. I've come back and I know I can do it and I've given it all, and that's really what matters to me.
Q. It seems like you've been contemplating this for a few years, when is the first time you thought about retiring? How long ago was that?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: You know, using the "r" word, I'm stepping away from competition. I've thought about it for a little while. You know, when you achieve so many great things and I'm just very happy with life and you start thinking, what else is important in life, and what else do I want to achieve on the golf course. It's been a year or so where I've just been very content and I felt like when I come back after the injury, I've proven to myself I can do it and you know, it's a special feeling for myself.
Q. What will be your final tournament?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: In Dubai, on the LET.
Q. Until then, how difficult is it for you to look around and say, "This is the last time I'm going to be here?"
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, it's going to be tough. I'm going to miss the tournaments, the people. But it's a decision I've made, and you know, I hope to enjoy it but absorb a little more than I have in the past where I'm just so competitive and so focused inside the ropes.
You know, I will leave with some great memories from every place, and that will carry me on to the next phase in my life.
Q. We were wondering, are you going to be building any more Annika Academies in any other parts of the country?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: As of now, I don't have any plans to build another Annika Academy. I'm very proud of the one that we have in Orlando, and I'm just trying to get that going and make it successful. I'm going to have time to maybe think about that in a few months, so I'll let you know.
Q. In making this decision, did you talk to any of your friends in the golf game ... (about) whether you made the right decision, or did you make this on your own without any advice from other people in the golf game?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I have spoken - first of all, I made this decision totally on my own. This is something that came from the heart. I've obviously shared it with my family and my friends, all my sponsors, the people I work with. But I've spoken to a few players about it, and it was more of a, 'I'm going to let you know, this is what I'm doing.' I mean, I knew this is right, and you know, you don't have to ask anybody else's opinion about your career; like I said, this just comes from the heart.
Q. One of the things you do want to get into is golf course architecture, wondering how much that will be a part of your non-playing days. And maybe if you could just give us the status of a project that you're working on in British Columbia, Canada, please.
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, my golf course design business is booming, I would say. I'm working on my fifth golf course, and there are two more in the works, so that's another area that I will spend a lot of time on and give back to the game, and I'm excited about that.
The Canadian course, right now we're in permit stages and we hope to start clearing this summer. The goal is to be ready by the Olympics, by 2010.
Q. How will this affect the Ginn Tribute?
ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It will not affect anything. I'm still the hostess. I'm still going to go there. I mean, hopefully I will perform better this year than last year. You know, being the hostess and being a part of the game is something I'm going to continue in the future. So nothing is changing as far as I know, not from my end, anyway.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Annika, thanks so much for your time and good luck this week.
