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| Gustafson – wants putting improvement |
Sophie Gustafson 69-72-72=213 (-3)
Q. What went right for you today?
Gustafson: Well I can’t tell you the best parts but I can tell you the worst: it was my putting.
Q. Did you miss many?
Gustafson: I missed a couple of really short ones; that was a bit annoying. I missed short ones on number two and number nine. I felt that I was able to hang in there. The scores aren’t that good because the wind made it difficult out there.
Q. What was the wind like?
Gustafson: It’s not like you have a big margin of error out here so that’s why the wind makes the scores so much tougher.
Q. You’re well up there. Do you feel like you have a chance to win tomorrow?
Gustafson: It will be fun.
Annika Sorenstam 71-69-74=214 (-2)
Q. You had a good finish. Can I just get a few comments about the round in general?
Sorenstam: Yeah. I finished strong but I think I played really well today. Today was probably my best ball striking it’s just I had a little difficulty on the greens. I’m kind of disappointed because I really felt like I played well but it’s always nice to finish strong and hopefully tomorrow I can hit it like this and make some of the putts.
Q. There is only a four stroke gap between you and the lead, which is not much in your terms, is it?
Sorenstam: Oh no. I’ve got to go low tomorrow. Like I said, I feel very good about the way I’m hitting it. I think I’m putting well too it’s just it didn’t turn out today. I’m climbing slowly up the leader board. It’s been great to come back and at least look at the leaders. It’s been a while so I’m excited about that.
Q. Do you want it as badly as ever?
Sorenstam: Oh yes; I do.
Q. What is the game plan tomorrow?
Sorenstam: I’ve got to go low but I’m striking the ball probably the best I have all year so I’m excited about that.
Linda Wessberg 69-72-75=216 (Even)
Q. How was it out there today?
Wessberg: Not good.
Q. What about the conditions? Some players have said there has been a little bit of wind?
Wessberg: Yes, its quite windy. I think it is affecting more today than yesterday, and the greens are getting drier and quicker, too. So, it’s not easy, I can tell you that.
Q. A lot of people have hit rounds over-par. How is you take on it?
Wessberg: I’m very annoyed right now – very annoyed.
Michelle Wie, 73-71-84=228 (+12)
Q. What did you make of your round today?
Wie: It was frustrating today. My body would not do what my mind was telling it to do. I felt the same just kind of felt a little bit out of whack today. I didn’t feel like my normal self today. I can still take some positives from today. I hit a great bunker shot, a 5-wood, on the ninth hole. I hit some good shot and obviously, I hit some bad shots as well. That is what happens when you recover, you have some bad days and you have some good days, but I’m still going to take some positives out of it and work on it tomorrow.
Q. What did you play on 7?
Wie: I pulled it left again. I hit a 6-iron, but I hit it a little bit right and it took an unlucky bounce. I got really unlucky because it got right in front of that 150-yard bush. So I had to chip out. I hit my 8-iron a little bit right. Then I had to chip out left of the bunker and I had to two-putt. It was kind of like – that was today. It was really frustrating. I hit a slightly bad shot and then it just turned tragically wrong. Unfortunately that 150-yard bush was right there. It was a very unfortunate round. My body is just not doing what my mind told it to do, but I’m going to take the positives out of it. My wedge shots got better today. I can only do better tomorrow.
Q. What did you hit over the tree on 18 there?
Wie: Well, I didn’t purposely do that, but I acted like I purposely did that. If I was about two yards right of where I was I could have gone for the green, but unfortunately that tree hangs over a little bit. I just took it out to the left. It was very unfortunate, but I had a tricky putt. I just had a hard time reading the greens today. I really don’t feel like it’s that wrong with my swing. It is just a couple of things here and there. Like I said my body just kind of felt a little out of whack today. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.
Q. Was the wind a factor?
Wie: I don’t really think so. I grew up in Hawaii so the wind doesn’t really affect me, but obviously it made the greens a lot tougher. If I just putt a couple of shots online it would have been a lot different. It was a fine line between yesterday and today and I missed a couple of shots and I just have to get a those couple of shots on line tomorrow.
Q. Will you work on it later today?
Wie: Yeah, definitely. I will just chill out and eat some lunch and we’ll see.
Q. How is your wrist?
Wie: My wrist is doing better. I hit a couple of shots today and had a little string after and I could shake it off. It wasn’t that bad and it is just getting better and better. It’s on the road to recovery so I’m going to have a couple of bad days and I’m going to have a couple of good days.
Q. You seemed to come back stronger on the back nine. Was there some reason? Did you get more confidence back?
Wie: Like I said today, there is a very fine line between good holes and bad holes. It seems like only a couple of shots were off line and it seems like those shots unfortunately became tragically disastrous. I just have to get back online and get the ball back in the fairway and the ball back on the greens and hole some putts. I feel like tomorrow morning I can really get it going again.
Q. Your swing looks very close to having your rhythm back. Does it feel like that?
Wie: Yeah, that is what I’ve been working on. Rhythm and tempo and trying to get the old feelings back. Today, like I said, my body felt completely out of whack. My body didn’t do what I was trying to do, which was completely different. Hopefully tomorrow I’m going to get back on line and back on track and shoot a really low score.
Q. Can you talk about some thoughts of the season so far?
Wie: Well, obviously, it has been a very tough season to me. I felt like up until now, last year, two years ago, three, four years ago, everything went as planned. Everything that I did was on track and I think what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger. I feel like this season is going to make me a better player. Obviously it has been a really tough time with my injuries and everything, but no excuses. I’m going to come back stronger.
