Stanford Outlasts Sorenstam

Annika Sorenstam did her best to take home the hardware and cash from the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Swedish star nearly holed out her third shot on the par-5 18th for an eagle that would have won the tournament outright. Then she lipped out a 9-foot birdie try that would have tied Angela Stanford.

Instead, Stanford avoided a sudden-death playoff and took home the title in the inaugural event. The 2003 U.S. Women's Open champion earned $200,000 for her third LPGA Tour victory. The 30-year-old Texan, who won the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in September, is on a hot streak with five consecutive top-five finishes.

Stanford closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 13-under 275 at Guadalajara Country Club. Of her recent fine play, she said: "It continues to give me confidence and give me the belief in what I'm doing and how I'm playing right now. And going into next year, hopefully this will push me into the top 10 in the world. I hope."

Sorenstam finished with a 69 and tied for second with Brittany Lang (65). She lamented her missed chances Sunday, and not just on the final hole. "I certainly had a chance today, but Angela played very well. As you know, she really didn't make too many mistakes and made a few birdies there both on 10 and what was it, 11. I was tracing her all day, but I never gave up, kept on fighting and I had a chance to force a playoff . . . Obviously. I was disappointed with that, but overall I thought it was a great tournament and I really tried."

Ochoa (70), the top-ranked player in the world, tied for 14th at 4 under. She admitted having a tough time juggling all the roles necessary when having her name atop the marquee. "Wish I'd been in contention to win the tournament, but this has been a week where I've learned a lot, both as a player and a tournament hostess," she said. "I think that the upcoming events will be easier. This week was a bit complicated, too many emotions going on, but I'm sure this will make me a better player."

On late Sunday afternoon Stanford met with reporters and discussed her win.

MODERATOR: We'll do your scorecard quickly, there are only three birdies that we need.

ANGELA STANFORD: No. 6, I hit an 8-iron to about 20 feet. 10, chipped, my second shot was on the back of the green, so I chipped past the hole 15 feet. 11, hit a lob-wedge to about eight feet.

MODERATOR: Angela, thanks so much for coming in and congratulations or getting your second win of the 2008 season, third career win, and it was a one-stroke victory over two players. There was also a possibility of a playoff there at the end. So if you would, just take us through the day, through your thoughts and how you feel right now.

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, you know, the thing that I told myself going into today was I was going to be very patient. Katherine Hull, who was in our group, made some early birdies, and I think I lost -- we were tied at 10, for like three or four holes. But I really tried to stay in my game and really tried to play one shot at a time. Coming down the stretch, you know, you expect that from the best player, one of the best players in the world, to chip-in from the bunker and to make the putt on 14. I expected -- I was actually surprised that it didn't happen earlier in the round. You just expect Annika to make a push in the end, and she did. So you know, going to 17 and going to 18, I really just tried to hit the golf shot in a was trying to hit. I couldn't control what she was doing and I couldn't control what anybody else was doing. So really felt like I had kind of grew up out there a little bit today, again, and really just stayed in the moment the best I could and hit some quality shots coming down the stretch.

Q. What did you think when Annika missed the last shot?

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, before she hit the putt, I asked my caddie, in the playoff, do we go back to 18. So I was already prepared that she was going to make that putt. I kind of figured I would be able to tell from the reaction of the crowd, so I didn't watch. I thought I heard them yell, and so I thought she made it and looked up and I still saw the ball and I thought, she missed. So I was really surprised. But you know, I think you have to hit that putt firm, and I think she did what she had to do. I just got lucky there.

Q. Yesterday you talked about you could not be angry at saving par on this golf course; it could be worse. Today you saved putts at the beginning and at the end. How do you feel about being able to remain focused and putting the ball in the right places and getting the job done?

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, again, I said earlier, I felt like I really -- I felt like I was the best version of myself today. I stuck to my game plan. I was patient. Any time I got over a putt, I felt like could I make it, and I believed in myself. You know, and I knew that if I could -- as negative as this sounds -- if I could keep from going backwards and just keep making pars and maybe throw in a few birdies, that would be okay. The thing I've learned in the past from being in this situation, is that either I don't apply the pressure, or I make a bogey or two early, and it gives the other people around me -- I don't know, it just makes them more comfortable. I felt like I had to keep moving forward, and par is a part of that.

Q. There were a lot of speeches out there at the end and it was quite an emotional tournament. What are your impressions of the tournament and the whole week and the crowds and the atmosphere?

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, Ochoa Sports did a great job. I think any time you run an event for the first year, you're going to have those hiccups, and from my perspective as a player, it looked like they covered all their bases. I thought they did an outstanding job, took care of us completely. They were there for anything we needed. The golf course is a championship golf course. The fans are outstanding. There were quite a few people out there, so that was pretty special. And then, you know, to have Lorena's name on it, I knew coming in that Lorena wasn't going to put her name on an event that wasn't going to be first class, so they did a great job.

Q. You missed pretty short putts on the 5th hole and the next one, you came back with a birdie, how important was that moment for you to the rest of the day?

ANGELA STANFORD: The putt that went in on 6 was pretty crucial, because I should have made the one on 5. And that, you know, was probably the worst mental moment of the day, walking off that green thinking, okay, here I go again; I'm not doing the things that I have to do to win. And then, for that moment, going up the stairs to 6, you know what, I just have to keep giving myself chances, because that's all I've done all week is I've been giving myself as many chances as possible; I know they are going to go in. I did have a little mental lapse there where I felt like; there I go. I didn't make the putts that I'm supposed to make. But on the flipside, I just kept playing, I've just got to give myself chances.

Q. How do you think this win will change your season for 2009?

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, I'm not sure what's going to happen number-wise, numbers in the rankings and all that. You know, for me, it just continues to give me confidence and give me the belief in what I'm doing and how I'm playing right now. And going into next year, hopefully this will push me into the Top-10 in the world, I hope. That's kind of where I wanted to be going into next year. So I'm excited, and I'm still kind of -- I don't know what just happened (giggling). Most of all, it just continues to help me have that belief in what I'm doing and how I'm playing.

Q. I know that your favorite food is Mexican food. How has this tournament win tasted for you in México?

ANGELA STANFORD: Very good, very good. You know, it's been a great week, and I have enjoyed Guadalajara. I've enjoyed -- it's beautiful here. The food's been great, but still fitting that I won in México. All of my friend will think it's fitting.

Q. The putt on the 17th hole, did you think that was the crucial putt for winning?

ANGELA STANFORD: By far. That putt, now that I won at 13-under, that putt won the tournament. Because I think if I would have missed there, the momentum would have shifted a little bit to Annika, and Brittany was already in at 12, I believe. So that would have put three of us at 12. I think that putt, looking back now, won the tournament.

Q. Regarding that putt, there was such a look of determination on your face after you made that putt, can you put us in your frame of mind as you were stepping into the putt and what you were thinking about?

ANGELA STANFORD: Well, I had that moment of the negative thought, because I thought, you know, I haven't had a 3-putt all day, but then when I stepped over it, I said, you know what, I've been putting great all day. I'm a great putter. I've been rolling it, so just get over it and roll it, and that's what I did.

Q. With the players so close, at any moment did you think another playoff was coming, like at the U.S. Open?

ANGELA STANFORD: I had done such a good job all day of staying in the moment, and kind of prepared myself for the playoff. You know, I would have been a little nervous in that playoff just because it's Annika, and we said she's won 72 times yesterday, so obviously she would have handled the pressure and nerves a little bit better. There was a moment there where I thought: 'Hmmm, I'd rather not have a playoff.' Thank you all very much.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.