June 9, 2003

MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER ANNIKA SORENSTAM BECOMES A QUADRUPLE QUALIFIER FOR SAMSUNG WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, OCTOBER 6-12, AT THE WOODLANDS RESORT
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Championship Field Will Feature Top 20 Women Golfers in the World
Competing in 72-Hole Tournament for Purse of $800,000

The Woodlands, Texas - Annika Sorenstam isn't going to earn ALL of the places in the 20-player field for the Samsung World Championship, which will be played Oct. 6-12, at The Tournament Players Course (TPC™) at The Woodlands Resort. It only seems that way after she won the McDonald's LPGA Championship to become a quadruple qualifier for the Championship.

Sorenstam, who is arguably the most recognizable figure in the women's game following her performance at the PGA Tour's Bank of America Colonial in Ft. Worth last month, will be returning to Texas to compete in the $800,000 event. She had previously qualified for the Samsung World Championship as the defending champion, as the 2002 LPGA Tour leading money winner and as the winner of the 2002 Vare Trophy, which goes to the player with the lowest season scoring average on the LPGA Tour.

The only other player to qualify thus far is Patricia Meunier-Lebouc, who won the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April.

The Samsung World Championship field includes the winners of the four LPGA major championships-the Kraft Nabisco Championship (Meunier-Lebouc), the McDonald's LPGA Championship (Sorenstam), the U.S. Women's Open, and the Weetabix Women's British Open-as well as the 2002 Vare Trophy winner (Sorenstam), the defending champion (Sorenstam) and the LPGA Tour's leading money winners from 2002 (Sorenstam) and the current year.

Additional positions in the field are awarded by a selection committee to the leading international players from the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Japanese Tour (JLPGA) and the Korean Tour (KLPGA). Rounding out the field are other leading money winners from the LPGA Tour's current year.

The 72-hole Championship is an officially-sanctioned LPGA Tour event featuring 20 of the top women players in the world. It is a world-wide event which has been contested on five continents in its rich 22-year history. It will be broadcast on NBC on Saturday and Sunday, with ESPN providing early round coverage on Thursday and Friday.

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The elite-field championship pays $167,500 to the winner. In 2002, Sorenstam broke the Championship scoring record by shooting a 22-under par 266 at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, Calif., to defeat Cristie Kerr by six strokes (also a Championship record).

Sorenstam, who won 11 tournaments on the LPGA Tour and 13 worldwide last year, might not approach those numbers this year, but she is riding a three-week hot streak that started with her performance in Ft. Worth. When Sorenstam played in the Bank of America Colonial, she became the first female in 58 years to play in PGA Tour event and made the event the biggest golf story of the year. Sorenstam more than answered the challenge and even opened a few eyes with rounds of 71 and 74 at Colonial Country Club, a 7,000-yard course that is more than 600 yards longer than most LPGA Tour courses.

"I had a chance to test my game on a longer course under difficult conditions," Sorenstam said. "I was able to observe how the men practice, how they approach the game. I learned so much from them and will apply it to my practices as I continue to find ways to improve. I believe the experience will help me in the long run."

The experience hasn't hurt her in the short run, either. Since returning to the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam has played twice and won both times. She shot a 10-under par 62 in the first round of the Kellogg Keebler Classic at Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, Ill., en route to winning the event with a 54-hole total of 21-under par 195. Then she followed that with her victory in the McDonald's LPGA Championship.

Sorenstam now has three victories in seven LPGA Tour events this year. She has also finished second twice, third once and sixth once. Her victory in the McDonald's LPGA Championship was worth $240,000, which increased her leading yearly money total to $974,501.

As a three-time winner of the Samsung World Championship (1995, '96 and 2002), Sorenstam is among a glorious list of players who have won the Championship: Beth Daniel (1980, '81 and '94), JoAnne Carner (1982, '83), Nancy Lopez (1984), Amy Alcott (1985), Pat Bradley (1986), Ayako Okamoto (1987), Rosie Jones (1988), Betsy King (1989), Cathy Gerring (1990), Meg Mallon (1991), Dottie Pepper (1993), Se Ri Pak (1999), Juli Inkster (1997, '98 & 2000) and Dorothy Delasin (2001).

The talented field will be thoroughly tested at the TPC™ at The Woodlands Resort, a par-72 course that measures 7,018 yards from the back tees. TPC™ at The Woodlands Resort, which had been the home of the PGA TOUR's Shell Houston Open for the past 17 years, is a picturesque course that places a premium on hitting fairways. The two closing holes on the layout rank among the top-four toughest holes in the state of Texas.

For sponsorship, volunteer or general information about the Samsung World Championship, call the championship office, locally at 281-419-4141 or toll free at 1-888-345-LPGA (5742). Or visit the championship website at www.SamsungUSA.com. Tickets are currently on sale to the public.

About Samsung

Samsung believes in the ability of sports to unite and uplift the human spirit. As an active corporate sponsor, Samsung has passionately supported amateur and professional sporting events, programs, teams, and athletes in Korea and throughout the world.

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The company extended its commitment to sports by becoming a worldwide Olympic partner in Nagano (1998), Sydney (2000) and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.

Samsung is a world leader in electronics, finance, trade and services. Headquartered in Korea, Samsung operates more than 307 overseas operations in 60 different countries. The company employs approximately 170,000 people worldwide, with 2001 estimated combined sales of US $94 billion. For more information, please visit http://www.samsung.com.

About The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center

Nestled in pristine woods 27 miles north of Houston and just 20 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport, The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center is an award-winning, multi-faceted resort that features 490 deluxe rooms and suites, unique restaurants and lounges, plus more than 60,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 32 dedicated meeting rooms. Recreational activities are highlighted by the new Forest Oasis Waterscape(tm), two additional pools, a full service spa and fitness center as well as six golf courses. For further information, contact The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center: 2301 North Millbend Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380; Telephone: 800-433-2624; Fax: 281-364-6299; Web site: www.woodlandsresort.com.

About The Woodlands

The Woodlands is a 27,000-acre forested community where people live, work, play, and learn as families and companies. Located 27 miles north of downtown Houston on I-45, it encompasses seven residential villages with an eighth now in development, three commercial centers, a resort and conference center, a luxury hotel and convention center, hospitals and health care facilities, and exceptional shopping, dining, entertainment, and recreational amenities. More than 70,000 people live in The Woodlands, and 30,000 people work in the community. The Woodlands is a project of The Woodlands Operating Company, L.P., a Crescent Real Estate Equities and Morgan Stanley limited partnership. For more information, visit www.thewoodlands.com, or call 1-888-504-5050.