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MARATHON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY OWENS CORNING AND O-IJuly 20, 2014Lydia KoSYLVANIA, OHIO MODERATOR: It's my pleasure to welcome in the 2014 Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O‑I, champion Lydia Ko. Congratulations on your fourth career LPGA Tour victory, second as a member. What a day. 65 to close it out. Talk about the emotions when you sank the birdie putt. LYDIA KO: Okay. Yeah, no, I came in today with a goal of shooting 6‑ under. After my first nine I said, I definitely can shootthat. I know that the players are all going to make a lot of birdies coming in, so I knew that I needed to do my share. Yeah, it is definitely nervous. You know, it's still maybe four feet, but they say that's one of the most nerve‑wracking on the range because you kind of expect it to go in. But I think the day went great and I ended up as winner. That was my goal coming in. MODERATOR: How much during the day were you watching the leaderboard? It was absolutely packed all day, just everybody within a shot or two. LYDIA KO: I didn't really see it the first nine, but then I guess I kind of‑‑ it's like right there, so it's kind of hard not to look. I did look and. You know, obviously I started two shots behind the leader and that's why obviously I needed two shots better to I guess kind of be even. Yeah, obviously it was a tight one where everybody had a chance of being there or going down. I knew I needed to play well to kind of get it done. MODERATOR: Questions for Lydia. Q. Were you able to see Ryu's putt, the birdie on the last hole? LYDIA KO: No, I actually couldn't see it properly because I was behind some people. Yeah, I kind of saw by the crowd's reaction. Yeah. Q. Was it hard to hold your positive emotion in check? Missing that putt made you the champion. Did you keep that inside? LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, it's obviously‑‑ I mean, to my side obviously would be great if she misses the putt. Obviously she's a great player and I kind of expected her to get it in. Inside I was like, Man, I think I need to prepare for this playoff. Yeah, it's good for me, but then the day‑‑ you never know what's going to happen. It's done when everybody is off the course and everybody has holed their last putt. Q. Did you know this made you a millionaire on the LPGA Tour, the youngest ever? LYDIA KO: I didn't know that. MODERATOR: We didn't either until today, so... LYDIA KO: Now I know. Pretty sure that goes into my mom's account or something. But, yeah, I don't really think about money when I'm out here. When they give you the check I go, oh, it's $210,000. That's big money, but when I'm out there I'm thinking about making birdies and hitting good shots and making putts rather than, okay, this putt is going to give me an extra thousand. MODERATOR: When you started, your mom, you guys had allowance deal going. She was going to give you a little allowance. The more you win is it getting bigger? Are you deserving a little bit more? Do you have to have that talk today? LYDIA KO: I think it's $10 per under par I shoot. I mean, we totally forgot about that. Then like about a month ago I was like, Mom, what's going on? I need this. I mean, I guess finishing 15‑under is $150 extra. It's good. To me, that's kind of more fun. Thinking about pocket money and getting money off your mom, I think that's exciting for me. MODERATOR: Keeps you more in the 17‑year‑old realm instead of you going into your bank account and looking at $1 million. LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, that's what I look at. I'm not going to spend $1 million and buy something like a diamond ring or whatever. Maybe I might get something electronic. I do kind of what the teenager thing does and be excited when you get pocket money or extra money in your wallet. MODERATOR: Are electronics your vice? Those are the things you like to splurge on? LYDIA KO: When I'm off the course I like to spend a lot of time on my computer. That's why maybe I'm this blind. But, yeah, it's good. I mean, I don't need money to spend on these huge, big things. Q. How good would you be if you didn't have poor vision? LYDIA KO: If I didn't wear my glasses I would not be able to hit the ball straight. So, you know, I'm lucky that there is stuff like glasses for people to actually be able to see and things like contacts. So I think that's one of the amazing things that has been created in this world. Q. You're 17 years old. Do you have no fear? LYDIA KO: No, obviously I fear a lot of things and I do get nervous about a lot of things. People think, Oh, 17 year old. You're out here having fun. I get nervous. Every shot makes me nervous. Coming down the stretch makes me nervous. I think through experience I'll be able to kind of cope with that. I mean, that's what it's all about, experience. Q. Was there a point in the round today where you said, I can win this tournament? Some shot somewhere in the round where you said, I can win? LYDIA KO: You know, I kind of made pars and a birdie now and then and then made par and then made birdie. I think I was playing pretty consistent, so I knew that if I kind of kept this going for the rest of my round I would be in a good position to get close to the winner or win. I'm out there trying to make as many birdies as I can. Especially with the last two holes being par‑5s, you never know what's going to happen. Someone might make an eagle or a birdie. I knew I needed to concentrate on my game and make as many birdies as I can. MODERATOR: You looked calm all day, which you do.  You trick us and say, Oh, I wasn't calm. I was nervous. What are you most proud of about your round? LYDIA KO: My ball‑striking was really good today. I think I didn't miss that many fairways and didn't miss where I wanted to hit it. If I did miss, it wasn't that far off. No, the closest I was to making a bogey was probably on 11. Other than that, I think I played pretty consistently. Especially with the greens being I guess kind of circular and not too big, if you're somewhere around the pin you can have that far‑off putt for birdie. Yeah, I was pleased with how I was hitting the ball, and that made it easier to get more opportunities for birdie. Q. Talk about having nerves. You're 17 years old and you won $1 million. You've won four times out here. I mean, somebody might suggest you're sort of an assassin. That's a bad word, but I can't think of a better word. Is it ability that allows you to overcome those nerves? LYDIA KO: They called Inbee Park a silent assassin. MODERATOR: Uh‑huh, and junior silent assassin. LYDIA KO: It feels good to be close to her what and she's done. I just go out there and try and have fun and make as many birdies as I can. Especially on a course like this, you know, I know that someone could possibly shoot 8‑under, 10‑under and win this thing. I try and not think about the money and what comes at the end of the day. When you win, the speeches and everything, there are other things come with it, but I try and just concentrate on my game and the hole and get the round finished. MODERATOR: You had your first win in the Bay Area at the Swinging Skirts. First win as a member in your rookie season. How important was it to get win No. 2? Only need six starts in between your last win and today. How important was it to get the second win, No. 2 here? LYDIA KO: I think every win is very important. It helps with my confidence. Coming off last week, I mean, it's totally different conditions. British Open can definitely start to blow. But I kind of felt confident even though I shot an 80 on the last day. Coming here I kind of felt good about the course. And to know that it's a course that I played before, that helped me with confidence, too. The majority of the courses I've never played. Every win is very memorable to me, but I guess it's better when you keep going up and the numbers go up. I kind of wanted to win because the announcer said I won three times this year. I don't mind winning three times this year, but, no, I only had one at that stage. One more to go to his standards. Maybe when he calls out five‑time winner this year, then maybe I need to do that again the next year. I'm just going to have fun. I'm excited for the rest of the season. Q. You played here as an amateur last year. Do you remember exactly when you made that decision to leave the amateur ranks? LYDIA KO: I made that decision right after I came back from Evian. I kind of got back and got to talking with my parents and my support staff. Yeah, no, I think it was a good decision. It was good for me because I knew there would be a lot of media attention towards it. It was actually during my exams so I had an excuse where I didn't need to concentrate on golf and the pro life. I think that one month was really good for me. Then I kind of came out and played my first one at the CME Titleholders in Naples. Yeah, it's been a very fun journey. I don't think there is a huge difference being amateur and pro on how I feel. I guess I'm playing week in and week out. I think I that's the hardest part of it. I've been enjoying life on the tour and the LPGA. MODERATOR: You have a well‑earned break. Two weeks off until the next event. Any plans? Just resting a lot? LYDIA KO: I had actually two weeks after Swinging Skirts, also. I don't know if it's a coincidence or whatever, but I'm excited for the next two weeks. I don't want to go near my clubs for the next couple days. Even though it's only been two weeks in a row stretch, when you think about it, it's already July and I played seven months. There is a lot of traveling along there. I'm excited to relax and stay in my bed and watch TV and don't have to put my alarm on at 6:00 to come for an early tee time. Q. You can still sleep in a little bit. LYDIA KO: Yeah, unless somebody wakes me up, it's don't touch. Please don't come near. MODERATOR: What's the TV show of choice now? I know you're a TV junky. What's the show right now? LYDIA KO: A lot of Korean shows. I like to watch kind of scary stuff like Criminal Minds and detectives and stuff. I kind of watch it and get creeped out and wonder if that's going to happen to me. That's kind of the fun of it, I guess. Q. Just update us‑‑ this is a stupid question‑‑ but what your educational status right now? LYDIA KO: This is my last year of high school. My school is in New Zealand and it's called Pinehurst. Q. Any plans to continue after that or not yet? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I plan to go to college after. MODERATOR: Is that it? All right. Thank you. Congratulations. LYDIA KO: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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