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INTERNATIONAL CROWNJuly 22, 2014Moriya JutanugarnAriya JutanugarnKatherine KirkMinjee LeeOWINGS MILLS, MARYLAND KRAIG KANN: Welcome, everybody. It is distinct pleasure to welcome you all here to Caves Valley and the International Crown. The first ever International Crown. My name's Kraig Kann I'm the chief communications officer for the LPGA. It's a great pleasure to have some teammates here from Team Australia, Minjee Lee is here and Katherine Kirk is here. Down on my far left also from Thailand the Jutanugarn sisters, Moriya and Ariya. Great to have you all. Let's start off with some simple questions for you all, because not only is this the first year for this event, Katherine I'm going to go to you first, this is the first time for you to be a part of something like this, a team competition. What are your first initial impressions? KATHERINE KIRK: Well, sue per excited. Because growing up playing amateur golf, junior golf you get to represent your country, but unless your American or European your only chance to do that as a pro is obviously in the Solheim. So for us to be able to represent Australia and do it on this stage is super exciting. THE MODERATOR: Minjee, you're the top ranked amateur in the world. What is this like for you to compete sitting next to Katherine and all the other stars that are here? MINJEE LEE: It's a great honor for me to be here and it's really exciting because to be part of a tournament like this and to represent my country is something that I've always wanted to do. THE MODERATOR: Do you feel any pressure coming in here to be a part of something this big or do you feel comfortable sitting at this table? MINJEE LEE: Pretty comfortable. I'm not earning any money, so... (Laughter.) Just going to play for my team and just do my best, yeah. KATHERINE KIRK: She should be comfortable she's got a World Ranking better than the other two on our team, so... (Laughter.) THE MODERATOR: So maybe she could actually buy, even though she doesn't have the money coming to her this week. Let's talk to you all here. Team Thailand, this is a pretty special opportunity. Let me start with you. Ariya, your thoughts on this week. What's it like for you? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It's very nice to have a chance to play for a team in Thailand and to have my sister on my team. Very excited. THE MODERATOR: Are you as excited to have your sister on the team? MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, because we didn't see each other for a couple weeks, so today I played a practice round with her and I was like, Whoa, this is crazy golf. She's come back. And we just enjoy practice today. THE MODERATOR: For those who don't know, you play mostly on the LET, and you play on the LPGA. So what has that been like to kind of reunite this week at a special event like this? Moriya, you first. MORIYA JUTANUGARN: We also had another girl from Japan Tour and we didn't see her for a long time, and then also we had a chance to see my sister much, so this week is going to be really good team that we can play together. We didn't see each other for a long time and it's very good that we can play for Thailand also and everything just is going to be so much fun. THE MODERATOR: Let me go back, Katherine and let's get some hands‑on questions. There's some microphones out there. Katherine, you on this topic here, you've been a part of some of the publicity and run up for this event. When you first heard about the International Crown, go back there and now take it full circle to here. You made a comment to me on the range today about kind of what your feeling inside. Tell them what this has been like for you. KATHERINE KIRK: So far it's far exceeded my expectations, and walking into the locker room yesterday, I felt like a little kid at Christmas, because we have got golf bags and head covers and towels. Everything is all about your country and it makes you really proud and certainly the fact that it's going on probably to a hundred different countries around the world are going to get to see this, and people are going to cheer on their own country, I think is pretty special. THE MODERATOR: Do you feel like watching Solheim Cups, that this was always something missing for you? KATHERINE KIRK: Yeah, the guys have the Presidents Cup, so hopefully this is kind of one better than that for us. The fact that you got to qualify every two years for it adds another element, and for countries. I mean, so I think it's going to obviously keep growing and growing and certainly something that players are going to strive to reach. THE MODERATOR: Questions from the audience. Q. For any of you, could you talk about the different mindset you have when you play in a Tour event, when it's just you, and now that you're playing for your country, and with a teammate who you would like to beat 51 weeks of the year. MORIYA JUTANUGARN: To me it's a little bit more like pleasure, because also we represent a team like Thailand. And also I have a teammate so I got to care about them also like what are they like or how are we going to play the game, because it's different match. THE MODERATOR: Just as a follow‑up on that, have you spent a lot of time in your team room thus far talking about playing together and what kind of bonding experience have you had thus far? MORIYA JUTANUGARN: We didn't have a lot of experience to play team much, probably this is the first time. So we just sit down and talk like what we're going to do, what is the plan, and there's a lot of things that we have to learn, because we never played team before. THE MODERATOR: Minjee, what's it been like for you all on the team side, from the perspective of bonding and spending time? Karrie Webb is on your team, you have quite a number of experienced players. MINJEE LEE: Yeah, no, it's been good. We had dinner yesterday all together. THE MODERATOR: Where? MINJEE LEE: At Brio, I think. Just some restaurant down the road. So that was nice. We kind of all chatted and had a good laugh and it was just pretty casual. So, yeah, it's been very good so far. THE MODERATOR: Katherine what has that been like for you from the team aspect? What's the best thing? Has there been a clearly leader that's emerged from Team Australia. You guys are sitting in pool B. KATHERINE KIRK: Minjee has probably played more match play than Karrie, Lindsey and I recently. So we jokingly designated her as the captain last night. It was certainly different even playing the practice round, because usually when you're figuring out your strategy on the golf course, you're kind of keeping it to yourself and it was different hearing Mike and Karrie talk about what they want to hit off tees, because they are your teammates. So you kind of want to hear what their opinion is, so it was really different even playing the practice round, but we just discussed a few tactics out there about putting first and, yeah, maybe putting a little extra pressure on the other teams that we're going to play in terms of tactics. THE MODERATOR: Any secrets you want to share? KATHERINE KIRK: No. THE MODERATOR: Just checking. Figured I would. Other questions? Q. Moriya, can you talk, I think we're all expecting you and your sister to be playing together as partners. Is that true and what can we expect from sisters as a tandem? THE MODERATOR: See, they're very into team, even on their answers. ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Maybe we have a chance to play together, but we are thinking right now who is going to play with each other, because generally the first time we play here, we play yet with the other team. We haven't figured out who we're going to play with, but I hope I have a chance to play with her. THE MODERATOR: We have got a little time left. The pairings are going to come out in two hours or so. Moriya, do you have an answer for him on that? MORIYA JUTANUGARN: For me? I would love to play with her, because we play together all the time when we play when we were young. So it's going to be a good match if we play together and it's going to be really fun. Q. A follow‑up, where was it that you played together and have you ever lost a match playing with your sister? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: I have a chance to play with her in match play and I beat her before. (Laughter.) MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Well, but also we are on the same team sometimes. ARIYA JUTANUGARN: We play the same team in Thailand sometimes for fun, but when we have a chance to play a match, I always beat her. (Laughter.) MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Well, but not that much. (Laughter.) ARIYA JUTANUGARN: 4 & 3 is much for me, so... (Laughter.) THE MODERATOR: Did you have a follow‑up on that. Q. Did they play together in a match play situation? Have you played together in match play? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, is there. Q. Where in Thailand? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: No, in Canada. THE MODERATOR: Where did y'all play in a match together? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: We played in Thailand, too, and like junior tournaments, too. So it was like two or three years ago. Q. I assume you won. THE MODERATOR: Did you win? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah. (Laughter.) Q. Minjee, this is for you, can you talk a little bit more about your relationship with Karrie and what she's taught you? MINJEE LEE: Yeah, she's kind of like mom on Tour ‑‑ well, not mom, but auntie, I guess. She's not that old. (Laughter.) No, I got to play practice rounds with her whenever we're playing in the same tournament, like professionals tournaments like the Aussie Open and U.S. Open and the British Open. So, yeah, like she just kind of helps me out whenever I kind of get stuck or whenever I have a question, I ask her and she's pretty good about it. She just kind of answers whatever she can, so, yeah, just kind of that kind of relationship. Q. Ariya, I think you were something like number 15 in the world when you got hurt and had to have shoulder surgery. What's been the biggest challenge in getting your form back and how close are you? ARIYA JUTANUGARN: It's pretty hard after I have surgery. It's pretty hard to come back to play golf, because I was off for six or seven months and it took me a long time to come back and get confident. Like now it's like 90 percent with my shoulder, but I hope it's going to get better. THE MODERATOR: Let me ask you both this. There are a lot of people that are talking about Team Thailand as one of the favorites to wear the crown come Sunday. Do you feel quite happy about your team and where you stand going into this event? Would you call yourselves one of the favorites? Moriya, do you feel confident about Team Thailand? MORIYA JUTANUGARN: Yeah, I think we're really confident with all my teammates. Like everything, because we are a good team. We are really friendly and we just hang out together all the time. We are pretty close. THE MODERATOR: Pretty close. Okay. Down to Team Australia. Katherine, you're in pool B with Korea and Japan and Sweden. How do you feel about that pool? Did you assess kind of where you all fit in and what the strengths of your team are? KATHERINE KIRK: I think even though we're seeded 7th in the whole tournament, I think we'll just do our usual fly‑under‑the‑radar type thing. But it's match play, anything can happen, and I think we like our chances against all the teams. So, yeah, we'll just take one day at a time and enjoy ourselves. Q. Katherine, Karrie, is she the unofficial captain and what kind of tone does she set for the team? KATHERINE KIRK: Yeah, I suppose Karrie would be our unofficial captain. She was probably taking more of a leadership role out there in our practice round this morning and talking a bit of tactics with us and kind of sharing some experiences that she's had watching Solheim Cup. So we'll certainly listen to the advice that she had this morning. Q.  Katherine, you've to wait a long time for this, so obviously you're excited yourself, but for Karrie having to wait even longer, how excited are you and the rest of the players for her to get this chance? KATHERINE KIRK: Yeah, very happy for her, obviously, and it's an honor to play on the same team as her, considering the career she's had. I know Minjee and I have looked up to her and the same as Lindsey, growing up. So to be able to play on the same team is pretty cool and, yeah, hopefully we'll get the chance to do it in 2016 again. I think she's kind of probably looking forward to the Olympics as well in 2016. And, yeah, it's a unique opportunity for us and, yeah, finally glad that it's here. THE MODERATOR: Before I let you go, let me follow‑up with the Olympics question, because that is just around the corner. I mean it feels like it's been a long time in coming, perhaps. What about this as an opportunity, Minjee, for Team Australia and for you to gain this type of experience on a global stage like this, to get ready potentially for an Olympics? MINJEE LEE: Is Olympics a team event? Well, you're representing your country, but... THE MODERATOR: Just having all the countries represented at one event. There will be more than just eight countries at the Olympics, this is a pretty big stage for you, for that opportunity. MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I think that just being here, playing with the girls, I mean it's a pretty big thing and I think that just the experience is going to be really good. So, yeah, I think that any tournament that I play in from now on is going to get me ready for the Olympics and so, yeah. THE MODERATOR: Katherine, your thoughts on that. Just in general, the Olympics and how this event might help prepare. Women's golf, specifically, I would say. KATHERINE KIRK: Yeah, it's huge that golf's back in the Olympics. It's been since 1904, so I know from our perspective as golfers we're all excited about the opportunity and the publicity that we're going to get from it. Yeah, I think we're, what, not even, it might be just over two years out? So I think the World Rankings are going to start kicking in, obviously, for the qualifying for that. So people are already thinking about it. I know players think about it when they made the announcement a few years ago. So, yeah, this is, I mean it's going to be different because this is a match play event, but certainly the whole international perspective and representing your country is a big deal. Q. Minjee, do you have any plans to turn pro? MINJEE LEE: Yes. Probably towards the end of the year and I'm closer to Q‑School, so, yeah. Q. LPGA Q‑School? MINJEE LEE: Yeah. THE MODERATOR: All right. That will do it. I will let you all go. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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