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ANA INSPIRATION

April 1, 2015

Lydia Ko

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everybody. Thanks for being here at the ANA Inspiration at the media center. Great to have the Rolex World No. 1, Lydia Ko. You always kind of chuckle whenever you hear that. You like that.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, don't say that.

THE MODERATOR: Do you want me to say Rolex No. 2?

LYDIA KO: No.

THE MODERATOR: No. 3?

LYDIA KO: No, I'll just get used to it.

THE MODERATOR: Great to have you here. You've kind of rushed in off of your pro-am round and you're signing autographs on your arm now. Could you tell me about this?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, I just tried to quickly sign it on the 10th tee on the frame, and I must have put my arm right over it, and I just got a stamp on my arm. I like to just keep it personalized.

THE MODERATOR: So you can sell your own arm now and probably make some extra cash this week.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, sounds like a plan.

THE MODERATOR: I really don't know where we start because we could go 28 consecutive rounds under par, we could go you haven't missed a cut in forever, like never. We could talk about being No. 1 in the world. How about we start with the consecutive rounds under par. That is an amazing statistic, 28.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, forever and ever. It's like a lyric off a Taylor Swift song. Yeah, 28 consecutive rounds under par, I wasn't really counting until Golf Channel told me that was going on, and yeah, I've been just trying to have fun out there, and David keeps telling me don't worry about the record, just think of it as how many sushis can you have, and he said, I've had 28 right now. Hopefully we can continue that on.

THE MODERATOR: What is your favorite sushi?

LYDIA KO: Any sushi is good, Japanese, I can have every day, every meal.

Q. 10 straight top 10 finishes. That's a model of consistency. All these rounds under par obviously would equal you being in contention. How do you feel your game really is this week going into this major?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I mean, I've had a pretty good start to the season. I ended well obviously winning CME Titleholders, and just coming here I didn't know what to expect, especially with last year being pretty crazy for me. But yeah, one of my goals coming into this week was to be very consistent, give myself to be in good positions, and that's what I've been doing. Yeah, I feel great, and I played good last week at the Kia Classic, and I didn't play so good there last year, and I'm coming definitely with a little bit more confidence into this week.

Q. I know we talked at the CME Tour Championship about patience and you were kind of assessing your year out here a year ago and kind of what it was like from an adjustment standpoint. Now that all these things have happened to you and you're No. 1 in the world rankings, are you feeling any pressure at all that you're not sharing with anybody else because you always seem to have a smile on your face, yet you're at the top of the heap?
LYDIA KO: I mean, obviously there is always pressure, especially on the first tee where a lot of people are there to support you and just to hear that you're world No. 1, people expect a lot of things, and sometimes just because you're No. 1, it really doesn't mean you're going to win every week. In that way there's a little pressure, but I've been just trying to have fun because I've been playing well the last couple weeks. It has definitely made it easier, and just after turning world No. 1, I didn't know what it would be like, but I don't feel like a lot of things have changed.

Q. Nine weeks at No. 1. What has been the biggest adjustment for you? What have you had to deal with that maybe you didn't expect?
LYDIA KO: More media, but I get to talk to you, so that's a bonus. I think media attention, and also bigger crowds. But I think the best part was me playing the New Zealand Open, going in front of the home crowd and still being world No. 1 at that time, I think that was really cool because obviously I don't get to go home much, and I was able to share that with the people back home.

Q. Lydia, every week we talk to you about pleasure, and every week you look at us like we're speaking Farsi and you don't have any idea what we're talking about. You're on the cusp of a record that a lot of people didn't think would be broken or even equaled. How are you going to go out there tomorrow and put that completely out of your mind?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, obviously because I'm so close, it will be at the back of my mind because there's been so much talk about it. I'm sure that thought is going to come up within those 18 holes, but I'm just going to try and have fun. I'm going to be concentrating on that moment, and at the end of the day, my goal is to try and play well for this week. If I break the record or if I tie it or if I don't break it, I'm so happy that I can get so close to it even. No, I'm sure I'll be thinking about it in some way, but I think it's just going to be hard enough trying to concentrate on that putt going in the hole.

Q. And as a follow-up, is the course playing such that there are four consecutive under-par rounds out there?
LYDIA KO: I think because of the heat, they have put some water on the greens, but because it's going to get hotter and hotter, it's going to dry out pretty quick. I guess it's playing a little softer than what we normally would, but I'm pretty sure it's going to dry up in the next couple days, and it's definitely going to be different from today to tomorrow. I think rough around the greens are one of the toughest parts, so I really need to position myself well and just be patient out there.

Q. Over the last seven worldwide starts for you, you're a collective 94-under par. The fact that this week is a major and maybe makes you focus a little bit more, you maybe have to think about every shot and the potential consequences of every shot, does that actually help you perhaps in not thinking about things like records, focus on the next shot?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think so. I would have never guessed that I would be playing that hopefully 29th under par at a major. Sometimes you say, oh, I hope it wasn't one. Yeah, I'm going to try and think of this as any other event, so in a way it's not that much difference, but just that one shot, I need to be so specific and so focused on it, I don't think I'll be worrying about the under par and all records at that time.

Q. Lydia, you touched a lot of your playing competitors two months ago with your gifts of the chocolates in the locker. Could you please explain how you came up with the idea? I understand they were New Zealand chocolates, what they were, just how that all came to be?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, I finished on a really great note last year, and I wanted to thank the Tour for how welcoming they have been and just all the players at the first moment -- not even last year, but the first time I went out there, all the girls were all welcoming, they're like, hi, and they introduced themselves. I feel like we're in a huge family, and I just wanted to thank them some way. What better way to kind of get something from New Zealand because not many of the girls have been there, and I always say New Zealand has one of the best milks, so that's one of the secrets under it. Yeah, and who doesn't like chocolate? I haven't heard anyone say I don't like chocolate before. I normally enjoy the Whitaker's chocolate, so I figured why not share it with the whole family.

Q. How many boxes were there?
LYDIA KO: It was like two, three big boxes, and I think it was around 120 players that week.

Q. I wouldn't know, I didn't get one.
LYDIA KO: You missed out. You're not the first person that has said that. Charlie Rymer has gone around it. Yeah, so I just gave it to all the players and then the rules officials and some of the LPGA staff.

Q. There have been a lot of players over the last few weeks that have sat in pressrooms and brought that up. Now they're getting questions about you being No. 1 and being so young and having chances to win majors and setting records and all of that, and they're talking about you being the type of person you are, not necessarily the golfer. So as you've been out here, how have you tried to fit in, or has it been where everybody has just come to you?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, that first moment I went -- I came out and I was like, I don't want to get in their way. That was my biggest thought. Everybody is so focused during their practice and everything, and I think there's more talk time when we're actually going out and playing. I knew that I couldn't be that 15 year old trying to just have fun out here like as if it's a day out in the park. I tried to kind of get to their level. But everybody was so welcoming, it wasn't like I needed to change much in my perspective.

Q. When you missed the fairways today during the pro-am, how difficult was it playing to the greens out of the rough?
LYDIA KO: When I missed the fairway, my pro-am partners hit the fairways, so I didn't really need to hit out of the rough much. Yeah, I only hit one out of the short rough, and that was okay. But I think in the morning it will be tougher because it will be a little bit more wet and it will be more catchy. So yeah, just it's really -- some courses you say you can be a little bit more wild off the tee, but I think this course you need to position yourself good with the tee shot and roll some good putts. Definitely that's where I guess the major comes in. You need your A game to be holding a trophy at the end of the week.

Q. Are there one or two older players that were particularly helpful in making you feel welcome or giving you advice last year and years before?
LYDIA KO: Yeah. I think I played with Juli Inkster first time in Thailand like two, three years ago, and between her, Lexi and me, it would have been kind of like her babysitting us in a way. But yeah, straight off the bat, she was -- she kind of was like a big sister, like a mom, very welcoming. She led me through like an easy way in. I asked her a lot of questions, and that's what I always do. I just ask these questions about the Tour and what they do and even their practice stuff. So there wasn't like one specific person, but I always just remember having fun playing with Juli, and what she's done for the Tour and that she's still playing and playing great golf is pretty amazing.

Q. Do you feel that that welcoming attitude you've been talking about and people like Juli have made it easier for you to become No. 1 as fast as you have?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think so. I mean, I have that kind of personality where I won't go right into you and say like hi, but when I get close, I start talking away and stuff. Yeah, just everybody feeling welcoming being and being so nice, it made me be like, okay, let's have fun out here and just enjoy, talk with the girls, gossip, whatever. I think if I was all closed minded and all I was doing was, okay, just get out of the way, just hit the ball and stay off to the side, it wouldn't be as fun, and I think fun is really the most important thing for me, and when I have fun, that's when I play the best.

Q. Lexi talked about how she felt she needed experience on this course before she could win last year. She had things to learn about the golf course. Do you still feel like there are things you need to learn about that golf course, or do you feel pretty comfortable with it now?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think the big one is the rough, and I think the greens. Just from tee to green, you just hit good shots at your targets and you're good, but the greens, there can be several slopes here and there, and I always think getting used to the greens is one of it, and just the rough here is definitely different rough to what I grew up on. Technique-wise it's a little different. Yeah, I don't feel like totally comfortable as if this is like my home club, but I don't even know if it ever will be.

Q. You're probably the only player that's ever accepted Rookie of the Year honors at an awards ceremony and also announced the retirement at the age of 30 in the span of like five minutes. So I want to know where you're at with that. I know some people have continued to ask that you brought up that you don't want to play this game long into your 30s. Has that changed over the last month and a half, or where are you with all these things?
LYDIA KO: No, it hasn't changed. Still 30. I think it will be 30. But when I hit that 28, 29, I might be thinking differently. But for now, I think 30, and I started when I was five, so I'm thinking 25 years to one sport is a long time.

Q. So what are the most important things for you to accomplish in whatever that time frame is that you play, for you, not for anybody else sitting here or watching at home on TV?
LYDIA KO: I think one of the big things is it's only next year, but the Olympics. I think it's great that golf is going to be in the Olympics. It's a sport, and why not, and just to be able to represent your country, and I think just being able to play and be part of the Olympics, that is one of my big goals and always has been since they announced that golf was going to be played in the Olympics in Brazil. Yeah, next one is hopefully have a gold putter for winning a major. Whenever I went to the Odyssey putting studios, I saw some of Annika's, some of Phil's, and I was like, man, I would love one, too. Just seeing Mo, from her British Open one. Yeah, just seeing all those really inspired me, so hopefully I'll be able to have one in my career.

Q. Lydia, as the stakes get higher, you seem to keep your cool at a remarkable rate. How do you do that? What is it about your insides that enable you to look so unaffected by pressure?
LYDIA KO: I know someone who does that better than me, which is Inbee. She's got the full poker face. Yeah, you know, I don't know, sometimes it might be a little idiotic, but when I make a very stupid bogey, I tend to like laugh because it's like so funny that it's so dumb. So there's this weird part of me where I go, okay, it's part of it and I just go. Sometimes I get angry. But even when I get angry, maybe it's only my caddie and I that knows it. But yeah, I just try and stay calm. Sometimes there are emotions that go on, but I know that when there are a lot of things that are going around in my head, those little thoughts, that's when I overcomplicate things and I don't play good, so I'm trying to simplify things.

Q. You become an adult here in the United States when you turn 18, which is coming up soon. Is that a significant number for you? Are you thinking about how you might celebrate? Are you excited about that prospect, maybe a tattoo?
LYDIA KO: Tattoo of my birthday? That would just be weird. I've already got an autograph of my arm. I don't know, my birthday is again in San Francisco, and San Francisco is definitely one of my favorite cities. Last year I had a delay, so I had like dinner right next door at the Korean supermarket at like 8:30, so hopefully there will be none of that, and I'll just be able to enjoy and have a nice relaxing dinner. I'm pretty sure my whole family will be there. I know you become an adult at 18, but not much is still -- still three more years until a lot of things open up. But yeah, I think I love family time, and I think we just have fun, and yeah, presents are part of birthdays, right?

Q. You love shopping.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I like shopping, and I don't go shopping often, but when I go shopping, it's a big number. That can get more dangerous.

Q. Is the number getting bigger by the number of times you go shopping?
LYDIA KO: Not really. I guess depends on how well I play.

Q. Well, right now you're playing really well, so I'm guessing that the credit card bill is pretty high, or do you carry a lot of cash?
LYDIA KO: That's why I haven't been out to the outlets yet. It might be dangerous.

Q. You go to the outlets?
LYDIA KO: My sister has gone, and she can be a serious shopper, as well. We can be a troublesome pair.

Q. You've been working with David Leadbetter for maybe two years about. Without getting into the technical aspects of what you're working on, could you talk about what that process is like? Do you have things that you want help with or do you follow what he suggests you do? And just in general, how do you feel that whole work relationship is going with David?
LYDIA KO: Yeah. You know, because I had been playing well when I had my old coach, with Guy, so there were a lot of words said when I decided to change coaches to Sean and David. Yeah, you know, it's been a lot of fun. Definitely the swings are different to what I used to get taught. So yeah, the first time -- it was a good change, and I feel like my swing is going in a good direction, and I feel like it's getting much more simpler. I think simple has been the big goal without changing a lot of things, especially because we're playing full-time, it's hard to change a lot of things at once. So David is trying to like slowly put things into little places and just, like, as if it's sandpaper, just grind away. That's why it's been working good, and it's great that he's here this week where he can give me a couple of checkups, just simple things and little things, and I think little things sometimes make bigger differences. Yeah, it's definitely been fun, and I've been really liking the way my swing has transitioned.

Q. Annika didn't know she had the record until Kraig's team scoured all the archives. At your age with the sky seemingly the limit, if there were one record that at the end of your career you could break that would be most important to you, I'm just curious what that might be.
LYDIA KO: I don't know all the records out there.

Q. 29 consecutive majors has never happened.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, that's a good one. To me having fun has always been my big goal, so if I'm doing that and breaking records, that's like two in one. I don't think there is like a specific record where I'm like, okay, I really want to have this by the end of -- when I'm 30. I really wouldn't be able to say a specific record. You know, I'm obviously very close to this under-par streak record, but you just never know when anything is going to happen, so maybe when I'm close to another one or break this, then we'll start this conversation again.

Q. Beyond obviously playing well, is there anything you've kind of observed in people winning majors that you need to do? As you look ahead to winning your first, is there something beyond just playing well?
LYDIA KO: I think just not losing confidence. Lexi, I think she started off with an even-par round or something the first day here, and then she had an amazing score the second day, and then just kind of continued on. You just never know until the last moment. I mean, majors, you can shoot really low like what Martin Kaymer did and just be way ahead of the field, but then at the same time you can be leading and then lose a couple shots and it can just switch your round. No, you can't -- it happens in every tournament, but you just can't lose your concentration until that last putt drops. You just never know because somebody might shoot a 63, and you shoot 2-under, and it might be a good round. But somebody just plays better. So I think just not -- just believing in yourself, and it's never over until that last putt drops.

Q. Beth Ann and I were under the impression that you had to be 18 to get a credit card, so how do you circumnavigate that for these shopping sprees?
LYDIA KO: Borrow mom's.

Q. So is that what you're looking forward to on April 24?
LYDIA KO: I don't even know these age things still, so that's something new. That's one of the birthday presents I'm going to get for sure. Thank you, guys.

Q. They want you to take them shopping.
LYDIA KO: We will be going together. It will be a girls' day out. No, there's always debit cards. As long as the money is in there you can swipe it and it's done. That's one of the first things I got when I moved.

Q. Lexi talked about thinking about this major for a long time. In fact, there are a lot of players that have talked about the importance of this event, now the ANA Inspiration and what it would mean to them and why it's so special with the traditions here. Have you allowed yourself to think to what Sunday and jumping into the pond could mean for you, or what type of a leap you might make into the pond or what it would be like to slip on this robe that's right behind me or hold the trophy that's just to your other side? Have you thought about that?
LYDIA KO: If I said no, it would be a lie. I kind of walked along the bridge yesterday when I was playing, and said, oh, they cleaned out all the moss and all that in the water, so it's very clean. So yeah, it's ready for somebody to jump in there. But I just love the traditions. It's not done anywhere else. At the New Zealand Open they tried getting me to jump in the water there, but it still wouldn't be the same, with the robe and obviously ANA, just the name itself, inspiration. That's what has brought a lot of us here, I think, and yeah, it's great, and I think we're all so thankful that they kept the traditions, too. Who knows. You never know what's going to happen, and if adrenaline keeps going, you never know what's going to come out of a 17 year old's head.
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