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ANA INSPIRATION

April 5, 2015

Lydia Ko

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

Q. Talk about your day to day? Not the score you wanted, but a little bit better.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I didn't hit that many fairways again, and it just becomes tough, but I think I'm improving out of the rough. I was able to get along the green and make a two-putt. Yeah, you know, it's just I don't think that was really the problem. No putts dropped these last two days, especially this weekend, and when that happens and when I feel like it's going to go in and it just lips out like on the last hole, I can't do much about it because it's so close and yet so far away.

Q. The talk last night, one of the questions was why was it that all the former winners are at the top, and is it from experience. Do you feel like you've gained experience this week?
LYDIA KO: I think I've learned a lot how to play rough shots. That is one of the biggest things I've learned this week, and it was tough. It was really thick so I was learning something there, and maybe I was tired. I didn't really know. It was really good experience. It's my third year of playing this event, and it's a really good course, and like I said before, you really need your A-game, and I really didn't have that this week.

Q. Do you build off this or let it go?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I feel like I was grinding a lot this week, but considering that I played pretty good for what positions I was sometimes off the tee. So, yeah, I've got two weeks off, and I'm going to take a good break and just enjoy that and be excited for my next one in San Francisco.

Q. Top 10 streaks broken; are you glad all the streaks are over now?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I played really solid. My excuse is Top 10 broke out in a major something, but, no, like I said, I had a good game last week, and it really wasn't much good this week. But it was a lot of grinding. I think it was a lot of mental experience for me this week, how to get myself out of bad positions and try to put myself in good positions.

Q. How would you sum up this week?
LYDIA KO: Obviously, a little disappointing, but I felt like I hit some good shots and some good putts, but just didn't drop. When that happens, you really can't do much. I'm putting good strokes on them. Like yesterday, I left a couple short, so I was disappointed in that way, but today I got them to the hole and a couple of them lipped out where it felt like it was in but it didn't end up being that way. That kind of really summarized that week, my week.

Q. Any other mental experience other than learning golf-wise how to get yourself out of difficult positions? Any other things that you'll store away? Like were you frustrated in ways?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I mean, it's frustrating when I feel like I'm making good putts and like a second to the hole and it feels like it's going to go in and then it's not. So, yeah, there were a lot of frustrations that I just took in. It was that kind of a week. But I still had fun with my playing opponents, so, yeah, it's good that the first major is over. But there are still four more for this year.

Q. What will you do in the week off here?
LYDIA KO: I'm staying a couple extra days here, and then go back to Orlando. I haven't been there since before the Bahamas, so I think I'll just take this week pretty relaxed.

Q. Take a break?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, take some time off, and then obviously I'll be defending against San Francisco, and there will be a lot of things going on. So, yeah, I'll just take it one day at a time and just have a good rest.

Q. On the surface, this course looks beautifully suited for you because you're usually so straight. Do you feel like this course, that you were just determined to get the best of it one of these years?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I hope so. My best finishing round here is like tied 25th or something. Hopefully, I would love to work my way up. Yeah, here, like I always say, all majors you need your "A" game, and to win every week, you need your "A" game. But especially here, you need to be straight and make a lot of good putts. Yeah, hopefully, that will come before I'm 30 (laughing).

Q. First major as World No. 1 coming in, how do you reflect on that and take it forward to future majors?
LYDIA KO: I think there were a lot of expectations. I don't know what the ranking is going to end up by the end of the week, but, yeah, I think it was fun. There were so many fans out there supporting me, so that was really cool to hear the claps on the first tee and just for them rooting for me to say, okay, you can do this. You've got this. It was really cool in that way. People around here love golf, so it was great to see a lot of people come in to support us.

Q. Was there anything you observed in particular about the Asian rookie players?
LYDIA KO: I mean, it's hard to call them a rookie because they've already played a couple of years on especially the KLPGA and a lot of them are multiple winners. Like Hyo Joo she won four or five times last year, and she won Evian, and they're all past winners on another tour. So, yeah, I mean, they're great players. Just because you're a rookie, it doesn't mean they're not as good as you, and they're definitely proving that.

Q. You're a Phil fan. Will you watch The Masters next week?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, it will be really exciting. He was playing good this week too. So, yeah, I'll be watching The Masters. I was actually trying to go there, but I ended up making the choice of not going, so maybe next time. Yeah, a lot of Golf Channel.
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