SWINGING SKIRTS LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY CTBC

April 24, 2015

Lydia Ko

MODERATOR:  Happy to be joined in the media center by birthday girl, even par round today.  What was that celebration like when you walked on the 9th green, your last hole of the day?
LYDIA KO:  Yeah, you know, I got two celebrations, the first one on the 10th tee and then coming off 9.  Really cool to share that birthday with a lot of people out here.
Last year I was kind of in a rush to get out for dinner.  Turned 18 years old and won the day after.
So, yeah, lots more time to celebrate tonight.  It was a good day.
MODERATOR:  Any big plans for the celebration?
LYDIA KO:  We're doing a birthday dinner, so have Korean barbecue.  Go to the original roots.
Yeah, should be good.  Couple of the players are coming, family and friends.  Yeah.
MODERATOR:  Questions.

Q.  Was it a distraction at all during your round today, the dinner coming up?
LYDIA KO:  No, I didn't organize any of it so I don't know the details, where we're going, what time.  I didn't really have much to think about.
It's really cool that now I'm an adult.  It won't change how people will look at me, but big 18.

Q.  One thing that was kind of surprising, there is a 17 year old at the top of the leaderboard and it's not you.  What do you think of Brooke?  Have you seen her play?
LYDIA KO:  Yeah, she's definitely a great player.  We played in tournaments together when we were both amateurs, and she's definitely showing that she's playing some solid golf.
Sometimes it's hard when you reach the top to kind of maintain the score, but she's done that really well.
And yeah, 7‑under on a course like this isn't easy.  She had a fantastic round.

Q.  What does that say about the state and the depth of women's golf?
LYDIA KO:  Yeah, like I said yesterday, I think really age doesn't matter.  Experience I think matters, but just 17 years old or whatever, we're all players at the end of the day trying to play our best.
It's definitely showing that everyone has got their A game out here, and it's definitely a great field this week.

Q.  What did you most look forward to about being 18 and an adult?
LYDIA KO:  Not really much difference when I'm over in the States.  Everything is legal when I'm 18 back at home.  You know, open up to some fun times in the off‑season.
But, yeah, I think it's just great that this year I can have a really good birthday dinner with a lot of close friends and we can have some fun.
Birthday's unfortunately only once a year.  Presents are a good thing.  Doesn't depend on what age you are, but I always say presents are a good thing.

Q.  Anything in particular that you wanted or you're giving yourself?
LYDIA KO:  No.  My mom got me a new phone, so a lot of the girls have said I've upgraded.  Yeah, you know, it's an iPhone Six Plus.  I've got really bad eyesight, so it fits me even when I don't have my contacts on.
Yeah, I like it, but unfortunately I lost some of my contacts.  I've been getting some text messages with like love hearts and all that, but I don't know exactly who it's from.  That's the only down part.
I've been trying to get a lot of the numbers.

Q.  When did your mom give it to you?
LYDIA KO:  She gave it to me last week before we left, so...

Q.  Talk a little bit about your round today.  How would you assess the way you played today?
LYDIA KO:  You know, I really didn't get anything going.  When that happens it's really hard.  You know, I would say the par‑5s, you kind of need to take advantage of them.
I didn't position myself well in any of them, and that just makes it tough.  Kind of feel like you're already losing shots there.
Like putts weren't really rolling in.  Yesterday I holed a couple good ones.  When they're close but not falling, at the end of the day, you're going to have like an average score.
So that kind of happened today.  But it was consistent that I holed a couple solid four‑footers for par.  Might just sound like a four‑footer, but at the end of the day, those are the ones that count at the end of the week.

Q.  Brooke was talking about playing in the U.S. Girls' Junior, which I think you did as well.  Does it seem that long ago?  And you've obviously gotten very comfortable at this course.  To be in the mix again, what is it about this course this suits your game so well?
LYDIA KO:  I think last year I was making a lot of up and downs and I think those were really crucial.
Sometimes you're going to hit a loose shot here and there or get some funky lies.  To make up and down, save those pars and get advantage of those par‑5s, that's really important.  That's what I did yesterday and that's what I did last year.
When I was playing the U.S. Juniors, I was hitting the ball really good and giving myself a lot of looks for birdies.
So that's what I kind of need to do on the weekend.  I think that's the really crucial point.  I would never have imagined 7‑under on this course, but just shows that there is a lot of talent here.
MODERATOR:  Anything else for Lydia?  Appreciate the time.
LYDIA KO:  Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports