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SWINGING SKIRTS LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY CTBCApril 24, 2015Na Yeon ChoiSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Q.  Pretty good round today. Feeling pretty good about that? NA YEON CHOI: Yes, especially this golf course you have to hit it pretty straight. Greens get bumpy in the afternoon, but I played well yesterday. Actually my coach flew here from China. He flew here for two days and we were working. I mean, no distance, just more accuracy for this golf course. We did a little bit short game, too. I had great round yesterday, and especially today I started very well even very cold weather. I just adjusted the distance because was pretty‑‑ going very short distance‑wise. My caddie, we work very well for distance‑wise, and yeah, I mean, right now I'm very satisfied and looking forward for on the weekend. Q. Started the year with a win; had to feel pretty good about that. How has the rest of year gone since then? NA YEON CHOI: Just right after the tournament I had a missed cut, so I didn't have much time to keep feeling the winning. But I think I have less pressure than last year. I have pretty confidence for my game. When I'm in contention I can trust myself. That kind of things I think I learned a lot from Ocala? Q. So up and down for you? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, it's up and down, but especially when I in contention, like less pressure make me I think (indiscernible) to better shot or better putt. Q. Right. You talked about how much pressure there was on you to win after the drought you had of what, two years? Talk about that pressure or the lack of pressure. What's that like now? NA YEON CHOI: Right now I can say ‑‑ you know. Sometimes player need pressure. If you don't have, I don't think you can keep focus on the game. But if you try too much or try too hard, then I think you always get a bad result. Last two year when I didn't have any wins and people think like I can't win again or like they think I'm in the slump or something, but I kept trying to and working hard. I was nervous in Ocala, but after that I learned a lot, and that makes me big different, I think. Q. When was the pressure the worst? NA YEON CHOI: When? Q. Yeah. Was there a memory of, wow, the pressure was really the worst then, or the most then? NA YEON CHOI: I still think I could win at the British Open in 2013. I was leading by three from Stacy until on Sunday like 10th hole, 11th hole. But I finish runner‑up. I think because so many people still talk about that thinks like after that you didn't play well because of that. I think that's why I kept remember, memorize that. Yeah. Q. Is golf more fun now again since you won? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, especially this year. Just traveling, fun, and, you know, just even here and last week I have a lot of friends coming and Korean people around here. Good food and good house, so is it feels just like very comfortable. Q. I was going to say, in the States it's probably the most Korean people of anywhere. Kind of feel like home a little bit? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, especially like here. California there are many Korean people. Even next week there is like little Korean town. Should be a lot of Korean spectator there. My manager flew here from Korea and some fans, they flew here rooting for me. Try to enjoying. Q. Where did you notice in your game the pressure being gone the most? Are you able to rebound from a mistake quicker or is your putting more accurate? Nerves less? Just more comfortable in the lead? What is it? NA YEON CHOI: No, I think is more like chase to the winning, or like leading. Because when I have two or three shot ahead I think I get more nervous. When I one or two shot behind I can play more aggressive and I got some motivation from that and keep going. Q. So you like where you're at right now, two back heading into the weekend? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, but it's only halfway we finish, so I really want to play well on Saturday. It's like moving day, so I hope I play well tomorrow, and then I have better strategy on Sunday. Q. So Lydia is defending champ here. She just turned 18 today. NA YEON CHOI: Today? Q. Today. It's her birthday. Brooke Henderson is 17 and she's leading the golf tournament. What is it about these young players that's got them playing so well right now? NA YEON CHOI: I don't know. I feel like I'm really old. This is my eight years on tour. There is a lot of Korean younger players, too. Also not even just Korea, like Lydia or who's leading right now, they are so young and they got really talented. I don't know. I have to keep working hard and maybe more than them. Then I can maybe play with them. Q. Juli Inkster said that yesterday that 25 is like a veteran out here. She's on the leaderboard. How cool is it to see the game the way it is? You can play well from 17 to 54 out here. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, yesterday on the course when I saw the leaderboard I talk to my caddie, that's really impressive. I know she's working really hard. She's very passionate player and I really respect her career and everything. I really rooting for her. I hope she playing well this week. Q. How old do you think you'll be before you hang it up? 40? 45? 50? NA YEON CHOI: Every day is different. Every day is different. Sometimes this is great job; I want to play as long as I can. Sometimes too much stressful and I just want it quit. Every day is just different, I think. Q. Lydia said she wants to retire at 30. You don't have any thoughts like that, do you? NA YEON CHOI: 30? I don't know, I was thinking like thinking like retire 30 when I was a teenager. All right? So right now I'm thinking I'm going to play more than 30. I think it's just change a little bit in age. Q. So all the young rookies out here talking about how they want to make the Olympics, is that pressure on you? I know you want to be on that team. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, that was my goal like last three, four years. Right now most difficult thing is like qualifying for the Korean team. I have to play well this year until like when they call finalist of Olympic players I heard just one month before Olympic. So we have still more than a year. Just keep playing well, try to keep in contention, and then one day I will catch a couple young players. Q. Nine Korean players in the top 21 in the world right now. Do you look that? I know only four can be on the team. Did you do you follow the standings? Do you look at where you're at? Do you just want to keep playing and hope it works out? NA YEON CHOI: I looked last December and tried to set my goal for 2015, like for future. That's why I looked at the ranking. But after that I never really contention. If I play well or if I win a tournament, I think I will have positive result. Q. You talked about how much pressure there was at Crown to represent your country well. How much do you think there will be at the Olympics? NA YEON CHOI: I know it will be a lot. I never been to Olympic, but I went to London Olympic for watching some games. Q. What did you watch? NA YEON CHOI: I watched swimming, volleyball, hand ball. Because my friend playing in Korean volleyball team. Then even I just was like crowd for the tournament, but I could feel how much pressure they have for playing the Korean flag. But that was a good experience. Q. What makes Hyo Joo, Q Baek, Sei Young, Ha Na Jang 4‑under heading into her round today. What makes them all so good so early? NA YEON CHOI: I knew it. Q. You called it. I remember. NA YEON CHOI: I knew it. They are so good player, especially they have good personality. So I didn't think they need more time for used to it for the culture things in America or something. I think they're all good. Especially like Hyo Joo or Sei Young keep asking me, How can I learn English, because they knew I didn't speak English well before. So actually Sei Young had Greg, my manager. He used to be my English tutor. They start for a class. I hope they can speak better and better and better. Then when I speak better English, I feel really comfortable living in America. Right now I feel more comfortable in here, so I hope they will learning English and maybe they can give to the sponsor or crowd for more emotional things. Q. What was the toughest part when you came to America? Ha Na said she hasn't been to a tutor but she's been watching Disney movies and it's coming a lot quicker. What was your trick? NA YEON CHOI: I watch TV, too, but usually I had book every day, and then I put Post‑It on the mirror every day and then I try memorize. Actually my case is like I was learning English from the interview. So whenever I interview with you, there is a transcription on the LPGA website. So I just print it out, and Greg just say, You can't say this; you say come not came. Whatever, just practice from that and I learn from a that. I actually I printed out Suzann, Paula, and Cristie Kerr's interview things and I tried to learning from them. Q. Oh, that's very cool. Very cool. Christina Kim was saying yesterday that Ha Na Jang out there on the course kind of reminds her of Lydia. She's just always happy. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, she's that kind of player. I think actually‑‑ do you know Jiyai Shin? Q. A little bit. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, she used to play over the years 2010 or '11. Ha Na Jang seems for by Jiyai Shin. She doesn't care. She just try everything and always a smile face. Like even she shoot 5‑over, looks like she shoot 5‑under. Yeah. Q. Sei Young seems like she's the same way. I saw the celebration on 17 at Lotte. She looks like she's having a lot of fun out there, too. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, they are my same high school as me. They went to my high school. Q. Ha Na and Sei Young? NA YEON CHOI: And Hyo Joo, too. Q. What high school was that? NA YEON CHOI: Korea. Not even me, there is who else in there? Sun Young Yoo. Yeah, there is many good golfers came. There is a little bit age difference so I never really played with them when we were junior. Sometimes when I play with the KLPGA I play with them. They hit it far. I think that's the most advantage they can take. They hit hard and straight. I mean, that's their game. Q. No real weaknesses, right? NA YEON CHOI: No. Like say, Lydia, she hit everything straight and chipping and putting is good. All the Korean, Hyo Joo, Sei Young, Ha Na, Q Baek, they are good. Also they hit it far. They had experience already from Korea. I think that's another benefit. Q. That's and Christina was saying yesterday. We call them rookies but they're really not. They come over here and it's immediate success and they're used to this level of competition. NA YEON CHOI: Four, five years I think. Especially in Korea there is a lot of golfers fan and media stuff. There is good golfers already in Korea. They have competition in there every day. I mean, they are rookie here, but they are not rookie. Q. Were you watching Sei Young's win last week, and what were your thoughts? NA YEON CHOI: Actually, when I watch she made a chip. I thought that's birdie. I didn't see her ball into the water. Q. You thought she won the tournament. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I thought she won the tournament after she made that chip. Then I turn off the TV, and then like hour, hour and 30 minutes later and one of my friend text me, Sei Young won. I knew. But she eagled it. No, that was a birdie. Chip‑in. And then my friend say they want to playoff and Sei Young holed it. Yeah. Q. Have you ever seen anything like that in a gold tournament? NA YEON CHOI: I mean, no. You can't beat her I think. I said, You did a good job. You did what you can do. Q. Perfect. Thanks so much. That was great. Good luck this weekend? NA YEON CHOI: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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