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KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIPJune 13, 2015Inbee ParkHARRISON, NEW YORK KELLY SCHULTZ: We would like to welcome in our two-time defending champion, Inbee Park, who had a fabulous round, seven birdies, no bogeys today, now leading at 14-under par. You joked the other day that you had never done three things in a row before, even though the three major wins, but now you have a chance to three-peat. What would it mean to you to go out there tomorrow and be a three-time defending champion of this event? INBEE PARK: I don't know how to describe in words how I'm going to feel tomorrow if I ended up winning tomorrow it. But definitely it will feel very good. Obviously I've done something three times before; I won three majors in a row before. I'm just trying to give myself the confidence that I can do it, do another three-time tomorrow. The way I've been playing, I've really been happy with ball-striking, and today was the best putting day yet. So I mean, it definitely gives me a lot of motivation and confidence going into tomorrow. KELLY SCHULTZ: It was moving day and a lot of people were talking about tough pin positions, yet you were able to take advantage. How were you able to go out there and shoot 7-under par. INBEE PARK: It's just a matter of playing the par 5s here. I was able to make three out of the five today, which I was kind of hoping for; three to four a day is great. Just make pars on the tough holes and go for the middle of the green for the tough holes, and try to make birdies on the par 5s. If I ended up making a couple more on the other holes, that's great, which I did today. Just the key was hitting a lot of greens and fairways, and putting good. Everything was working. Q. What's the difference between trying to win your first major versus trying to win one after you've already done it in terms of the pressure, the challenge? INBEE PARK: You know, I just think it's a matter of -- it feels like the first time is always hard, always hard to do and it puts extra pressure on yourself. But when you're trying to do the second, third time in a row, it just feels like you've done your homework already. So you feel a little bit more relaxed and you kind of know how it feels like and how it's going to play like. So I think it's just a matter of knowing a little bit better. But sometimes when you play bad, it doesn't really help. But when you're playing good golf, it definitely helps. Q. There have been players over the course of history, most recently Tiger and Rory and Annika, when they were at the top of the leaderboard, there was an intimidation factor, particularly on Sundays. Do you feel you're there? INBEE PARK: I always thought that I was pretty strong on Sunday. In the final round I've been pretty good on Sunday. Obviously it's the last time you're going to play the golf course for another year, and the last day is the most important day. I always thought that I was a little bit more intimidated or a little bit more motivated on the last days. Q. Do you feel that you intimidate other players when they see your name at the top of the leaderboard? INBEE PARK: I don't know how they really think. I don't know, I can't think that they would like it too much (laughter). KELLY SCHULTZ: You know Sei Young and you had her defeat you in a playoff earlier this year. We talked a lot about this rookie class from South Korea. What is it about Sei Young's game that makes her such a great competitor, and she seems to be pretty mentally strong, as well, not seeming to step back in pressure. INBEE PARK: She's a long hitter and this golf course really suits her because a lot of the par 5s are reachable. A couple of the par 5s that I can't get too, she can get to. It's a matter of keeping up with her on the par 5s and I think I will be pretty safe. I have to say my history with her is not great. I lost in a playoff to her in Lotte, and she won in Bahamas when I played with her. So she probably feels like, you know, I win when I play with Inbee, because it's twice she won and I played with her both times. There is always a first time, like I said, I never won in front of Sei Young yet, so you never know, hopefully tomorrow. Q. Your expression rarely changes out there. Is that by design, and on a day that when things are going as good as they were today, are you feeling something a little bit different on the inside as you're playing? INBEE PARK: I think I'm just a little bit shy, maybe expressing myself out on the course. Because I've never been really with big emotions, showing outside. It helps the game I think. That's the way I've been playing for a long, long time. You know, that's just the comfort zone for me that I just keep it to myself. Q. Are you surprised to have a two-shot lead going into tomorrow, given that Sei Young had the bogey on 18, you kind of went from maybe thinking you would be tied going into the final round to all of the sudden you get to sleep on this two-shot lead? INBEE PARK: Yeah, I thought it was a tie. But I just had an interview with NBC and they said two-shot lead and I was surprised, because it was a reachable par 5 on the last hole and I thought she would probably definitely make a birdie on a par. Yeah, it was a surprise, but it always helps having an extra couple shots going into tomorrow, so I'm happy. KELLY SCHULTZ: Have you thought about, you've accomplished a lot already in your young career, especially winning the first three majors in a season; where would winning an event three times in a row rank among all of your career accomplishments? INBEE PARK: Rank? I have to say it would be pretty close to winning three majors in a row. That was my biggest accomplishment ever in my career, but if I'm able to do this tomorrow, I think that will definitely be like tied for first. Q. Do you think you and Sei Young are so far out in front that it's a two-woman race tomorrow, or do you think other players could threaten you? INBEE PARK: I think it just really depends how they set up the golf course. If they set up really, really tough, I think it can be just me and Sei Young trying to battle each other. But if there is a couple of pin placements -- if there's a lot of pin placements that we can get to, then, I mean, it's been 7-under par every day for the last three days, so why not tomorrow. Q. Do you have a personal relationship with Sei Young? Do you consider yourself a mentor to the young Korean golfers, and how does that play out tomorrow? INBEE PARK: What was the question? Q. Do you have a mentorship-type relationship with Sei Young? INBEE PARK: Not really. I've played a few times together with her. Not really had any other time than that. Q. The playoff with Sei Young had such a crazy finish. How do you react to that? There wasn't much you could do, was there? INBEE PARK: I just did my best, but just the luck wasn't on our side. It's just always tough to see your opponent getting lucky. But it seems like she holes out a lot (laughter) so maybe it was just the usual. And I have two shots tomorrow, so maybe that's going to be a bit of a better sign. Yeah, she's been playing really fabulous this year. I feel like this golf course really suits her, as well. It's going to be a good battle tomorrow. It's not going to be just give it to me. I'm going to have to work hard. KELLY SCHULTZ: Good luck tomorrow. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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