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SIME DARBY LPGA MALAYSIA

October 7, 2015

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Very warm welcome to the five Malaysian Angels. Ladies, thank you very much indeed for joining us.

Nur Durriyah, welcome to the tournament. Michelle Koh, welcome back. Kelly Tan, Cindy Lee-Pridgen, and Ainil Bakar, welcome, and good afternoon to you all.

We'll start off with Kelly, who is the top-ranked Malaysia player. Welcome back to the tournament. You said yesterday in the press conference that you haven't had the best season so far on tour, but you're pleased to be here. Tell us your thoughts ahead of this year's Sime Darby.

KELLY TAN: Yeah, I've been looking forward to come back home and play back here and Malaysia, and I'm extra excited to play in front of the home crowd.

The golf course is looking great. The tournament is fantastic. I just can't be any more excited to go out there tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. Michelle, how is your season, your form?

MICHELLE KOH: I've had the best season so far compared to last year. I had one win in June, July. The year has been really good so far, and hopefully I'll get the form this week.

THE MODERATOR: Have you played this course yet this week?

MICHELLE KOH: Yes. Two practice rounds with Kelly.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. Good. Cindy, you're the veteran here. You've played the tournament two, three times?

CINDY LEE-PRIDGEN: This will be my third.

THE MODERATOR: Third time this time. And you said that sort of the psychologically/mentally you feel better prepared than previously.

CINDY LEE-PRIDGEN: I am. Most people know that I am the mommy of this crowd here. (Laughter.) The boys are a little bit grown up. We did have a move last year to another foreign country. We're now in Abu Dhabi. Boys are more settled, so I've been able to practice and work out a little bit more.

I think mentally and physically I've been more physically prepared.

THE MODERATOR: And Ainil there on the end, Malaysia's third-ranked player. How is it to be back this year?

AINIL BAKAR: It's good. I always love to come here and play with all the girls, because we don't get to really see all the Malaysians in one place. It's good to be back here. I have a friend who is caddie me this week, and hopefully she can (indiscernible.)

THE MODERATOR: And she been on your bag before or is this the first?

AINIL BAKAR: This is the first, so it's very cool.

THE MODERATOR: And then last but by no means least, Nur Durriyah Damian, Malaysia's top qualifying player from the local qualifying tournaments two weeks ago. Welcome to the tournament. How do you feel like ahead to tomorrow.

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: Hopefully I can play my best and enjoy.

THE MODERATOR: You've been on the Sime Darby LPGA Asia development program for the last how many years?

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: For years, five years.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. So that's obviously helped your game.

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: You're well-prepared; you obviously know the course.

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Do you think you have an advantage than one or two others having played the course a lot so far this year?

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: Mm-hmmm. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. What would your goal be this week personally? What is it that you want to achieve?
KELLY TAN: As much as I hate this question. As much as I hate targets, it's not going to be anything about the result. It's going to be a lot on how I'm going to handle myself out there. That's really the only thing I can worry about is controlling my own mind and myself. It will definitely produce the results.

MICHELLE KOH: My goal is to drive out of here with a new car. (Laughter.) The car on 17? It's a nice car. I was telling the girls yesterday, Yeah, that's my goal this year, drive a way with the car.

Anyway, I'm very excited and very happy to be back playing here. My goal this year would be just to keep it simple and do what I do. Keep it simple, yeah.

PLAYER: My goal is I try to play my best and enjoy and watch all the good players play.

CINDY LEE-PRIDGEN: I really want that mini van out there. I could use another mini van.

I guess for me it would be a little bit more the result, because every time I come here I'm always at the bottom on the very last page.

I think for me, if I could just push myself up further along the top I think that would be a good week for me.

ReplaceNameP: Hello. My goal is to make sure I (indiscernible) first before Michelle.

MICHELLE KOH: In your dream.

PLAYER: Yeah, me and my coach, we were talking about it yesterday, and I'm very happy my game, happy with my game. Today and tomorrow is going to be different when you see everyone out there with all the family coming out and you can see all the Malaysians to support.

So it's going to be a bit nervous maybe, but my goal is to be more calm out there, calm my mind, clear my head, not to think too much about what's going to happen, and just enjoy the week.

Q. This is just a question about the course. You've had I think a practice round. How did you find the course? Anything different?
KELLY TAN: I definitely have a lot of good memories every time I come back to the KLGCC. I've won over here on the east course, so I love this golf course. I think everything comes down to putting at the end of the day. That's what I'm really focusing on this week, just go out there and make putts, make birdies.

THE MODERATOR: Michelle?

MICHELLE KOH: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: What's your take on the course this year?

MICHELLE KOH: I'm coming prepared to play on the golf course. A little bit of a different perspective this year. Back then I was a little bit -- 2nd hole and 18th hole was a little bit of -- not my favorite holes.

Then again, you never really find a golf course that suits you all 18 holes. You just have to manage. So far last couple months whenever I was in I came to practice, and sort of decided every hole is the same. Just pick a target and hit it and keep it at that.

THE MODERATOR: So different psychologically? Will you actually play those two holes differently to how you played them in the past?

MICHELLE KOH: Yes. In the past, because of a little bit of stories and a little bit of -- for some reason, those two holes never really suit my eyesight very much. I've always found it a little tough to aim it where I want to aim it.

This year I've sort of managed to hold it down to like little more specific targets and just hit it there. So, yeah, that's the plan.

THE MODERATOR: Cindy, you've traveled a long way for this tournament. What is your take on the course?

CINDY LEE-PRIDGEN: Went and practiced yesterday and it played a lot different from the qualifier. The greens are a lot firmer and faster. They're not holding as well.

So obviously my caddie and I have come up with a game plan, and hopefully it'll kick in first thing tomorrow morning.

THE MODERATOR: Good luck. Any more questions?

Q. Could I ask you all generally, all the protocols and activities that make the LPGA so special here, do you find it more distracting or it helps you calm down?
KELLY TAN: Personally, I enjoy all the activities. I try to enjoy the activities. (Indiscernible).

Like you say, could be the reason that helps me calm down, so that's why I really enjoy being here.

THE MODERATOR: Ainil, do you enjoy this sort of stuff or do you find it a distraction?

AINIL BAKAR: Actually, I enjoy it. I love to go to the chip for charity because I really want the trip to Bali. (Laughter.)

It's good, because this is home, tournament at home, and you get to see all the medias and answer all the questions that they want to ask and play with the girls as well and meet different people, new people. And then you to get your head off the golf course and off the game for a few minutes, so it's nice.

THE MODERATOR: Same question to Nur Durriyah. This is your first time playing at the tournament. You seem to be taking it all fantastically in your stride. Is this what you would expect or a tiny bit overwhelming?

NUR DURRIYAH DAMIAN: I'm enjoying, and I try to calm and I really enjoy playing this week.

THE MODERATOR: Well you're coping fantastically. Delight to have you here.

Q. Kelly, you played this tournament as an amateur. What advice would you give to Nur Durriyah, if anything?
KELLY TAN: Well, as an amateur, you just go out there and enjoy. You really got nothing to lose. No matter what, just go out there and do your best.

Most important thing is enjoy, enjoy the crowd, enjoy people shouting your name, saying go. And if you can enjoy that, I think you're going to (indiscernible.)

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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