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KIA CLASSIC

March 25, 2016

Jenny Shin

Carlsbad, California

Q. A round like that, did anything go wrong?
JENNY SHIN: No. Even if it did, it stayed in the fairway. I think it was a really good round. I hit great shots. I hit great putts. I had a lot of 6-footers for birdie, so it was a good day.

Q. A day like this, I mean, you know you've got to take advantage of the morning, because the way the leaders were, and you certainly did that with the lowest round by two shots?
JENNY SHIN: I thought about that yesterday, the back nine, it was getting really bumpy. It was firming up a lot. Made it tougher with the wind. And I thought about that today. But I certainly hit better shots than I did yesterday, and that helped.

Q. Is this a course where if you don't -- they talk about the size of the greens, but every green has so much contortion. Were you kind of dialed in today and just getting it on the right part of the green, putts?
JENNY SHIN: I did. I got a lot of help from James, my caddie. I haven't hired him for awhile. He's one of my favorites, and he does a really good job with course management and he helped me quite a bit today and yesterday. I think I did a good job placing my ball in the right position and getting the right clubs.

And about this course, I missed the cut here last year, so I was really unsure how the result would come out, but I'm pretty satisfied with it.

Q. How is his job interview going so far? Is he doing good in the interview so far?
JENNY SHIN: Most of the time I feel like I'm being interviewed. He's tough to get -- he belongs on the PGA TOUR. I don't know, maybe the win could seduce him, I don't know.

Q. When is the last time you worked with him?
JENNY SHIN: I worked with him two years ago at ShopRite and then three, four years ago at Japan. Both times, we finished top five, so pretty good run.

Q. First time on the bag this year?
JENNY SHIN: For him.

Q. How did it come about you are together this week?
JENNY SHIN: I've been looking for a caddie this year. I let go of mine last year, who I worked with for three years. And I know what James is like and I know how he can help me. I called him out for two weeks, so he's going to be working with me for this week and the next.

Q. When is your last 36-hole lead?
JENNY SHIN: Australia, I was leading after three days. So hasn't been that long ago.

Q. You've been playing well this year; if you had to pinpoint something, what is the difference?
JENNY SHIN: I certainly see myself improving every year. That's a big reason for the most part. I feel like in every aspect of the game I'm improving just a little bit and hopefully it will come together sometime this year.

Q. '14 was such a good year for you. What did you think of last year? Was last year just as good a year in some ways, do you think?
JENNY SHIN: It's funny, because '14, I had the most Top-10s I've ever had, and probably the highest money ranking.

Last year, I don't know. I've definitely finished top 30 a lot. But I never got in that contention. I don't know what it is, but I know that 2015, I was definitely a better player than 2014. So it could be in my head. It could be anything.

Q. How ready are you to win?
JENNY SHIN: I think I'm ready. I think I'm ready.

Q. What's going to be the difference for you I guess? What's going to putt you over the top on weekends?
JENNY SHIN: Probably my mind-set. I like to chase the leaderboard. Sometimes it works the other way. So I'm trying not to look at the leaderboard as much as I can. But I couldn't help myself coming down the last three holes. It's like, it feels great to be first, and I have a two-shot lead, yes.

But there's a certain point where I'm like, okay, there's no way I can mess it up, I'm so good right now. And that's when I start looking at the leaderboard, like there's no way I can mess it up. The last time I felt that was in the Symetra Tour in 2010. Hopefully that time will come again sometime this year.

Q. Today you start out so hot, and then you hit the lull. Is that just a natural thing or is it a function of the more difficult holes on this course?
JENNY SHIN: I thought it was pretty difficult in the back nine. Certain pin positions were pretty tough. Definitely a lot more windier in the back nine. I still hit good shots. Just didn't place myself in the perfect spot. I still managed to get two birdies in the back nine, so I'm pretty satisfied.

Q. What is the longest birdie putt you had today?
JENNY SHIN: Today, probably on No. 5, par 5, I had five paces. So yeah, 15 feet.

Q. That's the longest?
JENNY SHIN: That's the longest. I was hitting it close today.

Q. Is this tournament even more special because growing up in L.A., it's really the closest that you'll get to play at home, so family, friends can come out and watch? Is there pressure with that when it's a hometown tournament?
JENNY SHIN: Yeah, it is. The goal this week was like, I have to make the cut. I have to show up on the weekend.

This is the only tournament every year where I struggle to get in contention, and I think part of it was, it's close to home, a lot of people watching. I want to do well.

Last year, my coach came out and watched me for two days. So it was just a lot of pressure. This year, I didn't invite anybody, just my mom. Had a few fans here and there, which is good. I have a lot of supporters out here. But I think physically, like game-wise, I was ready. Good guy on the bag, had a lot of fun out there, a lot more talking.

Q. What's his last name?
JENNY SHIN: Walton.

Q. Did you play many Junior Worlds?
JENNY SHIN: I think I played it once.

Q. Do you know what age?
JENNY SHIN: I'm not sure. I do have a trophy, though.

Q. So you did something?
JENNY SHIN: I did something.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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