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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLF

August 17, 2016

Inbee Park

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

KRAIG KANN: Good afternoon. Welcome to the Rio Olympics 2016. After a 66 bogey‑free 5‑under par, Inbee Park from the Republic of Korea. We'll take some questions in just a moment.
Let's get some opening comments from you. One heck of a start for you.
INBEE PARK: Bogey‑free round, been awhile. Feels great. It wasn't too windy out there this morning, so I had a lot of opportunities at birdie. I had a really good ball‑striking day. I had a lot of opportunities and there was probably two or three more putts that I possible could have made.
But yeah, I'm very satisfied with today's round. I felt quite nervous this morning, teeing off, and being able to overcome that kind of nerves feels great.

Q. Has it been a while since you've played an event like this, feeling anxious about it?
INBEE PARK: I think I wasn't too anxious because obviously I haven't played that many events in a while. Obviously I haven't really performed well, so I wasn't expecting much from myself, although I prepared very, very hard for this weekend. I practiced hard and gave it all I've got. My only goal was just to play like I did in the practice rounds, and yeah, I felt pretty good coming into this week. My injury felt pretty good and ball‑striking to putting, everything, felt like I was quite ready. I'm very happy to see the results like today. It's a good confidence boost.

Q. There are quite a few people in the gallery that were Korean following, and they said that they expect the Koreans to place first, second and third this week. How much are you aware of the expectations and how do you absorb that, when it's tough enough as it is?
INBEE PARK: Well, I think being a Korean women's golfer, I think we always have that kind of pressure on our shoulders. It's hard, because we play 30 events a year, and there isn't many weeks where all Korean golfers finish one, two, three.
You know, being able to do it in the Olympics would be something unreal, but obviously it's going to be something that's very, very hard to do with all of the great competitors all around the world. I think a lot of the Korean girls are pretty used to it, but at the same time, it is a pressure for a lot of us.
It is a really hard one. But you know, we really can't help it.

Q. Does that play a rolE into why you were more nervous?
INBEE PARK: I think that, one, I probably haven't played in a big event in a while. And two is probably when you have your national flag on your chest, it gives you extra motivation, extra nerves and everything. And to think that we are in the Olympic Games, I think that made a lot of the girls very, very nervous.
I was able to feel a lot of the players' nerves when I was on the range and when I was playing out there. I haven't played in a while, but this is not what I usually get all the time. So I was able to tell, everybody was quite proud to represent their country and quite excited and quite nervous at the same time.

Q. How close are you watching players behind you, perhaps Lydia Ko?
INBEE PARK: I think once we are out on the golf course, we really don't think about other people's score. What I really was watching was fellow Korean players' scores. I was just curious. I usually don't watch the scoreboard that much in the first round, but it was quite easy to see out there today and I really wanted to know how my fellow Korean girls were doing. So I was just watching that.

Q. Can you pinpoint when the injury first occurred to your thumb, and also, how frustrating has it been to deal with that throughout this year? It seems like you try to start and then you have to take some time off and go back.
INBEE PARK: I first started feeling it in the off‑season in January. Some weeks it was good. Some weeks it was bad. I tried to rest it and tried to play again. Didn't really work. When I tried to play again, it just didn't work. I felt like still perform well and I can still play with injury, but it just didn't happen. It was just my mistake.
Now I feel much better than before.

Q. I know you were asked the other day about comparing this to a major, for you personally. But beyond you personally, if you were to win a medal this week, how would that be back home in South Korea compared to a major? Which one do you think would be more important?
INBEE PARK: I think Olympic Games will be bigger in Korea probably. I mean, I really don't know the exact numbers, and it probably feels bigger because a lot more people is watching. I mean, golf is probably‑‑ a lot of golf fans are interested in golf and I think Olympics is all the people who enjoy sports, and even people who doesn't enjoy sports, I think they get to watch and cheer on. So I think it is quite big.

Q. Your round today, looking at it, is there anything you'll change tomorrow or the way you attack some of the holes?
INBEE PARK: Well, it's really going to depend on the wind tomorrow. Because it seems like the winds switches quite a bit every day. So the game plan really because of the wind here, because we are not going to get like a really calm day; we are always going to get some kind of wind. I think yeah, that's the only thing that we really need to watch out. Today my ball‑striking was good and my strategy was good. I'm going to try to hit it just like today and drop more putts.

Q. I know you have other course records, but to do it in the first round when golf returns to the Olympics, in the modern day, what does that mean?
INBEE PARK: Well, 5‑under is probably not going to be enough. I wish that a couple more putts dropped, and being in the record books would be something very, very special.
Yeah, it would be just unreal, because I like being in the records, and I like challenging myself and stuff. So I think it's definitely good to have.

Q. What was the duct tape on your shirt?
INBEE PARK: I was told this morning that we need to cover up the clothing logo, clothing brand of our clothes.

Q. About six putts, ten feet or less, was there any part of you that's frustrated or was there a part of you that's pretty excited to have so many opportunities?
INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean, the one thing that I'm really happy about is that I had that many opportunities out there today. You know, just out of the six putts, I probably should have made two or three. But yeah, just a couple of them were just misread and a couple of them were really good putts. Just didn't quite drop.
I always like to deal with missed opportunity than not even having an opportunity. Looking forward to a lot more opportunities, and looking forward to dropping more putts.

Q. Did your thumb hurt you at all today and did it bother you when you were swinging?
INBEE PARK: It was pretty good today. I mean, it always feels like I don't want to speak about the thumb again because I've been getting so many questions. I really think it doesn't matter how my thumb feels right now. I want to give it my best this week, and that injury is not going to be a probably this week.

Q. You said the wind would be a factor, but on some parts of the course, do you feel that you can score or are there some holes that really suit you?
INBEE PARK: Well, it's really hard to tell after the first round. But there is probably about four or five holes that you really need to play conservative and make pars. And the rest of the holes, there are quite many holes where we hit short irons in or even wedges.
So holes where we can hit short clubs, definitely you have to take advantage of. You definitely have to make pars on those long holes with a lot of wind. So I think, yeah, it's tough holes. No. 11, 12, 13, tough, and No.2. Probably 7, 8, 9, and 16, 17, 18, are where we can make birdies on.

Q. From the introduction on the first tee, the team announced, what, if anything, about this whole day might have felt different in that obviously it is the Olympics, as opposed to any other tournament you play. Any special stories?
INBEE PARK: Yeah, I think that actually made us a lot more nervous, the first tee. Obviously we don't do that all the time. Everyone I think was quite nervous because we've never seen something like that before.
I think at the same time, it's very exciting. You get to have the national flag on your chest and to get to represent your country in the Olympic Games, it's really a super thing. Really happy to be here and being able to represent South Korea is a big honour.

Q. What did you hit on 12?
INBEE PARK: 5‑wood.
KRAIG KANN: Before we let you go, one from me. 17 wins, seven majors, career earnings of almost $13 million, Grand Slam last year, this year qualification for the Hall of Fame. You've accomplished so much. In the scope of a career that's already unbelievable, what does being part of the Olympics mean for your career?
INBEE PARK: Well, I think that this could be really the highlight of my career. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity. Obviously we have five major tournaments a year. I've played and I've won a lot of the major championships, and obviously in the Olympic Games, you get to only do it once every four years, and golf in 112 years.
So being able to be standing here representing South Korea in my golfing career is something very special and very meant to be. So very happy to be here. It's a huge honour, and like I said, it could be the highlight of my golfing career.
KRAIG KANN: Best of luck and congratulations on a great opening round.

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