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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLF

August 18, 2016

Lydia Ko

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Q. Decent day?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, I hit my tee shots very well. So it's disappointing when you're not holing many putts out there. But I made good birdies on 15, 16, to kind of put myself in under par for the day. But when you're not holing many putts, it can get a little frustrating. I tried to keep my head high, and especially with the last few holes, if you put yourself in good positions, it can be birdie opportunities.
With that kind of a finishing hole, you just never know what's going to happen. I think the big key for me is to stay confident, focus on the shot I have in front of me, and at the end of the day, all I can do is try my best. I feel like there's still a lot of golf to be played, and I feel like there's a lower number than what I've shot the last two days. Hopefully that's coming in the next two.

Q. They showed your tee shot on 17, but not the putt. What happened there?
LYDIA KO: You know, I hit a great tee shot. I thought I stroked it fine. I kind of aimed it inside left and it broke a touch more than I thought and it ended up lipping out. But I don't think it was one of those lipouts because I hit it too hard. I think if I hit is softer anyway, it would have missed even lower. Especially a short one, you think, hey, is it inside the hole. I put a confident stroke on it. It was just a touch too low.

Q. Are these greens tricky to read?
LYDIA KO: You know, they are tricky, to me, right now. But I feel like on any green, if you get putts rolling, they seem like buckets. That's why it's I think a big mental thing, a big confidence thing.
At the end of the day, if you start holing putts, you know that you can hole them again and again and again. I think that's the big key for me is to go tomorrow and the next day, go and play those first few holes, feeling confident with the putter. I think that's the key.
I've been playing the front nine 1‑over both days. I think when the girls are shooting low numbers, they are already shooting low numbers going to the back nine. So when you're coming in with over par and you've got a very tough stretch of holes and you're trying to recover, stay in a safe zone and then trying to make up for those, it's hard.
I've got to play the front nine a little better, and I think if I put myself in that better position and put less pressure going into the back nine, I think that's a big key for me the next two days.

Q. Stressing yourself out.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, why would you do that.

Q. Are you surprised at Marianne Skarpnord's play so far?
LYDIA KO: No, I've seen Marianne a few times when I've played the LET events. I think she's been very confident, and to shoot a very low number like that, she's confident in her game. And no matter what ranking you are, coming into this week, at the end of the day, we're all golfers and we're all Olympians.
I think that's an impressive round that she's shot, and I'm sure momentum is going to go towards the next two days.

Q. Did you see a 63?
LYDIA KO: Really the scores depend on the wind. It's very calm right now and it's heading towards the middle, late afternoon. I think depending on how much water they put on the greens and how much wind they have, it can be a huge difference into shots coming in. I think a 63 today is a great number no matter what, but the girls that did go that low kind of took advantage of these conditions.

Q. You've played a lot with Charley; what is it about her game that's well suited to this golf course?
LYDIA KO: I'd say she's a very confident player. No matter if she didn't hit a very good tee shot or didn't hit a very good shot on the hole before, she almost seems, hey, I forgot about that already and she's on to the next.
I think that's a big thing for her is that she's confident. But at the same time, she kind of has a little bit where, I don't really care. Obviously she does care, but that's good when it can put a little less pressure on you and you can forget about the bad shots and remember the good shots.
I think that's a good thing where you have the confidence to go out there and shoot a number no matter if you're playing well or not.

Q. Do you think she has maybe a little bit of that oblivion factor in her, to maybe not know how big of a stage this is? Do you think that might help her?
LYDIA KO: I think she realises how big of a deal it is, and especially with Justin Rose winning the Gold Medal, I know she would love to putt a contribution to GB.
I think it's just her personality that she's just cool, outgoing, trying to play some great golf, and no matter what tournament that you're playing, I think that's a confidence factor; that either you're in perfect positions or not, you're still going out there focusing on that shot in front of me and not worrying about everything that's gone around you.

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