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OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016: GOLF

August 19, 2016

Lydia Ko

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

KRAIG KANN: Good afternoon, welcome to the Rio 2016 games, and we are through three days for this player, lid I don't co, the world No. 1 comes in after rounds of 69, 70 and 65. Clearly a fantastic round today. Let's get some thoughts on the conditions, what you dealt with on the front nine and the second nine holes?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I said we'd been pretty lucky with the wind the past two days. Then I opened my mouth too early. It was blowing really strong out there. We all know that the holes coming in, 16 to 18, it can be good birdie opportunities, but today with the wind being really strong into us, the holes that were a little easier almost played tougher.
But I'm happy with the way I played today and I made my first‑ever hole‑in‑one. So to do that at the Olympics, it doesn't get any better than that. But to put myself back into good position going into tomorrow I think was a job well done going forward.
KRAIG KANN: There are some in here that want me to remind you that you owe them a round.
LYDIA KO: Yes, I think we already know, right.

Q. Is it surprising to you that that was your first‑ever hole‑in‑one, never happened in a practice round or casually, and can you just talk about if you were at all frustrated at never having had one before.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I was actually talking to Jerry Foltz a few weeks ago, I think it was Jerry‑‑ or I was talking to someone. And I said, I've actually only made a fifth on the hole‑in‑one, because I made a hole‑in‑one for double in a practice round, so I really can't count it.
This is the first one in a practice round and tournament all included. I almost didn't know how to react, because it is your first one, and the wind is blowing and I haven't had the bestest luck when it comes to hole‑in‑ones. I had two chances at KPMG that kind of decided to not go in.
Yeah, I would have loved to like done a dance or jumped up‑and‑down, but that situation, I think I was almost trying to cry, and then I realised, hey, I've got 11 more holes, get out of it.
It's really cool. It just puts the cherry on top. This week is about having fun and this experience, being an Olympian and competing in the Olympics, and to have my first hole in one, it's something that I'll never forget.
KRAIG KANN: Has this week exceeded expectations thus far, based on what you thought this might be like coming in here, Rio.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, we all saw what an impressive week it was last week, seeing the men's side. It was very successful. So much great golf. Two hole‑in‑ones last week, too.
So I think just after seeing the men's play, I knew that this week was going to be even greater, especially being inside the ropes as an athlete perspective.
But this week has been great. Even without considering today, I think just this experience, being here, representing New Zealand, seeing some of the other athletes from New Zealand, I think that is an inspiration, and I think that's what the Olympics is about.
Obviously the results and the medals are great, but at the end of the day, it's about the world's best athletes together and having a great time and at the end, having to compete to stand on the podium.

Q. What were you thinking when the day started?
LYDIA KO: I think I had 6‑under in my head and to have done that, I think is really cool. But no, I didn't expect the wind to be this strong today. I said 6‑under, but it feels more like 10‑under.
Some holes, when you are making par, you feel like you're making birdies, or birdies or eagles. That's what the situation and conditions were like out there. To put myself in good position going into tomorrow, I think I've done a good job of putting myself in there and still having the chance to be standing on that podium, and just to see some putts go in was really good. I didn't have much momentum with the putter the past two days, so to see some putts go in, I think that kind of boosted the confidence a little bit.
KRAIG KANN: Knowing where you were after two rounds, did you feel any pressure to post that number you just pointed out was your goal?
LYDIA KO: I knew that‑‑ you never know what's going to happen. You could imagine a 6‑under and go the other way, or you could shoot better than that. Especially around this course, anything can happen, and the weather plays a huge impact on the course. There might be some forecasted rain tomorrow, who knows, and anything can happen.
So to I think do what I tried to do is really good. It puts my foot in the right step. But at the same time, we've still got a lot of golf to be played. The leaders are still out there on the course. So you just never know, and I don't know what position I'll really end up by the end of when the leaders are finished.

Q. Strong front nine for you. What was your assessment with the way you played the back nine?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I shot 1‑over on the front nine the past two days. So kind of turned that around. That was a goal going into today. I need better momentum going into the back nine, because it puts less pressure on me to try and flip my round around. Obviously seeing the men's‑‑ when you're scoring good and when somebody posts a low number, it kind of started with the front nine and gradually went into the back nine.
Starting off well this round with a birdie on 1, and then taking momentum and birdieing 5 and 6, I think was good. Especially where there are some par 5s where some longer hitters can reach it for two; you need to kind of take advantage of it and the shorter holes out there, because the long holes are playing super long out there.

Q. What did you hit and at what point did you know it had a chance?
LYDIA KO: I hit a 7‑iron. I gripped a 7. The wind was blowing left‑to‑right straight across me, and I knew that I had good, solid contact. Because the pin was tucked on the left, I was first worrying about, is it going to carry the bunker. With this type of sand, you could kind of get plugged in it if you're unlucky.
As soon as it carried, I just kind of watched for it to see where it would end up, not if it was going to go in the hole or not. Especially when there are slopey greens, you don't know if it's going to end up left or right or long, short.
I couldn't believe it when the ball disappeared, especially with no experience what it's like having a hole‑in‑one. I didn't know if there was a dip under there. I didn't want to look stupid and kind of jump up‑and‑down and it's right by the hole.
It's good to have crowds out there, because you kind of feed off their reaction and go, oh, it is in. But it was a perfect shot at the perfect time.

Q. You've talked about how much you want a Gold Medal. How do you trick yourself into not thinking about that and just thinking about golf tomorrow?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think the most important thing for me is to just focus on me and just focus on the shot I have in front of me. If I think about what another player is doing or what the groups behind or in front are doing, I think I can get carried away about everybody else apart from me.
At the end of the day, the most important thing for me is to hit solid shots and put myself in good opportunities and try and hole a few putts. I always say that if I can play solid, and somebody plays better than me, it's really out of my hands.
But we all know that there is a lot on the line at the end of tomorrow, but I think I've just got to take it on as just another day out there and just focus on the shot I have in front of me, and have a lot of fun. To be in this position in my first‑ever Olympics, I think it's cool enough being there. Just focus and have fun, double it.

Q. How it was playing, the front nine, can you compareit to the back nine ‑‑
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I feel like I shot under par on the back nine, even though I shot even par. You know, the holes, even the last hole, yesterday I hit 3‑wood, 3‑wood, sand wedge. But today I hit driver, 3‑wood, 6‑iron, and that's what a huge difference the wind can put.
The holes coming in, I would have never I imagined it for me to come in with 6‑irons and 7‑irons into 16, even if they are short putts, because it is so windy, that can put an effect on how the ball rolls. Even though I did shoot even, some of the pars out there, I felt like I made birdies.

Q. With it being so tight at the top of the leaderboard and three medals up for grabs tomorrow, there's a prospect of more than one playoff for a medal. What are your thoughts on that prospect of multiple playoffs?
LYDIA KO: There wasn't a playoff last week. You never know. There's either going to be a playoff or not.
I know it's a very packed leaderboard at the top. But like I said, we don't know how they are going to finish. They could run away with it a little bit more, or who knows. So if there is a playoff, it will make it even more interesting. But who knows, it's really up to all of us at the end of the day.
KRAIG KANN: Any other questions?
Final one from me then.
You got a podium jacket when you checked in, representing New Zealand. You have had a wonderful career at a very young age: No. 1 in the world, No. 1 in the Money List, 14 wins on the LPGA, two major titles, Rookie of the Year in 2014, Player of the Year in 2015, and now this opportunity tomorrow to essentially put a podium jacket on. Matt Kuchar talked about it up here, pinching himself thinking about it.
What would this mean to you at this age and for your career to be on that podium?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, ever since '09, I was only 12 then, I've imagined myself to be able to represent New Zealand at the Olympics. To be here and especially on that first day on the first hole, I almost need to pinch myself if I was really here in Rio and really competing in the Olympics. To be able to stand on that podium, it's almost more than what you could imagine.
Yesterday, New Zealand had five athletes who got to stand on the podium, and I said, wow, what a feeling it would be to put my contribution and me stand on the podium for New Zealand, too. Just start imagining and dreaming about it, but you know, I know that you never know with the game of golf. Things can change so quickly.
I just know that I have to put things into perspective and think, obviously there is the medals and podium and everything at the end of tomorrow. But it's just like another day. You need to go out there and think of it as, hey, like a practice round.
So I think it's going to be a very cool feeling. I even asked Jason, hey, I wonder what it feels like to be holding a medal or trying to bite into the medal. But I think you never really know until you're really there, and I think that's where Matt Kuchar's perspective came in is that he got to wear his podium jacket, and how cool he looked in it. Maybe and hopefully I'll be able to get that chance to do that, but I just don't want to rush myself and put myself as in, hey, I wish. I know that there's still a lot of golf to be played and just focus on that one shot I have.

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