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SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

June 7, 2018

Lydia Ko

Galloway, New Jersey

Q. So what are your impressions of the course? You've had a couple shots to play it. It's been a while since you've been back here.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, it's really nice. The course is obviously a little softer than what I'm sure they would've liked because of the rain, but it's not like muddy or anything.

Yeah, the course is in pretty good condition. Yeah, I think the wind is a huge factor on this golf course. You actually want a little bit of wind because of the bugs out here, just to make them go away.

Q. How are you feeling about your game? I know you went back to Orlando during your time off and were working on some stuff.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I feel like -- you know, obviously I ended my four-week stretch on a high with a win and the top 10. It wasn't the best of weeks last week, but, no, I feel like there is a lot of things going on that are good.

I'm just trying to play with confidence, and, you know, being aggressive and just giving myself good opportunities. Especially I think in the past at this golf course the scores have been fairly low, so you try and when you get the chance to get that opportunity and get those birdies.

I think the par-5s, playing the par-5s well are going to be a really huge key, because especially on a wind direction like today, you know, I think majority of the players will be able to reach a lot of the par-5s. That can lead to eagles or birdies.

Q. The win you had last month, was that kind of a weight of your shoulders? Everyone was making a big deal of the fact that you hadn't won in a couple years.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, didn't feel like it was that long ago since my last win. Even last year I think I had three second-place finishes or something.

I knew I was playing solid, so just have to be patient with it. San Francisco has been a really cool place for me, so I was just super excited to be there. Couple of my friends surprised me that week.

I think I was worrying less about my golf and I was just having a really good time being there, and I think that was the really big key on me winning.

Q. You hadn't been here since 2014. Was there anything about the course you remembered when you went out there this week?
LYDIA KO: You know, I remember pretty much the majority of the golf course, especially after the tee shot. I could remember all the greens and all that.

Yeah, you know, it obviously been a while since I've been back. It's nice to come back. We' e had some nice weather these last few days, so hopefully we'll be able to continue that.

Q. What's it like for someone of your stature? Sponsors are always begging you to play in their tournaments. I know you can't play every single week. What's that like when you're being asked everywhere and you can't say yes to everybody?
LYDIA KO: You know, I think as a player you have to look at your schedule and see what tournaments you can play. I'm sure people would like to play them all, but it's just so tiring. Every player is different on how many events they like to play in a row.

So this for me is actually the longest stretch I'm ever going to do every since I've been on tour. So, yeah, no, you just have to play around with it. I mean, this time of the year is the busiest time for us because of the three majors pretty much being during these few months.

You kind of have to work around them and see the travel and logistics. Some players have outings and all that. Yeah, you just have to see what fits best in your schedule. Every player's schedule looks a little differently to another one.

Q. You said this is the longest stretch you play. How many weeks in a row?
LYDIA KO: Six.

Q. What is this week?
LYDIA KO: Two.

Q. Second of six in a row?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, yeah. So I'm okay now. (Laughter.)

Q. You had your warmup; like life is good.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, exactly.

Q. What is your ideal number of tournaments you like to play in a year?
LYDIA KO: Number of tournaments, probably 25, 26, 27. Yeah, I think that's a good number.

Fortunately for us, we've been getting more and more tournaments on our LPGA schedule, so it gives us a few more options to play.

We have a bunch of great events domestically and overseas and Asia, too. It's great that the tour is getting bigger and we're able to play all around the world at different countries.

Q. Did you recently celebrate your 21st birthday?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, in San Francisco.

Q. Do anything? A milestone for 21 maybe?
LYDIA KO: Not really. My friend, couple of my friends, they came and surprised me that week. Which I didn't know they were going to, so I think that was the biggest -- coolest thing about that birthday.

Q. First legal drink?
LYDIA KO: Was there, but, yeah, I mean, in New Zealand and Korea I've been legal for a couple years. So, yeah, it wasn't like, Oh, my God! I'm so excited for my first drink.

Yeah.

Q. One last thing about the course and the wind. You mentioned the wind. How much does that affect your game from a standpoint of planning that day's -- like do you go in saying, Jeez, I got to hit the ball this way or that way, or is it, I'm just going to play?
LYDIA KO: At that event?

Q. Yeah.
LYDIA KO: I mean, I kind of try to think of it as -- I always feel like -- (indiscernible) players are already destined to win that event, but as players we obviously have no idea who is going to win it.

Q. No, I'm sorry. You misunderstood me. I'm talking about the wind conditions.
LYDIA KO: Oh, the wind?

Q. Yes.
LYDIA KO: Oh, the wind. That's not destined. The winds is not destined.

Yeah, I think normally it blows out here, I think. It was a little breezy when I played here last.

Yeah, you know, I think the strength of the wind is one thing; I think the direction is another. When I played here on Tuesday it was a little different direction to today. That just made the par-5s not reachable, where today it was reachable.

So even though it might be from southeast to southwest, it's not like a huge difference, but that little bit makes it a little bit easier. Some holes where yesterday I hit 5-iron I hit 9-iron today. I think those are the big differences.

In this the end, I think the par-5s are going to be the biggest factors with the wind just because hitting a 30-yard pitch shot obviously is good, but being on the green or near the green is gonna be a little bit easier or a little different compared to a pitch shot into the green.

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