	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 22, 2018

Lydia Ko

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Lydia Ko, three-time CP Women's Open winner. Took the win as an amateur in 2012 and 2013, and finally as a professional in 2015.

Has 15 career LPGA wins, including two majors and this year's LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship. Welcome back to maybe your favorite tournament we have all year.

When you won in 2012, did you think that however many years later you would have the career now that you've had?

LYDIA KO: For sure not. I guess I was coming off a high winning the U.S. Am couple weeks before then.

To me, as an amateur I felt like it was such a cool experience to play alongside the best female golfers. I think that was really the main aspect for me.

I just said, Hey, I just want to try and make the cut and go from there. Fortunately for me I was able to put in a few good rounds and be right there in contention on Sunday and be the one holding the trophy.

I think even at that time it didn't really settle in. I think you're so young that you don't really know what's going on. Obviously you're super excited and super happy to have won, but, you know, I think I feel like I was very lucky right now looking back more than I was actually at that time.

It was a lot to take in.

THE MODERATOR: So you took that first win in the Vancouver area then went to Edmonton; won again in Vancouver. Could it be any different to where we are now? Tell us about the differences in the golf courses and coming out here to Regina. This is such a different area than we usually kind of see.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I feel like Golf Canada and everybody with CP always does an amazing job with hospitality in all the golf courses we go to for the Canadian Women's Open.

Every one of the golf courses has been I think very different. In the time that I've played the Canadian Open we've gone back to Vancouver twice, which doesn't happen very often in that kind of rotation.

Obviously here in Regina it's definitely a different area of Canada we get to see. I've gone to Korean restaurant, so I'm finding my way around here. I think the golf course is really nice. It's one of the fastest greens we've putted on all year, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Today it's a little windy out there and I think it's forecasted to be like that, so I think it's going to be a tough week, some tough golf, but we've got the best female golfers, so I'm sure there will be a lot of the birdies. Hopefully I'll be able to make my share, too.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. You've been working with Gareth Raflewski, I think, is that right, on your short game? Can you just talk about that relationship and what he's helped you with?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I started seeing Gareth at KPMG Women's PGA Championship last year. Obviously I try and see him once a week when he comes out. And especially the last few weeks we've been working on my speed control, which I felt like obviously speed is such an important factor in putting.

When you don't know exactly what speed you're going to hit it on it's hard to choose a line. We have been working on the speed. I worked with him last couple days and last week and so on, and I feel like speed is such an important factor that it's really good to get it dialed in early in the week.

Moving forward, I'm just trying to polish things and get more used to it. Yeah, no, he makes it very simple and gives me drills I can do when he's not here, too. Yeah, it's been good working with him. Obviously a lot of players working with him. It's proof that he's very good and awesome at what he does.

Q. You won three Canadian Opens in four years. What is it about Canada that allowed you to have so much success here? Is it the crowd? The style of golf courses? What's it been?
LYDIA KO: I feel like obviously Mayfair Golf Club and Vancouver Golf Club were two different style of golf courses. They were definitely some of the best golf courses that I've played, but I think the big thing for me was the crowds. They really took me in as their own. I almost became a Canadian. Who knows what would've happened if I did.

No, they have really taken me in and really welcomed us. Every time I come back to Canada I feel like it's another home for me. It's always great to come back to a place where you feel really welcomed and you don't feel like a stranger. I crowds - and, you know, you can see even out there today - the crowds are there on practice rounds and pro-ams. That's how excited they are to see us. I think that's a cool thing for us to play in front of these massive crowds.

Obviously with Brooke and Alena and some of the other Canadian players here I think they're definitely growing golf in Canada. It's a very exciting atmosphere out here. I think it's really cool for us to come and play in front of their home crowds.

Q. Having so much success at a young age, do you ever wonder or ever think about things that you may have given up that a normal teenager, 20 year old or 18 year old, may have gone through? Does that enter your mind or are you happy with how things have gone? Is it a balance that you have to keep?
LYDIA KO: I think everybody makes sacrifices. You can't do every single thing you want to do. I'd say the most important thing for me is happiness. I've got to enjoy what I do.

I might have given up on those Friday night sleepovers with my friends and going on those trips, but at the same time, I'm able to go to these amazing places in the world that maybe some other 21 year olds don't get to experience.

It all balances out. I think that's why I love being on tour. I get to go to these different places and experience different cultures. Nobody has the exact same life, but I feel very fortunate to be doing what I do, and have been doing that these past few years.

Yeah, no, I don't feel I regret anything. Obviously there were moments where I go, Oh, I wish I could do this. You know, even for me now in the off-season I go on a trip with my friends; went to Japan last year; or a trip within Korea. So I feel like I'm getting to do more things now than actually maybe when I was like 15 as an amateur.

Yeah, no, I feel very lucky. It's so much fun to experience all these things.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Lydia. Good luck this week.

LYDIA KO: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297