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HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

March 3, 2019

Sung Hyun Park

Republic of Singapore

KRISTEN YOON: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us here in the media center at Sentosa Golf Club.

I am very excited to present to you your 2019 Champion of the HSBC Women's World Championship, Sung Hyun park, now six-time winner on the LPGA Tour.

Congratulations, Sung Hyun, we're so excited to see you here doing awesome things this week.

Your second start in the 2019 season. Did you think that your first win would happen so quickly?

SUNG HYUN PARK: I never expected that my first win would come this quick, because I usually had pretty unstable beginning of the season for the last few years. I think the training that I had on the last winter really helped me a lot. The training really made me stronger, and I think those really helped me.

KRISTEN YOON: You shot an 8-under 64 the final round. What was the secret to your game today, because you shot 69 in the first round, you were at 36th place and then you shot up the leaderboard, so what was going so well for you today?

SUNG HYUN PARK: The secret, I might say I just tried to focus on shot-by-shot today, and because of the hot weather, I was holding my umbrella. But not only because it was hot; I was holding it really low so I could just look at the ground, and that really made me focus more on my playing, and that really helped me a lot to focus on my play today.

KRISTEN YOON: You had a pretty big fan following supporting you all four days of the tournament. What did it feel like to be playing in front of your fans in Singapore?

SUNG HYUN PARK: So most Asian tournaments, a lot of my fans travel all the way from Korea just to see me, just to see my play, and it really, really helps me in terms of my play and just in my mind-set.

I'm really surprised every time I see them, like such a huge group of fans just coming wall the way to Singapore just to see me, and it really helps me have good energy.

Q. Can you tell us -- first of all, how difficult the chip on No. 8 hole, and how did you mentally recover from dropping a shot there to play so well afterwards?
SUNG HYUN PARK: There was a pretty strong downhill right after the green, and there it was a bunker, as well.

I had two options. First, I could just chip up the ball and point it to the pin, and the other one was just to make it to the left side in going to the pin, but I chose the first one.

But I think the contact wasn't very good, but I had a pretty good confidence that I could point it to the pin.

Q. Were you aware that Minjee had dropped that shot on 14, and that the tournament was there for the taking from there on the 16th?
SUNG HYUN PARK: I had no idea what was going on on the 14th hole. I just looked at the scoreboard and I saw my name. I birdied the 16th hole and I just knew that I was leading by under two.

Q. On Friday and Saturday, you started off the front nine brilliantly, but on the back nine, you didn't play so well. Today, what was the difference today? You were very good both on the front nine and back nine.
SUNG HYUN PARK: In the second and third round, I didn't play that well on the back nine holes. My mom asked me after the third round, "Are you tired?"

I told her, like I still have one more day and just watch my game. Even though I had over pars on the back nine in the second and third round, I still had the confidence that I could play better on the last day.

I think I tried to focus on my second shots because the green was really firm.

Q. Today, you came back from four shots behind to win the title. Do you think you can do the same in chasing Ariya for the world No. 1 ranking?
SUNG HYUN PARK: Yes, it is my goal to be ranked world No. 1 again this year.

Q. Would you be good enough to spell out your mother's name?
SUNG HYUN PARK: First name is K-E-U-M-J-A. Last name is L-E-E.

Q. And does your mother often comment on how you're looking on the course? She just said you looked tired, did she.
SUNG HYUN PARK: She doesn't comment that much on my play. She just asks me if I'm tired or not.

Q. Can you tell us what you particularly like about the New Tanjong Course here, and did you previously play on the Serapong course?
SUNG HYUN PARK: What I like about this course is that the green is firm, because I shoot long distance, and I haven't played the Serapong Course, so I can't really tell.

Q. We spoke to your caddie, David Jones, after the round, and he said that you enjoy a good laugh with him on occasions. What about that relationship do you like with your caddie, and what about him makes you laugh?
SUNG HYUN PARK: After the round, we both talked to each other, good job, good play today. Normally he's a really funny guy. He is very humorous and talks about a lot of jokes, and today, whenever I looked nervous, he like told me some jokes and make me have fun and laugh.

Q. Could we have an example of one of his jokes?
SUNG HYUN PARK: So today, there was one moment I laughed, like really a lot.

During the play, I usually like fix my hat if it's rightly position, and today, while I was turning around, David asked me, hey, "Sung Hyun, look at me." And when I turned around, the hat was like totally the opposite way, so that really was a funny moment of today.

Q. Korean golf for the LPGA, it's been very dominant, yes, and this year, there's a new breed of Chinese players coming out on Tour. What are your thoughts on the new wave of Chinese players that are currently coming up on Tour?
SUNG HYUN PARK: So I saw an article that many rookies from the Chinese golf tour, a lot of players are coming into the LPGA, and I'm glad that more Asian female golfers are playing on the LPGA Tour.

I think it will be really good competition that so many, more and more Asians are coming, Asian golfers are coming, especially China like Shanshan, more talented Chinese golfers are coming and I'm glad that are many golfers from Asia playing on the LPGA.

Q. Following up, I'm going to zoom in on someone like Muni He. She has 180,000 Instagram followers, so she's an instant star even before she's won anything on Tour. And obviously, there's a bit of glamour, a bit of glitter, looking at the Instagram page, right. Do you think that's really necessary? Is it going to up the game for the Korean golfers, maybe let's bring some of that into play, as well, putting it in a sexy image, something like that, or are you just going to let your golf do the talking?
SUNG HYUN PARK: I think it's very depending on their personal manner. Meaning, that I think someone making their own his or her image is good. I also saw Muni He's Instagram, many followers and images. It was good to see her on the ground, as well. I think it's good that someone can makeup their own image, whether it's sexy or not.

Q. I read that you are a self-taught golfer. Is that true, and could you share a bit with us about your golfing education? At what age did you pick up golf and did you go to the States for coaching and so on?
SUNG HYUN PARK: I first started when I was 9. My parents recommended me, actually, and I've been playing by myself since I was 20, so it's been about six, seven years just doing myself.

I feel pretty good and pretty satisfied that I'm playing by myself without my coach. I feel like I'm getting to be a better golfer as I just train by myself.

KRISTEN YOON: I know you're going to the Philippines next. How will you celebrate your win, and what will be your first purchase with your winner's cheque?

SUNG HYUN PARK: So I think I'm going to have a huge dinner party with my friends today. So first thing I'm going to purchase, I haven't thought about that yet, so I don't know.

KRISTEN YOON: Have you heard from Tiger yet?

SUNG HYUN PARK: I don't know his number, but we just met for the TaylorMade shooting on beginning of February.

But, if Tiger is watching this interview, then I would want to say that because we met, you gave me such a good energy, that made me win this tournament.

KRISTEN YOON: That will conclude our press conference. Thank you so much and congratulations again.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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