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THE EVIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 28, 2019

Jin Young Ko

Evian-les-Bains, France

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much for joining us in the media center here at the Evian Resort Golf Club. I am so excited to present to you the 2019 Evian Championship winner, Jin Young Ko, who entered the final round four strokes behind the lead, and after shooting a 4-under 67 today, two claimed a two-stroke victory to become a two-time major champion this season, and for your career.

The first player to win multiple majors in one season. She is projected to reclaim world No. 1 on the Rolex Rankings. Congratulations, Jin Young. What thoughts are in your mind right now?

JIN YOUNG KO: I thinking about flight for tomorrow. (Laughter.) Actually, I had really great week. Also I had great round four days, so really thanks for Evian Golf Club and the LPGA Tour and all the fans and all the volunteers. Thanks for all my sponsors, like everything. Thanks for Rolex. Really thanks.

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, a lot of support for your win today. As you think about your flight there is a major next week. Let's focus on this week. Walk us through your round today.

JIN YOUNG KO: I try think about don't look about other players swing and scores. Just think about my swing and my scores.

So I played really - not perfect, but a little bit - yeah, little perfect. (Laughter.) So I was happy.

And then I tried about patient on the course. Weather was bad, raining, and then sometimes thunder, so I thought -- but I thought, This is same condition as other players, so I will try make a birdie.

Yeah, I had really great week.

And then also I met Lorena Ochoa this morning. My caddie work for before Lorena, so I really great meet to Lorena this morning. I was really happy. She said, Try many birdies. So, Okay, I will try. Then I was happy and then I'm falling in love to Lorena. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: A lot of love to go around and way to stay humbled. Would you say because you played with world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park and also Hyo Joo, who has won this event before, all countrywomen from South Korea. Do you think that created more pressure for you? Did you think about that at all?

JIN YOUNG KO: No, no. Hyo Joo really great friend to me, so we had great motivation I think because same age and then same playing in this tour.

She's great. Sung Hyun is great, too.

THE MODERATOR: Your luck really changed on the back nine. What were you thinking when you saw Hyo Joo triple bogey No. 14?

JIN YOUNG KO: I didn't know about what she got scores No. 14. I'm just try think about my score, my swing.

Little unlucky Hyo Joo because a little bit like (indiscernible) in the bunker so lie was so bad. I'm really sad.

THE MODERATOR: What worked well for you throughout the round?

JIN YOUNG KO: I think my mental is getting strong on the course. Also my swing is little loose last three days. Putting was getting better. That's why I play so better today.

THE MODERATOR: You were emotional while hearing the South Korean anthem. What thoughts were running through your mind? Could you even think? What emotions were you feeling as you claimed victory?

JIN YOUNG KO: Really great. I'm really proud of Korea. I tried never cry again, because ANA I was cried so much. So this week I try just smiling, but I heard about my national song and then I couldn't keep it, hold it.

Yeah, that's why I'm cried a little bit.

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

Q. What were your goals at the start of the season? How do you think you'll handle being No. 1 again differently?
JIN YOUNG KO: My goal was always final the top 20 of the season, so that's pretty good now.

I don't know. I just try think about getting better before the world No. 1 ranking, so I will find always about motivation of my golf on the course.

Hopefully getting better.

Q. You wanted to finish in the top 20 of every event? Is that what you mean?
JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah. That was my goal, yeah.

Q. Oh, consistency. How much easier is life for you on tour being able to communicate so well in English with other players and handling a press conference like this? How has that sort of freed you up?
JIN YOUNG KO: A little bit hard to me because English is my second language, so Korean players is little difficult to learning to English because have to play golf, but also have to learning from English. That is real hard.

But many Korean players playing this tour, so they many help me a lot. This tour is really lovely, uh-huh.

Q. Your caddie, Dave Brooker, has now won five majors as a caddie, two with you. Talk about your relationship with Dave, player/caddie.
JIN YOUNG KO: I think really good. He's great caddie. Also today he was cold on the course, like not smile. He did all the time smile on the course, but not today.

And then he said, Don't look at the scoreboard last No. 16, 17, 18, so I didn't see the score. I couldn't see the scoreboard.

So I had third shot No. 18. After shot he told me, Okay, you know your position now? No, I don't know. So he said, If you make a par you win. If you three-putt, still you win. But you're a professional, so you have to make a two-putt.

So I will try two-putt. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: Do you think David was stressed out? Did that throw you off at all because he wasn't smiling?

JIN YOUNG KO: Not really. Just really thanks for Dave Brooker. Like this weather was not good match with the smile. It's cold, raining. (Laughter.)

Q. Do you usually look at leaderboards down the stretch at tournaments, and how difficult was it for you to not look at the leaderboard over the final three holes?
JIN YOUNG KO: Especially I tried don't look at the scoreboard at the major. Like just normal tournament I want to see all the time, but at the majors, don't look. It's much better, uh-huh.

Q. Yesterday you spoke about how working with the sports psychologist helped you stop feeling the need to be such a perfectionist and to smile more. What makes you smile outside of golf? What do you do outside of golf to help you relax?
JIN YOUNG KO: Just life is happiness because life is give to me from the God. So really great honor to the God. Also if make a bogey or double bogey, anyway it is glory, so I want to try thank about God. Really thanks for make a double or a bogey. It's better than triple, quadruple. That's why make my happy.

Q. You're obviously rolling into another major next week, which is very unusual. How does your energy level feel and will you take tomorrow off? How will you go into next week's preparations?
JIN YOUNG KO: I canceled the flight already this morning for tomorrow, so I need a shower and think of little things for goals for next week at British. I like links course, but next week is going to be just mountain I heard about other players. But I will try focus on my game and then try patient on the course.

Q. So you'll arrive tomorrow. Will you go to the golf course tomorrow?
JIN YOUNG KO: Not really. I will rest.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, well congratulations. Thank you so much for joining us, and great luck next week.

JIN YOUNG KO: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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