KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

October 8, 2020

Inbee Park

Aronimink Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Inbee Park after an even round day, two birdies, two bogeys. You know what it's like out here on a major; you can't win it on the first day but you just can put yourself out of contention. This was a good way I would think for you to start. You've got to feel good right now.

INBEE PARK: Yeah, even par is not a bad score out there, especially playing this morning. They set up the golf course really nice, I thought, and I really enjoyed playing because some of the tees were up and the wind was in a little different direction to what we played in the practice round, and the hole positions were tough but they were actually really smart.

I really enjoyed playing, and the golf course setup I thought was really great.

THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us about the two birdies you had out there back-to-back on 10 and 11.

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I actually hit a 3-wood into No. 10 and hit it to about 15 feet. It was like my best shot of the day, and was able to make that putt. And No. 11 was 8-iron into the green and I hit about the same, 12 to 15 feet, and yeah, I didn't have that many opportunities at a birdie, but I was able to make a couple of them into birdies, so it was good.

Q. What kind of a bonus is it getting that birdie at 10? Secondly, you talked about this being probably the longest place you've ever played. Do you enjoy the challenge of trying to figure it out?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean, the course still played long but not stupidly long like we played in the practice round, because a lot of tees were moved up and the wind direction was different. A lot of the long holes we were playing downwind or cross wind, not into the wind. It was playing perfectly today. Hopefully the wind direction doesn't really change, and the fairway and the greens are getting a lot firmer. We are getting some runs on the balls and greens are getting firmer and faster, which is really great to see.

Q. What did you have in on 10?

INBEE PARK: 3-wood. I had about 205 to the flag and a little bit across into the wind. Yeah, it's a tough hole, especially being able to make a birdie on No. 10 is just maybe gaining a couple of strokes on the field. It's a great way to start the back nine.

Q. Inbee, you're a tremendous pace putter; how much do you practice that in the practice rounds?

INBEE PARK: Well, in the practice rounds I actually hit a lot of long-range putts because these greens are just so big, and the hole positions are just going to get tougher and tougher as the week goes on. I was just trying to get the feel of it. These putting greens are very slopey, so I'm not trying to putt too much before I go out because I'm just trying to get the same kind of speed going as I play it on the golf course. Yeah, just trying to do little short putts on the putting green and just try to keep our feel.

Q. Have you tinkered with the putter lately? What putter are you using?

INBEE PARK: The Sabertooth I've been using for the whole year.

Q. You talked about the difficulty that the wind presented today. Was it like a one-club wind out there?

INBEE PARK: It was really gusty. At one point it was like two clubs, at one point it was like five yards. It was just really a matter of when you were hitting the ball. After you stood over the ball and it was about two clubs, and then as you were about to hit it's like five yards. I had to kind of back off a little bit and try to consider the wind.

Q. Do you have a score in mind what you think might win this now that you've got a round under your belt?

INBEE PARK: Well, I kind of think today is going to be the easiest that it's going to play I kind of feel like because we are expecting wind, and looking at the scores, like 2- to 3-under par is the best score. I'd say anything under par is going to be pretty good if it blows like this.

Q. At the end of the tournament?

INBEE PARK: Yeah.

Q. Speaking of the end of the tournament, it's going to be unusual that the leaders won't be teeing off last. Your thoughts on that?

INBEE PARK: Well, yeah, it's going to be a little different, but I kind of -- if I'm in contention I would love to play in the morning because I don't want any more thoughts getting into my mind. Waking up early in the morning and trying to wait for a 2:00, 3:00 tee time. It doesn't matter what time we play. Everybody is playing at the same time. But we might have to wait and see what happens. That's going to be a little bit awkward, but probably not.

Q. You talked about this wind direction kind of hoping on some of the longer holes. What was the effect on 15 today and how that played?

INBEE PARK: No. 15, yeah, I mean, No. 15 played downwind, like cross downwind, and the ball was running a lot today. I only had 5-iron into the hole, which I was having like 5-wood, 3-wood into the hole on the practice rounds, but it was playing quite differently. Everything is firming up, so it was good to see that.