CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

December 19, 2020

Sei Young Kim

Tiburón Golf Club

Flash Interview

THE MODERATOR: 5-under 67 today. How did it feel to post that number and look at your name at the top of leaderboard after three rounds?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Before the starting feels -- my vibe was really good because warmer weather, and then I play pairing with Jin Young and Lexi. Yeah, those are my favorite player, so yeah, it was fun.

We wasn't talking much but it was very comfortable and chill out there.

Q. Does the warm weather just lift your spirits? Seems to just lift your game up as well. You play good when it's warmer?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Because I like the warmer weather. That's the reason why. I love playing in Florida.

Q. Take us through the birdies today. Any specific birdies that stood out to you?

SEI YOUNG KIM: I had No. 10 and 11, and then 13. I had birdie that holes. I made a long putt, and then I was -- I got the good momentum.

But I try to keep the same momentum but it was tough at 13. So, yeah, I try to finish strong, but I had three-putt the hole 18, so I just, yeah, little disappointed with that. I just keep it up tomorrow.

Q. There are a lot of players who would come off the bogey and head right to the putting green for an hour or maybe a little more disappointed that you are showing. You seem to have learned quickly just let it roll off your shoulder. Would you say that is accurate?

SEI YOUNG KIM: It's not feel good. It's not feel good. Yeah. Just, yeah. After the bogey I feel was -- if I had more hole I just try to re-bounce, but I don't have anymore hole today. So maybe I going to practice some and then, yeah, just make the feel better. Yeah.

Q. Feel good for tomorrow?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Uh-huh.

Q. Take us through 12. You hit the shot off to the left in the sand. Left of the pathway and had a pretty remarkable up and down from there. Just take us through that hole.

SEI YOUNG KIM: My tee shot little pulled it. I had -- I hit the 6-iron and, yeah, I missed it left. My ball position was very hard sand, so I try to hit the very solid and hitting hard behind the ball, like the bunker shot.

And it was, yeah, it works. It's really good shot.

Q. Do you enjoy the pairing of No. 1 and No. 2 in the world?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah.

Q. Does that get your adrenaline up? Do you like that?

SEI YOUNG KIM: It's feel like normal, but if I think about it it's good chance to chase the, yeah, world ranking No. 1.

But I don't really think about it during the tournament. It feels just normal, yeah.

Q. Do you think about Player of the Year during the tournament?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Sorry?

Q. Do you think of Player of the Year during the tournament?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, sometime, but not all the time. Yeah, sometime.

Q. How is, Sei Young, that when you get in pressure situations you seem to always get better? Always.

SEI YOUNG KIM: Oh, yeah?

Q. How is that?

SEI YOUNG KIM: How? Well, I think I just -- even like I got a lot of the pressure I try to like just feel like practice round. Yeah, I don't press anymore. Just feel like, oh, this is just practice round and then yeah, putting green, practice putting green.

I think that thinking help me more relax and then, yeah, no more pressure. Yeah, even that a little bit I got the pressure, but I trying to, yeah, hit the best. Uh-huh.

Q. When did you first meet Jin Young?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Jin Young, when I was like 14. Yeah, middle school. Yeah. She was elementary school. Like ten or nine.

Q. Where was that?

SEI YOUNG KIM: At the golf course maybe, some tournament in Korea.

Q. Oh, wow.

SEI YOUNG KIM: Uh-huh. We been -- we know each other long time. When I see her first time I saw impressive because she doesn't look like young like personality because she's a very confidence even young age.

Yeah, so she know how to control like everything. She look like, yeah, very confidence girl.

Q. When she first came on the LPGA did you think she would get to No. 1 so quickly?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, but not that much quickly. That I didn't think about it. But, yeah, must be she probably, yeah, she can be. She have potential and she have a lot of, yeah, talent. Yeah, so, uh-huh.

Q. Does it feel good to be battling against someone you have known for so long? Not just for this event but for the world No. 1.

SEI YOUNG KIM: We know each other long time, long time ago, but we don't really conversation a lot time because she is little different timing. Because when I got here she is just joined the LPGA so we just miss it.

So, yeah. But, yeah. I think we are good friend.

Q. Great.

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah.

Q. Where do you find that fire? Obviously you've had two wins this season. You seem like when you get in these situations where you get the lead you can just keep attacking and continuing. What is your mindset? Do you continue to attack or how did you think about it?

SEI YOUNG KIM: I just keep, yeah, attack every tournament. I mean, especially this years I had a good two win already, but I think that win, the reason why is I play very aggressive in this year and keep push myself.

I set my goal already before came here, and I try to reach my goal. Yeah, I think -- I hope another accomplish tomorrow.

Q. Have you always had that aggressive mindset or is that something new for this year?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, all the time. All the time I try to aggressive myself. Yeah.

Q. Jin Young said she would buy a house if she won the $1.1 million. What would you do?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Me?

Q. Uh-huh.

SEI YOUNG KIM: I don't know. I don't think about it. Yeah. I don't know. After win I would let you know. (Laughter.)

Q. A little bit of party. Yeah, a little bit of party. Yep. (Laughter.)