LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

April 12, 2021

Inbee Park

Kapolei Golf Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome inside the virtual media center here at the LOTTE Championship.

Thank you everyone for joining us here. Without further ado, Inbee, welcome to Hawaii.

INBEE PARK: Thank you.

Q. How are you feeling as we gear up for the LOTTE Championship?

INBEE PARK: I'm feeling great. I'm really happy to be back here in the paradise. This is definitely my favorite place to come in the year.

Been to Hawaii many times since I was a kid and really a familiar spot to be in.

Obviously we are playing the different golf course this year, Kapolei Golf Club. I played once today and yesterday and it looks like it's in great condition, so I'm really excited to play this new golf course.

Q. Looking at your 2021 so far, you've had an impressive run in your two events. You've had a win in your season debut and then a T7 at the ANA Inspiration. I remember you telling me you still felt rusty even after your win. Now that you've had a week to reflect on the first two events, how comfortable are you feeling in your game?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I think I'm just really getting close to my 100% and not feeling rusty at all. I felt great playing the two weeks in California. I played really well.

Obviously the first win was great. I mean, it definitely gave me a lot of confidence going into the season. And the first major could have been a little bit better, but I feel like I played pretty good.

My game is just in a good shape and it's going in a good direction.

Q. We've have past week off. Have you worked on anything to gear up for this week?

INBEE PARK: I got vaccinated last week and just felt sick couple days, so I just took some little time off and really just relaxed most of the time.

Probably started practicing couple days before I came over here. Yeah, feeling good now.

Q. And I know you were telling me that you got here on Saturday. What is it about returning to Hawaii that you are most excited about?

INBEE PARK: Just the atmosphere. Obviously just the beautiful land. As soon as you land at the airport you feel like you're in paradise, in a vacation and not here to work.

But I feel like I'm just here for a nice, great vacation week. So trying to enjoy that relaxed atmosphere. The people here are really nice. I love the food in Hawaii. I just love being here.

Q. You said that you played a little bit this past week. We haven't been to Kapolei since 2001. What do you think about this course will suit your game?

INBEE PARK: Well, the greens are quite small and it's all actually a little bit elevated greens. So once you miss the greens it's going to be very tough up and down, but it's going to give us plenty of opportunity if we hit good second shots in.

So I think it's really great second-shot golf course. You have to hit really good shots on your iron shots and obviously putt good.

The putting surface is pretty much similar to Ko Olina. It's going to be like a similar grass and probably a similar -- maybe a little bit quicker over here.

But it's grainy as we always know in -- playing in the hot weather. It's always -- grain is gonna come into effect. Just going to try to watch that.

Q. You've had numerous impressive performances here. I know it was at Ko Olina, not Kapolei. What are some of your favorite memories about the LOTTE Championship?

INBEE PARK: I played great. I feel like I pretty much done everything except for win. Hopefully the change of the course, you know, meaning little bit more special thing.

Like I said, just enjoy coming here, just enjoying the atmosphere, enjoying the week. If the results comes together, it's great. I feel like I'm pretty confident playing in Hawaii so, yeah, really happen to be here.

Q. Usually without COVID Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places we come to throughout the year. What are one of the things you're excited to experience here in Hawaii?

INBEE PARK: You know, just the weather, the perfect weather throughout the year, and obviously the beach and the lagoons and just beautiful mornings and beautiful nights.

Just good food. I love acai bowl and pokes and I just really love the Hawaiian food. Has that Asian feeling of the food. So, yeah, I really love it.

Q. It was disappointing that we couldn't come back here in 2020. The fact that LOTTE has brought us back here, what does it mean to be able to have a sponsor like LOTTE to continue the tradition here in Hawaii?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it was tough condition for all the sponsors this year to make the call. Obviously Lotte making the decision to play this week is obviously a tough decision, but really thankful decision for us.

I think all the players missed coming to Hawaii, playing in LOTTE Championship, so we're all really grateful to be here.

Q. You said that you have kind of done everything here except win.

INBEE PARK: Uh-huh.

Q. What do you think it will take to be able to win here at Kapolei?

INBEE PARK: Well I think just four great days of golf is what's needed. Obviously I think I'm just going to have to hit a lot of great second shots in, just give myself a lot of the opportunities, and hopefully the putts will fall.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us and we appreciate the time.