LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

April 14, 2021

So Yeon Ryu

Kapolei Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So Yeon, just take us through especially the beginning of your fantastic round here. A bogey-free round altogether, but that front nine was really calling your name.

SO YEON RYU: Yeah, I think I finally was able to play bogey-free round. I was pretty close to bogey-free round at Kia and ANA and I made a bogey at the last so I couldn't.

I was very disappointed, but I feel really great and bogey-free round today, and like you mentioned, I play really well the front nine. I don't think I missed any of the putt if I had a good chance.

So I think it's a lot of positive things I can have, and I think just being -- well, I been struggle at the Kia and ANA, but if I look back I really had everything, but only thing I miss was confidence.

So before heading into this tournament I thought about those two events a lot, and then like I said, that confidence was only thing I was miss. So I said, Okay, no matter what, I'm just going to play golf with full of confidence, and then that's what I did, and then I was able to play really well.

Q. Definitely a mental game out there for you it seems trying to overcome any doubts you have in your mind. What have you done in this past off week to really kind of build up the confidence after reflecting on the past two events?

SO YEON RYU: First of all, because I was exhausted, I had to have good two days off. I definitely needed to have some good ice cream, goof chocolate, good wine, so that's what I had first two days.

Then I about did a lot of training, especially the physical training, to just make sure I'm going to be strong enough to play four in a row.

And then I -- well, I don't think I did a lot of stuff about technique. It's more about going through like what I was thinking about during those two weeks.

And then like I said, like I just tried to check off everything. Long game was good. Short game was decent, but just not enough confidence. Putting game was good, but not enough confidence. Everything was just missing by confidence.

I really tried to build up my confidence level. I tried to watch a lot of YouTube to find a way to inspire by myself.

I think so far it works.

Q. This course has some similarities to Ko Olina. At the same time, it definitely has its quirks in there as well. Smaller greens. We've heard a lot about it being a second-shot golf course. Would you agree with that?

SO YEON RYU: Oh, yeah 100%. Like you said, actually the golf course character is very similar as Ko Olina so even though this is first time playing this golf course I feel like I have been play this golf course.

And also like you mentioned, the greens little smaller that Ko Olina and then it's really breezy out there. So it was a lot of things about second shot.

And then I actually had couple really bad second shot and then I put myself in the really tough position to make up and down. Luckily I was able to manage it really well.

So I think it's going to be really important to having a good second shot.

Q. What is the strategy? As you know, the windier conditions will pick up tomorrow when you're playing in the afternoon. What is the strategy or your mindset heading into round two?

SO YEON RYU: You know, like because I started with the really good round, you know, I think I made birdie every two holes for my first front nine, so that way you'll -- you're kind of expecting you to make a birdie all the time.

But to shot 65 not means you were able to play 65 tomorrow as well. So I think I just try not to expect anything amazing, so I just want to focus on what I can do and what I need to do at the time.

Q. Thank you, So Yeon.

SO YEON RYU: Thank you very much.