LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP

April 14, 2021

Kyung Kim

Kapolei Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Able to start the day 3-under; how are you feeling to be in paradise?

KYUNG KIM: It feels great. I mean, I have been struggling with my golf game a little bit, and especially in the wind I was a little bit more worried.

But I had a good caddie, a good friend, and he's kept me calm and he is from here, so he knows how to play the wind so it helped me a lot.

Q. I was going to say, take us through a little bit of your story. I've learned, I along with a lot of other people, that you were born in Maui and you're one of the Hawaiian connections here this week.

KYUNG KIM: Yes, born and raised in Maui. Lived there for 12 years and then moved to Arizona just for high school and college.

Yeah, it's been awesome to come back. It's been so long, 14 years. It's been a long time. A lot has changed here and I been visiting a lot of places. It's been great.

Q. 14 years since you've been back. What is it like to be back in Hawaii and to come back as a rookie on the LPGA Tour?

KYUNG KIM: I mean, it's always great to start off my first tournament as a rookie in Hawaii. Just brings back so many memories and I get to see a lot of good friends and family, so it's been great.

Q. We've seen you on the Symetra Tour a couple of events leading up to this event. What are some of the things you've been working on as you try to strategize around Kapolei here?

KYUNG KIM: I mean, Symetra prepared me pretty well. There is lots of good competition out there, and just coming out here it just kind of kept me a little bit more calm instead of like, Oh, my God, I'm playing with the best players in the world, kind of freaking me out.

But it's been good.

Q. You put yourself right up there with some of the best players in the world, even on a day like today when the winds are picking up. How do you think you'll be able to handle some of those windier conditions tomorrow as well?

KYUNG KIM: I mean, hopefully the same mentality as today, just one shot at a time, and hopefully we just keep it going.

Q. And you mentioned earlier that you have a friend on the bag, someone that is native to here. What's that like? What does that do for your confidence? Is it more of an enjoyable competitive round?

KYUNG KIM: Oh, definitely. It's always nice to have someone that you're comfortable with and someone that you know on the bag, especially at an LPGA event. Can be a little nerve wracking.

He's been great. He's been awesome. I'm happy to have him.

Q. Any other family here that are still around the area that came out to see you?

KYUNG KIM: No. I'm actually an only child, so both my parents and I moved to Arizona.

Q. Did you surprise yourself a little bit how you played today? You said you haven't been where you want to be, but you were really hitting the zone there.

KYUNG KIM: Yeah, just last year I had a little rest injury, so that took me off the golf course for a little time. And then just coming back into it it was a little rusty, but I mean, like again, I had a good friend on the bag and he's been a great help.

Q. What was the goal coming in? Making the cut? Did you have something in your mind?

KYUNG KIM: Yeah, my goal was definitely to just make the cut, baby steps. Last year the few LPGA events I got into it wasn't quite great. Missed a few cuts. So definitely just making the cut this year.

Q. Kind of feel like a full circle moment for you?

KYUNG KIM: Yeah, yeah. I still have a bunch of friends here. I mean, since I grew up playing golf, like the golf community is small here, so it was great to get to see them and play golf with them.

So, yeah.

Q. Bogey-free today, right?

KYUNG KIM: Bogey-free, yeah.

Q. You make this last putt over here, how much momentum does that give you to be able to finish it off?

KYUNG KIM: Oh, definitely good momentum. Been putting pretty well today, so, I mean, I didn't feel as nervous over that putt, so it was good.

Q. I know you were a little nervous coming into the day and the conditions and everything. What clicked for you on the course?

KYUNG KIM: I think starting off with the birdie on the 1st hole definitely gave me a good momentum. Always nice to start off 1-under.

And just I had a few good par saves as well, so that helped me.

Q. The scoring conditions are pretty good today. Wind is up, but when you see the other ladies going low, does that put a little more pressure on everyone?

KYUNG KIM: I guess for me personally I try not look at the leaderboard. I just try to play my own game.

So 3-under was a pretty good score for me today.