KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2021

Jin Young Ko

Atlanta Athletic Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Jin Young Ko, Rolex rankings No. 1 since July 2019, nearly two years, seven-time LPGA Tour winner, two major titles in 2019.

This is your third KPMG Women's PGA Championship but unfortunately weren't able to be here last year with the pandemic. How excited are you to be back at this great event?

JIN YOUNG KO: I'm happy to be back here since it's two years. I played two years ago in 2019, and I had a great tournament, and I'm looking forward to this week.

Q. We're here at Atlanta Athletic Club. How familiar are you with this golf course, and what are your thoughts on what you see out there so far?

JIN YOUNG KO: I didn't play it yet, so I don't know how the shape of the course is. So I'm going to go to Pro-Am.

Q. What is it like, that challenge of coming to a golf course you've never seen before to play a major?

JIN YOUNG KO: Majors are always tough conditions on the course, so everyone needs to be patient and like be calm and everything. But I like majors, so I can't wait to play.

Q. You definitely play well in majors. What is it about majors that seems to bring out the best in you, kind of like Brooks, who plays so well at majors. You do the same. What is it about you that is so good at majors?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, I would say because I like tough conditions. I don't like easy ones. Everyone gets birdies so easy, or even last week, everyone makes birdies or eagles every hole, so my play wasn't good last week. This week is a new week, so well (crossing fingers) hope to do better.

Q. Playing off of that, you hold the record for playing the most holes without a bogey. Is it easier not to make a bogey or to make a birdie?

JIN YOUNG KO: To make a birdie is easier, yeah. Well, 2019 I made a record 114 holes bogey-free round, and it's a good honor to beat Tiger Woods, but it was tough. I don't know how could I bogey-free round 114 holes. I guess my focus or my body condition was really good, so I did make that. I want to do it again, yeah.

Q. How would you assess your year so far and all parts of your game right now?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, not as bad but not too good. Not bad. I finished seventh in the two majors earlier this year. I don't know, like my conditioning and everything is good, but I need to win. So I can wait. I want to win really soon.

Q. What do you think is the difference now between you and the winners circle?

JIN YOUNG KO: I don't know, just like small things. I don't know what it is, but I think small things is a little different than two years ago and right now. Hopefully better.

Q. You were home last year when this tournament was played in October. As the world No. 1, how tough was that? You weren't injured, so how tough was that to not be at a major?

JIN YOUNG KO: I watched all the majors when I stayed home, and I saw Sei Young, she won this tournament last year, and I watched it, and Mirim, she won ANA, and I watched it. I played just four events last year. So I really wanted to play this Tour, but I couldn't.

I won at the last tournament of the year, so I was glad to win, and hopefully do it again.

Q. Have you ever come to a major championship early to scout the course, and did you consider doing it early for this week?

JIN YOUNG KO: No, not really. I think last week I finished late, like 3:30, and then I had a flight at 5:350, and I arrived here at 10:00 p.m. so it was too late. I needed to rest. Yesterday I just practiced maybe one or two hours, hit some balls and putt, and I just arrived here.

Q. (No microphone)?

JIN YOUNG KO: No, I don't want to spend my energy before the major week.

Q. Even months before? Some players come months before.

JIN YOUNG KO: Not really. I don't like to, yeah.

Q. Why?

JIN YOUNG KO: Because every week the same as tournament. I don't want to do, like this week is major so I need to more practice. I don't want to do that. I'm thinking major is normal as the other ones, so I don't want to spend my energy.

Q. You talked about little things that keep you from winning. Is there one part of your game this week that could really unlock you to better play?

JIN YOUNG KO: I need to lock a little bit. I played well last week, like even driver or irons or short game, everything was good, but I couldn't make birdie a lot. So I wasn't playing good last week.

Q. This is the final week before the Olympic teams are named, and certainly you're going to Tokyo if you would like to go.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yes!

Q. What would it mean to you to represent Korea at the Olympics?

JIN YOUNG KO: It's really tough to get to the Tokyo Olympics, especially the Korean team, because everyone knows Korean players playing every week are really good. Everyone is like perfect players. So it was hard to get in there, but I made it. I'm so happy. I really want to play Tokyo Olympics right now.

Q. Final question. This time a year ago we were all at home, and now we're back. We're going to have fans. What is it like now to be back with the world hopefully getting back to normal and a more normal LPGA Tour?

JIN YOUNG KO: It's really nice to be back and have fans out there. Even three years ago at the U.S. Open, a lot of fans out there. So I was like focused really well. I like a lot of fans out there, and then playing with the fans, and I missed a lot of claps as well. So hopefully this week as well.