KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 24, 2021

Inbee Park

Atlanta Athletic Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: We're here with Inbee Park, just shot a 1-under 71. That putt on 18 was epic. Tell us what happened there.

INBEE PARK: That was magic. I thought I had too much speed on it. I was really wishing it to sit, but it just sit with the pin. Yeah, I played really, really good out there today, except for one mud ball I got. I got probably like five, six mud balls out there, but that one mud ball really, really cost me, probably too much. I played probably almost flawless except for getting a mud ball.

I think there's nothing that I really can complain about today. I putted really good out there today, and it's just hard to hit 180-yard shots with mud balls, and you just don't know where it's going to go. Just that hole, where I made the triple, and it's just like a really good example.

That probably hooked about 50 yards, and I had no idea it was going to go out there. It was tough and really a grind out there, but I think that last putt really makes up for it.

THE MODERATOR: How long was that putt on 18, do you think?

INBEE PARK: I didn't even count. I think it was probably like 20 yards past the pin. Probably a good like close to a 100-footer maybe, like 70, 80-footer.

Q. There was a couple long ones you made too. Does Brad know how to count that high? He has to give what the length of putts are.

INBEE PARK: No, I don't ask him too, and I don't really need that much of a -- I'm not that much of a person who needs exact in the numbers on the greens. I don't really count how many feet this is, how long this putt is. I'm just trying to get the good feel of it and have the good speed of it.

Obviously, the plan was walk away with a two-putt, but obviously one-putt is even better.

Q. When you go back to No. 8, first of all, what are you trying to do with the chip once you took it out of the water? Was it difficult to kind of settle yourself after that?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, it's just tough. When I took a drop, the ball was just sitting really down in the Bermuda grass. I was probably going up about 20 yards, probably had 40 yards to the pin, and it was in a really uphill. The last thing I wanted to do was leave it short and have it in the rough again.

So I tried to hit it a little bit harder, and over the pin, it just goes away. There's not much of a shot I can do. The putt is just a total misread. I played it too much and by too much speed as well.

Q. What's the self-talk after the triple?

INBEE PARK: I just really tried not to get to myself. I just thought it was a really unlucky break. Sometimes it just really gets to you. Why is this happening to me in a major championship? I've done that before, and it doesn't really help. I just thought I'm probably not going to be the only one who's going to get mud balls out here.

I think getting the late-early draw might be a little better with a little more drier conditions in the afternoon. Like I said, it's just how it is. A little unlucky today, but I played really well to make up for it.

Q. A lot of us are excited about the new analytics coming out so we can see more details of Inbee Park's putting. Will you pay attention to those stats, to the increased stats?

INBEE PARK: It will be really good to see, and I think it's going to be a really good putting stat for today for sure. I holed it outside the green twice.

Q. Lizette looks like she might have the first round lead here even though it's still early. That's a position you've been in a few times, having the early lead. Mentally, what's the best thing she can do, especially maybe not having been here that often?

INBEE PARK: I think it's too early to think about the lead. I think first round best stuff for her is just treat it like a normal tournament. Don't think this is a major tournament and don't think that you're leading because it's just the first day and there's so much more golf to play. Just try to stay calm. I think that's all she can do.

Q. That stats project, you've come up several times in conversations with other players, we know Inbee is the best putter in the world. Now we'll have the data to prove it. A, do you think you're the best putter in the world? B, will you go and compare yourself against PGA TOUR players?

INBEE PARK: I don't know if I'm the best putter on the Tour. Some weeks I putt good, I would say I'm close to being really on the top. I definitely get my bad putting weeks as well. I don't know. I think stats could surprise me. It could surprise a lot of people. I guess we'll see.

Q. Because you're so well-known for your putting, how often do you not feel comfortable over putts?

INBEE PARK: I rarely feel uncomfortable. I feel pretty comfortable over the putts, whether I make them or whether I don't. I just think that's just my posture over the ball is just very relaxed. I'm really used to my address.

Yeah, I guess being comfortable definitely helps. I feel pretty comfortable over the putts most of the time, yeah.

Q. I was quickly going to ask if you've ever four-putted before?

INBEE PARK: Yes, I have, in the poa annua greens.

Q. Honest?

INBEE PARK: Yes.

Q. Kind of the other thing about what Beth was asking about the self-talk. Have you ever cussed in Korean on the golf course?

INBEE PARK: I think, yeah, maybe on both languages.