VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA LPGA TEXAS CLASSIC

July 4, 2021

Jin Young Ko

Old American Golf Club

Press Conference

ZACH SEPANIK: Good evening everyone, and welcome to the Volunteers of America Classic media center with 2021 champion, Jin Young Ko. Jin Young, an incredible performance this week at Old American Golf Club. How satisfying is this win, No. 8 in your career?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I had great week but I wasn't play good today, so I need to find what's wrong to my like game, in my game.

But I'm still happy I win, I won this week, and I was really tired last night. Like I played 31 holes yesterday so I couldn't sleep well tonight, so my body condition really tough and really tired right now.

ZACH SEPANIK: With all that Mother Nature threw at us with all the rain on Friday, long weather delay, winds picked up in typical Texas fashion this weekend, does it make the win that much more gratifying to come out on top?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I just want to like accept for the weather in Texas, because everybody knows like Texas is -- like it's good but sometimes too windy and sometimes too rain.

So we have to accept for the weather. But I tried to, but yesterday was tough, yeah.

ZACH SEPANIK: What was it like going up against Matilda, who has been playing well as of late? A recent Rolex first-time winner at the MEDIHEAL Championship. She's been playing very well and you were able to come out on top against someone who has had a pretty solid game as of late.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I was thinking I couldn't win this week because like Matilda, she played really well today and yesterday too. So I just like prayed by myself to God, and it's like I want to focus on my game on the course and then I tried to don't think about Matilda, how she play, hit driver or whatever.

And it was tough, but, yeah, she's good player.

ZACH SEPANIK: It was a very special win off the course as well. It was your father's birthday this week.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yes, next week is my birthday.

ZACH SEPANIK: And next week is your birthday, three days from now. Your parents were here to watch you win. Your caddie, his family was in attendance as well.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah.

ZACH SEPANIK: Was this victory a little more meaningful with them around?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, usually I got a lot of pressure when my parents coming to my tournament, so they didn't come over to like the other tournaments. They knows I got a lot of pressure when they coming, but this week is like just 30 minutes from the course to my home so they had to come over.

And I got pressure a little bit, but my father's birthday was on Thursday so I want to play well and I played well, 8-under.

Like my caddie and his daughter stayed at my home all week, so I was -- I haven't like a lot of pressure. I didn't have pressure because Brooker and Brooker's daughter is really funny so they makes me a lot of laughing at the home.

So it was great week, and I want to say thanks to my parents.

ZACH SEPANIK: You're a transplanted Texan. You earned your boots today.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah.

ZACH SEPANIK: How exciting was it with the amazing trophy, but to fit in I would imagine maybe your first pair of boots?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, it is. It is. I was thinking this boots is good size for me, but I tried to like wear it, this one, but size was perfect. So, yeah, I just bought a house in there and then I want to get new trophy, new one, because my old trophies is in the Korea.

So I wanted to like get new trophy in new house in Frisco, but this new one is special.

ZACH SEPANIK: You accomplished that. Open up to some questions.

Q. Was it freeing for you this week to not be the world's No. 1 for the first time in nearly two years?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I think so. I wasn't play good last two or three events and then Nelly, she played really well last couple events. So I was thinking, yeah, she's going to be world ranking No. 1 and it's going to be move to ranking 2.

But, yeah, it was little bit -- it was tired. When I ranking No. 1 I didn't know, but after move to ranking 2 I was thinking I got a lot of pressure when I was world ranking No. 1.

But I'm still alive, so it's fine. I don't want to think about too much about world ranking No. 1 because I have a lot of fans out there and I had my parents, I have great dog, I have a lot of good greens.

So I want to like play better and show to my fans and my lovers, to my lovers.

Q. You mentioned at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship that you needed to win soon. How much was that on your mind this week and today in particular?

JIN YOUNG KO: Not really. I don't have pressure when I -- no, I don't have pressure. Yeah. No. No.

Q. That works.

JIN YOUNG KO: (Laughing.)

Q. What confidence does this give you heading into the Olympics in a couple weeks?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I got confidence from the golf, and, I mean, I was tired, yeah, but it happens sometimes, so it's fine.

Q. After the final putt you looked up at the sky for a moment and seemed emotional. What was in your mind?

JIN YOUNG KO: First of all to God, and my grandmother passed away in March but I couldn't go to Korea because quarantine so I couldn't say bye or something to my grandmother.

So, yeah. Yeah, it was emotional, but I want to say thank you God and my grandmother.

Q. What would grandma say to you today?

JIN YOUNG KO: Stop playing golf. (Laughter.) She was funny also. She doesn't want to play golf, me, so when I -- she does like watching TV and always said to me, Stop playing golf. You look really tired.

So I don't want to you're tired, so she always said, Stop playing golf.

ZACH SEPANIK: Does it make you extra proud to honor here in this way?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah.

Q. You've mentioned before how close you were to your grandfather, how close you are to your grandma. What memories of them stand out to you?

JIN YOUNG KO: My father makes my name -- grandfather makes my name and my grandmother was like -- she helped a lot of things to my family, my father and my mother and to me.

So I missing -- I miss my grandmother and father. Yeah, I miss them.

ZACH SEPANIK: Thank you, Jin Young. If no one has anymore questions, we're going to let you go on this one. How will you enjoy this win? You mentioned the laughs with your caddie and his family that are home with you this week and your family is in town. Is it nice to be able to go home and sit in your own house and celebrate with them?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I'm going to do drinking, drink a little bit with caddie and my family. Yeah, I will do celebration with my family.

ZACH SEPANIK: Thank you, Jin Young. Congratulations.