AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

August 19, 2021

Yealimi Noh

Mixed Zone

STUART MOFFATT: Good afternoon, everyone. We're joined by Yealimi Noh. 2-under par 70 to start off the championship. Tell us about your round today.

YEALIMI NOH: I played pretty solid. I hit a lot of greens today. I missed a few, made a couple birdie putts. I'm really happy with how I played. Just really hit a lot of greens and kept it simple today.

STUART MOFFATT: Was it an eagle on 12 you made?

YEALIMI NOH: Yes.

STUART MOFFATT: If you could, just talk us through that eagle and how important it was in your round.

YEALIMI NOH: Sure. I was even-par until that eagle, and I hit a pretty good drive. It was a little different because the practice rounds, the wind was different than today. I wasn't expecting to hit driver off the tee, but I did. I had about 210, I think, to the front.

Then just wanted to hit it straight. I was like, Even if I bend it a little bit, it's okay. Just between the bunkers, and hit it really solid. It hit the front and rolled about nine feet past the hole.

STUART MOFFATT: Great. We've got a question.

Q. Hi, Yealimi. Nice round today.

YEALIMI NOH: Thanks.

Q. You've had a great stretch of golf going the last month or so. How much are you thinking about the Solheim Cup this week? Are you able to kind of put it in the back of your mind?

YEALIMI NOH: Actually, I haven't thought about it at all in the last few weeks, the Europe stretch. I haven't been thinking about points or status or anything. I just want to focus on the golf that I'm playing. I always tell myself, if I play well, then it will get me where I want to be, which is on the Solheim Cup.

Q. Are you surprised that you've been able to keep it out of your mind?

YEALIMI NOH: Not really because, I mean, of course it's a goal of mine to be on the Solheim Cup, and it has since I turned pro, and especially the beginning of this year and just always keeping it there but not focusing too much on it, because it's better to just focus on the golf.

Actually, I don't think about it like when I'm playing. You would think like every -- especially towards the end of the week, you'd be like, Oh, one more birdie or whatever and I'm closer, but you really don't.

You just focus on that shot, and everything else is just kind of after the round.

Q. What do you like about links golf?

YEALIMI NOH: I like that you have to think a lot. I'm sure a lot of people say that, and it's just something we're not really used to in the States. It's nice that the ball rolls out a lot off the tee, and I think around the greens is really fun.

Just so many shots, so many options, and it's really fun to see it work when you try something new. It's fun.