CAMBIA PORTLAND CLASSIC

September 17, 2021

Jin Young Ko

The Oregon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Jin Young Ko, I understand 48 putts through two rounds. Is that the secret to your score thus far?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I think so. I change the putter few weeks ago in Korea and I spend time, over a month, in Korea, so I feel really like comfortable and like fresh.

So I'm playing really good right now.

Q. Comfortable and fresh is nice. Now, could be a long weekend. Weather forecast is for a lot rain. No guarantee how much golf will be played. Do you that makes the first two rounds even more important?

JIN YOUNG KO: I think so, yeah, of course. I heard weekend weather is going to be not good. Going to be a lot of raining, so, well, I try to keep get more birdies first round, but I made it, so I'm happy.

Q. Talking to your caddie, David Brooker, he said if you're just slightly off on your tee ball here you pay a huge penalty. You could end up in a lot of bad areas. Is it important to miss it in the right spots?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I think I so. These fairway and greens are really narrow, so I had to hit it straight or like perfect shot, so it was a little nervous from the tee everybody, for everybody, but did I great job, so I'm looking forward the weekend.

Q. 5-under 67 today. Really good playing. Can you just talk us through your round a little bit.

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I did great job first two round and this course is not easy, so fairways and greens are really narrow so I had to focus on my shot.

But I did great job so I'm happy. I'm looking forward the weekend.

Q. Definitely. You putted really well that. That really helped you out today. What can you tell us about the way you've approached the greens out here?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, these greens are really fast, so we had to like judge of the speed on the greens, and that is my putting key right now.

Well, tomorrow, I heard tomorrow on the weekend is going to be rain so it's going to be little bit slow, so it will be help little bit, but, yeah.

Q. And you recently switched putters. How has that equipment change made you feel more comfortable out there?

JIN YOUNG KO: I change putter often, like even my putting feels good I change putter, but this one is new one, so, well, I'm doing great right now, so I want to keep this putter for whole life. (Laughter.)

Q. And last question from me: Can you talk about the physical challenges that this course is providing? Obviously a lot of hills, a lot of up and down. Can you talk about how you're dealing with the physical aspect?

JIN YOUNG KO: You know, like, yeah, I agree, but this course is like hilly, but in Korea a lot of golf course is like this, so I know how to walk into the uphill, downhill.

It's not easy, but I know how to.

Q. Congratulations on your round. Was there something in the first round that gave you confidence that you could post a score like this when nobody was going low early on?

JIN YOUNG KO: I don't think so, because I made it -- I did bogey, three in a row bogey last four holes yesterday, but it was little -- my confidence going a little lower, but I made the birdie last hole.

It was like, okay, and I play with Patty and Angel. They hitting so far, so I try to don't look at her swing or distance, but, Patty play good today so I wanted to following her. That's why I play really good today.

Q. We've got a little cushion right now. Obviously the afternoon wave is just getting going. How important is knowing the weather that's supposed to be coming to have a little cushion going into the weekend?

JIN YOUNG KO: It was a little lucky to play in the morning today, and yesterday morning wasn't good weather, so I'm lucky to have play (indiscernible).

Well, it's going to be a little not good, but I want to...