SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

October 1, 2021

Inbee Park

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. We are joined by Inbee Park after a first round 5-under 66 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. Inbee, six birdies on the scorecard. How good did it feel to get back into competition mode on the LPGA with a low number?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, you know, I took good couple of weeks off. Played one event in Korea. It was nice to have a good rest.

And I felt a little bit rusty, didn't play a lot of golf last couple weeks, so I was a little bit worried. But I played really good out there. The putter was really hot today, so I was really glad to see that.

Q. Have you spent pretty much all the time since the AIG at home in Korea?

INBEE PARK: In Korea, and then I played one event in Korea and then took 10 days before this week.

Q. You said the putter was hot. Any long ones stick out for you today?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, actually I holed couple of long ones today. On number -- 14th was probably over 30-footer, and No. 12 was about 25-footer. I holed quite a couple of about 20-footers out there today, so I think it has been a while since I've put in -- I think put in over 30-footer putts. I don't think I have for a while, so...

Q. When you take a few weeks off and you putt like that, is that a pleasant surprise or...

INBEE PARK: This green particularly is very tricky and the speed is very big concern on this green, so only thing I try to do is get speed right, and whether it goes hole or not it's just -- I'm just going to leave it up to the destiny.

Obviously my stroke and my speed was really good, and the bump was really nice, too. Greens are a little bit bumpy, so you always got to have to (indiscernible).

Q. When you take a few weeks off and you come into an event, do you have the same expectations that you do when you're in a regular groove of playing? What were you thinking coming in this week?

INBEE PARK: I think the concentration level is probably a little bit higher because you think that you're not as ready as other weeks when you're playing week in and week on.

When you're taking a good three, four weeks off you feel like you got to work little harder, and you work harder to prepare for the tournaments.

So I think it has plus and minuses. Obviously you're a little bit rusty on the golf course, but at the same time, I think your concentration level is high so you try to take advantage of that.

Q. Inbee, we've all known you've been a great putter forever, but these new KPMG Insights reports has finally quantified it, and it sparked a little bit of a debate. Are you the greatest putter in the world? Are you the greatest in history? Are you better than the PGA TOUR guys? Is that something that you look at? Do you study those numbers?

INBEE PARK: Not really. I mean, I'm not really a big stat person. Not really relying on much of the stats.

As long as I feel comfortable over the putt and I -- as long as I feel like I can make this putt, whether it goes in or not, I think that's what matters as a golfer.

Q. Do you think you're the best putter in the world?

INBEE PARK: Well, at some tournaments, yes. You know, the putts that I holed and the weeks I've putted well, I definitely think I was the best putter.

The weeks I don't putt good I'm definitely not. Yeah, I can't really say.

Q. Just one more. You said some tournaments, but when you putt look you putted today, how much confidence does that give you are going into the weekend? Is that kind of like you are expect good things to happen when you putt like this?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, of course. I mean, always good putting on the first day is a very good sign. This golf course needs really, really good putting week, so I think it's going to come down to who is going to putt the best over the weekend.

It's good to have first day like this.