SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACER

October 1, 2021

Jin Young Ko

Seaview, A Dolce Hotel

Quick Quotes

Q. We are joined by Jin Young Ko after a 5-under 66 in the first round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer. Jin Young, you had birdies today at 3, 5, 6, and 9 on the front; 15, 16, and 18 on the back. That's seven total birdies. You went birdie hunting it seems like. What made it such a gettable course for you today?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I had great round today and I got a lot of birdies in the back nine, front nine, too. But I had two bogeys front nine, so I had couple miss shot and putt but these greens are like tricky, so we have to -- I had to get the patient and good attitude.

But I made it, so it's happy.

Q. You said patience and good attitude. Is that because this course is a little more challenging than maybe you would like?

JIN YOUNG KO: I think so, because greens -- in the morning greens condition is gonna be better than like afternoon. Afternoon is kind of like bumpy, so even like two feet or three feet is really tough to get like made it.

But, yeah, I had good attitude.

Q. You and I talked on Sunday in Arkansas about how your mentality is to win every time you play. How do you kind of stay focused and in the moment instead of maybe getting too far ahead of yourself?

JIN YOUNG KO: This course is little short, little not too long, so I have to get a lot of birdies. Even Par-5 you can get hybrid or iron to the green from second shot.

(Indiscernible.)

Q. You haven't played this event since your rookie year in 2018. Why is that, and how unique is it, I guess, to be able to just come right back and be one off the lead after 18 holes?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I played this tournament in 2018 when I was a rookie and I played not good, so I want to play better than 2018.

But I was hitting under par today, so I can't wait to play next two days.