COGNIZANT FOUNDERS CUP

October 6, 2021

Inbee Park

Mountain Ridge Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Rolex Rankings No. 3, Inbee Park. Inbee, to start out, you're a past champion here at Founders Cup. We are at a new course. It's been a little while since we've been here. How are you feeling being back at this event?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I feel really good to be back here in Founders Cup with the great venue, and the golf course is in really, really good shape.

We're playing in New Jersey in a while, so, yeah, I just feel good to be here. I have won the Founders Cup before, so it definitely feels like a totally new tournament with the new course and everything.

But, yeah, it feels great to be back.

Q. Have you seen the course yet, and if you haven't, have you heard anything about?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I've played a couple times now. Course is in really, really good shape. Really looks like a major golf course.

So I'm really looking forward to playing the tournament week. The course is a little bit wet, playing a little bit long, so I'm going to be hitting a lot of longer clubs into the greens.

I think overall, especially the holes and the condition of the course is great.

Q. This event is really special obviously with what it means because of the Founders and the Original 13. How is this experience for you with everything that we do to celebrate women's golf?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, totally is a very special tournament because we celebrate the 13 Founders who founded the tour, and obviously we're here because of them. It's great to memorize them in the week like this.

So really big thanks to the new sponsor, Cognizant, for the great opportunity. Yeah, it's definitely gone up to another level, so really happy to be here and be competing in a great event.

Q. On that note, Cognizant has put up a larger purse than ever before for this event, one of the largest purses in women's golf. How exciting is it for you to see a company like that put their money where their mouth is?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I always loved playing in Founders Cup, and obviously making the purse bigger, having a new sponsor, and obviously playing on a great golf course, they definitely raised up to another level for this tournament.

I'm sure the Founders love it, I'm sure the players love it, and everybody will be enjoying the tournament. Yeah, thanks to the new sponsor.

Q. You are coming off a T2 finish last week at ShopRite. How are you feeling with your game now?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean, I played good last week. Really, really good, but just came up just a little bit short. The course was I think one of the courses that really suited me, which I wanted to have a good performance, which I did.

The last day was not the day I was really, really looking forward to it, but I gave it all I got. Just came up a little short. That's it.

Definitely gave me some confidence coming to this week. Probably took about a month off or so after playing in British Open, so yeah, the tied for second finish and be in good shape.

Q. Just wanted to ask about your putts from 10 to 15 feet. You're nailing putts at 60% plus, so that's a very impressive number. I just wanted to ask what is your approach on the greens, especially from that far out?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean, I heard about the stats and I wasn't surprised, because I always kind of felt a lot more comfortable putting 10 to 15 feet than like 6 to 8 feet or 5 to 7 feet. I heard the percentage is higher to make the 10- to 15-footer. I think this really comes down to the mind.

I feel a lot more relaxed doing 10- to 15-footer where I don't have to make the putt, right? It's usually less than half of the percentage that I'm going to miss.

So but like 3 to 5, 7 feet, you know, I think I'm putting too much pressure on myself, so maybe that's why the percentages are lower. That's the game I'm trying to get better at.

Yeah, 10- to 15-footer I feel confident, and I think that's why that stat is showing.

Q. Following up on that, I talked to So Yeon last week and said, Why does Inbee putt so well. She said it's because you focus on the process and not the result. As ling as you're hitting your line ans speed, whether or not is goes in is irrelevant. Is she correct? Is that your mindset?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I think she's pretty dead correct on that one. On the greens there are some many variables that you have to take into account.

It's just hard to think about everything. There are so many things happening on the way to the hole. All I can do is off the ball goes off the club face there is nothing I can do.

I'm just trying to put the right speed, the right line, and that's pretty much all I can do. Sometimes you hit a bump and it doesn't go manage. Sometimes your speed is little off. Sometimes you're line is little off.

But I seem to care less a little bit about it and just see what happens. Yeah.

Q. And back to putting, the transition between different types of grasses and last week you're putting on poana and this week bent. How do you make that transition, and is it becoming easier for you?

INBEE PARK: Well, I think I always find it tough to putt on poana because it's tough to get the speed right, the line right, both really hard. But the bent green like here where it's just smooth and you hit it it goes -- I mean, it goes to where you hit it. The bent greens are really easy to adjust. I think the poana greens are really tough to adjust for everyone.

The key for the poana greens are the speed. Even though you hit a bump and it doesn't go straight, you have to have the speed right because you can't have the three- or four-footers coming back for par. That's the most important thing about poana greens. The three to four-footer is tougher than the 10-footer on the poana greens.

Q. And I have one cultural question for you. We come to very classic golf courses like this. You take a western player and they appreciate the Golden Age of architecture. Is it the same for the Korean player, or just another golf course?

INBEE PARK: I mean, obviously I can't talk on behalf of the Korean players, but I think Korean players definitely appreciate the -- I think we approach the golf course the same way. I think it really depends on the player. I got to say that.

And I think how we appreciate the golf courses, I mean, I really have no idea how other people do it, but I think I appreciate the architecture and the design of the golf course and the shape of the golf course, how they thought about this hole to play.

Yeah, I mean, I love to see that kind of golf courses and play on this kind of golf courses.

Q. We spoke about Cognizant. Obviously a big announcement coming yesterday with the rebranding of the ANA to the Chevron Championship. What are your thoughts on that having played that tournament quite a bit and won?

INBEE PARK: Yeah, I -- when I first heard that they were going to take over and that the venue was going to be moved to Houston, right? Yeah, I was surprised because I really thought that they were going to keep the golf course in Palm Springs because we've had the tradition for such a long time. Have to say goodbye to Rancho Mirage is going to be very tough, and obviously going to be missing the Poppy's Pond for sure.

But on another hand, they're definitely putting a lot for the women's golf, and I really appreciate them for taking a major to another level. That's what we're trying to do, make the tour better, make the tour bigger, and have a lot more players come on to play.

I think we're moving the right way. I mean, it's always going to be hard to say goodbye to Poppy's Pond, but except for that, I think everything else has been going the right way.

Q. After this event we have a little bit of a break coming up. What are your plans?

INBEE PARK: I go back to Korea and play BMW. Yeah, BMW Championship, and then I think that's going to be my last event.

Q. I'm Christina from Girls Golf of Phoenix. How do you handle the pressure when you're in first place in a tournament?

INBEE PARK: Well, it is always hard to handle a lot of pressure, and obviously it is always hard when you're in the contention trying to play for the trophy.

But when I get to the -- I kind of tell myself that my opponent or whoever I'm playing with is nervous as well, so we're on the same page. This is what we do. This is what we do for a living.

The pressure, you know, I try to enjoy it, because everybody is going to feel the pressure and at some point you have to get over it.

Yeah, I just try to enjoy it as much as I can and think that you're not alone. You have another player that is playing with you that's probably feeling the same way as you do.

Q. Inbee, thank you so much.

INBEE PARK: Thanks.