LPGA QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT STAGE II

October 24, 2021

Gina Kim

Plantation Golf and Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Obviously, like I said, you survived. What's the immediate reaction?

GINA KIM: Obviously I'm just feeling so grateful, happy. I guess I try to come in here without any expectations but obviously my goal was to get to Q-Series, so just being able to do that really makes me happy.

Just once again, grateful for my mom and all the support I've had throughout this week.

Q. Bit of a tense start today. How do you regroup, refocus, get your mind back in there?

GINA KIM: Yeah, I mean, I was like, oh, wow, Jesus. It was a bit of a rocky start. I told myself I still got like, what, 15, 16 holes left. I told myself there are so many opportunities out there left and that I shouldn't close the door myself.

You know, just a positive attitude that I just kept taking with me throughout the round. So I think that's what helped me pull through today.

Q. On 11 what happened after the bogey on 10?

GINA KIM: So No. 11, bombed my drive. I had a pitching wedge in so it was very easy for me to just stuff it in there. I put it to about like two feet. I've just been burning the edges on everything, so I guess finally this time the golf gods decided to put it right next to the hole for me so I could tap it in for birdie.

Q. And 16?

GINA KIM: I decided to layup to one of my favorite yardages, and I took a 54 wedge and just pured it. I just had a bit of a slider kind of like five-footer, but luckily that was one of the only putts that went in.

I was glad I managed to make something at the end.

Q. After the first two bogeys kind of going into 4, you recover with two back-to-back birdies. Where was your head at? I think at one point I saw your mom tapping your shoulder, helping you keep in it. Where was your head after that?

GINA KIM: Yeah, obviously I told myself, okay, okay, we're starting to stabilize ourselves here a little bit. Sometimes when I make birdies I do tend to get a little too excited for my own good, so my mom is obviously there next to me trying to calm me down and keep me stable throughout the round.

So obviously lots of props to my caddie for helping me through this round.

Q. Oh, gosh, there was the dog on 6.

GINA KIM: Oh, my God. I just love seeing dogs. I don't know. I find dogs coming out to watch as a good omen for some reason.

Q. Right?

GINA KIM: Yeah, especially Golden Retrievers. The first day there was this Golden Retriever named Teddy who came out and walked the back nine with us, and I was making some birdies. I was like, Shoot, this is it. Find a Golden Retriever to look at, so it was all good.

I love seeing people come out with their dogs.

Q. The putting. So in your routine you tap your shoulder.

GINA KIM: Yeah.

Q. How long have you been doing that? Where did that originate from?

GINA KIM: It started at NCAA last May. Yeah, I just added it to my routine because like for some reason my line kept looking funny to my eyes. I'm like, What do I do about this? I keep missing it right and I just don't like the look of what I'm seeing right now.

So my assistant coach, John, was like, okay, obviously it's all about how you see it and how you feel about it, so he suggested like try to kind of touch your shoulder as a reminder. You know, open up your left side a little bit so you can get the putter moving through and releasing a bit.

And ever since then I felt like that was a really important part of my putting routine, so I've -- I haven't stopped doing it since then and it's been helping me out a lot.

Q. Coming into this week it's like setting a precedent for next year, the future, after school. Obviously your goal is to finish school and finish out the year with Duke. This also paints the rest of the horizon for lack of a better word. When you're -- I've been phrasing it as like locking down a job after graduation, so to speak. What comes into your mind? Do you think of it that way, or just as another round of golf, another week? How do you approach it?

GINA KIM: I tend to look at this like it's a long journey and a long process. I just love this game so much, and I'm wanting to play it for a long time.

So obviously it is my job after school and it'll be my career for a very long part of my life. You know, it's just another day of golf. Just another day at the office. Another round of golf out of however many rounds I got left in me.

So I just try to go in with like kind of a laid back, chill mindset and be like, You know what? It's just another beautiful day to play some golf today. I think that helps take the pressure off me. Takes the pressure off other people as well.

So, you know, I mean, at the end of the day I chose this because I love it. I love it so much to the point where I want it to be my job. I'm just trying not to be too serious about it.

Q. Yeah, yeah. No, out here it's like on another level.

GINA KIM: Right.

Q. It's so tense. Knowing you, that's not really your vibe at all. You're very level; you try to keep things under control as much as you can. So in a way it's good that you have that rock solid mentality and can kind of push through like such a tough moment.

GINA KIM: Right.

Q. Killed it out there.

GINA KIM: Thank you.

Q. Such a stud.

GINA KIM: Thank you.

Q. I'm telling you, you're awesome.

GINA KIM: Thank you.