PELICAN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

November 12, 2021

Lydia Ko

Pelican Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Right there in the mix heading into the weekend. How would you describe your first two days here?

LYDIA KO: I've been hitting the ball pretty good, pretty solid. I struggled with the putter yesterday. It's really tricky because the greens are pretty undulating, so you have to have the right speed and the right line.

Obviously that sounds very obvious and you do need both of those to get it in the hole. Yeah, it's just difficult because there is a lot of slope, and even short ones I think you're a bit more tentative than some other golf courses.

Yeah, I just got to keep putting myself in good position. These greens are undulating. I think you have to put it in the right sections of the greens, which is important.

So, you know, hopefully continue that over the weekend. Just enjoy being out here.

Q. You've been quite the world traveler lately. We were just talking about the jet lag you've been dealing with earlier this week. Winning last week on the LET and making the long trip over here to compete, why did you make the change and want to play this week?

LYDIA KO: You know, something called the Vare Trophy was at the back of my mind. I honestly didn't know what position I was in. I saw the TV at BMW and I was like, Oh, I'm fourth? I didn't realize there was like a minimum round count. I thought I played enough that I would count, and I thought the other three would, too.

I didn't realize what situation I was in. But, you know me, I was always playing the first event in Saudi and not the second one, so it worked out that I was going to take this week off anyway.

So just living in Florida, you know, finishing off with the two Florida swings, hopefully be all worth it in the end.

Q. You won a lot of different awards throughout your career. Vare Trophy is one still lurking out there. What would it mean to you?

LYDIA KO: I got pretty close a few years ago. To kind of put myself back in that position is great. You know, I said to someone, Me playing these last couple events, like, yes, it gives me a chance at it, but it doesn't guarantee anything.

At the end of the day I still need to play good golf to be deserving of that award. Yeah, it would be really cool at the end of Sunday next week to be awarded that, especially because it's those final awards. It summarizes your whole year and not just a specific event.

It would be super meaningful. Just going to play my heart out ask see what's going to happen.

Q. Strong 4-under 66 in the second round of the Pelican Women's Championship. Birdie-bogey start, and then you turned it on with five birdies on the back nine. What got you going?

LYDIA KO: I actually had quite a few opportunities in my front nine, but I wasn't able to convert anything.

Then I played a birdie on 10, which I felt like, man, the ball can actually go in for birdie. So that set up good momentum. I hit two really good shots on 11 and 12 to kind of set that up, and then I was kind of bummed that I didn't make the birdie on 13, but then was able to back it up on the 14th.

Yeah, overall my iron play has been good enough where I think it's given me a lot of birdie chances, so hopefully I'll be able to continue that over the weekend.

Q. The Middle East is, what, seven time zones away? Has it caught up with you yet?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I'm good now, I think. The first couple days it was a bit of a struggle just to kind of make sure that I am in my home time zone. I'm a pretty good sleeper, so doesn't take that long for me to get used to it.

Because I was a bit tired I think the time that I should wake up, the fatigue kind of overrode that, and then I been make waking up on a good time schedule, which has been good.

Q. Are you one of those players that when you're playing well you want to keep playing, or do you need rest after a victory?

LYDIA KO: I just think day-to-day you never know what's going to happen. Someday I feel like I have got all the feels in the world, and next day I don't even know who I am anymore.

That's the beauty of golf, I guess. Every day is different, every hole is different. You just kind of have to take it day by day.

Yeah, if you're playing well, obviously that gives you good momentum and confidence going in. But sometimes having a rest at the right point is not a bad idea either.

Q. With all the movements on these greens are you able to see the lines? Feel good about it?

LYDIA KO: A little bit better on the back nine today than I did my first 27 holes. Even yesterday I made one birdie and chipped in for an eagle. I felt like there were putts that should have been easily birdies that I missed, so I just got to keep setting myself up with opportunities.

The greens are slopey, so it's not easy. I just got to put a good roll on it and hopefully it falls.

Q. The Vare Trophy carries a Hall of Fame point with it. Where does the Hall of Fame rank for you in terms of a goal?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, definitely something at the back of my mind. Probably the Career Grand Slam is my biggest goal. I think if I do the Career Grand Slam I'm there anyway. Kind of sorts itself out.

Yeah, I think not every player gets to win on tour and not every player ends up being a Hall of Famer, so to be -- to have my name alongside some of the greats that are there would be really cool.

So, yeah, it's something that I'm trying to inch towards, but it takes a lot of great golf. That's why they have that standard, that it takes great golf, great seasons for you to get there.

Q. Was it inspiring for you to watch Inbee get in the Hall?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think she got in on her ninth year and then she waited a year and got in after her British Open win?

Q. KPMG, her tenth event.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, so it's cool. I feel like it's -- there is a league in there and there is another league, so it's like the cool ladies club there.

So I would love to be there. There are so many greats that you can go on and on about. The ladies that still play that there are, like Juli and the many names.

Yeah, it would be really cool. Like I said before, it takes I think a lot of great golf and thought over a short amount of time but a long span of time.

So hopefully I'll be able to give myself a run for it by the time that I'm done with my career.