LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

February 4, 2022

Yaeeun Hong

Crown Colony Golf & Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Yaeeun, let's start with that front nine. Three birdies in your first nine holes. Take me through what was working so well.

YAEEUN HONG: Putting, definitely putting. I felt good with my putts like yesterday, but it felt good today. Like it was just smooth. Just roll in. It was good.

Q. Have you been working on putting leading into this season? Was that one of the focuses you had this off-season?

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah. I work hard for my putting and my short game. It was being better and better, but now I can feel really I get better.

Q. On the back nine you rebounded quite nicely after the double bogey. What happened there on No. 13?

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah, I didn't feel comfortable with my driver on the back nine and I just put it in the hazard. I didn't saw it -- I saw like it crossed the water but everybody said it didn't, so I went back and I struggle out there.

Yeah, but I make it a nice double bogey. It was hard to make that, but, yeah, it was good.

Q. How important was it to say you saved a double bogey basically?

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah, I think I was nervous of my third shot. Like it couldn't be -- like it will never go over the green but it goes over with 58 and like, Whoa, like I'm nervous. My caddie said, It's okay. Just get through it. Just think about your chipping. Like, sure.

It was tough one, but I make it so it was good.

Q. Then being able to close with a birdie on No. 17, what was working so well for you there?

YAEEUN HONG: I put a really nice par before the birdie, so I felt like pretty good on 17. Like, Okay, two hole left. I can make this one.

And like I put it in and like shout it.

Q. These last two rounds that you've had you've jumped up the leaderboard in what feels like a moving day because it is only a three-round event.

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah.

Q. I know sometimes on what you played last year on the Epson Tour there are a couple of those three-round events. How much are you thinking of your last year's play in this event?

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah, I put it in the leaderboard like couple tournament and I thought I was little like not comfortable during the final round every day and like always runner-up, Top 5, and no wins.

I think I can play more easier tomorrow because it's LPGA and I'm rookie, no pressure. Just enjoying this game and tournament. It will be fine.

Q. What have these first few events as an LPGA Tour rookie meant to you and how have you felt playing them?

YAEEUN HONG: If I wanted to play major I have to be good at this like couple tournaments. Yeah, but don't think about in the course. I was just enjoying. My friend is caddieing for me and he was being like -- making me fun, like talking together, enjoying the tournament.

And now I put in the leaderboard, so like maybe do it same thing.

Q. Do you like catching up to the leaders?

YAEEUN HONG: Yeah.

Q. What do you like most about catching?

YAEEUN HONG: Like when I'm leading I think like I have to runner -- like run out from the runner-up, like second, someone following me.

But if I have to catch up like I can just focus in my game.

Q. Absolutely. What will you take away from today as you you go into the final round tomorrow?

YAEEUN HONG: That double bogey. Like I will work with my driver after lunch. Like I will put my shots more better and comfortable and keep rolling in my putts and keep to doing same thing.

Q. You mentioned majors, trying to get into all the majors. I know it's still the beginning of the season. There is a lot of golf left. Is that the goal you've made for yourself in 2022?

YAEEUN HONG: I really like to play in tournament. Of course I really wanted to play the majors, but I'm not really think about like playing more tournament during this round.

But, yeah, it's my goal to play a lot of tournament that I could.