JTBC CLASSIC PRESENTED BY BARBASOL

March 24, 2022

Lydia Ko

Aviara Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lydia Ko, 4-under 68 to kick off your week here at the JTBC Classic Presented by Barbasol. Clean card today. Four birdies. Take us through your round.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, early in the round I don't think I gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities. Just my club selection wasn't as sharp as I would've liked.

But holed a really good putt on 14 I think for my first birdie, and then hit it really -- two really good shots into 18 and was able to make the putt on the 18th.

Yeah, it was I think solid overall. Some things I think could have been better, but I think in general I feel like I played solid and pretty consistently.

Hopefully I'll be able to carry that to the next few days.

Q. You took a couple weeks after between Thailand and last week. Are you feeling any rust coming into this week or have you had time to practice?

LYDIA KO: I was recovering and trying to get my body, my physical state up to kind of the level that I would've liked it, slowly getting into the gym, et cetera.

So, yeah, I think two weeks -- I had like four or five weeks before -- four weeks before Asia, so I feel like much better. I think two weeks goes by super quick, and I feel like, man, I could have taken a few more days off, and then you're here.

But it's good to be here. I love the California swing. So, yeah, excited for these next stretch of events.

Q. Last question from me. 30 putts on the greens today. How are you finding the poana?

LYDIA KO: You know, they were actually pretty smooth considering. I know some holes are a little bumpier than others, but I think that's why you have to take advantage of playing in the morning. Obviously less players, less traffic around the holes.

So, yeah, I think the greens, even when I came here to play on the practice days they were much better than -- or less bumpy than some of the other years.

And when there are spike marks, with the new rule that was implemented a few years ago, you're able to fix it, so for the most part I think you're able to kind of get away with it.

Yeah, in the afternoon it is a little bit more tricky. You have to stay patient. You've got to know I'm not the only one putting on these greens, so sometimes they're going to bounce in and sometimes going to bounce out.

But it's just -- you just have to play with what you get.

Q. When you take that tome off, what do you like to do to get away from golf?

LYDIA KO: I went on like a little getaway with my boyfriend, which was really nice. And then I was just getting into practice, and actually I was so jet lagged from Asia I was looking at my swing and then trying to see like where it was at compared to like a year ago.

I felt like I was able to figure out a few things and kind of worked on it this past week. I feel like those parts are getting better.

So, yeah, just being confident and out there just not thinking about anything technical. We pretty much just chilled, cooked, and I tried to keep it very relaxing.

Sometimes -- we were on the road doing a lot things, but I think that's why I try and go the exact opposite with my time off.

Q. Even with your time away it sounds like you still put a lot of thought into your golf and your game. Is it something you love that much that you feel like you don't want to get away all the time?

LYDIA KO: I was jet lagged with no reception, so the only thing I had was the Netflix that -- like episodes that had downloaded by itself. I woke up at like 3:00 and at one point, I can't like keep waking up, you know.

So I was like, Hey, I'm alone for the next four hours. I was looking at some of my photos and then just looking at some swing videos and found a few things.

Okay, I kind of went somewhere with this jet lag which is great, yeah.