THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

March 31, 2022

Lydia Ko

Mission Hills Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lydia Ko, 4-under 68. Whole bunch of birdies out there; just one bogey. Tell me how you feel you played today. Looked like it was pretty good.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I played really solid overall. When I missed a green I was able to make up and down for most parts, and when I did miss a fairway I was able to recover well with the second shot or third shot coming in.

Overall I think a lot of positives to take from today. On my back nine there were a couple putts that shoulda, coulda, woulda gone in but didn't. I feel like that's the case in any round.

I know the afternoon is normally breezy and it picked up in on the back nine for us. It wasn't playing super easy out there. Yeah, I'm happy with the start.

Q. If that breeze picked up on your back nine, which was your front nine, I think that makes the three birdies, bogey-free on that part, even more exciting for you. Tell us about those birdies. Any good catches out there or just some solid shots?

LYDIA KO: I missed three greens in my back nine, and every time I was able to hit a good chip, decent chip shot and then have more of a stress-free par in that sense.

2 was playing pretty strong downwind, so even though I missed the fairway I was still able to get pretty close to the green. And I holed a really good birdie putt on 8, and then hit a great second shot in actually from the rough on 4 to set up a birdie opportunity.

Yeah, I feel like when something wasn't as sharp the other part was able to recover. I think that's how you got to play. It's a lot of golf to be played, and you just got to take it one shot at a time and play the best golf you can in the circumstances.

Q. Speaking of those pitch, chip shots, there were a couple where you couldn't see your shoes and you were able to hit it up there pretty close. The rough is thick, grass is high, and you were able to get those wedges out. Do you feel good about where you are with those?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think at this it is a little bit of luck of draw with the lies. Sometimes it like sits up for you even though it's long, and then you don't even know if that's easier or not because you could go straight under it.

But the rough, I would doubt that they're going to cut it much throughout the week, so it's going to only get juicier and longer, so trying to stay out it is a big thing.

When I am in that, I think I just have to be smart and kind of judge, like am I able to actually get this out close, or is it better to just hit a higher lofted one and set myself for the next shot coming in.

So, yeah, if I do hit it in there, hoping I get accident lies and makes that next shot a lot easier.

Q. We used to say that you were just magic with the wedges. Do you feel like that magic is still with you?

LYDIA KO: Sometimes I hit a shot and I'm like, oh, that was good, and sometimes I am like, wow, that was so bad. Like my shot on 2 ended up being close, but it was so high off the face, like I'm glad the size of wedge is what big.

But I went to wedges that I played -- well, the same brand wedges that I played as an amateur, so it's something I'm very familiar with.

I've got a mix of different grinds, which I had never played that before, so it was -- I think it took a while for me to adjust and see like what grinds work well, and I think I'm going to kind of change it around a little bit depending on how the course is playing as well.

So it's great that there is that variety that could help me. I just have to be committed with what I have in my bag.

Q. Last one from me. We talked earlier in the week and you said the golf course couldn't be more different now than it was the year that you won. Do you feel like you're a different player now than when you won? More well-rounded? Where are you?

LYDIA KO: I mean, I was less wrinklier -- no, just kidding. It feels like a long time ago. 2016 is a long time ago, my third year on tour and it's already my ninth.

I think the way I play golf course is different just because the length off tee is different, so some of the lines I'm taking are different. Like No. 9 today I hit 3-wood almost to the end of fairway, where I don't think I've done it that in previous years.

So it's I think just the way my game is a little different. I think, yes, then I was probably playing with a lot of confidence that week just because I had won at Kia and I played well solid that week. So I was feeding off that kind of momentum.

Not as like good of a momentum coming into this week, but that's the thing about golf. Like every round is different. Every tournament is different. So you just try and play the best golf you can. I think at the end of the day I can never be the person I was in '16, so I'm just trying to be the best player, person I can be in 2022.

Q. One last question from me. Got some little girls back here waiting for your autograph, and I know you're out with Brooke and you two always get a good gallery. What's it like to have the fans back and to kind of feel like the world is back to normal?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, player dining we're allowed guests inside as well. It's good to kind of have it back. Derrick mentioned that is as well. We were walking down 10, which was our first hole and they were like, Go Brooke, Go Brooke. Brooke and I started laughing. I was like, hey, I know where it's at. I know there is a lot of Canadians and a lot of Brooke fans out here.

But whether they're here for me or for another player or just to watch the world's best, it's great to see them. Obviously this is our last year here at Mission Hills, so the local fans -- I saw a sign that said, We will miss you guys, miss the LPGA. You know, there has been a lot of history here, so we will miss them, too.

So hopefully all of us players will be able to put on a good showcase these next four days and say a great splashing good-bye.