BANK OF HOPE LPGA MATCH-PLAY

May 29, 2022

Eun-Hee Ji

Shadow Creek

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, here with Eun-Hee Ji, the champion of this year's Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play presented by MGM Rewards, coming off a 3&2 victory over Akaya Furue.

The question on everyone's mind: how excited are you to be going to the U.S. Women's Open this year? You just clinched the final spot.

EUN-HEE JI: I mean, I'm so exciting for win this tournament and then going to next week, because I was like -- this is the way to going in next week, right? So I'm so exciting.

Q. And you haven't missed an Open since, what, 2008?

EUN-HEE JI: Yes.

Q. So you just love the U.S. Women's Open?

EUN-HEE JI: I think so, yeah. I really want to play.

Q. All right. What does it take just to play two rounds in one day and so many holes in five days? What did that take for you to do that and win?

EUN-HEE JI: I believe I was really tired, and over the round my leg almost not moving, so -- but it's all players the same thing, so it's, you know, like I just need to play well.

And then big thing is I finish early yesterday, then and I have enough rest than other player; that makes it a little bit easier to me, yeah.

Q. I want to talk about your shot on 9 here. I was out and watched it. Did you expect that to go in? How excited were you when you found out that went in the hole?

EUN-HEE JI: So actually, that hole, my caddie gave me wrong number first time and then he shoot with the laser and he give me the right number.

So that's why I changed my club, and I just hit it what's the number and then just goes in. I'm like, so exciting.

Q. What was the club and the yardage?

EUN-HEE JI: 52 wedge and 92 yard to the pin.

Q. Obviously that was a great shot, but I saw on the front nine you guys sort of had a lot of bogeys, yet you still came up on top. Does that speak to how challenging this course is?

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah, this wind affect a lot. It's really hard golf course today, especially from the tee shot. I have to -- really have to make sure keep the fairway. You know, the wind affect a lot today, yeah.

Q. So I was going to ask you about club and distance as well on 9. You followed that up by winning 10 from the fairway bunker as well. That seemed to be like from that point on you were kind of in control of the match; would you say that?

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah, No. 9 was really big for me, and then No. 10, I went there this morning, like same spot, exact same spot, and then same number to the front.

So I know what I have to do, so that makes it a little bit easier, yeah.

Q. Yeah. Seemed like it kind of deflated Ayaka as well. Did you sense she was drained and out of energy from that point on? After the hole-out it seemed like your opponent was drained and kind of out of energy at that point. Did you feel that as well?

EUN-HEE JI: Not really. Yeah.

Q. And then I noticed back nine you were doing a lot of bending, stretching your back.

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah.

Q. You mentioned your legs. Is your back getting to you as well?

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah, I used to have a back problem. A little bit sore end of the round, so I keep stretching myself. No, I just -- I have to do a little bit, yeah.

Q. And then one last question: the round of 16 you were the oldest player left in the field. Do you feel like your experience was key to getting through?

EUN-HEE JI: Experience --

Q. You've been around a long time and seen a lot of situations that a lot of these girls probably haven't.

EUN-HEE JI: Yes.

Q. Did you feel like you could draw on that?

EUN-HEE JI: Yes, all my young Korean players always cheer me every tournament if I play well, so, maybe...

Yeah.

Q. Thank you, congratulations.

EUN-HEE JI: Thank you.

Q. They mentioned to you on the Golf Channel, I know, that you were the oldest Korean player to win an LPGA Tour event, but you broke your own record, if you know that. You had already broken that record.

EUN-HEE JI: Oh. Yeah, okay.

Q. How does it feel to be a little older? Especially than your opponent. Ayaka is only 22. Do you feel like you're a role model to a lot of players and still performing such great golf?

EUN-HEE JI: You know what? I don't feel old. (Laughter.)

Q. And you shouldn't.

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah. That's why. I don't feel like oldest person out here.

Q. Speaking of Ayaka, did you have a good time with her today? She's another young player you know. Did you enjoy the competition?

EUN-HEE JI: Oh, yeah. She's really great player, and especially her short game is really great. Afternoon round green gets really, really fast, so even for are me I couldn't make like really good distance-wise.

She sometimes makes little bit of problem over there, so that's -- that was rough, yeah. But it was pretty enjoy to play with her.

Q. Congrats. Sorry I'm not there in person. First off, want to ask you about No. 13 when Ayaka had an opportunity to win the hole. You were in the left rough, left your chip short of the hole, and then Ayaka missed a short putt to tie the hole. What was going through your mind as you were going through that hole and thinking maybe this could be a turning point?

EUN-HEE JI: When I hit there, walking to my ball I think -- when I play with Kelly, she hit it there, she made it from there, so I was thinking that.

But I didn't hit it well, but just I really confidence with my putting, so yeah. (Smiling.)

Q. Do you know about how long that putt was? I mean, it was so close to going in.

EUN-HEE JI: I can't even remember.

Q. Long. Very long.

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah. (Smiling.) I think so.

Q. We can go with that. And then I want to move ahead to the last hole, to 16, when your second shot went far left and first flop shot didn't go the way you wanted.

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah.

Q. What was going through your mind to be able to put that behind and you execute that beautiful next shot?

EUN-HEE JI: I'm like, oh, maybe I'm in the trouble, but she was off the green, so I maybe still have a chance to make up at the point. So, no, I just try my best.

Q. And your best worked. What do you think was the strength of your game this week? On TV they kept talking about your putting and your short game, how well you were playing. What do you think was the best part of your game this week?

EUN-HEE JI: Pretty much my putting and chipping.

Q. Was that something you'd really been focusing on that you thought would help or was that just what it took this week?

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah. (Laughter.) I don't know what to say.

Q. Have you been focusing on your putting and chipping lately in practice?

EUN-HEE JI: Oh, yeah, actually especially with downhill greens. If I have to flop it, my ball, I practiced a lot on the practice green.

And then actually putting is -- my turning point was I play with Kelly last two hole, yeah. After that I putted really well, so maybe that was the turning point.

Yeah.

Q. You mentioned Kelly and that led to my next question. You had to win those last holes against Kelly to move on; then you kind of rolled from there. How much of a confidence boost was that knowing you had to, you had no choice?

EUN-HEE JI: Yeah, very confidence after that. Yeah, especially with my putting.

Q. How are you going to celebrate this tonight?

EUN-HEE JI: I don't know. I haven't think about it. It's in Las Vegas. I have to do something.

Q. I think MGM will be able to take care of you tonight.

EUN-HEE JI: Oh, yeah. Yeah, I think so.

Q. I think that's it from me. Congratulations, Eun-Hee.

EUN-HEE JI: Thank you.

Q. So you found out you're going to the Open today. How are you going to prepare for that? What's the plan? Get there and...

EUN-HEE JI: Get there, rest first, and then see the course and then just do same thing as this week.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Sounds like a good plan. Thank you, Eun-Hee Ji. Congratulations.

EUN-HEE JI: Thank you so much.