MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 18, 2022

Lydia Ko

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Lydia Ko. 7-under 65. Almost a perfect ball striking day; 18 of 18 greens; 11 of 13 fairways. How good were you hitting it out there?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think even the fairways that I did miss I felt like I hit it solid and they weren't like bad shots.

So, yeah, after my round Hannah was like, Hey did you hit all the greens today? I was like, I don't know. Yeah, and yesterday Sean was like, 17 out of 18 greens? And I was like, oh, that too I didn't know until you mentioned it.

Yeah, you know, nice to kind of have that ball striking there. Obviously takes a little bit of pressure off the short game. Yeah, overall I played really solid.

And especially when there is a lot of low scores, you're trying to do your best out there, and at the same time, be aggressive because you see that there is like 6-, 7-, like 5-under, 8-under being posted, and you kind of want to keep up with the pace.

Q. What was the mindset and what did you switch mentally coming out here on Saturday? Were you more aggressive today?

LYDIA KO: I think my strategy has been pretty similar. Slightly different wind direction on a few holes, so made the hole a lot different. It was really windy yesterday and even then the scores were really low.

So I knew that because I was kind of teeing off in the afternoon I could see some of scores that had been posted in this the clubhouse already today that there were low ones out there. Obviously if you are in trouble, trying to make sure you contain it at the same time, but when you've got wedges and pretty straightforward shots, trying to be more aggressive and take advantage of those opportunities.

Q. Got off to a hot start, birdie on the first and couple birdies early and really finished strong. Four of the last seven holes you made birdie on. What changed from 9 to basically 12 to get you on that run?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think 9, 10, 11 I didn't really set myself a birdie opportunity. I think all the putts were like 35 feet, so at that point you're just trying to make a two-putt. If you do make the putt that's a bonus, but two-putt and get out of there and try and set up another opportunity.

Even on No. 12 I didn't hit it for the club in my hand. I thought it wasn't the greatest shot in but I was able to hole that, so it kind of recovered for it.

And then I hit it on the green for two on 14, and even then I was actually quite a ways further, far from the hole, but I just wanted to take every opportunity there and be patient and know that even if I can't make a birdie on that hole, there is another opportunity on the next.

Q. I just see a couple bogeys on your card from the other two days and bogey-free round today. What did you learn from the course throughout the first two days that you kind of took into today?

LYDIA KO: I think I made some kind of careless mistakes the first couple rounds. Yeah, I think you can make bogeys and you hit some missed shots, but I felt like some of the bogeys I made were probably not necessary. I don't know if anything is necessary at that point, but like it wasn't -- like if I was out of position I -- it wasn't that bad of a lie or I would just three-putt, miss a short one.

So I think over the last few weeks I felt like I made some kind of silly mistakes, so I'm trying to do a better job with that. Even if I do have like a three- to six-footer for par, not get to stressed out about it and just be committed.

I think being committed is such a big key for me. Everybody has good days and bad days and good shots and bad shots, and I think just like the big key going to the U.S. Open Sean said like have tentative lines but be like aggressive and have the commitment.

I think that's kind of the thought process I've been trying to keep until now, and I think that's such an important mindset personally for me to be at, even if the results aren't there.

Q. I want to ask you two questions about goals. Before the round every day, what is the goal that you set for yourself? Are there any?

LYDIA KO: I think I set like what I want to shoot that day, but then sometimes I shoot the number and go, man, it could have been better, or it's not -- didn't reach that number but it was a good two-under par or the something.

Obviously depending on the golf course that number changes, and it changes depending on the course condition as well. Somewhere at the U.S. Open, I don't think I'm necessarily thinking, okay, I'm going to shoot 5-under today, even a couple under par; under par is always good.

So I think it's very dictated by that golf course, you know, what the wind is going to be like that day. But I do try and set a number, and even when I don't reach it or I do reach it, just know that I'm going to keep pushing on and that's not the end of that day.

Q. Did you reach that number today? Hopefully.

LYDIA KO: I said minus 5, so it was nice it kind of go past that.

Q. Yeah.

LYDIA KO: Then at the same time, like you're trying to set I think a goal that you're pleased of in the end.

But just trying to give myself opportunities. Sometimes it's such minimal things. Sometimes the ball lips out or lips in and those are like a couple strokes here and there.

So I think just not getting too fussed about that and taking it one shot at a time and just being committed and enjoying it out there.

And especially when you have a great playing partner like Hannah. We've played together in six competitive rounds in the nine that she's last played, so she might be sick and tired of me.

No, I really enjoy it. It's always nice to play with a player that you get along with, and she's so good that I feel like I learn from her as well.

Q. One more day left. You put yourself in the mix. What's the mindset tomorrow? Going for broke really with nothing to lose?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think I'm going to focus on my game. I saw the weather for tomorrow and the wind direction is slightly different, so I don't know like how different the golf course is going to play with that.

I don't think it's going to be as windy as the first couple days, and I think that could possibly lead to more low scores. So just being focused on me and giving myself lots of birdie looks and just enjoying it out there.

You know, not get too impatient out there if things don't necessarily go my way.