KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 25, 2022

Sei Young Kim

Congressional Country Club (Blue Course)

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Sei Young Kim after a 1-under 71. Still a solid day today. Two birdies, one bogey. You laughed when I said solid. What did you think about today?

SEI YOUNG KIM: When I warm up even in the morning, it's a lot of sweat. All day it took a lot of energy. I eat a lot and drink a Gatorade.

It wasn't easy to keep the focus on every single shot especially when I turned the back nine. I keep trying, keep trying, keep trying.

THE MODERATOR: What do you do to keep your mind focused when it starts to wander?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Just keep push myself. Keep move forward. Don't stay, yeah, what I played. I think that's helped me a lot.

THE MODERATOR: Were you paying attention to leaderboards at all? At one point In Gee was seven strokes ahead and then had some bogeys and has fallen back. Were you watching scoring at all, or were you just paying attention to your own game?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Not really. They're behind the group, so I can hear how they play.

Even then it's not help to see the scoreboard. I just try to ignore the scoreboard.

Q. Many of your wins have been come-from-behind wins. Are you comfortable in this position in a major?

SEI YOUNG KIM: If I have to pick the compare with the leader or behind, it's the same, yeah. It's the same play. I'm not trying to reach the, like, who is the leader. I'm just trying to best my play on the course. That's my goal have every time.

Q. You are naturally aggressive. Will you change your strategy tomorrow and be more aggressive?

SEI YOUNG KIM: If we get the advantage in hole, yeah, try to go aggressive. If not, yeah, just clearly go smart play, yeah.

Q. You're talking about fatigue and how hot it is. What ways did you manage the heat today, and what do you think was the most successful way to do that today?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Normally I don't drink Gatorade because there's a lot of sugar, but today I drink two bottles of Gatorade because I need the sugar because a lot of sweat.

Yeah, that's a little different today. Then both a little farther than yesterday because of the more higher temperature. And then courses are getting dry so it feels a lot more than last two days. I think we need to think about it, yeah.

Q. Do you prefer it when the course firms up a bit?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Just okay, yeah. (Laughing).

Q. Maybe it was the firmness, but what made it so hard to make birdies today?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Pin position wasn't easy today. All the way back, and even the -- there's not many spots, so if I try to hit to the pins, it can be easy to go to the bunker.

So some hole has to be avoid the pin, but I sometimes hit to the pins. That makes it go in the bunker. So, yeah, just keep the focus on the middle of the green.

Q. How big was your save at 18 so you don't finish with a bogey?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Hole 17 I had a really good shot from the second shot, but I three-putt, and I'm disappointed. That's why I try to hit the little aggressive hole 18 with the second shot with the 9-iron. It pulled it.

Yeah, it was the last hole, so it's really important to me for tomorrow. I'm very glad to make the par, but it's nice to play to save the par.

Q. You and In Gee are close in age. How long have you known each other? Did you compete on the national team together, anything like that?

SEI YOUNG KIM: When I was on national team, she was young, so she didn't join -- she wasn't joined the national team. Since I was middle school, yeah, that was the first time I met her, and then she moved to my neighbor right next to my house.

Q. Like now?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Now. Me and Minjee and In Gee, we are all in the same community.

Q. Do you hang out at each other's houses, or does she --

SEI YOUNG KIM: A lot, yeah.

Q. Tell us what it's like with you all.

SEI YOUNG KIM: She enjoys to cook, so sometimes she cooks for all the friends. So, yeah, she inviting the friends, including me, and she cooked macaroni.

Q. Macaroni.

SEI YOUNG KIM: Macaroni cheese with the tuna. She's pretty good. She's a sweet girl.

Q. What will it be like tomorrow if you are paired together? Will you talk a lot? What will the atmosphere be like?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Just small talk, but each other are really focused on tomorrow, but yeah, just small talk, yeah. Just follow the move, yeah.

Q. Early in the week you talked about how much you love this golf course because it was so long. Do you still feel that way?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, it still feels long, and I like this course. I need good strategy, and I have to play smart, and if I miss, it definitely take a risk. Yeah, that's the reason why I like this course.

Q. If I'm right, it took you a while to get the first major. Will you be more comfortable tomorrow as you chase because you've done it?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Honestly, it's real similar, but I'm not any -- add any extra nervous. I just want to play what I want to play, yeah, tomorrow.

Q. Just a couple quick ones on where you live. Is it Dallas Proper that you live, or is it a suburb?

SEI YOUNG KIM: What do you mean?

Q. Where do you live? What town do you live in?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Where we played Las Colinas.

Q. That's where you all practice, Las Colinas?

SEI YOUNG KIM: No, I practice at the Four Seasons. Across the street, Las Colinas Golf Course. We live in Las Colinas.

Q. Oh, who moved there first?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Me first. Everyone followed me. (Laughing).