BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 21, 2022

Lydia Ko

Oak Valley Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Lydia, backed 68s. Scoring is higher today and I think yours is probably a little better than how you felt about it yesterday. Evaluate your day.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think I don't really know which 68 is better. At the end of the day I guess it's the same score. You know, yesterday I think during the middle of my round, I made a couple mistakes and then I played really well on the back nine to end up finishing 4-under and I think that was the same case today. You know, bogeyed 11 to go back to even and then made a really good par on 13.

I think just to know that I was still back at even rather than being at 1-over when I wasn't playing that bad, I think helped a lot with the momentum, and especially with a drive, you've got a really good chance for birdie or perhaps an eagle and I made the eagle today on 15.

Yeah, I think I was just able to ride on the momentum from there, and I had a lot more birdie opportunities coming down the stretch compared to the rest of my round and I think that definitely helped for me to finish strong today.

Q. What eased up about the scoring on 15? A lot of eagles today.

LYDIA KO: With the pin being front right, it's only five on, five from the right, and yesterday was more like back left. So the bunkers come into play and you've got longer clubs in, and I think today was a little calmer with the wind conditions. I only had like a really chippy 6-iron in, so a lot of the longer hitters, I'm sure, had like a short- to mid-iron. I think the key to that hole is hitting a good drive and that sets up a good birdie opportunity. Because the pin was at the front, even if you were in the bunker or the rough, I don't think it was necessarily a difficult pin to attack from there.

Q. I know you all have roots here in Korea, specifically in Seoul. How cool is it to be back and have these kind of crowds? You're pretty used to big crowds but to have a hometown crowd feel.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I'm born in Seoul. I'm proud to be born in Seoul. I lived my first few early years here in Korea. Every time I come back here, I'm super excited and there's a part of me that really wants to play well because I don't really come here very often. This is my birth country and it's always going to be a special place to anyone. Even though I play under the New Zealand flag, I think Korea is such a special place for me, and a hometown to my parents as well.

I think just seeing the fans here, it's still the weekdays, so people are getting off work. I know my brother-in-law is getting off work today and then going to come out and watch on the weekend as well. I'm expecting for the crowds to keep getting bigger. I know this is not super far from Seoul, so this makes it logistically a little easier for people to get out, too.

I think Korean people love golf and love the LPGA. Because we don't come here often, it's a one-time and an annual thing, and I think that's what excites them and that's what excites us to come back. It's a tournament that I want to play well at because I'm born in Korea.

Q. If I had to give an award to the most solid player this season, you would win by far. You've been playing some good golf, maybe even vintage Lydia golf. When you're in contention in a place that obviously means so much, what are you thinking heading into the weekend? You obviously got that win back earlier this season and got so close so many times but what's the mindset really? Are you going for broke or are you stepping back and enjoying the moment?

LYDIA KO: I feel like this is the most consistent I've played in any of my seasons. Even when I was No. 1, I had won more frequently in that season and didn't have as many Top 10s or the percentage of Top 10s compared to how many events I was playing. I'm getting older so I am playing less events than my rookie year or my first few years on tour, but it's definitely nice to be in contention a little bit more frequently, and I think that just boosts the confidence levels, and I think at the end of the day, it's a momentum thing. You know, when you start playing well, it would defeat off the good energy, the good things that went on from the week before and trying to feed on the week after. I think I've been able to do that pretty well.

And no, I think especially at this last kind of from the middle of the season to where it is now, I don't think I've ever gotten too hyped up about it or too down and that's just allude me to play more freely. That's a good place for me to personally be at. That way, even when I'm not playing well, I don't like let that one round affect the whole week or how I approach the next day, and it's kind of a refresh and it's still a learning process for me. But I am getting better at that, and I think so many people have said, like, the less I am like focused on, like, the result orientated aspects, the better I'm going to play because I'm just out there having a good time, and I feel like I'm having fun. I'm in a great place in my life off the golf course, as well, so it just kind of all comes together. I'm hoping to finish the season off strong but no matter what happens, I think it's been a fun season and I'm excited for it to end but also excited for next year and what's to come.