BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 22, 2022

Na Yeon Choi

LPGA International Busan

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: What a way to really get your day going and winning a car. What a shot. Walk me through that hole.

NA YEON CHOI: I would like to describe that as a perfect shot because that went exactly as I had planned. It fell exactly where I wanted it to, and it rolled in exactly as I imagined it. After I hit it, when the ball was flying over, I got goosebumps. I was still skeptical, and then I knew it went in but I didn't see the ball but I wanted to double check and I didn't feel that I could show my emotions immediately, but then I checked, double-checked, and when I was sure, that's when I got goosebumps all over my body, and I was really happy.

Of course whenever you ace a hole, you're ecstatic. But at the same time for me I think I got kind of emotional because it almost seemed like I was being rewarded for all those years of hard work.

THE MODERATOR: With that, I don't know if you're familiar with the CME Group Cares Challenge, so CME donates $20,000 to St. Jude's Children's Hospital to help with childhood cancer. You get to do that in your last event as an LPGA professional. You get to contribute to that donation. What does that mean to help in that kind of way?

NA YEON CHOI: I actually did not know about the donation, but the CME Group are valuable partners. They support the LPGA. They sponsor the LPGA as valuable partners. I'm really happy that I can contribute to something good in my last LPGA Tour event.

I actually did make donations in the past, but sometimes I wish I had done more because there were times when I wasn't doing very well, and I just wasn't in that mindset.

But I think it's truly great that I get to do this good deed for children in need.

Q. You talked about how you became a little emotional of you aced No. 3. I understand that this championship has particular meaning for you personally. Can you elaborate on that?

NA YEON CHOI: Although the name of the championship changed, I did pretty well in the LPGA Tour events in Korea in the past, so I won the 2009 and 2010 events, I did well in 2011, and in 2017 I wasn't able to take part. As an Asian player particularly, it was important to -- all the players want to do well here, and as a Korean it was a little scratch to my ego to not take place in the only LPGA Tour event in Korea. So this year preparing for the 2022 season, I knew it could be my last, so I made a request for me to take part in this event as my last LPGA event, and BMW and LPGA granted that request, so I'm very grateful for this.

Also, this was really important for me because although I appreciate fans all over the world, Korean fans are so important to me and to my career. I felt like it was the right thing to do to show them me playing for the last time.

At one point there was a little pressure, so I did contemplate skipping this event, but I'm really glad that I did not, and I think by doing well today, especially with the hole-in-one, I've given them a gift in return, as well.

Q. Now you are stepping out as a player but you're still going to remain in the golf industry; do you have any particular plans for your YouTube channel?

NA YEON CHOI: I want to continue with my YouTube channel. I've been at it for two years, and I've really enjoyed kind of finding myself by doing the channel. I'm really confident, and I love doing it with the fans and the people, so I will continue that after I retire.

But as to what I'm going to do other than that, nothing has been decided, specifically anyway. I have learned through doing my YouTube channel that I like to teach, so it might be something related like teaching people how to swing. It might have to do with the psychological or mental side of playing sports. I also want to study a bit, as well, and I also want to try out other sports, as well.

I think in terms of golf, I'll continue on with YouTube, and as you know in Korea, we have so many channels and so many outlets for golf broadcasting, and I'm interested in that, as well.

Q. I have to say that you are an important player in the history of Korean golf. You talked about how you're interested in other things after you retire, but I want to know specifically if there's anything that you have in mind in terms of fostering younger players in Korea.

NA YEON CHOI: Actually I really like it. I like to teach. So if the opportunity presents itself, I would love to try my hand at teaching golf.

My only concern with this is that personally I think I got really worn out from the emotional side of being a golfer. For instance, if I don't play well, then there's stress, and I'm struggling with all these emotions. It kind of wore me down. My only concern is I might relate too much to the players or kids that I teach, and I do have a fear about me getting into that emotional cycle again.

But I think that I have a lot to offer to junior players other than golf, and so if the opportunity arises, then I would really love to mentor and coach, but I think I would have to remind myself not to relate to them too much to the point where I get stressed out as if I'm playing the game.