LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY HOAKALEI

April 12, 2023

Hyo Joo Kim

Hoakalei Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with defending champion Hyo Joo Kim, who just proved again why she likes this golf course so much. Great round today, 4-under 68. You got on a pretty good stretch on that back nine. Just tell me about your front nine?

HYO JOO KIM: Yeah, so I started out at the 10th hole today and started with a bogey, so I had the mindset of I got to really get my head straight.

The putter worked really well, and that lead to a low score. Swings were good. I actually made a lot of mistakes, but I actually had the thought that I should make more birdies to cover for that.

Q. I mean, what was your strategy in this wind today? We can feel it. It's really windy out here.

HYO JOO KIM: Not really much strategy with the front wind. I just tried to hit as low as I could.

With the back wind I just tried to be cognizant about the ball -- like the carry landing location was.

Q. How were you able to do that? Obviously having to be strategic. How many times did you have to adjust your clubs or how many times did you have to adjust for the wind? We typically play it as a three-, four-club wind, but how do you make the adjustments to accomplish that goal?

HYO JOO KIM: I tee'd off in the morning and the wind wasn't blowing as much as it is now in the afternoon, so it wasn't that difficult.

But in the afternoon the wind really picked up much stronger than in the morning, so I just had to be more mindful and cognizant of the wind on the back nine in the afternoon.

Q. Eight birdies and four bogeys. Have you ever had a round that was kind of like that, all-or-nothing kind of round?

HYO JOO KIM: So I have a lot of experience with these kind of rounds. Today there was just a lot of chances, couple mistakes here and there.

I wouldn't say it was an up and down round, but that there was a mistake once in a while during my good rhythm stretch.

Q. You set yourself up going into round two. Talk strategy going into tomorrow and what you're looking to get accomplished on round two.

HYO JOO KIM: So I'm teeing off in the afternoon tomorrow, so I expect this wind right now. Like I expect to play in this wind condition right now, so I have to be more thoughtful in selecting my clubs.

Hopefully just continue to play well, and also trying to play better today than yesterday, and tomorrow better than today.