THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

April 19, 2023

Jin Young Ko

The Club at Carlton Woods

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Here with Jin Young Ko at the Chevron Championship. First major of the year. How confident are you feeling in your game and your chances here at the first major?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, first of all, I make first win at the major was 2019. The time flies so fast. It's a new golf course here, so all players feel a little awkward because we played many times in majors, but this course is pretty good, too, so yeah, looking forward.

Q. Everyone has talked about how long the golf course is. Do you find that it is long, and do you like long golf courses?

JIN YOUNG KO: Well, it doesn't matter because this golf course, some holes are really long. The first nine like the first few holes is really long, but par-5s have a chance to two on and make birdies. Par-3s are kind of long but some short par-3 has it, so it's okay. Yeah, that's a major, so...

Q. How do you like the grass, the Bermuda?

JIN YOUNG KO: It's okay. Well, I'm practicing in Texas right now. The golf course grass is like not this much Bermuda, but they have some Bermuda on the course, so I practice a lot in the last two weeks in Texas, so it's okay.

I had many times to win with Bermuda, like CME or Singapore. Yeah, I need to think good, positive things.

Q. What is your home club here in Texas?

JIN YOUNG KO: Trinity.

Q. Was your coach here with you in this downtime?

JIN YOUNG KO: No, my coach is in Korea on first full leave.

Q. I wanted to ask, in the off-season, what changes did you make to your swing to help your wrist so that you wouldn't feel so much pain?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I had tough season the last year, but my wrist is getting better, and I think 80 percent it's really good now. I don't need to think about it much.

Yeah, I think my game is a little changed a bit over the last year and this year, and I'm playing aggressively in this year. I used to hit draw much in the last few years, but now I'm hitting it straight or a little bit of fade, so it makes more spin on the green. That means make more chances for birdie.

My game is pretty good now.

Q. You mentions your first major victory was in 2019 at this tournament. You also won Evian that year. Has it been easier or harder since winning those two majors that year to compete in majors as the years have gone by?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, it's not easy. Well, I found I'm really ready to get majors in 2019, and after 2019 I had -- I changed a swing coach and I had a lot of issues in my life, so I didn't feel comfortable on the course to play, especially majors.

But now I'm ready to play a major or not. I'm working with my ex-swing coach, so everything is going really well, so I'm really happy.

Mentally and physically everything is perfect. Yeah, this course is not easy, but I'm ready to enjoy. I'm ready to play. I'm ready to looking forward.

Q. Was there anything outside of your wrist that was uncomfortable in your life, and how did you see those discomforts play out on the course?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, because in the last year I couldn't make my band in my hair because I couldn't like this. So like hair band is on my fingers I couldn't straighten. It was really pain.

But now I can make my hair like pretty hair, and I can practice a lot right now.

Q. In 2019 this was your first major win at the Chevron Championship. How much would it mean to you to just win here again, even at a different course?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah. I'm sometimes watching in 2019 ANA Inspiration highlights, and it doesn't feel that that was five years ago, but I can remember every moment on the golf course myself and the winning putt. I'm missing the moment already; I'm ready.

Q. As a winner of this championship, now being here in a new home, how does it feel different being here than when you were in Palm Springs?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, it's more windy here, and the grass is different. We can't find the bridge that's first missing the point, but it's pretty good, too, because I'm living in Texas right now. I drove just four hours from Texas to here, so it was easy travel.

Yeah, it's okay.

Q. With being so close, were you able to come here in advance of this week to get a look and get familiar with the golf course?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I think so, yeah. I think a lot of fans come here to watch, yeah, like a lot of LPGA players this week. Yeah, it's pretty windy. That's first big issue for me right now, but it's okay, yeah.

Q. You said you're playing more aggressive now. How aggressive do you feel like you can be or can't be on this golf course?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I'm playing aggressive right now, but that means every single time don't hit the flag. I mean, my flight going to a little more higher than last year and more a little bit of a fade than last year, so that means I can make more chances for birdies. Yeah, I sometimes hit just middle of the green. I am not hitting like every time to the flag.

But this course is not easy to aggressive play. But the par-5s is okay, so I can play aggressively on par-5s.

Q. Players have been talking about how tricky it is to read these greens. How much do you rely on your caddie Dave when you get in tricky situations?

JIN YOUNG KO: Yeah, I'm not good read on the green for breaks, so I always asking to my caddie, David. I think this week the same as like the last few weeks or few years, so I'm going to ask Dave.

Q. Does he give you a lot of confidence on the greens?

JIN YOUNG KO: Not confidence, just he get me the break, like one cup or two cup.

Q. Since you're living in Texas, I understand players are getting cowboy hats this week. Did you get one?

JIN YOUNG KO: No.

Q. Do you want one?

JIN YOUNG KO: I have boots. I don't need hat.

Q. Would you jump if you win?

JIN YOUNG KO: I'm ready, 100 percent.