U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

July 8, 2023

Jiyai Shin

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Flash Interview

Q. Jiyai Shin, 2-under 70 today. Can you talk us through your round out there.

JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, finally I can feeling Pebble Beach's wind today, all day.

Yeah, I have a great rhythm with my swing, so that's why I hit it great tee shot and irons, but my putting wasn't that working today. I missed a few chances.

I'm just happy to finish under par today.

Q. How hard are holes 8 through 18 out there today?

JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I feel more wind when I'm standing on No. 8. I can feel more the wind.

Today the sun come up, so it makes fairway harder and greens harder, too. And then wind blowing, so hard to make it calculating for the number to the pin.

Q. What are you going to need to do tomorrow to go out and win this championship?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, I think I'm the most pressure on this tour because I'm playing mainly Japan now, so I came here last -- I didn't came for a while. I'm really enjoying at the moment, and then how beautiful this course.

I feel actually Pebble Beach is one of my dream golf courses, so I'm finally here, so it really feels like I'm really lucky.

A little sad we have only one more day, so I try to do my best.

Q. How would you compare your game now to when you played full-time on the LPGA?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, I'm not 20 anymore. When I came up to here on Monday, I saw a lot of younger players to practice, and then they have speed, they have power. First two rounds I lost my tempo actually because I tried to catch up.

Finally before the start of the tournament, okay, that's not mine. Okay, just play my own game. It pretty worked this week.

When I went over to Japan, now I really enjoy spending my family and friends at the moment. Sometimes I want to -- like this, I want to come back sometimes but not full time. You know how much I miss my family and my hometown.

Q. Your nickname, of course, is the Final Round Queen. What kind of number do you think you'd need to shoot tomorrow to win this?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, depends about how much wind tomorrow, as well. I made two bogeys today and then two bogeys yesterday. But if I bogey-free round, if I play bogey-free round, I have a little bit of chance.

Q. You've won two British Opens. You're used to playing well in windy conditions. Do you find that a lot in Japan? Do you have a lot of windy conditions?

JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, they have a lot of islands, so we play -- yeah, I have a lot of experience with the wind.

Yeah, you're right, I have great experience. I have a great memory with the British Open. When I come up to here, oh, this is type of me.

That's why I just remind all my good memories, and it works.

Q. This is your first tournament in the States since 2019. What led you to come out for this event?

JIYAI SHIN: Actually I want to show to play here to my grandma, but she's passed away last month. I know how she's proud when I playing here.

When she's getting old, I want to showing to playing over to here, but I know she's gone, but I think she's with me all the time right now.

Q. What was her name?

JIYAI SHIN: Kirim Kim.

Q. What do you think she would think of your performance so far this week?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, I think she -- actually she came to my dream two weeks ago, and I won that tournament in Japan, and then I think she still hold my hands.

Q. I know you've won a ton around the world since leaving the LPGA Tour. What has it felt like to be in contention here for the first time in 10 years?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, I'm pretty surprised because when I walked through the course a lot of fans still remember me, and then when I really thankful to remember me. Of course I love to playing here but not full time.

Yeah, really great to see all my fans, and now new generation come up to playing, so I got to more learn some from the younger players, and then I get more inspired from them.

Q. You mentioned your grandma came to you in a dream a couple weeks ago. Was there anything she told you in that?

JIYAI SHIN: Well, at the time we sharing the -- we eating together. Yeah, I go to eat now. I need energy. I think that means she say keep help myself.