KROGER QUEEN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY P&G

September 7, 2023

Lydia Ko

Kenwood Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Solid round out there. Lots of birdies. Take me through some of those birdies and just overall your performance today.

LYDIA KO: My long game was questionable. Like I think even on golf courses with like way tighter fairways -- like the last two weeks, I hit way more fairways, and here it's like pretty I think forgiving off the tee, but that part I didn't take advantage of.

But my short game was really good and that was kind of the aspect that I thought was lacking like obviously when my ball striking hasn't been to the level I wanted it to be the last few months.

But it hasn't been like that -- especially off the tee -- that worse than like last year. But it's just more like my conversion rate when I miss the green have been really low to before. I think that's kind of been the few-shot differences for me.

Q. Okay.

LYDIA KO: But I was able to do that a lot better, which was definitely nice. At the same time, you can't be leaning on that all the time.

So, yeah, hopefully a little bit more cleaner tomorrow, but definitely a nice start to this event.

Q. What have you been working on in your game recently? Anything that comes to mind that you have been just dialing in on?

LYDIA KO: I think I worked a lot on my long game. I think because I did, like that part definitely improved to maybe compared to the first half of the season.

I think because I spent so much time on my long game I almost wasn't spending as much time on my short game, and I think that definitely showed on the golf course.

Like this week I tried to do as much short game practice as much as long game because I think it's almost like the most important thing.

As long as you have a shot, if you like are able to make up and down and kind of have that as your insurance it's always a more comfortable place to be at and play from.

Yeah, no, I tried to spend a little bit more time doing the short game, especially on a golf course that I've never played at. Just wanted to get more familiar.

Q. And last question: As we're heading into the final stretch, how important is the final stretch to you and really locking in on your game and performance?

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I've had to just with the -- I haven't been playing very well so I've had to add a few events, kind of like this one where I wasn't meant to play but I came here and I was like, this is one the most fun golf courses I've played in a while.

So I'm glad that I am here, and, yeah, you know, it's just I want to finish off the season strong. There is still plenty of events. Like Chanettee, like she obviously didn't come into Portland with that much good momentum but she played incredible and ended up winning.

I think as much as like it's difficult to do that, I think in golf that can happen. It's one of the rare sports that can happen to you, so I'm just going to keep working at it and hopefully finish the season strong.