BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 17, 2023

Lydia Ko

Nelly Korda

Jin Young Ko

Hyo Yoo Kim

Hae Ran Ryu

Jiyai Shin

LPGA International Busan

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are pleased to be joined by everyone up here at the front desk with Hae Ran Ryu, Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko, Jiyai Shin, Nelly Korda and Hyo Yoo Kim. I will start with a question for each of them, and then we'll open it up to the general room.

Hae Ran, it's been a few weeks since your first Tour victory. How does it feel to return to Korea as an LPGA winner, and how have you reflected on your performance since your win?

HAE RAN RYU: So it's great to be here in Korea, especially after the win. A lot of people were kind of expecting me to win soon, so it's great to be back here after making expectation a reality. After that win, I felt that my shots were a little bit shaky but last week in China, I think I regained my form, so I'm looking very much forward to this week.

THE MODERATOR: Jin Young, welcome back to the BMW Ladies Championship. You're making your first start on the LPGA Tour since your runner-up performance in Canada. What have you been working on to get prepared for this event?

JIN YOUNG KO: I didn't really prepare with something in mind in particular. After Canada, I wanted to take a break so I came to Korea and I took a break with my parents and I didn't focus too much on what I wanted to practise and I tried to focus on what makes me happy overall in life. Of course when I'm doing well on the course, that's when I'm happy but I didn't want to be swayed or impacted by that as much.

THE MODERATOR: Lydia, was defending champion, what do you remember about the week last year and the win overall.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think I've always wanted to win in Korea, whether it was an LPGA event or a KLPGA event or any event that was played here. Last year was the first time we had fans since COVID, so it was really nice to just have a lot of my family and friends come out and watch me play. I think missing them all there, and being able to celebrate with them was super special. It was memorable.

Playing in front of the Korean fans is always exciting. I think they love golf here, especially women's golf, so to be able to play in the final group was really special to kind of celebrate and celebrate women's golf for the week.

THE MODERATOR: Jiyai, how do you feel about your game coming into this championship and playing at this new course?

JIYAI SHIN: So it's been a long time since I played in Korea and since deciding to joint this event, I was really excited and I was looking forward to this event.

At the same time, I was a little bit nervous, and having played golf for a very long time and having a long career, sometimes you lose that sense of enthusiasm and tension and nerves. It was really a joy to prepare for this nerves and feeling those sort the nerves for the first time in a while.

As for the course went out and played and I could tell a lot of people's efforts went into preparing for this event. The course was in great condition and I understand that they changed some of the settings on the course for this event. They added bunkers, and I could really sense the effort that has gone into this course. And so I'm looking forward to practicing on this course, and, of course, playing in the event this week.

THE MODERATOR: Nelly, you are back at the BMW Ladies Championship for the first time since 2019, obviously a new course, but how excited are you, and what are you most looking forward to in returning to Korea?

NELLY KORDA: Yeah, first time since 2019 back in Korea. Definitely too long. I enjoy it here.

Obviously the golf course this week is really, really pretty. I mean, the views out here and just the layout of the golf course is really nice.

Overall, I just enjoy coming here because I see how passionate the people are Korea are for the game and it's just so much fun playing in front of them.

THE MODERATOR: You come into this event after winning in Texas. What did it mean for you to get back inside the winner's circle back in Texas?

HYO YOO KIM: So it's been a while since my last win, and I think earlier in the season, I had a few lost opportunities, so to be very frank, I was a little bit stressed out about that. But it's nice to be able to sort of come to the end of the season with a win, and of course, that also boosted my confidence.

THE MODERATOR: All right. I believe we will open it up now for questions.

Q. I have a question, last year you were on the KLPGA and this is your rookie year on the LPGA and you have also garnered your first win. So far the past year, what did you learn the most, what did you find most impressive and what are your thoughts looking back on the past year as a rookie on the LPGA?

HAE RAN RYU: As you mentioned last year I was on the KLPGA and this year was my first year on the LPGA and when I was in Korea, I was known to take part in a lot of events. So I would be at the course every week. Sometimes I liked to go home, sometimes not.

So going to the LPGA, I knew that there would be a lot of traveling and I knew that there would be a lot of long-distance traveling but as you know in the U.S., I also take part in a lot of events but terms of geography, it's so much long larger and there's time difference and so even though I was ready for it I wasn't quite ready for it. There's just a stark difference in terms of that.

So I think for the last year, it got me thinking about how I should approach the coming seasons with all the travel.

Q. This morning, you were 16th in the World Rankings and I think within the top 20 players you are perhaps the only player in your 30s. Of course age is only a number, but it seems like for the past 15 years you've never really had a bad year, no slump. So what is your secret your strong performance and what are some of the significant goals that you have in mind at this point in your career?

JIYAI SHIN: I have to say that I did really work hard and working hard, times flies. I think all the players put time and effort in to train and practice.

For me, I make an effort to understand myself and my game, and I think over time I have also learned to accept my weaknesses and faults, and that's helped with my career as well.

As a player in sports, you're always trying to challenge yourself overcome yourself, but I think that has to come with maintaining pace. It's about knowing the right timing as well, I think realizing those over the years has helped me over my career and now I realize having been in this field for so long, I'm in a position where I can have a good influence on other players.

And so we are all growing as players together but I think having gone the path before them, I have the experience to share with them, so just talking with them and having a good time, but also thinking about, how can I help them and how can I learn from them is also I think an element that's helped me in my career.

Also I think not only in the game of golf but as an industry as a whole, there is a role for me to make.

Q. The press here is obviously very much interested in Jiyai, and that's only because we are all already the same I think and I have a similar question but let me change it up a little. I have a question, it seems like if you look at recent interviews, you are grasping with a lot of life issues and you're thinking about a lot on the course and off the course. If you can share an issue that you're struggling with or on your mind, and maybe Jiyai can offer advice having been there?

JIN YOUNG KO: So I don't try to come up or make up some of the thoughts that I have on my mind but obviously being a player, around 80 to 90 per cent of my life is about golf.

So naturally when I'm not on the course, I think about a lot of things, what makes me happy or sad or issues as I can experience as a person.

I think personally, I have a good relationship with Jiyai, in the U.K. over a meal we also talked about a lot of things that were on my mind and whenever I need her, I know I have a whole list of things that I want to talk to her about and she always gives good advice, and as she mentioned, she's been down this road. She offers a lot of insight.

So I always look up to her and I always think how I can be a better person and a better player and game like her. I think there's so much more I can learn from her and I have so much respect for her. Also, looking at her, I think about how I can be a better person to the players that come after me.

JIYAI SHIN: First I would like to thank her for her kind words. I had the opportunity to talk with a lot of younger players and I'm really just proud and happy to be able to help. As you know, all the young players are doing so well, I simply support them and it's actually I'm more grateful that they appreciate my support.

As a golf player, we all have our struggles and we have a lot on our mind but what I think is really key is to be able to turn it off when you're off the course.

So like Jin Young mentioned, as golf players, 80 to 90 percent of the time we are thinking about golf but the remaining ten to 20 percent, I think it's really, really important to be able to completely turn your mind off from golf, and so I give most young players advice on how to do that, how to relax and how to get your mind completely off golf when you're off the course and I welcome the young players whenever they need to talk to me, and I also appreciate them as well.

Q. So I have two questions for Jiyai. This year you won at the opening event at the JLPGA, and I understand that you got another one after that. I would like to ask you: What's your motivation to take part in the LPGA again? And then the second question that I have for you is: Will you be joining the LPGA Japan event in November?

JIYAI SHIN: So as you know, to answer your second question first, I will be taking part in the Tokyo event in November, and, in fact, the course is a self-sponsor course and I won there during COVID, so I will be playing there.

As you know I've been playing on the JLPGA for a while, so I wanted some new stimulation on my part as well and I wanted to meet inform the younger players on the LPGA Tour. As a player, I also challenge myself.

Overall I modified my tour schedule so that I have less events but I have higher focus, and actually mixing things up has given me a lot of inspiration and stimulated me a lot, and being in my 30s, I get invited to many events but being in my 30s, I have to pick-and-choose.

However, if there is a good opportunity, I try to make an effort to make it. Having an 18 year long career, I do think about how long I can keep this up so I'm doing my best to leave no regrets behind.

Q. I have a question for Nelly. I understand that you, as a global player with a Korean corporation as your sponsor and you are especially beloved by the fans here in Korea, and you haven't been able to come to Korea due to COVID and I'm sure that was unfortunate. Can you tell us how you feel about coming back to Korea and meeting your fans, and just a comment to your fans, as well? And the second question is for all the players. The Olympics is just around the corner. It's next year, and we have a couple of Olympic medalists. We have players who have been in the Olympics and some players who are looking forward to being in the Olympics, and everything will depend on your rankings. However, if you can each comment if you are looking to take part in the Olympics and if you do so, then how will you approach it, what are your thoughts on it, etc.?

NELLY KORDA: So obviously I'm very grateful for every part of my career, and having a relationship that I have with Hanwha I am super grateful for, and we've developed a great relationship over the years of my career.

Obviously haven't been back since 2019, so it is very nice to be back. As I said before, I see how the people in Korea are so passionate about golf, and that just makes, I feel like me as a player, have more fun and appreciate the game a little bit more. So definitely very excited to tee it up this week and see all the fans out.

As for the second part of the question, I like to stay very present. So what is in front of me is this week and that's what I'm focused on. Obviously in my career, that was definitely one of the biggest highlights, and being able to stand on the podium and earn a Gold Medal was a huge honor and something that I'll look back at for the rest of my life. If I do get to represent my country for one more time, I think I'm going to jump for it. There was nothing like it. As for that question, I'll handle it when we get to it.

THE MODERATOR: Before we move on, Lydia, if you would like to share maybe about returning to the Olympics.

LYDIA KO: I'm super excited to hopefully be able to represent New Zealand in Paris. I think when we play tournaments, most of the time, people only remember about who won and first place, and even though there's second place or third place and whoever made the cut or you participated, it's something that you should be grateful for and I think just being there, the Olympics is a huge celebration of that.

Being able to call yourself an Olympian and being on the stage with the best athletes with all around the world is something that doesn't happen to everybody, and the opportunity doesn't come to everyone.

For myself to have played in two Olympics so far has been a huge honor, and even though I won Silver and Bronze, and technically, that would be second and third, they were some of the greatest heights of my career. I think it's up there with some of my wins.

I'm really excited for Paris. It's come around in three years, just because of COVID, we played in Tokyo a year later. So it came a lot quicker than we anticipated. I think a lot of us are going to work hard to make sure that we are there. But like Nelly said, we still have so many events and we haven't finished the season yet. I'm focusing on trying to finish the season well and go from there.

Q. Hyo Joo, I cannot forget the No. 9 hole in the Texas tournament. Do you think luck will be on your side at this event as well? And my second question is to Jin Young, an LPGA event in the States versus here in Korea, I would imagine that here in Korea you would feel more pressure, so any thoughts on that? And who is the player to look out for this week?

HYO YOO KIM: I certainly hope my lucky streak continues. I actually think that was not all luck. I played that hole very well I think. So it's been a week, so I hope that luck has not worn off. But rather than hope for luck and fortune, I hope that I can play well at each stop and shoot a low score.

JIN YOUNG KO: To be honest, I don't feel any added pressure playing in Korea. It's just one of 30-something events in the year. It's just different and special because I get to play in front of family and friends.

I think the preparation and how I approach the event, it's the same as any other event. The difference is the environment itself allows us to play and enjoy a little bit more.

Q. So my question is to Hyo Joo and Jiyai, I understand you've been friends for a long time and you're playing against each other this week for the first time in a while, I believe. So how do you feel about that? And what are some of the strengths; can you speak about your strengths in the game and different play style that you have, anything along that line?

HYO YOO KIM: As for Jiyai, you already know she's quite famous. She was on the top of the World Ranking for the longest and I have to say she's very sophisticated her play. She's really focused and committed, and she won't let anything get in her way and I mean that as a compliment. She is also very, very competitive. I also think that when she has to make the shot, she always gets the shot. So that's I think one of her strengths.

JIYAI SHIN: I've been friends with Hyo Joo for a long time, since elementary school and I have to say that she's a really consistent player, and it's really great to have a friend on tour. She's not the warm and fuzzy type, I have to say, but she's always there to listen when I want to talk to her and I need to talk to her.

I was very happy for her when she won at Texas and I also learned a lot from her during the International Crown and through her win in Texas, I was happy for her. At the same time, I was motivated to do better. So I think that we really have a good relationship where we exude a lot of synergy.

Q. So this is a question for all the players. We are now in the Asia Swing. It started in China. It's here now in Korea and move on to Malaysia and Japan. I would like to ask each of you what sort of meaning the Asian Swing has for you. It's in the same time zone and people watch all of the games. And so off the course in terms of the fans or the food or the atmosphere, what kind of sort of significance does the Asian Swing have on the Tour for each of you?

LYDIA KO: No jet-lag.

NELLY KORDA: Lots of jet-lag. (Laughter)

I would say the food and the fans, too, is what I enjoy most about the Asian Swing.

JIYAI SHIN: I'm usually in Asia, so for me it's an opportunity to meet some friends that I haven't seen for a long time.

HYO YOO KIM: Food for me as well. I think everybody has said what I wanted to say.

HAE RAN RYO: I think as a rookie, I like all the cities but we all like the Asian Swing because the events don't have any cutoffs.