AIG WOMEN'S OPEN

August 23, 2024

Lydia Ko

Mixed Zone

Q. How do you feel the two days have gone?

LYDIA KO: I feel like I played really solid. Yesterday was some of the windiest conditions I've ever played in. It's so windy that it's not only your ball-striking that you're worried about but just even a three-, two-footer where you're trying to hit the center of the club face. It sounds stupid because you're like, how could you miss the center of the putter, but it's so windy it's blowing us over. The balls are oscillating.

I think that was one of the toughest rounds I had to play yesterday, and the wind picked up towards the end of our round, but I think for the most part today, I think we got very fortunate with the conditions. I know it was a little wet, but I thought that was so much more playable than a sunny, windy day like today.

Q. Are you feeling a little bit mentally drained?

LYDIA KO: I saw the forecast, and it seems like it's going to be windy. We have to play with what we get. The golf course plays so different even depending on which wind direction it is. You just have to be patient.

I played the front nine on Monday -- the back nine on Monday, and the course was really long. But today it played so much shorter. I think the wind plays such a big factor around here that you can't get too rattled up about the things that I can't control. So I'm just trying to just enjoy it and know that I'm going to be out of position at times, but that's part of it.

I think just being really patient is going to be more and more important as the days go on.

Q. I know you said you're not a golf nerd but your husband is. How much is he enjoying this?

LYDIA KO: He's going to go play at Dumbarnie Links this afternoon because 18 holes of spectating is not enough. And he played Kingsbarns on Monday in the rain. I'm glad that he's actually getting to experience this.

Sometimes I feel bad because he's having to wake up at 4:00 a.m. with me this morning. Even if I am the most supportive wife when it comes to his work, I'm probably never going to wake up at 4:00 a.m. for him, for his job. I'm very thankful that he's taking a step back and doing things on my time, and I know that's not easy, so I'm glad that he's actually getting to enjoy it.

He made a birdie at Kingsbarns, so we're hoping for more of that today. But he loves things and he hit the tour at the R&A museum yesterday and he was super excited about it.

I think this is one of the cool things that I'm going to take away from this week is that we get to share this together. It's his first time in Scotland, too. He's getting the whole Scottish weather, Scottish everything out here.

Q. That kind of enthusiasm from him, obviously you've been playing this game a long time. Some of it can get a little monotonous, but does that enthusiasm from him, does that push you through a week like this?

LYDIA KO: Yeah. Like at the Canadian Open I had my puppy out for the first time ever, and it was just us two, and no matter how I finished, it was nice to come back to the Airbnb and he was there, to my host family and he was there. It's kind of the same here. I could have a great day or an average day on the golf course, and it's nice that I don't have to FaceTime him or wait for the time where he's waking up. It's great that we can share these kind of memories together.

I don't know how many British Opens are ahead of me, and I'm so glad that we're able to do a few of these kind of things together and just enjoy it. We've had a lot of good food. It is like the little things that really count. But yeah, very thankful for his support. He's out there covering me with the umbrella and was doing the stretches with me this morning. It's so much fun.

I think that's what I'm so lucky is that I just have a great team and family around me.

Q. (No microphone.)

LYDIA KO: Yeah, it's super cool. Obviously Nelly is playing amazing and there's just so many other big names that are playing great. Half the field has yet to play. A lot of golf still left for today.

But yeah, I think it's exciting for golf when not only one player from a certain country but like multiple different players from different countries are all in contention, and we all know that it's never over until the very end. It's I think going to be a lot of excitement and a lot of drama, and obviously this golf course is kind of set up for that, as well, with a great birdie opportunity finishing hole and a tough 17th hole.

I think it's going to be great. Hopefully I can hit some quality shots and give myself a good run at it, too.

Q. How is the hand holding up with the cold weather and the hard ground?

LYDIA KO: It's actually pretty good. I think it was more of a shock last week just trying to hit so many punch shots. But now I feel like iron woman. I'm just used to it. I have my physio and trainer with me, so that's, I guess, part of our job is to make sure that I feel refreshed and healthy and strong out there.

But yeah, definitely I think tight forearms the past couple weeks trying to grip the clubs and make sure that I'm very stable.

Q. (No microphone.)

LYDIA KO: Honestly, it hasn't been that stressful these past few months. I think it was more stressful because my game wasn't heading in the direction that I wanted it to be. But Canada was just -- I wasn't meant to play Canada, but it was the 50th anniversary of the CPKC Canadian Women's Open, and I thought I should go and play, and I'm so glad that I did because playing that event gave me a lot of momentum. I texted my coaches and said, hey, I feel so much better about my game than a couple weeks ago. One of my coaches, Holton, said like he felt like the week before when we did some work like that was a big key for us.

Since then, I've just been feeling more confident in my ball-striking especially. Dream come true for it to all come together at the Olympics.

Just all in all, it's good to see that what I'm working on is kind of working because I may have the most perfect-looking swing, but if I can't execute shots, then it's kind of irrelevant.

It's just more a relief that I'm able to hit these shots that I'm visualizing first.

Q. What's the name of your dog?

LYDIA KO: Kai. I've become such a dog mom.

Q. How old is Kai?

LYDIA KO: He's six months.