BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 16, 2024

Minjee Lee

Lauren Coughlin

Yuka Saso

Amy Yang

Haeran Ryu

Jin Hee Im

Soomin Oh

LPGA International Busan

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Minjee, how does it feel to be back here in Korea defending your title and what are some of the highlights you remember from last year?

MINJEE LEE: I'm excited obviously to come back to Korea and play. I was here a few weeks ago and all of my family and friends came to watch and it will be the same this week. It's always a special week when I get to come back, and I enjoy the Korean food. It's very close to my heritage and I get to see my extended family as well. That's always nice. And coming back to a golf course where you've won before and the memories, that's cool, too.

I just played one of the nines, and was like, Oh, this is where I holed a putt. And with Brad out there, we were just like talking about it just then. So it's just nice to come back. We have such great memories.

THE MODERATOR: Lauren, you had a Top-10 finish here last season. A similar question. What do you remember most about that finish last year, and what are you looking forward to most about playing in Korea again this year?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: Yeah, this is my third time in Korea, and it's always one of my favorite trips to make overseas. The food is awesome. The fans are great. I'm excited to be back here at a great golf course, good memories like Minjee said. I'm excited to get playing and hopefully make some putts.

THE MODERATOR: For Yuka, what do you think of this course, and how does this course bring out some of your strengths?

YUKA SASO: I think the course is long, so it's good for long hitters, and the greens are big. So if the flags are in the front you'll be hitting wedge and if it's in the back, you'll be hitting 7-, 6-iron. You have to be able to hit it longer than average. I think helps a lot. Yeah, just have to make putts to I guess to play good.

THE MODERATOR: And I was told to ask you what your favorite Korean food is.

YUKA SATO: Osan.

Q. For all players on the stage, if you look at the Tour this year it seems that a lot of the Asian players together garnered about ten wins on tour this year. I was wondering if the players could answer, what do you see as a strength of the Asian players, and also, does this impact your game or your play in any way?

AMY YANG: First of all, these days if you look around, all the prayers work hard and really try to hone their skills.

So Korean players, other Asian players, I think more than ever before, we really have a stellar field, and you mentioned Asian players, but I think as you can see, Lauren here on the stage and all the U.S. players as well, a lot of people put in a lot of practise.

So the general competency level has really gone up, so overall you can really feel that the sort of standard of excellence has gone up and I think that this is going to continue into the future.

YUKA SASO: First of all, I couldn't agree more with Amy and I also think that all the players have a good understanding and know their strength so for instance, when I play with the Thai players I think they have a very strong short game.

So if you play with them, their approach shots, their bunker shots are really strong. I think Minjee personally has one of the best swings in the field, and I've played with Lauren, and Lauren has amazing wood shots. I think everybody has a better understanding about their strengths and they are really focusing on what they can do on the course, and I think this is bringing out the best in all the players and especially Asian players these days.

Q. Who is the player to beat this week, and if you can also state why you think so very briefly?

MINJEE LEE: That's a really difficult question. It's really difficult to name just one person. But as Yuka mentioned earlier, I think the long hitters will have an advantage at this course.

So if you hit long shots and then you putt really well, I think you have a really good chance second.

AMY YANG: I think as I mentioned earlier, we have an excellent field and anyone can win this week. But if I really have to pick one player, I would say it's Minjee just because she won at this course last year, and obviously this course fits her game, and I think she would do well. No pressure.

YUKA SASO: For me, I think it's myself. I have to play well and do my best, and the results will come. I just have to do well and not think about anybody else.

MINJEE LEE: I think it's a hard question. Obviously you can't really pick one person because the depth of the field is so deep, and then all of the players who come to Korea to play, it's one of the best fields that we have in Asian events, and so pretty sure all the best come to play.

But I do think, you know, Lydia has had such a great back half of the year so far. She's got really great form. And obviously Ruoning, the win last week, and Haeran, she's in great form as well. So I think two to look out for, and hopefully I also have a great week.

HAERAN RYU: Also, a very difficult question. Like she said, the field is wide and deep but if I had to choose somebody, I would imagine it would be Minjee. She's a long hitter.

This is a course that she won at and she has a lot of great memories and on the back of that, perhaps she has a higher chance of winning, and I will also do my best as well.

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I echo what everybody has said. This is one of the best fields we'll see in a tournament all year. The course tests every aspect of your game.

You have to drive it really well and pick your approach shots really well and putt very well, and so I think anybody can do it this week. If I had to pick, I would probably say Lydia. She has just had an amazing year this year, so that would be my pick.

SOOMIN OH: It's a really difficult question, and as an amateur, I just am in awe of all the professional golfers here's. I would just like to really learn a lot and I would just like to say that I'm really cheering for everybody here.

Q. I have questions for three Korean players. The first is to Amy. You could possibly add another win to your season this year. Looking ahead to the competition, what are your thoughts going into the event? And also to Jin Hee, as well, I would also like to ask your thoughts going into this competition. And for Minjee, you're known as a long hitter, so what are you looking forward to in terms of showing off your driver shots or your shots, basically, in the LPGA event?

AMY YANG: So compared to previous seasons, it's true that not as many Korean players have wins. But I think that just shows how much everybody in the field is that good, and for me personally for the past year or two, I had an arm injury, and so I seriously contemplated retiring.

So getting my first major win gave me confidence, and I can see I can still do this if I keep at it. For this event because we still get to play in Korea once a year in front of friends and family, I will do my best.

JIN HEE IM: This year as you mentioned there weren't as many wins by Korean players so I was grateful to contribute to one of the two wins. I have really good momentum, but I didn't make the cut the last event. So I think that's just fuel for this week and I prepared very hard. I plan to play very hard and try my best and enjoy myself.

For me, the gap with the first player is closing up. So I need to work really hard and really need the win. For me new experiences have led to a few errors here and there; acknowledging that and working on that I think is a big part.

I am also in contention for Rookie of the Year, and I understand that the other two players will be playing in the field as well.

So I would just ask for your support.

I am a pretty aggressive player and I think that I play better and it's part of my strength. I will play aggressive when I need to be, but I will also do my best.

Q. Wonder if it feels different coming here as a Major Champion and winning an event in your home country must be a massive thrill. Can you compare the two of them, please.

AMY YANG: My first ever LPGA Tour event was in Korea back in 2015. That was an amazing experience. I had my first win, took me for a while, about five years, to get my first win and to be able to do it in front of my family and friends was amazing. Definitely it's up there and a major, I waited so long, like 15, 16 years. I cannot really compare but they both are amazing experiences, and I'm just so thrilled to be up here and to see them and play in front of my family. They are my greatest motivation -- sorry, 2013. My first LPGA win was in 2013.

Q. Amy, I think it might be similar to the previous question but I think coming into this event this year, so much has changed: You've won a major, you have a sponsor and your World Ranking is higher. How does it feel to come back to this event with so much great change? And we've been keeping up with you the past year, but I'm sure there's more that you can share with the Korean press, and so could you look back and see if there is any stories or sentiment you want to share with us?

AMY YANG: So I really don't know where to begin with that question. After my win at CME a lot of people kept asking me when I was going to win a major and I would be lying if I said I did not feel the pressure but I kept focusing on taking one step at a time and I had really big moments with the major win and the Olympics, but my performance wasn't consistent in between. Rather than being elated and drawn into this confidence and winning streak, I'm more focused on shoring up my weaknesses and I'm trying to be modest and looking forward to the future and taking it one step at a time.

Q. For Soomin, this event has been good to past amateur players that played in the event. As an amateur player and somebody who represents the Korean flag, what are you looking forward to in terms of your own game play at this event? And I understand that you're also very close with Celine. Did she share any pointers or any of her experience at this event?

SOOMIN OH: Like you mentioned, I'm very close with Celine, but we haven't really talked about this event. And because former Korean players have done very well, I also want to do very well.

But to be honest I'm very honored to be part of the field, so I'll just do my best.

Q. For all the players, and I would appreciate it if at least three of you could possibly answer this question. It seems to me that most of the players here have played this event at this course last year and I'm sure you've all been to the course. So what is your impression of the course right now, what's it like out there right now in terms of of the course, and if you have to pick any winning holes, what would it be?

MINJEE LEE: Yeah, I think in comparison to last year, the greens are in much better condition. There's much more grass on pretty much every single green. There are a few patches but I think not to really worry about. Overall I think the greens are in really good condition. I think even in comparison to last year, the fairways are in better shape. There are a lot of divots but I think they had a really hot summer and a lot of rain over the last few weeks. Considering the weather conditions, I think the course superintendents and everyone have made a really great effort in making the course the best condition that it can be for our event.

HAERAN RYU: So this is my second event in Korea this season. I experienced the heat. I heard there was a lot of rain and I was really concerned coming in because I know that the greens are really impacted by the weather but I think the greens are in really good shape.

But the fairway, inevitably you're going to have some divots but I think overall the course is in really good shape considering the weather that they had.

For the winning hole, I think No. 15, 16 and 17 are perhaps the three winning holes I would have to select. 15 is a par 5 and I think you could make a 2 on.

16 is a par 3, so it's relatively easier to get to, and then 17, I think the tee box is a little -- it's a little shorter, so I think that you could attempt it, and I understand that a lot of players make eagles and birdies here. So I would have to pick 15, 16 and 17 as the winning holes.

YUKA SASO: I'd agree with Haeran. Compared to last year, I think the course is in good shape and the grass isn't dense but there are patches here and there. But overall, the greens roll well. I would have to pick the back nine holes. I think the back nine holes are tricky. So if you're contending to win on the weekend, I think you have to do well on the back nine.

Q. To the non-Korean players on the stage, among the events of the Asian Swing, what is special about the event in Korea? It might be the food; it might be the fans. What is distinct or what makes the event here special compared to the other events in the Asian Swing?

LAUREN COUGHLIN: I would say for me I very much enjoy coming to Korea for the food. The food is always very good. Korean barbeque.

And then I think the fans are some of the best that we see in Asia, especially for women's golf, they really, really love women's golf over here and I think that's really cool as an American who -- women's golf isn't always the biggest sport but over here it is one of the biggest ones. So it is really cool to be able to come and play in front of fans who really appreciate women's golf.

So I think it makes it for me one of my favorite trips in Asia.

AMY YANG: For me, same as Lauren. The fans are always great in Korea, and obviously the food, also, is good. Korean barbeque is everyone's favorite. And also the weather is very nice. It's not too hot. It's some of the best we get this week, and also, I think the tournament itself, how they treat all of us players, we get a little bit spoiled I think, good cars. Yeah, I think we enjoy all the services that they provide to all the players.