HSBC WOMEN'S WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 6, 2006

Christina Kim

DANA GROSS RHODE: Thank you everyone for coming in. We have Christina Kim who just defeated Joon Mi Kim. Congratulations. Do you just want to talk about your round?

CHRISTINA KIM: Yeah, thank you very much. I had a good day out there today. I made several birdies out there. I can't quite remember, I didn't bring a score card with me, so I don't have a clue what my stats were. Made a couple birdies out there and hit the ball great. I've got John, Meg Mallon's caddie, back on the bag, so we make a great team. He kept me focused, he kept me cool and he kept me going.

I started off down after the first hole and I was just like, you know, you're not supposed to lose with a bogey but I was able to rally back. We had an up and down day and I had a little streak where I ended up getting 3 up through 15 holes or something like that and was able to stave her off. She's such a consistent player, she doesn't get into trouble a whole lot. I was kind of fortunate because she was a little off with her tee shot today which was one of the reasons I think that saved me because she's great around the greens and very good, very solid iron player.

And yes, I'm aware I'm playing Michelle tomorrow.

Q. Can you just talk about the match tomorrow what you're expecting and what you'll think about going into that?

CHRISTINA KIM: I know that it's going to be a tough match out there. This course is designed for a player like Michelle. Not to say it's not designed for me because there's grass and I can hit off it, so I'm pretty satisfied.

But it's a longer golf course and it's wet out there. So it definitely helps to be able to carry the ball farther and she just came off of a great week last week at the Open. So it will be an interesting match I think for sure. I just feel very fortunate to get the chance to play her. Play period, really.

Q. How much of your Solheim Cup experience do you think you could put to use tomorrow and the rest of the week?

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, I was able to play the Solheim Cup last year, I was one of the 12 members and was able to get more match play in than most of the other professionals, because other than this event, we don't have any other match play events.

I definitely think that that tournament, the championship, elevated me to a different legal of play when it comes to match play because I was always very apprehensive about playing match play. I was sort of, you know, I didn't really think I'm not really the kind of player who will have a triple and three birdies in a row and be even and still be 2 up. I was always apprehensive towards that.

Just knowing I have people supporting me and representing my country, the country I was born in the United States was one of those things that's just like, it welled up inside of me and made me really, you know, I hunger for it. I thirst for it now. Solheim Cup next year and I want to do whatever it takes to get me back on that team.

Q. How aware were you of the other match, did you pay attention to the score board at all? Just wondering whether you'd be playing her?

CHRISTINA KIM: Oh, absolutely. They were slow. I watched every shot they hit. (Laughter).

Q. Who do you blame for that? Who was the slower player?

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, to be honest with you, I saw that they were waiting on Laura Davies, and in front of them they were waiting. Overall it was a slow day. I was just trying to be facetious there. So, yeah I was very much aware of how the match was going because they were there.

You know, it's match play and whenever you're playing the ball up, which we had to because of the wet circumstances, the ground is going to take say, ten seconds longer each shot mull by two players by 18 holes by this by that, whatever, it always slows up the round. I think, you know, there were no gimmee matches out there today, save the bye that Laura Diaz had.

I think the matches were I think the matches were very, very difficult. None of them are gimmies, I don't think. You see one player against another and it could be anyone's day. So I think that was one reason why because people may be concentrated a little bit more and were a little bit more deliberate possibly.

Q. What is the significance of playing Michelle Wie given who she is and sort of what she represents?

CHRISTINA KIM: What is what?

Q. What is the significance of playing her, given who she is, as opposed to say, Candy Hannemann won and you were playing her?

CHRISTINA KIM: If I were to end up beating her, I would be able to look her in the eye and chug a beer because I'm legal and she's not. I'm kidding.

She is a phenomenal player, 16 years old, worth millions of dollars. I can sit here and talk about Michelle for hours. She's a very close friend of mine as well.

It will be kind of interesting to see how we play it out tomorrow. I mean, this is huge for me, because this is one of the things that would be similar to playing it would be similar it me playing against Annika last year in the Solheim Cup. Regardless of how the end results ended up being, just playing against one of the top seeded players and hopefully being able to sit there and see how I stack up against her or, you know, vice versa and just see how the match goes.

Q. Do you consider yourself a very good match play player now, and what does it take to be a very good match play player?

CHRISTINA KIM: I don't know. I think that I've learned a bit more about match play when it comes to the mental level. I used to be able to I used to always be like, oh, that's good, from 2 1/2 feet, and now I'm just like, mark it.

Today Kimmy had a putt that was about a foot and a half and that was for bogey. I put my ball down, walked to the other side of the hole and waited for her to mark it and (clearing throat) didn't her a word out of me. I kind of like it because you have to be able to not take things personally, which I think I've been able to transcend beyond that a little bit better than I have in years past.

You know, it requires toughness, it requires definitely desire to want to be there and you know, cut throat, kill, kill, (growling) and I'm learning that a little bit that way. I do that with a smile on my face though.

Q. Does it suit your personality? You always seem to be having a good time on the golf course.

CHRISTINA KIM: I never dislike beating someone. How's that? I took drama in high school so I can play the angry face.

Q. You mentioned that you and Michelle are good friends. Give us an idea of what kind of relationship you guys have.

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, she's only out here a few times a year but I remember when she was over at Canoe Brook we were texting back and forth, I was saying good luck, go kick some butt and tear them apart, you know, you've got it don't even worry about it. My rookie year was the first time we had met which was the year that she was sixth place at the Nabisco which is really the start of her, you know, the blossoming of her career.

So I'd like to think that I was sort of there for her before, you know, when people were kind of when there was big hype but she had in the quite proven herself yet. I'd like to think that I've been there with her every step of the way. You know, we sit there, we'll talk, we'll shoot, you know we'll talk, joke around, whatever and just have a great time all together. She's a sweet girl. We talk about fashion, shoes, boys, cars, you know.

Q. So just getting back to the match play, you're saying, I gather that you do sense gamesmanship when you're playing out there. Why do you think so few of the players admit to that?

CHRISTINA KIM: Why do I think what now?

Q. That so few of them talk about gamesmanship when they are playing each other in these matches?

CHRISTINA KIM: My gamesmanship?

Q. Like you're playing against somebody else, there's a mental edge; you don't want to show too much emotion, you tell them to mark it when it's two and a half feet out and stuff like that.

CHRISTINA KIM: I'm probably the only one who will actually say it.

Q. Why is that?

CHRISTINA KIM: Why not? If people ask me a question I'll answer. Some players might think of it as being, you know, not rude or anything, but just it's one of those unspoken agreements or whatever, I don't know. For me it's just, you ask me a question, I'll lay it down. That's how it goes.

Q. You talk about fashion; do you ever see the day when she'll wear the head band, do you think?

CHRISTINA KIM: I probably think she would want to maintain her lighter skinned complexion, so she would want to keep covering her face.

Q. Tomorrow's match, as much as you guys are friends, you have differing styles on the course. She is not a big chatter; you're kind of a talker.

CHRISTINA KIM: I can change that.

Q. That's what I'm wondering, so what do you do then, do you maintain your style and kind of chat it up with her, or do you kind of lay whack back? How do you handle that?

CHRISTINA KIM: I try and be as accommodating as I can to other players. Like, you know, back in 2004, there was a little bit of a miscommunication between Christie Kerr, Jennifer Rosales myself at the State Farm Classic. It was a misunderstanding that got blown up by the press. But, you know, I'll try and be as accommodating as I can it another player and I'll be respectful because of what they are because they require certain things in order to play well, but I am the same way.

So it if it turns out she doesn't want me to talk to her, I'll talk to my caddie; I'll talk to her caddie; I'll talk to the scorekeeper; I'll talk to the tree; I'll talk to my shoes; I'll talk to my club; I'll talk. I'll be as accommodating as I can to other players just out of respect for them because they do what they do to get to the place that they are. But I'm if the going to sit here ask change myself for anybody else. No man, no woman, no child, nothing!

Q. Ever meet Lee Trevino?

CHRISTINA KIM: I have not met Lee Trevino yet. I think that would be pretty neat, though, if I did, to be honest with you.

Q. It's going to be the largest gallery on the course tomorrow for you guys.

CHRISTINA KIM: Probably.

Q. Does that play into your style then? You seem to be someone who plays for the crowd and enjoys doing that.

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, considering it's going to be one of the largest crowds of the day, I'm guessing that they won't all be rooting for me. But, you know, I think that I can work my charm and convert a few. I don't know, I love being on the spotlight. I love pleasing people and making a fool out of myself and showing off. That's just the kind of nature that I have. We'll see. If they are all "Go Michelle, go Michelle," I'll just say that's my middle name and assume they are talking about me as well. The way I see it, as long as they are there supporting women's golf, that's all I can really ask of them.

That will be my stage name for the day.

Q. Inaudible?

CHRISTINA KIM: No, I would never I took drama classes and things likes that in high school, little things. I wasn't ever in plays or anything like that. I didn't want to show the goods, you know. (Laughter)

End of FastScripts.