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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 27, 2006

Birdie Kim

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome our 2005 United States Women's Open champion Birdie Kim. Thank you so much for coming in here.

Birdie, what a spectacular shot to win the championship last year. How has your life changed since last year.

BIRDIE KIM: Not much has changed. I still play the LPGA Tour. Nothing has changed, but what changed is that I am the U.S. Open champion.

Q. Did they announce you on the tee as U.S. Open champion? Do people recognize you for that?

BIRDIE KIM: Yeah.

Q. Do you like it?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes, but sometimes it makes me nervous, too.

Q. Have you played this golf course now? You've played how many practice rounds?

BIRDIE KIM: I've played 27 holes. Yesterday nine holes, today 18.

Q. By the way, your English is very good.

BIRDIE KIM: Thank you.

Q. How do you like the golf course?

BIRDIE KIM: It's a totally different golf course than last year. Last year was short but very narrow, and this week is a lot of wind and wide open and long. It's going to be very tough for me.

Q. What are your chances this week to repeat?

BIRDIE KIM: I think it's very long and straight, and you have to putt.

Q. Do you like the greens?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes, I like these greens.

Q. Coming from the Futures Tour, where you spent a couple years, to winning the Women's Open last year, to your third year on the LPGA, can you talk a little bit about the development of your career and how you feel about your game right now, how you stack up against some of the other better players on the Tour?

BIRDIE KIM: I just try to be (inaudible). I'd say I'm doing it. The last few tournaments so far, just a little up and down, up and down, but this week I think will be good and also pretty steady.

Q. Do you think it put a lot of pressure on you winning last year?

BIRDIE KIM: A little bit.

Q. Do you think that as affected your game at all this year or since then?

BIRDIE KIM: Not really.

Q. Are you playing as well going into this Women's Open as you were last year? Are you playing as well?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes (smiling).

Q. Are you very pleased the way the Koreans are all playing so well this year?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes.

Q. Does that give you confidence and makes it easier on you?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes.

Q. Who are your friends among the other players?

BIRDIE KIM: Very good friends with Se Ri Pak and Hee Won Han. There's some other players, Young Jo.

Q. Wasn't Se Ri the one who inspired you when you were a little girl to play golf?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes.

Q. Have you been able to play golf with her?

BIRDIE KIM: Yes.

Q. How much did that mean to you?

BIRDIE KIM: That was big, yes.

Q. Could you just talk a little bit about how much Bob Toski has helped you with your game, and then what has he done to prepare you as a defending champion to come back this week?

BIRDIE KIM: He helped me a lot with everything, with my swing and my psychology and everything. He feels like my father.

Q. Did you work with him recently? When did you last work with Bob Toski?

BIRDIE KIM: It was when I went back home last time. It was like a month ago.

Q. And how did he prepare you for this Women's Open?

BIRDIE KIM: He just made me a simple thought. When I go out to play, just make it simple. My problem sometimes when I play bad, I think too much. He made everything simple.

RHONDA GLENN: All right, thank you so much for joining us and good luck this week.

End of FastScripts.

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