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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLA

June 11, 2006

Se Ri Pak

HAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND

PAUL ROVNAK: Se Ri, thanks for coming in. Congratulations.

SE RI PAK: Thank you.

PAUL ROVNAK: Your 23rd career win. Your fifth Major. Your first win since you qualified for the Hall of Fame at Michelob Ultra.

SE RI PAK: Right. Right.

PAUL ROVNAK: 2004. Your third McDonald's. Third McDonald's title, 1998, 2002. Just take us through your thoughts right now and then we'll take some questions.

SE RI PAK: I got so much I talked to a couple people yesterday after the round, but, I mean, a lot's going through for my game, actually. Well, not the early Se Ri before, I got, first time I felt, last year, I don't like golf game. I felt like I don't like it. I said I don't know why I keep going to the golf course, it's all stressful, I don't even have fun out there. And that makes me a lot upset on the golf course.

The first time I ever been this is my ninth year, but ever been before. And then after that I just, like I said, I feel like a little burned out in my game.

Nine years, I never ever break myself, being not thinking about the golf. Only thinking about trying to play well, trying to do a lot more better every year and every week.

And, yeah, then after that, as I say, everybody asked me every week questions about what I'm doing in the off season, what I'm doing in like week off. But I still am practicing, I'm still thinking about working out, still thinking about the practice, still thinking about the tournament. And I'm trying to get better every year and I'm trying to work more each year. And after that I say finally I got really burned out. I was so much tired by the game, it was such a hard time to focus my game. I just don't really enjoy it.

But finally I got a little injuries, which is, I guess that helps me out with my game. Because I can't even play. I can't do anything about it. I can't play golf, but I still think about golf, but after injury I can't even touch my golf club. That makes a big difference for me.

And now I just think back and look back on the last seven years, eight years, what I have done, and I should have done that before. And all those, I really have to do that, but I find out finally last year, after injuries.

Then after that I'm very happy to be back again. I'm very excited to play back in the golf again. And I really enjoyed it outside the golf course and everything.

And after that, as I said, I just I'm a very lucky person. The way I am loving this, so much love with my game and I'm still playing golf which is, I'm very lucky.

So I really am happy person as ever been and very having fun on the golf course ever been. So this year no matter what, I'm still trying to play best as I can and trying to have some more fun out there.

PAUL ROVNAK: Take questions.

Q. How fun was it to hit that shot?

SE RI PAK: It was really fun. You see me jumping around everywhere. First time I jumped on the golf course. It's true.

Last, what, eight, nine years, that's my first time it's first time actually ever that I'm jumping as soon as I make that shot. It didn't go in, but still it feels great.

Q. How far?

SE RI PAK: 201 to the hole. That was kind of not an easy shot, but as I said, the golf, the game of golf, you never expect it from anywhere. So that shot's going to be best shot for the week.

(Laughter.) I say that. Yeah.

Q. What was the club?

SE RI PAK: 4 iron. 4 iron.

Q. 201?

SE RI PAK: 201. Yeah.

Q. Was it a utility?

SE RI PAK: Yeah.

Q. Se Ri, when you got burned out and felt so down about things, did you ever consider quitting the game or stopping or giving it up?

SE RI PAK: Well, not really giving up the game, but I felt I really wanted some rest, trying to have some more break time. Like not just really playing golf, not really thinking about anything about the tournaments, stuff like that. But it's not easy to do that because I have to still play consistently what? 15 events, 12 events for the year. That makes me a lot. I just don't really you really don't want to be on the golf course, but so I said that God is helping me out by giving me injuries so I can't play golf.

Q. Can you take us back to the first time you played 18 in regulation. What happened on your bogey?

PAUL ROVNAK: Your 72nd hole.

Q. The first time you played 18.

SE RI PAK: First time playing 18?

Q. You bogeyed the 3 putt?

SE RI PAK: Oh, 18. No, I did practice that lie. I practice that in the practice round. I did really a lot of different chipping, bumping shots from there. But I know that's so fast. I already know it before I hit that putt. I just, the only probably takes about 30 feet for my ball to cup. And I just only counted 21 feet, which is making really solid putt. And I knew first putt was really solid putt. But that goes, that ball really goes. And it didn't stop.

It was about seven feet, yeah, seven or eight feet by. And that is really not the way you expect to finish.

Q. If you go into a playoff head to head with someone, how fun was it to go against Karrie Webb?

SE RI PAK: It's very fun for me. I'm already, I'm very already happy about to be out there like today. I played so well and so I got in the playoff which means I still got a chance. But am already still happy. I very much enjoyed it all day long. I tell my caddy, I said, you know what, no matter what, what result, I won or not, I'm still really happy to be on this position. Totally feels like I'm back, and that my game right now has more consistency before and so I said, just never ever gave me any pressure at all. I was just very comfortable out there. And then especially I play with Annika and Karrie yesterday and today I played after her. And she played so well this year and she's totally back again. So I'm really glad to see that. And then after I saw her and she played well, then it seems like that, well, her game was giving me a lot of confidence too.

Q. Karrie said you gave her a hug after she won Kraft and said you were going to win the next one. Did you expect to win down the road, maybe not necessarily here, but did you expect a win was coming?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, it is. Sooner or later, I still work hard for my game and so I said, this game comes and goes. Suddenly totally gone for like two years. And then it just came back for like a week. I mean, that's kind of, you know, that much difficult.

I saw Karrie won first Major for the year and then I just, it seems like I'm winning. I feel so great to see her winning again and it's great to see her game is back. And then after that, you know what? My game's going to be back. After she did and she got two or three years, I mean, I saw her that she played so good again and then I knew that sooner or later it's going to be me again.

Q. Karrie said after she won at Kraft that she appreciated it more, having gone through what she went through. Do you appreciate this a little more than you did a couple years ago?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, I am. I am. I know how she feels. I already say this last eight years, what I done all success, well, I can't even remember all the moment. But I just already remember all starting this year, every tee shot and every week, every each day, which is that much you got to really appreciate for my come back for my game, which is, yeah, I mean, I totally agreed with her.

Q. Can you just talk about the injury. Was it the one you got at the British?

SE RI PAK: Last year, yes.

Q. And was it a wrist?

SE RI PAK: My fingers. Right there. Yeah.

Q. In 1998 you won this tournament and kind of were thrust upon stardom and this year you won it again.

SE RI PAK: Again, yeah.

Q. Which win was more important? This one or the one in '98?

SE RI PAK: This one. Well, I said the first one is pretty much big for me, just because all that success from this event, and now the game's beginning starting from this week, so which is pretty good to be here to win again. So I'm very excited about it.

Q. I remember talking to you here last year when you were sort of at rock bottom and you said I need something else in my life. Did you get over your burnout just from being away from the game and not playing or did you get some other stuff in your life that has given you other things?

SE RI PAK: You know, I just totally, well, totally out of my game, not only, as I said, I can't even touch my golf club. Now totally I just say, okay, the golf is right now, no more job for me for like four months. I have to take four months off. And after that I saw my friends, hanging out with a friend every day and I made some new friends and then I do it's just not really particular I'm doing it but it's no more, like it's like a more comfortable life. Not thinking about practice next day, thinking about the play next morning and stuff like that.

So especially just, I said all I need is some kind of very normal life for me, just being like see the friends or not think about the golf and then do something else without, you know, go out and see my coach and stuff like that. So that makes me a big difference.

Q. And this was back in Korea, right?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yeah.

Q. All the Korean players and even, I mean, Karrie was saying that when you won, you were the only South Korean on the Tour and now there are 32. You're the face of Korean golf. How much pressure did you feel as the other Korean players started to play and come up?

SE RI PAK: I don't have any pressure for it because this is like basically more individual game. It's not the team game. Which is, team game sometime you got a lot of pressure, because you're a leader. But this is individual game, which is you're not having any pressure for it . But all you can have more, like I said, play well pressure, or like you want to really want to play well, at the same time you only really want to win the tournament. I mean, I knew there was so many Koreans out there, and they're so young and they play so well which is I think I like to see that.

I'm happy to see that happen and not only Korean but right now so much young players coming from all over different countries, which is, that was great. And then it looks different for the LPGA, which is, you know what, the last two or three years it's been big changes, which is a better way to change instead of going the other way. So, which is everybody is in physically great shape right now, every player is in their like the clothes, the fashion design, the clothes are so great too. And they're all young and pretty, so, which is great.

Q. This is going to be a silly question, but your English is so good now. I think so. I'm just curious where you learned the word burnout.

SE RI PAK: I don't know.

Q. When you did first hear that?

SE RI PAK: I just picked it up. You know, each week, as I say, I talk to you guys, I, at least I learn one or two simple like sentence. Yeah. But burnout, that is basically, come on? It was almost like nine, ten years. You should know those little things like that to say that.

Q. While you were trying to get away from the game, how important was Tom? You still work with Tom?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yeah.

Q. And did he agree that you needed some time away from the game?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, he was, he always say that to me too.

I said, he's the one that really worked hard too like me. Well, his personality was like when do we start working? You're 110 percent working, really focused on it, never break. Never really, you know, thinks around, not really focus on it. So even he, I work with him for like last five years, yeah, five years with him and he is ready for it.

He knew I needed a break, but I'm the one that really having, you know having the break. He said you should have some break and time away from golf. Instead of full year long I'm playing and practice. And instead of, I don't even take a week off either. I would only have like two or three days maximum, I can rest, and now after that I just go practice and play and see Tom every day. I mean, that was a lot.

So last eight years, I mean, it's been same routine, same schedule every, every single day. So which is that makes me and at the same time every each year is I'm getting old too, which I can't take it. And now it's like, as I say, it's just perfect. We don't working a hundred percent more, after that, do something, just do like friends or hang out, dinner together or friends come over to my house and having a cook together or something. That's the most fun part.

Q. I remember in 1998 you went on the leaderboard, I believe it was Saturday or Sunday, and overnight literally busloads of Koreans came from Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, New York, the gallery, the complexion of the gallery changed overnight. Now, here this week, players, Korean, half the gallery is Korean. Do you feel you are largely responsible for the wave of Koreans who have come now on the Tour?

SE RI PAK: Well, this week's a little different situation though. Before it's only me. But now everybody will come out for see Michelle Wie, basically. I have to split all the galleries with, you know, with what? Two or three young phenoms, you know. So I said, just stay, now so many Koreans players, they start to play so young, they play so good, and now I think all my Korean people pretty much are used to being out here following here, there, a little bit there, and then there.

I mean, like I said, the last eight years is different. You can see more, but you see sometimes less, you know, just not really consistently it happening.

Q. Do you still feel like sort of the granddam of the Korean contingent? Do you know that word?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, I am. I'm the king. I'm the queen. That's what they call it, queen of the golf in Korea, so, like I said

Q. They call you that in Korea?

SE RI PAK: Basically, yes, like I'm the leader of let's say golf on the LPGA, the women's golf in Korea. So I know that sometimes they're giving me pressure for it too. So, but you know what, all I can do is come out here and try to help them as many as possible and because I go through the way you're going this time, you know, years, or season or this Tour, so they come out and they ask sometimes question which is I, you know, already gone past, which is, that was really nice to see that. First time I come over in U.S., I never see anyone in Korea that speak Korean. So sometimes I really not happy to go inside a locker room because just afraid that somebody was trying to ask question for in English, I can't even answer for it.

So for me it was so much hard time to go through for all those, you know, little situations. But now, everywhere are Koreans putting, locker room, even we can have the LPGA helping the Korean players, which is, that's a lot more comfortable. But right now I think I see more of them, which is makes me happy too. It's fun. Fun to see that.

Q. What's your caddy's name?

SE RI PAK: TJ.

Q. Does he have a last name?

SE RI PAK: Well, you know, I just met him. We just worked two weeks. He got a full time, but don't ask too much question for it.

Q. The third week you get his last name or what?

SE RI PAK: Yeah. Next week is I know totally, okay.

(Laughter.)

Q. I'm just so much a golfer. Don't ask me too much things like that.

PAUL ROVNAK: Can you take me over the scorecard, Se Ri.

SE RI PAK: I got a bogey on 2. I missed the tee shot to the left.

I just put it out there pretty good. And then I missed the third shot. I missed the green and I chipping, I chipped around 12, 15 feet. I missed that.

First birdie right next to, well, right next hole I hit a three quarter 9 iron about six feet. Five or six feet. Make birdie.

The second birdie is right next hole. I got, I had a what did I have? A three quarter 9. Same. And then about two and a half feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: Bogey on 5.

SE RI PAK: Oh, yeah. I missed my irons again. The bunker, green bunker, left side green bunker. Ball was really bad lie. So I make it on the green, but it was about another 12 feet, 15 feet. I missed that.

No. 9 I got what I got? A sand wedge. About 103 yards, I guess. And that left me about 20 feet. Made birdie.

PAUL ROVNAK: No. 11.

SE RI PAK: I got 3 wood, which is little downwind and I hit it over 300 yard, I guess. And I got another 3 wood for second shot. I missed that, but it left me about 50 yards to the green. And I got like, let's say, one feet.

12, I got 7 iron. I missed that a little bit. Around 45 feet downhill putt. And I make that one.

13, I missed the driver to the right, which cost me in the hazard there, I dropped it there and on the green and two putts for bogey. So that's a pretty good up and down there.

And then what else?

PAUL ROVNAK: Birdie on 15.

SE RI PAK: Did I make one on 15? Yeah. I did. I got yeah, 3 wood, 3 wood, about like 30 yard chipping. And I make putt, yeah, about three or four. Three feet, I guess. You know that. You followed me?

Q. I saw it.

SE RI PAK: Yeah?

PAUL ROVNAK: 16.

SE RI PAK: 16, I got 2 iron off the tee. I missed it to the right. I was in the rough. And I hit a sand wedge and it left me about five feet. Four to five. Yeah. Pretty close. Yeah say, but it was between four and five.

PAUL ROVNAK: On 18 what was your second shot you hit?

SE RI PAK: 6 iron.

PAUL ROVNAK: The bogey.

SE RI PAK: Yeah, 6 iron. 3 wood, 6 iron. But yeah, 30 feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: You said you put it seven feet past.

SE RI PAK: Yeah, around seven feet.

PAUL ROVNAK: And then for the playoff, 18.

SE RI PAK: 3 wood again. I hit it really bad off the tee. It left me about four or 201 to pin. 201 or 202. And I got 4 iron there. Perfect.

Q. Almost.

SE RI PAK: And I almost holed it. But perfect shot there. Could have done it earlier, I don't have to play one more extra hole, but

PAUL ROVNAK: Any more questions? Okay. Thank you.

SE RI PAK: Thank you.

End of FastScripts.

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