|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
SEMGROUP CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY JOHN Q. HAMMONSMay 6, 2007Mi Hyun KimBROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA PAM WARNER: We are joined by the 2007 SemGroup Champion, Mi Hyun Kim. Congratulations on your victory. MI HYUN KIM: Thank you. PAM WARNER: Just talk about how you played today and beating Juli Inkster in a playoff. MI HYUN KIM: You know, the course is too long for me, because it's so wet, and I'm not a long hitter. So I just keep trying to do my way. I didn't know even par two days can get a win today. So you know a little bit of lucky. I have a little bit of lucky and then my short game isn't working good today. So that's why I work hard today. PAM WARNER: This is your eighth victory. Just talk about how excited you are to win. MI HYUN KIM: Beginning of this week, weather is so bad so I can't have a practice round. And I didn't play last year, too. So I can't remember the course, and so just told my caddie, you know, just to check the course many times and then tell me the target and then which club I have to hit. My caddie is helping me a lot, too. Q. It's the second straight tournament you've won in a playoff. Do you like this town? MI HYUN KIM: You know, I had a lot of -- I had a good shot in the bunker shot, 18th hole that was a makeable putt. But after the bunker shot, I was so exciting and nervous, so my hands were shaking. So when I marked the ball, my hand was shaking. So when I set up the putt, I know the line, but I can't stroke the putt. That's why I missed the short putt, the last one. So when I went to the playoff with Juli Inkster -- I played with Juli the last couple of days and we played together and really enjoyed it. When I play with Juli Inkster -- I don't know, I'm not trying to hit -- I'm not trying to beat her. Just, you know, I want to more study from her maybe. She always practices hard and I think her mind is so good, so I want to learn from her amazing mind. Q. So did you settle down when you got to the playoff? You said you were shaking. MI HYUN KIM: I wasn't shaking, more shake, more nervous on the final round over 18 holes than the playoff. The playoff, you have to get more lucky, you know. But Juli, second shot was over the green, that was unlucky. So that was lucky for me, so that's why I'm not nervous then. Q. You're such a good putter normally that even Juli said it's a surprise when you miss; she expected to you make the putt. MI HYUN KIM: It was a surprise to me, too. (Laughter) that was a makeable putt, you know. But my body was shaking and I was so nervous at that time. Q. Were you shaking on your last putt to actually win the tournament on the playoff hole? MI HYUN KIM: No, not the playoff. Just the 18th hole. Q. Did you keep your eyes on the board at all? MI HYUN KIM: 18th hole is a pretty tough hole, but I guess she made a birdie on the 18th hole. But when I saved par after finishing 17, she made a birdie and she was 3-under. But, you know, I tried to make just a good tee shot and good second shot and 2-putt. But the second shot was so, I don't know -- I can't watch the green, my shot is so bad, and then so that's why I made a bogey maybe. Q. The back nine was very good to you this week, I think you only bogeyed three holes on the back nine during the whole tournament. MI HYUN KIM: I don't remember. The course is almost the same for me. Every hole is the same for me. Every hole is long. I have to try to hit -- I just try to hit the straight shot, you know, and then if I have a chance, I just try to make the putt. Maybe the back nine is more shorter than the front nine. Q. You said a wet course does not play to your strengths, so why were you able to win? MI HYUN KIM: Because the wind maybe. The wind make it more tough for other players. I just try to get good target and good target and try to swing and make some putts maybe. My short game is better maybe. Q. What about the shower you got after you won, the water? MI HYUN KIM: Oh, my friend, like the young sisters, they play, all year and then, I don't know, they are trying to make fun. Q. Some of it was not water. MI HYUN KIM: It smells of strawberry. Is it Fanta maybe? Normally they do champagne or beer or something like that, but I never drink the alcohol so they know that I never drink the alcohol. That's why maybe they put some Coke or Fanta, something like that. I'm sticky, wet, cold. Q. A lot of inexperienced players who have not won were at the top of the leaderboard and kind of fell back, and you and Juli came up. Was it a matter of experience? How important was experience; how important was it that you had won seven times before today? MI HYUN KIM: You know, I told already that my goal is just Top 10, Top 20 this week. I never think about a win this week. Maybe I worry about the cut. But every time when I worry or nervous, my caddie make me more relax. I don't know the course, she's helping me a lot of things, short game or target, wind, everything. Q. Does that just come from experience, having been in this situation before? MI HYUN KIM: Before, you know, before when I win, I'm just trying to win and, you know, I'm very comfortable and confident when I play. But maybe even I want to withdraw this week. Q. That's because the course is so long? MI HYUN KIM: Yeah. You know what, I hear about the tornado one hour from here, bad tornado, right? A lot of people are dead because of the tornado, weather? Q. Five or six hours, in Kansas. MI HYUN KIM: So I just worry about that. (Laughter). Q. Have you ever played this course before in the past? MI HYUN KIM: Two years ago, not last year. Two years ago. It was so dry at that time. Q. You were 10th two years ago here? MI HYUN KIM: Oh, yeah? I did? Q. And 2004 you were fourth, when it was at Tulsa Country Club. MI HYUN KIM: I did? (Laughing) I played good? Q. Normally you do well here. Do you remember why you did not play here last year? MI HYUN KIM: I was in Korea maybe. I went back to my country. After this tournament, I go back to Korea and stay there like three weeks, maybe that's why I'm not playing. Q. You didn't play last week; did you take last week off to rest or you just didn't want to make that stop to México? MI HYUN KIM: Oh, because before last -- two weeks before, we have tournament in Orlando, and my home is in Orlando and I want to stay more at the home. That's why I didn't play. Q. Can we expect to see you here next year? MI HYUN KIM: (Laughs). Q. About the tornado, did you stay at the Renaissance Hotel? MI HYUN KIM: Yes. Q. Did you see in the room the warning on the desk? MI HYUN KIM: Actually I'm not watching TV. Q. But on the desk, the warning about the tornado? MI HYUN KIM: Actually, no. Q. You've been very consistent this year. You've been top 40 every tournament. Do you have a reason for the consistency? MI HYUN KIM: I change the swing a little bit since last year. My backswing, it almost hit the ground. I didn't feel like that 18 years -- since last year, I had new coach, Brian Mogg, he wanted to change the swing and make it more compact. When I have to change the swing, I make win and I make a lot of good score. PAM WARNER: Thank you. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|