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MICHELOB ULTRA OPEN AT KINGSMILL

May 10, 2007

Siew-Ai Lim

WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA

DANA GROSS-RHODE: Before we get started, let's go over your score card. You had a pretty busy front nine.
SIEW-AI LIM: That was my back nine. Birdie on 1, 3, 5, 6 and 9.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: How far out were you when you were approaching the green, and what club did you use?
SIEW-AI LIM: On 1, I had 128 yards. It was a 9-iron in. It went off the back of the green. Puttable, but it was a long putt. I'd say about a 35-foot putt.
3, that was a wedge out. So I just chipped on the green, seven feet, made it from there.
No. 5, 153 yards out to about 18 feet. 8-iron.
6, I had 139 yards. I hit a 7-iron in about 35 feet.
No. 9 was 154 out. I hit a 7-iron in to about eight feet.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Congratulations. You had a quiet front nine, and you had a 12-hour drive coming in yesterday.
SIEW-AI LIM: 11 hours.
DANA GROSS-RHODE: So getting your rest. What sparked the back nine for you?
SIEW-AI LIM: The actual back nine, but my front nine, I had been hitting them close all day. I just had not made a putt yet. You know, my caddie was really good and kind of kept me focused. He just said, "You know, just keep doing what you're doing. It will come." So just stay patient with it and it came.

Q. 11-hour drive from home?
SIEW-AI LIM: Birmingham, Alabama. Yeah, they didn't have roads from Malaysia. (Laughter)

Q. Why did you wait until yesterday? Is that your normal routine?
SIEW-AI LIM: No. But it might be. (Laughter).
After Tulsa I was a Pro-Am on Monday at Birmingham and at that point in time, I think I was something like ninth alternate on Sunday when I last checked. You know, I kind of -- I guess four places freed up because people went in and somebody had a hip problem.
So it just kind of went where I think Tuesday morning, I was second alternate. And so I'm going okay, well, I'll come up, but, you know, this is a big field, popular event. I didn't think anybody would be pulling out. After the Monday qualifier, which was on Tuesday, I called again, and the first alternate qualified. So I'm going, okay, I'm first alternate now, I really have to be there in time, but I also wanted to work with my golf coach. I've been struggling with my golf game weeks prior to this.
So, you know, I kind of had to make a decision. I could have up and left after that Pro-Am but I said, you know what, I need to get ready, and if I have to play the course blind, I'll play the course blind. I've played it in years past, so it's not like I didn't know what to do, and I took pretty good notes the last few years.
So I just decided to make the drive yesterday instead of Monday or Tuesday.

Q. So you didn't even know when you left yesterday that you were in the field?
SIEW-AI LIM: Actually, I did. Tuesday at about 2:00 or 3:00, the guy that's caddying for me today called me and said, "My player just pulled out, you're in."
And I'm going, "You want to work for me?" So that's how I knew.
So I said, okay, and I kind of got ready the night before to drive the whole way.

Q. What's his or her name, the caddie?
SIEW-AI LIM: His name is John Powell.

Q. About what time did you get here then?
SIEW-AI LIM: I got here at 4:50. According to GPS.

Q. Did you come out yesterday and hit balls at all?
SIEW-AI LIM: I came out yesterday and registered so I was official, and then I putted a little bit just to get the speed of the greens.
I was hitting balls all day Tuesday, so I got that part covered. But, you know, you just have to get the speed of the greens and probably struggled a little bit with the speed on the front nine and just kind of finding my legs there. The back nine, it just kind of fell together.

Q. So today is your best competitive round since?
SIEW-AI LIM: Since a while actually. I think it ties my career low in Chicago -- well, Chicago is sill a 67. I can't remember. But it was good. (Laughter).

Q. Given the drive and given as you said the last few weeks have not been good for you, did you have any clue going out today; did you feel particularly good today or anything?
SIEW-AI LIM: I felt really good. My coach and I, Hank Johnson, we worked together Monday afternoon after I finished playing the Pro-Am and Tuesday morning and had the rest of the day Tuesday to just kind of get comfortable with it. Probably felt the most comfortable with my ball-striking as I've been in a while.

Q. Was there anything in particular you guys worked on?
SIEW-AI LIM: Yeah, he gave me a couple of drills to work on. You know, just to get a good feel, get a little confidence back in again. I'm not sure if I should divulge trade secrets -- no, just kidding.
But you know, it was just kind of getting me to a place where I to hit and be confident with where I was going.

Q. What player is struggling as you have been, what keeps you motivated and going from not just throwing the clubs in the closet and saying the heck with this?
SIEW-AI LIM: I think everybody goes through periods like this at some point in their career. I think if you think that you'll never, ever have it, you're kind of fooling yourself to a point. For some, the level of which may be higher than others, but I think it's a belief that there's more to what you've accomplished so far, and the belief in yourself that, hey, I can do better; I can do better than this.
It is discouraging and it has been, but I've got some really good, positive people surrounding me that says, you know what, you're right there. It's right around the corner. You just have to keep at it. You know, I think having a good support group -- sounds a little like A.A., but having a nice little support group around you helps push you through the tough times.

Q. Who is your support group other than Hank?
SIEW-AI LIM: Well, I work with a sports psychologist out in San Diego. My parents are on the phone a lot. I've got friends in Birmingham that don't play golf that has no clue, but, "hey," you know, "you can do it."
So I think it's both in and out of golf. My caddie, John, was really, really good in keeping me positive today and not letting my overactive mind scoot away. The 12-hour drive probably helped with the overactive mind today, so maybe I should keep driving.

Q. Are your mom and dad back in Malaysia?
SIEW-AI LIM: Actually, they are. Actually they drove down to Singapore yesterday. They are like, "Call us when you get there."
I'm like, "Yes, I will." So they know I'm safe.
Their parting words on the phone was, "Just go and play. Just go play." And my dad gets on the phone and goes, "Just pretend you're playing me and trying to beat me."
"Okay, Dad. Will do."
DANA GROSS-RHODE: Great round. Good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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