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MCDONALD'S LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY COCA-COLAJune 9, 2007Na On MinHAVRE DE GRACE, MARYLAND DANA GROSS-RHODE: This is your very first major championship, you're ahead by two strokes. This is only your sixth event on the LPGA Tour, as well. So how are you feeling right now and what do you think is the strong part of your game? NA ON MIN: I'm just really excited now and I just had a great round today. I almost hit every green, except the last two holes. It was a great day. DANA GROSS-RHODE: Do you have your scorecard? NA ON MIN: 2, bogey, I missed the green. I chipped from the rough to like 14 feet, two putts. 3, I hit 8-iron to ten feet. 5, 8-iron to five feet. 6, pitching wedge to eight feet. 8, sand wedge from about 45 yards to eight feet. 12, 7-iron to five feet. 13, 6-iron about 12 feet. 15, 7-wood, knocked it on the fringe and 2-putted from about 35 feet. 16, sand wedge, I think probably about ten feet behind the hole, 12 feet behind the hole. DANA GROSS-RHODE: So that's a total of one bogey and eight birdies, great round. Q. As excited as you are, are you any bit nervous being in the lead? You played in the U.S. Open last year, right? NA ON MIN: No. Q. Did not play? The book said you played in the Open -- are you at all nervous to be leading going into the last round? NA ON MIN: Yes, I'm nervous, yeah, because this is my first major. So I'm nervous, but I'll do my best and keep focused on each shot, that's it. Q. What were your expectations coming in to the week? NA ON MIN: The first thing is, first two days is make cut. And after today, before I start today, Top-10. But it was great, I had a great run so I would just keep trying to do my best. And so I'm just leading now, so today -- before I start tomorrow, it will be like my goal is win. Q. What is the biggest tournament you've won so far in your life? NA ON MIN: This is my sixth professional tournament. So before that, there was no big tournament. (Laughter). Q. It said in your biography that you started playing when you were 14. NA ON MIN: No. Start golf at -- it's actually like 12 because the age is different, a little different with Korea and here. So actually 12. Q. 12 years old -- are you 18? NA ON MIN: Yes. (Laughter). Q. Did you start playing because of Se Ri Pak or why did you start playing golf? NA ON MIN: My father, he used to play golf. So I liked all the sports, so I just want to do some sport and I just follow my father, first for enjoyment. My father, he doesn't want me to do sports. But it's golf, so I can play. Q. So he didn't want you to play any other sport? NA ON MIN: Because I'm a girl, so that's why he doesn't want me to play. DANA GROSS-RHODE: He doesn't want you play any sports, just golf? NA ON MIN: Yeah, but before I start golf, I'm doing like soccer, basketball. He just worried that I might get hurt. Q. What can you do between now and tomorrow to prepare yourself mentally to go out tomorrow with the lead, and what in your past can you call upon that has prepared to you face what you're going to face tomorrow? NA ON MIN: I will just keep trying just like tunnel vision, play steady. Just make me calm down myself. I'll just have good sleep and try to do my best. Q. Who is your favorite player? NA ON MIN: Se Ri Pak. Yeah, in Korea, every like junior golfer like my age, Se Ri Pak, almost they start golf because of Se Ri Pak. Q. Do you remember, you were probably eight years old, do you at all remember when she won this tournament and the U.S. Women's Open and it was a big deal? NA ON MIN: Yes, I remember. I remember that U.S. Open when she won -- where she took off her shoes. Now I have that, too. (White tan line) I saw it and wondered what it was and now I have it, too. Q. What do you like to do when you're not playing golf? NA ON MIN: I like to meet my friends and talk with friends, watching movies. I like people, so I like meeting with them when I don't play golf. Q. What did you do today to kind of keep yourself calmed down and settled and focused on the golf? NA ON MIN: I not think about the tournament when I leave the golf course. I just have good dinner and take a shower and don't think about the tournament -- think, but I'm trying to don't think about this. DANA GROSS-RHODE: What did you do during the round to keep yourself calm? NA ON MIN: I'm trying to work a little bit slow. I really work fast and play fast so I just keep trying to do that. Q. Can you tell us, where were you playing before? NA ON MIN: I keep trying to do Monday qualifier. But I missed like three times and then first tournament was Corning Championship. That tournament made me play here many tournaments. Q. You didn't play in any tournaments this season other than the Monday qualifying? NA ON MIN: Yes, before that. Q. What would it mean to you to win this tournament a year after Se Ri Pak won it? NA ON MIN: Se Ri Pak is most of junior golfers, their idol, so after winning (a tournament) after Se Ri Pak and me, if I win this tournament, it's like no way to describe; I'm happy. Q. Were you here when Se Ri Pak got into the Hall of Fame? NA ON MIN: I played in the afternoon. So I just played. Q. I was just curious, when you keep talking about something good to eat, have you found a good restaurant? NA ON MIN: No, my best, my dinner is my father's cooking. He will cook tonight. Q. You're supposed to say McDonald's. (Laughter). NA ON MIN: Oh, yeah, that's for lunch. (Laughter). Q. Are you normally a good wind player? NA ON MIN: Yeah, I am I think, but I keep trying with hard work and hard practice. Q. Does your father travel with you and your mother? Who do you travel with? NA ON MIN: Only my father. My mother is in Korea with my brother. Q. Do you live anywhere in the U.S.? Do you have a base here? NA ON MIN: No, not yet. Q. And your father's name? NA ON MIN: Young Whan Min. Q. What does your father do? NA ON MIN: He helps me a lot. If my father is not here, maybe I don't travel because it's very hard to travel. He cooks for me and he drives for me, everything. Before I got into the LPGA, he was in the construction business and sold everything and he came over here to support me. Q. Was qualifying school at LPGA last year, was that your first trip to America? NA ON MIN: No. Like before that, like maybe one year ago I came for some tournament, my junior tournament, the national team came. Q. Where did you go? NA ON MIN: I don't remember exactly the name of it. That was my first time coming. DANA GROSS-RHODE: Thank you all very much. Good luck tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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