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THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 20, 2007

K.J. Choi

CARNOUSTIE, SCOTLAND

STEWART McDOUGALL: Ladies and gentlemen, K.J. Choi, today 69 for a total of 138, 4-under par.
K.J., when you came to Carnoustie at the beginning of the week did you think at this stage you'd be in second place at the Open Championship?
K.J. CHOI: No, I didn't think I'd be in this spot today going into the weekend, but I did feel a lot more comfortable because I had come here back in '99. So knowing this course, it wasn't a first time, so I felt a little more comfortable and I just -- that's why I think I'm playing better this year.

Q. You made the turn today at even par and usually the early holes are when people do all their damage. I wonder what your frame of mind was coming out of the front nine and how you got yourself going on the most difficult side of the course?
K.J. CHOI: Making the turn, I think the 10th hole was a very difficult par, so I think that was a key point. Back nine, because I wasn't putting well on the front nine, I anticipated my putting was going to improve in the back nine. In the front nine, I hit a lot of good shots but I had to lay up. I had a few three-putts, but in the back nine I was -- I thought I would recover well and I think I shot better.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit your memories of Carnoustie in 1999, I think the third round when you played with Paul Lawrie?
K.J. CHOI: Back in 1999 my shots were very weak in the wind. So when I played with Paul I actually learned a lot with him playing with him because I saw how Paul used the ball -- used the wind to work for him. So I think it was a good lesson for me. Coming into this week I knew how to use the wind to my advantage.

Q. You played the course yesterday in very different conditions to what you did today. What sort of conditions will be you hoping for over the weekend?
K.J. CHOI: My caddie, Andy, always tells me that you never know what you're going to get with the Scottish weather. So he always advises that I prepare myself for any condition that may come. So whatever the weather is going to be I'll be prepared.

Q. With you having won three times in the past year now, do you look in the mirror and see a different player and did you in the past feel like you were ready to win a Major championship?
K.J. CHOI: No, I've never really thought of that. I believe that athletes, golfers, professional golfers, should always be striving to improve themselves. Golfers are like entertainers, they're out to entertain the fans, the gallery, and I think in order to display good shots, good performance, all I think about is just how I can improve myself.

Q. In Asia there's been a lot of talk for the last few years about you being the most likely person to win a Major championship. Do you put that pressure on yourself? Is that your expectation, as well?
K.J. CHOI: No, I don't put any pressure on myself. I think anyone who wants to win a Major has to be prepared. I always ask myself what do I need to improve? What do I need to do? How do I need to be prepared to win a Major when that opportunity comes. I think even when you're in a situation where you're given a good chance to win a Major, but if you're not prepared to do it mentally or physically or technically in your golf game then you're not going to be able to win it. So I think it's very important that you prepare yourself in situations like this when you're in a position to win a Major.

Q. You'll be playing in the final group tomorrow with Sergio. I just wondered if you've played many big rounds with him before and if you'll be looking forward to the pressure and also the excitement of the last round?
K.J. CHOI: I played with Sergio a few times in the past. When Sergio came to Korea I was in the same group with him a few times playing in the U.S. But I don't think it's a matter of who I play with. I think it's just overcoming myself. All I need to do today is just get some good rest, try to think of what I need to do tomorrow and just keep my routine, pray to the Lord, find some peace of mind within myself and I think tomorrow could be a -- good or bad, I just need to be prepared for that.

Q. No. 18 hasn't been very kind to you the first two days, or very many other players. Could you talk about the challenges it poses and how you played with it today?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, today the 18th was playing difficult. There was a lot of wind. They even had the tees closer today, but still it was very difficult. I just think that you've just got to play that hole as a par-5. Even if you get a bogey, just consider it a good par. I think if I could get a par tomorrow it will be a good round for me.

Q. Of the four majors, do you feel your game is best suited to winning on a links course? When you were growing up was it The Open you dreamt of?
K.J. CHOI: Yes, growing up back in Korea they showed a lot of, on TV -- the British Open was televised a lot, so I remember watching the British Open growing up. And I remembered thinking to myself, yeah, in order to play well at the British Open you have to be a good bunker player, play good in the windy conditions.
For me, any Major is valuable, but the British Open being -- it has a lot of history, a lot of tradition, so it's definitely one of the tournaments that I really, really want to win. If I just keep my pace over the weekend, who knows, I may get my dream after all.

Q. You had two very good early rounds in an Open not that long ago, but you failed to take it through to the next round. Are you worried a similar thing might happen or do you think you're better prepared to deal with that now?
K.J. CHOI: I think this year is a little different because I think back in those days I didn't have the shots that I needed. I was not comfortable with the shots that I had. But now I think it's a lot different because I have more shots in my bag. I've got a lot of shots that are working for me so I think that may prove to be the difference this year.

Q. You talked about praying to the Lord. Is there anything else you do to strengthen your mind?
K.J. CHOI: No, I really don't do anything else other than pray to the Lord, mentally, that is. But I think what's really important is that you've got to eat well and rest well. I try, myself -- if you're well rested and you've eaten well, then you feel better, your mind feels better, it just clears your mind. So what I try to do is after each round, try to put my body physically to the normal -- to my normal state, as close as possible. And I think if I can do that over the weekend it will be good.

Q. K.J. the British Tabloid Press are interested in the fact that you used to do some weight-lifting, could you tell us about this, please, and maybe if it has any use now you're a pro golfer?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, there's been a lot of -- I get a lot of questions about my power weight-lifting years. I think it's definitely helped me. The way that it's helped me is, well, I've weight-lifted for two years and I stopped, but it helped my body to become stronger, but I don't think I would recommend it if you're going to play golf, eventually. It won't help you if you weight-lift for too long because it makes too much muscles in your upper body. It's not going to help. But what it does help is it gives you much stronger impact and actually if you parallel it with some flexibility movements, that it actually helps your golf game.
STEWART McDOUGALL: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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