	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

BALLANTINE'S CHAMPIONSHIP

March 15, 2008

K.J. Choi

JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA

Q. Thanks for coming again for a press conference, 71-69-69, I think you had a pretty steady round again.
K.J. CHOI: You know, this course is one of those courses where it's easy to shoot 6-, 7-under as you can tell. You know it was pretty difficult to start the day, having missed that putt, the 3-putt in the beginning, it was really difficult to read the lie. But I feel like, you know, there's potential to shoot 8- , 9-under. I'm pretty happy about my round for the past three days so far, and I think tomorrow if I'm able to shoot that low round, I'll have a good tournament.

Q. How did the difference in the weather affect you today?
K.J. CHOI: The weather, it's very good weather, it's perfect weather to play golf. The winds are not as strong as I thought it would be.
The main problem is, again, the putts not going in, and that's not helping me score. The greens, not getting those one-putts, so when the putts are not going in, the round becomes a very boring round. The fans want to see me make birdies, but I'm not able to do that.
I think I'm making myself weary by not making those putts. But I still feel very appreciated for the fans giving me supportive love this week, and I just hope to finish it off tomorrow.

Q. Do you think that this course is easy?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, the course, it's not a difficult course. It's in good condition. The only thing about this course is that with the very tricky greens, it's hard to read the lies. Last week coming from fast greens, I'm used to playing on faster greens.
Because it's the European Tour, I expected this course to have a fast setup, fast greens like other tournaments. But I think it's because of the wind they set the course up -- they set the greens pretty slow. But I think overall, you know, the layout of the course is in good condition. The greens and the layout around the greens is a good setup. So it's a very good course.

Q. What are your preparations for next week's tournament?
K.J. CHOI: You know, what I do every week on a given week is -- there isn't anything special that I do to prepare for a certain tournament. I just look at the course and try to figure out whether -- what type of play I should -- what type of play that I need to perform out there, whether I need to get a high shot or low shot. I think the course next week, it's going to have a lot harder greens. It's going to be hotter weather, so you know, I need to hit the ball higher.
I think this week is actually preparation for next week's tournament. Overall this year, the way my schedule was set up, I would be playing in a hot area and then next week would be a colder area, so I think that's kind of confused my play a little bit because the green condition differ based on what kind of weather we have. Sometimes the greens can have a lot of moisture and sometimes it's very dry.
So I think sometimes getting adjusted to the conditions is important, and I think next week, if I'm able to hit the shots higher, then I'll have a good performance.

Q. A lot of things have been said about the very enthusiastic crowd this week, is it the same back in the U.S. when you're playing, as well?
K.J. CHOI: Ever since a couple of years ago -- lately I've felt that the local fan support has been greater and greater, not only within the Korean community but also amongst the local American fans. It's like wherever I go, that week is a big festival.
So I get a lot of warm reception, and it's exciting to be part of such a festive environment.

Q. Do you feel some pressure this week with Anthony Kim and others playing well, and what do you think about the local players here in Korea?
K.J. CHOI: I mean, I don't feel any pressure from the young players. I think the young players, their mind-set is changing year by year. They are actually setting their goals higher, they are dreaming bigger, they are playing in bigger tournaments around the world, so it's actually they are elevating their game which is, in fact, helping the development of golf in Korea.
You know, I try my best. I prepared well for this week, but unfortunately I'm not getting the results that I wanted, and I'm not giving the fans what they want. But I think it's been a meaningful week because it gives me a chance to come together with my local fans. It's a good week.

Q. You've set up your own foundation, and there's been a lot of talk about you hosting a tournament in Korea, is the foundation going to be involved in that in the near future, and are you going to host a tournament is it going to be in Korea or outside of Korea?
K.J. CHOI: The main reason that I set up the foundation was not to run golf tournaments. It's obviously first and foremost to help kids and to help with welfare of kids. Obviously in the long run, yeah, it's in my plans to be involved in some sort of a way to help the junior golfers in Korea. Eventually I may end up running a tournament. If I do, it's going to be in Korea, but you know, the main reason I set up the foundation was not about running golf tournaments. It was about helping kids.

End of FastScriptsÃ¢ï¿½Â¦

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297