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LPGA CORNING CLASSIC

May 20, 2008

Jimin Kang

CORNING, NEW YORK

ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Jimin, thanks for coming in and joining us today. You are the 2005 Corning Classic champion; your victory on the LPGA Tour. And you just finished tied for ninth at the Sybase Classic last week. Your second top-ten finish this year. Can you just talk about being here at Corning and your season so far.
JIMIN KANG: It's definitely I have a special memory from Corning because I did my first one.
My season is going well. Playing some golf or less golf out there so I'm really excited to coming back because my golf game seems like it's on the way where I want it to be.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: This is the 30th anniversary of the Corning Classic so it's an important week for the tournament. Just a big milestone. What kind of special memories do you have from your win in 2005?
JIMIN KANG: Like everybody knows I had a win over Annika so it's definitely and I think it's pretty special for myself. But the people who was here with me when I was winning on 2005 have good memory of the (inaudible). A big reaction after that.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: All right. Questions for Jimin?

Q. I guess the first thing I noticed you are on a pretty good run in the last three tournaments, all have bet pretty good finishes. Is anything different than what it was at the beginning of the year as far as what you are doing differently; is your iron game better, putting game better, driving better, what?
JIMIN KANG: Definitely it's scoring lower than the beginning of the season. To tell the truth, I didn't do much different at the beginning of the season or later in the season I just happen to be hitting more greens, and I'm making more putts. So it's golf, you know. Like everybody else knows.

Q. Did you play your practice round today yet?
JIMIN KANG: No, sir. I just got here.

Q. You mentioned Annika. Can you tell us how you-- what your reaction was to her announcement that she's retiring and how you feel about that?
JIMIN KANG: Actually after that announcement she was like in a conference meeting for all day so I didn't meet her right after her announcement. But the next day I walked up to her and told her like I'm really going to miss her a lot. It won't be the same without her on the tour.
But, you know, what, being a professional golfer, a lot of girls are going to sacrifice a lot of things for playing pro golf because it takes a lot of time. Just playing golf takes a lot of time. But plus if you want to do better and having a better competition here and scoring well it takes a lot of work.
So I think she deserved it, to move on living her own personal life, so I'm happy for her, making the decision.

Q. Imagine it was a pretty big feeling to get that first win here a few years ago. Are you kind of pressing for that second win now, or did you think you'd have it at this point, a second one?
JIMIN KANG: You know, what I would like to say so but I won't. (Laughing). But after Sunday when I see my name on top of the leader board I won't be surprised. We'll see.

Q. Talk about what it was like playing that final day. Before then, had you been in the lead very often? And I know it happened late in the round, but after you were in the lead what was it like playing with the lead? Were you more cautious, were you just kind of playing protectively during the final round in 2005?
JIMIN KANG: You know, I don't know. It's different because at that time it was like -- I remember I was looking for the scoreboard whenever I looked back, I don't see my name is going after like 7th through 10th or something. So I couldn't see.
But it's golf. I just am going to go out there and have fun and play shot by shot and see what happens on Sunday afternoon.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Thank you for your time and good luck this week.
JIMIN KANG: Thanks.

End of FastScripts

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