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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPENAugust 3, 2008Jiyai ShinASCOT, ENGLAND COLIN CALLANDER: Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome Ji-Yai Shin, the 2008 Ricoh Women's British Open Champion. For the record, Ji-Yai wins a check for £160,000, a ten-year exemption to the Women's British Open, and she also secures her way into the LPGA season-ending ADT Championship. She is, we believe the youngest to win this event as a major at 20 years, three months and six days. The previous youngest was her compatriot, Se Ri Pak, at 23 years, ten months and eight days when she won the title. Congratulations. How does it feel to be Major Champion? JI-YAI SHIN: Actually, last night I can't sleep because very nervous, and then now still nervous. This morning, today my driver and my iron, putting, everything was very well, very good, and so gave me confidence. Today, I felt comfortable. COLIN CALLANDER: How do you think winning a major will change your life? JI-YAI SHIN: I don't know, because my whole life, I've been waiting for this time and my dream comes true now. Actually I'm not joined as an LPGA member, but now with this win, I can join as a member and maybe change my plans. Q. Well done, first of all. Do you do a lot of physical training away from the golf course? JI-YAI SHIN: Only wintertime, because Korean wintertime, there are no tournaments and it's very cold, about two months, three months almost. So I train in the wintertime only, training. Q. Is any of your family here with you and if not, have you spoken to them? JI-YAI SHIN: Actually coming here, this is my first time. It was very difficult at nighttime, eating dinner, but it's fine, because my English -- oh, yes, I spoke with my father. Yesterday, last night, he said, oh, now, good job, so comfortable play tomorrow. Q. How much impact do you think your victory will have on your golfing career? JI-YAI SHIN: Actually next two years my plan is to play in Japan because I'm already joined as a Japan member, but I think this time maybe next year maybe play in America. COLIN CALLANDER: When did you start playing golf? What age were you? JI-YAI SHIN: 11. COLIN CALLANDER: What did you do before then? Did you play other sports? JI-YAI SHIN: Archery. COLIN CALLANDER: Archery? JI-YAI SHIN: Just a little bit. Q. Were you a good player from the time you started? JI-YAI SHIN: No. I started at 11 years old and before that, never know the golf. Not bad, but after middle school -- COLIN CALLANDER: What was your handicap when you were 14? JI-YAI SHIN: Almost zero. COLIN CALLANDER: Scratch? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah. Q. Were you inspired by any other young Asian players, like Se Ri Pak and Jeong Jang? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, Jeong Jang, she's a long driver and very good, and Se Ri Pak, she's my almost hero because watching golf, I'm watching her and then now I'm watching her and still she's my hero. Q. Did you care for the play of the other Oriental players -- JI-YAI SHIN: Before one time just played in -- inaudible -- Yuri Fudoh plays, before I'm playing in Japan, we played two rounds. She's a great player, because driver, irons, they are straight. I am two times playing in Japan tournaments, but Japan is really good for many players I think. Q. When did you think you might have won today, maybe on 13 when you holed the putt? What were you thinking then? When did you think, okay, maybe I'll win? JI-YAI SHIN: 18th hole, finishing the last putt, because No. 13 and 14, I make a birdie putt, but No. 15, 16, 17, 18, tough holes, very difficult holes, so maybe one miss, but tough holes. Q. The bunker shot at 18, did you intend for it to come out like it did or did you mean for it to go higher in the air? JI-YAI SHIN: The bunker here is very high, so I can't -- Q. Did you play it as you intended? JI-YAI SHIN: Yes. Q. Whose been the biggest influence on your golf career? JI-YAI SHIN: Training with me and training pitching. COLIN CALLANDER: Does your father play golf? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, but so-so. Q. Why were you going to play in Japan next year, as opposed to coming over to the U.S. to play on the LPGA? JI-YAI SHIN: My father, actually he wanted me to play in the Japan tournament, because he thinks I'm not yet, my potential for LPGA, and he wanted more training for Japan. But now that I've made a win, maybe he will change his mind. Q. Do you think you'll come play the rest of the year on the LPGA? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, I want to play here, because very big tournaments, many big tournaments and great players, yeah, I want to play here. Q. You want to play in the U.S.? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah. Q. What is your dad's name, and what will you do tonight? How will you celebrate? JI-YAI SHIN: My father's name is Shin. Tonight, I'm leaving tomorrow, so tonight, I'm hungry, I want to eat something. COLIN CALLANDER: Are you going back to Korea tomorrow? JI-YAI SHIN: Yes, back to Korea. Q. Who did you travel with this time? And second question, you went to the bathroom a few times, once in the front nine and a lot on the back nine; did you get some stomach ache or because you were nervous? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, I'm just nervous, and then my stomach, no good. Q. You've won the first time on the JLPGA, and I think you are very charming and your smile is very beautiful, do you know you are very famous among Japanese fans? JI-YAI SHIN: Thank you. (Laughter) Thank you very much. Q. When you started playing golf, was there any influence about putting? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, the first time watching the golf, Se Ri Pak wins in 1998, U.S. Open win, and then before, I never know the golf. Q. On TV, you said you had a nickname; what is your nickname? JI-YAI SHIN: I have Korean nickname is -- Finals Queen, Queen of Finals. I usually make it to the finals, so I'm the finals queen. My fans named me Finals Queen because I'm in the finals so often, so frequently. Q. What is it about your personality? Why are you so good at final rounds? JI-YAI SHIN: First round, second round, third round, everything is course management and then my shots, everything, I remember. So more -- I think plus course management and then experience is much better in final rounds. Q. Do you ever brothers and sisters and do they play golf? JI-YAI SHIN: Yeah, I have one younger sister and one younger brother, but just in school, they don't play. My sister and brother are watching me, very hard training, and then my father always pitching in, so they don't want to play golf. COLIN CALLANDER: Thank you very much. End of FastScripts |
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