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CN CANADIAN WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

August 15, 2008

Se Ri Pak

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Se Ri, thanks for coming in and joining us today. Two great rounds, you're tied for fourth going into the weekend. Can you just talk about your day and your position?
SE RI PAK: Well, actually I feel great about being in Canada. They always have such a great golf course, and always the condition of the golf course. I realize this week is not easy because the rough is so long, probably the longest the rough of the year, I think.
They've always been really hard conditions, but this week is probably the most I've seen. And then green undulations a lot. Golf course is a little long. But I'm striking the ball well. Striking is good, and actually I'm putting well. The last couple weeks I've been really striking really well, but putting gives me a hard time. But this week seems like I've made some putts. Actually I'm very happy about that.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: If you could just talk a little bit more about playing in Canada. I think your first three years in this tournament you had Top-5 finishes and you've made a little over $200,000 here, so obviously it's a place that you play well.
SE RI PAK: I can't remember that (laughter). But I think I always feel great in Canada. Like I said, the golf course has always been great, and I don't know how, but it feels really good. This weather has been perfect for me, not too hot, not too cold. Everybody loves the weather, but it's probably the most -- the best weather of the year, too. Like I said, we always find a good golf course here, so I really like that.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Let's go over your scorecard. Birdie on the 1st hole?
SE RI PAK (Assisted by caddie): Six, seven feet.
13, 8-iron in there, tap-in. Almost went in.
Bogey on 15, hit 6-iron a little left, chipped it up to probably seven, eight feet, missed the putt.
Bogey on 16, we drove it in the right rough, laid it up and then hit it just over the green, chipped it up and made a nice putt for 5.
Birdie on 6, 3-wood off the tee, 109, about four or five feet, 15-degree mid-wedge.
Birdie on 8, got three-quarter 7 from 148 to about 12 feet, 15 feet, a little beyond the pin. Right after Lorena had made it, we had to make it (laughter).
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Questions for Se Ri?

Q. I remember about ten years ago at this event you came in and everyone had "Se Ri fever" with the way you were going early in your career. Nowadays everyone has still got Se Ri fever, of course, but Lorena is also getting a lot of attention now. I wonder if you could reflect back for us on how much those demands kind of take their toll on you when you've got the crowd and the media and everyone kind of wanting to talk to you. Do you feel the pressure when you've got that?
SE RI PAK: Of course, actually, yes, because it's basically everybody focused on me basically every week, which is not easy, because it seems like I have to play well and I have to be attention, which is kind of part of -- it's kind of hard to take it with the golf course, too. But it's a little get used to it, and it wasn't. You don't really have that much attention and you don't worry and now you're having fun. But I'm used to it, actually you get less pressure. The first time you get the pressure, and then as soon as you get used to, it's basically just part of the routine basically.

Q. What's your take -- obviously you've seen Lorena deal with all this the past few years. What's your take on how she is handling it? She seems to be handling it very well.
SE RI PAK: I think she's handling it really, really well. Basically she got the last three years, really tremendously doing well at the same time. Like I said, I've been there before. Annika was there before, top players have been there before. But like I said, she's doing really well. Her personality, her game, everybody has been great. She's just really nice, good, fun person. I've always enjoyed playing with her. But we joke around together. Like I said, she's great. She's very relaxed outside, out there when she plays. Her game is really focused. Outside the line, she's a great person. She's very good. As I said, you see her as a person and she doesn't have any problems at all, but she's doing really well.

Q. How does it feel to have so many young Korean golfers look up to you and your accomplishments?
SE RI PAK: Actually I feel really proud of that. Basically it's the first time ever -- I never thought about it's going to be happening that quick, but now you see so much the number of Korean players and they're young. But it's not easy being outside. They're traveling all year long, totally different country and food and traveling, and basically it's not that easy. But they're doing really well, so I'm very proud of them.
And at the same time they have such really great futures, too. They work hard and they get paid. When I say that, it basically reminds me of the first time in U.S. start playing the LPGA, but now actually I see them as close friends, and that's fun.

Q. How many of them have come up to you and said the reason they got into competitive golf was because of watching you in the U.S. Open?
SE RI PAK: Now actually most of them. Before that they don't really talk about it. They now start talking to me and saying basically that I'm their idol. First I won the U.S. Open, they start playing golf then. It just surprised me. We play the same Tour, but ten years ago they start playing golf, and I'm still here and they're playing at the same -- members of the LPGA, so that's very amazing. I don't think I'm that old, but that makes me sometimes feel a little old.

Q. When I spoke to you yesterday, you spoke about the importance of keeping the ball in the fairway, and other players have mentioned the same thing. Do you remember how many times you were not in the fairway today, and I'm just wondering whether that was --
SE RI PAK: Actually I was in there once today, and yesterday was two. So basically -- but I have a pretty good up-and-down yesterday. But today it's a really bad lie so I have to chip out on No. 16. This rough is really hard to get out. Most important thing on this golf course is make sure you're hitting lots of fairways and making a lot of great chances. Fairways and greens are always good, but this week is probably most.

Q. You were talking just a couple of questions ago about how today's Korean Tour players come up to you and talk to you. Obviously you probably have a pretty good feel back home right now on some of the developing players. It seems like Korea is becoming a machine actually for producing LPGA players.
SE RI PAK: Well, I mean, every week is pretty much they ask me the question, why the Korean players play really well. But I don't -- I exactly don't know the answer for you. But I think that all I know is basically we -- I think it's a culture wise, but they are growing up to mentally get a little stronger, like more easy to control the pressure on, I guess. Like everybody works really hard in the LPGA Tour players, but mentally the pressure-wise, handle things, that they are probably proud of it culture wise. That's why I think it's a lot more easy or used to get the pressure off. That's what I think is most helping for the game.
I think most is the mental and then physically they're kind of used to learning a lot quicker because of young age. But everybody same conditions, or physically. They can work out, running, they're practicing. But mentally it's basically kind of hard because you have to really have a great experience to handle those pressures.
But part of it, I think the culture of my country is basically that -- a lot more used to being under pressure all the time, especially playing sports of all kinds. That's why they come over here for the first time, they know the pressure, how much harder it is. But actually they start at such a young age. That's part of what helps the game be better, I think.

Q. When you're traveling around North America and visiting different cities, do people in the South Korean community reach out to you and perhaps expect you to participate in things within their organization?
SE RI PAK: Yes, yes.

Q. Is that something that you feel obligated to do, or do you have time to do it? How much involvement do you have with that sort of activity?
SE RI PAK: Actually pretty hard, though, because they actually ask me through the LPGA -- right now so many Korean players out here, but all players have different schedule. They fly Monday, they fly Sunday, they fly Tuesday. So many players together at the same place it's pretty hard to do that. Everybody wants to do it as long as if they're Korean they like to support it. We're here, but the thing is, like I said, it's pretty hard to get the schedule-wise to fit in their schedule. We always appreciate all the support, but that's kind of hard and not easy to do.

Q. Going to a party somewhere might be a little rough?
SE RI PAK: Well, I don't know about a party -- well, maybe party up and everybody goes. But for dinner -- just kidding. But like I said, it's kind of hard to get a schedule.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Thanks for your time, and great rounds.

End of FastScripts

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