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CHICK-FIL-A CHARITY CHAMPIONSHIP

April 28, 2004

Se Ri Pak

STOCKBRIDGE, GEORGIA

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us. You're the defending champion, won in a playoff last year. It's got to be a good feeling to come back. If you could give us an opening comment and we'll take questions from there.

SE RI PAK: Yeah, still, it's exciting about last year, last year to make the putt to make the playoff. After that, a four hole playoff, it's been fun. It's hard but it's fun. So I've got great memories. Just pretty happy to get back this week and it was great.

Q. I'm working on a story about Aree Song and wanted to get your impression of a 17 year old girl being able to come out here and do what she's been able to do so far. What are your impressions of her game and her as a person?

SE RI PAK: Well, to tell you the truth, I really don't know her that much. Well, basically, she's a rookie this year. I've played with her, I think first time I think I can remember first time was in Phoenix actually, Tucson, first tournament, and she's great. I didn't even though she was 17. I thought she's around 20 because I saw her a couple of times on our tour. I didn't even know she was that young.

She's got some game. She's great. She's got a really great personality. I think she's worked hard, too. She's doing really great for when I was a rookie, really young, kind of different than her because I was learning more after I came to the LPGA because I am growing different. She's pretty much American and she's learned a lot of great golf and she's got a great coach. She's got a great swing, too. All she needs to do is come out here. She's pretty much enjoying it, I guess. All she needs to do is just more, pretty much be happy with herself and pretty much enjoy our tour, and then after that, she can be a really good player.

Q. How do you explain the influx of Korean born players?

SE RI PAK: I think that's amazing to me, the last three years, numbers wise, I can't even count it, because two, three years ago, we had like three players from Korea. That means already a big change for our country, but right now, we have over 20; 21. I can't even count it.

I know some players, because we've played together, I was an amateur, so I know them, like Grace and me and Kim and a couple of players that we know for a long, long time, but after that, I really don't know any of the other players.

I guess I'm one that is excited to have a lot of confidence to come out on the LPGA TOUR, because the way we grew, the way our country is growing is different than here. Here, just perfect conditions, great golf course, great players, the best golfers, women, in the world.

So I think they are having trying to learn more about themselves, and at the same time, everybody was pretty young, around like 20s and around like 19.

So basically, I think they are having more I think I just forgot the word to say. They are having they are the ones who work really hard, too. Basically, we are all Korean, but it's not only us, all LPGA work hard. I think they are pretty much enjoying it. And they love, basically, they love the golf game because it never ends. I think we just take our job and they are really serious, but at the same time they are really great experience for themselves.

So right now, surprisingly, amazing at the same time, I am proud for all of us. They are so young but they are great. So hopefully we have a great memory about each other.

Q. Winning that first major, it puts you at a new level; what do you think it does for Grace Park having won that tournament this year?

SE RI PAK: Before, probably Saturday, watching Golf Channel she was an interview with one of the Golf Channel people. She said what does that mean, winning the major; and she said, well, one of them is a major champion so she says I think you have a lot of confidence. I mean, not well, it seems like you won a regular tournament, same thing, you learn a lot and you have like a lot of experience, good experience, at the same time have a lot of confidence coming from that week. But winning the major, after that, feels like you're getting stronger. That's what it feels for me. Probably Grace is the same way.

At the same time, I think her putting has been really great starting last year and probably she worked hard for her putting. She's a good player. She played really good amateur golf and before she turned pro. She's going to be really good.

Q. Talk about your own season so far.

SE RI PAK: My season, well, this is my fifth tournament for the year. I think I'm pretty pretty great shape. This year seems like a little slow start to now, but I think my game is getting together, instead of last couple years, my game didn't improve that quickly, and at the same time, I don't know, it feels like much more relaxing out there. The same time, makes me feel well and at the same time makes me feel kind of sad because I work hard for it. Somehow just pretty much, I'm taking really seriously, but at the same time I pretty much enjoy it right now. Still, this is my fifth tournament and a long way to go for this season. But I'm happy with my game, I'm happy to get back every week for a tournament, so I'm pretty much great. Hopefully I'll win this week to defend. It feels great, and great feel for 2004 so hope.

Q. What's your thoughts about it going to a four round tournament this year?

SE RI PAK: I think everybody was talking about this a couple of years ago. I think this week is great, great golf course, great golf course, great purse, everything is great. We needed to be four rounds instead of three. I think it's better to be four rounds. Sometimes three day tournaments, good tournaments, it feels like really short, but I think four rounds, it's got to be much more exciting and fun. So I'm really happy about it turning into a four round tournament instead of three. So hopefully it will be as exciting as last year hopefully.

Q. To follow up about women's golf in Korea, your country, a small country, space is precious, golf course access isn't very good, and the weather is not at all conducive to year round play. What, if any, is the explanation for so many world class female golfers coming out of this environment?

SE RI PAK: I think first thing, because of all of the best players to be in this country, at this course, so basically, you want to be your best player. Everybody has the goal of the same thing before turning pro, trying to be the best golfer in the world. We all try for the same thing, and you have to be here in the LPGA TOUR. Otherwise, I mean, you can't tell who is going to be the best player.

So that's why right now, such great young players from different countries for not having played such great, even perfect conditions always, not even perfect weather wise, but sometimes there you can actually have great weather, but even golf courses is always in perfect shape for us.

Our country is the same thing, our country is so small, we don't have perfect conditions for years and only we can play for like two months, max. And then the sponsor, we just lost a lot because the economy goes really bad. But we have such great players. Probably all of the countries has great players, but depends, our country is so small, everybody is trying to come over here and they play well and learn themselves that they can be great players.

That's why I guess the last couple of years, there are so many changing for number wise our country because of other conditions for our country. So, I mean, even it was great to have on the LPGA TOUR, so much excitement for the last couple of years, for these guys, from the new country, I think it's great.

End of FastScripts.

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