KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 25, 2003

Se Ri Pak

NEAL REID: Thanks for joining us today.

There's a mistake in last week's transcript, mentioning that Se Ri went to the Callaway center to find a few driver. It was actually the TaylorMade Center since she is a TaylorMade player. Wanted to point that out so there's no mistakes about that.

First week of the season, you missed the cut. Go to the TaylorMade center find a new driver, win the tournament, what do you think about that?

SE RI PAK: Well, no complaints at all. I mean, first tournament, well, really, I was having driver problem, just out of control. I can't hit any fairways. But that golf course is so short and you can hit driver as long as you can, no problem at all, the golf course is. You can tell everybody was scoring really low and everybody played really well, except me, because I'm out of control with my driver.

Then when I went to San Diego because of the driver, I spent the whole day, Monday, before when I get to Phoenix. Then when I got the driver, I tested a couple drivers, different shafts, different loft, different lie, angle and everything and finally I got one to last week. Then it really worked and I won the tournament.

At the same time, before this week, it give me a lot of confidence. I feel good like now and I feel like I'm pretty much ready to go.

Then everything, my parents are here, first time, my mom and dad. And, well, anything else is just -- no complaint at all.

NEAL REID: What kind of driver?

SE RI PAK: TaylorMade 580. Tucson I was using 540 but I went to San Diego to get 580. Much more bigger head, pretty much -- much straighter.

Q. Are you more confident coming into this tournament this week than you've ever been coming here before?

SE RI PAK: Yes. Because I work pretty hard every winter, with my coach, I work hard for my swing. And then I'm doing a lot of exercising, too, to make sure I'm pretty much strong enough and traveling every week.

And then, at the same time, just I need to improve my game at the same time. So, I work hard for a short game in the winter and get my swing and everything perfectly in line and swing speed, get better than any years.

This year, much more confidence, too, because of last week, much better and helping, too.

Q. Do you think it's also important to work harder? Sorenstam had such a great year last year, do you think you and the other players have to work harder?

SE RI PAK: Yes, that's the reason why, no question about that. I mean, she's a strong player, mentally strong and physically strong and her game -- well, every single year she just improves a lot at the same time.

Well, we have to work hard, too, to make sure we can get a win in the year, so hopefully more than once. But Annika makes everybody work harder. At the same time, they are playing much better than any year, too. They are stronger. They all are, like different countries, international players play really well. Really, big change in the last two, three years, I think.

Q. What do you think about Annika playing on a PGA TOUR event?

SE RI PAK: Well, I don't think there's any problems with that. Well, she's got a game. It looks like she is trusting herself. At the same time, herself is strong enough and mentally strong enough to play. At the same time, think she likes the challenge more.

Q. Will it be a distraction for her preparing for this tournament?

SE RI PAK: Probably totally different, I guess.

Q. Is that something you've ever thought about doing?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yeah, why not. (Laughing) One day, but let's say I'm just as good as Annika, hopefully I can play there once all my life. Yeah, hopefully once, soon -- or later.

Q. What do you think you have to do to get as good as Annika or as good as you think she is?

SE RI PAK: Just keep working hard. That's the best I can do. Well, I mean, golf is never -- you know, you won a tournament last week but doesn't guarantee anything this week. That's why I think the golf same is so hard. I need to go out and play as best as I can and at the same time work as hard as I can.

Q. But still, you managed to win last week and you beat her, too; that must have been a good feeling?

SE RI PAK: Yes, pretty good. It was pretty good. Well, not just because I played better than her, but it seems like my game is much more, you know, improved than last year. That makes me feel much better, too.

Then everything, just pretty much more consistent I'm playing. So that makes me feel much better. At the same time, last week was a pretty strong field. Everybody was there because of this week. And then well, mentally, it makes me much more stronger, much more tougher out there, and then pretty much helping with this week, too. So that feels good.

Q. How is the course looking this year?

SE RI PAK: Great. The shape, condition of the greens, the fairways, it's like unbelievable out there.

Q. How is the rough?

SE RI PAK: Not as long as before, but it will be growing on the weekend. Otherwise, it's perfect, the speed, green speed and the fairways, rough, everything is in such great shape right now.

Q. Since this is the one major you haven't won yet --

SE RI PAK: It's really -- I want it and I need it, and at the same time I don't want to give myself a lot of pressure on it.

So this week, all I can do is go out there, do my best, play as best as I can and then try to have some fun out there.

Q. Do you think about jumping in the lake?

SE RI PAK: Always. I haven't done much swimming in a couple of years. So go out there, hopefully Sunday, I can swim a little bit.

Q. We have a young lady from Hawaii, Michelle Wie, who is setting records by her age playing in an LPGA major. She said she met you on the practice range the other day.

SE RI PAK: Yesterday, yeah.

Q. Your comments about her appearance, and have you had a chance to see her play?

SE RI PAK: Well, actually, I didn't see her play but she was practicing right behind me yesterday in the afternoon. Wow, she's got some swing. She's only 13 years old and she's got strong -- I can feel that strongly, her swing speed, and she's tall. She's got a pretty good swing. Just, I mean, all I can just say -- well, she has to have a lot of experience until she turns pro, but looks like she's got some game, too. I can't say exactly, but I can see that she's going to be a really good player.

Q. Can you talk about the driver? There's been a lot of talk on the men's tour about how much equipment has impacted how long the players are hitting it and how low the scores are. Do you feel like you have to be on the cutting edge with that, too? Have you seen an impact with that?

SE RI PAK: For me, really, it's not much of a big change for me. Everybody says, "Oh, I have more distance since I changed this driver, I have ten yards more distance, I hit it a little bit more far." For me it's pretty much the same thing as before. It's not like it's hitting longer or more distance. Pretty much consistently, I hit.

So I don't know how much equipment is helping to play better, but it seems like some players, well, they are not hitting long driver, or long-distance player. It feels like it, at least a few people how they think, it's like the opinions that people are saying.

Balls can help. I don't know how equipment maybe helps but I think the ball, like every three to four months, new balls, much softer, more release, more release speed, and you can control around the golf course. For me, it's not a big difference.

Q. The ball that you play with? --

SE RI PAK: M3, MaxFli, just played in the last two weeks.

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