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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 2, 2001

Se Ri Pak

SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, Se Ri Pak played 34 holes today. She was even on the day, and remains at 1 under for the Championship. Se Ri, first of all, tell us how you feel after 34 holes. I remember how tired you said you were on Thursday. How are you now?

SE RI PAK: Actually, not too bad at all. Out on the first round it looked like -- I think too much focus, actually, for the -- to play well in the first round. But today it looks like I needed more golf, I still hoping to play more. But it's pretty good, actually. A pretty good feeling right now. I'm not much tired at all. So pretty good shape.

RHONDA GLENN: How did you feel about your golf today? You hit some wonderful approach shots and some shortish birdie putts that didn't at all fall.

SE RI PAK: I missed so many great birdie chances for 34 holes. I kept missing putts. I misread or missed speed. It was a little confusing. But I just -- actually, I find out something on the 18th hole that I'm going to be working on tonight. And I think tomorrow everything will go into the hole.

Q. How difficult do you think it will be to try to make up a five-stroke deficit on Karrie?

SE RI PAK: It's not going to be easy, actually. Everybody knows that, and I know that. She's a great player. She's strong. And I know she's not going to be easy to keep up. So the thing is I need to be strong. And, actually, this golf course many things happen. So I just need to try to play my golf and try to be myself and place as many as I can. And that's going to be the best things to do in this golf course, to work on being a little relaxed and make sure I'm going to be smart enough to make myself out of trouble, I think.

Q. Se Ri, if you had had an outstanding putting day today, do you feel you could be tied for the lead?

SE RI PAK: If I make some putts, yeah. I think if I make a little bit more putts, probably I would be in really good shape. Maybe I'm going to leading by maybe a few shots. But the golf, as you can tell, I get great opportunity all day, but I couldn't make any putts at all. That's why I just finished 1 under. But it still feels really great. I can try tomorrow. And it feels really ready, actually.

Q. You said you discovered something on the 18th hole which you were going to work on it. What was it?

SE RI PAK: I think it's my putting. I missed so many putts. I think just somehow my setup probably a little bit of moving, maybe just too much open, my shoulder and maybe too much thinking before I hit the ball. So I just think it's not a good idea to spend time for extra things. So tonight I'm going to work a little bit of, make myself a little comfortable setup and tomorrow just trying to be easy as I can, just one, two, one, two.

Q. How much of an advantage do you think Karrie had today because she only had to play 18 holes and you played 32?

SE RI PAK: Well, there's a big difference. These golf courses after 18 holes, mentally you're already tired. Every hole -- even for one second you can't relax, every shot, every hole, just even one second you can't even think anything at all. So especially two days, 34 holes, trying to play best I can, that is extra work -- Karrie played 18 holes and have time to rest. I have to wake up at 4 o'clock and get ready for dress up, and have to start at 4:0 in the morning and until -- I don't know, what time?

RHONDA GLENN: 8:00 o'clock.

SE RI PAK: Pretty much all day I played golf already. But she's had enough time to rest and she's enough to thinking about her situation, so it's going to be a big difference.

Q. How do you get those miss-putts out of your mind? After a few of those you just seemed a little bit upset. Do you take that hole to hole or how do you forget about it?

SE RI PAK: Well, we are always under pressure, used to it. Every hole -- nothing I can do if I'm upset, mad or happy, still I can't do anything at all. Even if I'm upset, I try to make myself happy before I tee off. I don't want to have any trouble for myself. Just forget it and trying to keep telling myself I have a pretty good chance next hole. Or I have still many holes to go and just keep -- make myself keep it up. That's the best thing to do in the golf course.

Q. Obviously you were playing with Karrie, and she had a couple of bogeys down the stretch. Does that make it more realistic a chance that you can come back than if she had closed strong, would that have ended it?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, somehow -- yeah, to tell you the truth, just really going to be big helping, actually. This golf course, so many things happen, I tell you before. If I miss, and anybody can miss every little short putt or driver, every hole. So just tomorrow I think me and Webbie actually play again. But, well -- Webbie going to try the best she can, so I'll try the best I can. So just trying to be great golf tomorrow for each other.

RHONDA GLENN: What's been your biggest comeback? How far have you come from and then been able to win?

SE RI PAK: Well, of course everybody goes trying to win and get to this U.S. Open trophy. We really want that. The biggest thing is I think how to control myself on the golf course. That's going to be a big helping for if I play good or not. No matter what, of course at the same time I don't want to push myself to make it her time. I just trying to enjoy it and trying to be playing best that I can and trying to be as smart as I can. And after while we -- I'm really happy, no matter what happens tomorrow.

RHONDA GLENN: Have you ever been five strokes behind and then won.

SE RI PAK: I don't know, actually. Did that happen? I don't know. I have no idea.

RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much for coming in.

End of FastScripts....

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