U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 18, 2000

Se Ri Pak

SE RI PAK: Actually, I like the golf course. You know, looks like three or two years ago, the golf course right there. This is so nice golf course, but kind of pretty much similar than that golf course, and I just think about 1998, you know, I played a -- so difficult golf course, and we had a tough run, everything. Just kind of kept thinking about that. Then this golf course is very nice. You know, still like a very difficult, with the rough, very long. The fairways are bouncing a lot and not much wide; it's narrow. I cannot hit much driver here, and green is so huge, at the same time, so I think -- I didn't make any 3-putts this week, I think that was a great score, I guess.

SE RI PAK: Actually, I'm not sure. You know, I didn't know how much players -- right now. I haven't really seen much this week, but I heard pretty much -- nine players, yeah, things like that. I think now people want to go try. Before I came over here, at that time, everybody is thinking, you know, there's no way, like too far away and different culture. Everything is different, living, everything. Maybe they never thought about it. But after I came over and played so well, and at the same time last year, with the other Korean players playing well, everybody looks like maybe they want to try here, and maybe they want to know about more golf and they want to be like more better players. That's why they came over here a lot and play.

SE RI PAK: It's not that big as here. Maybe not big in Japan, either, I guess, but after doing so well, golf is huge. It looks like every kid, they play golf right now and they are starting at young age right now. So many things, you know, different than three years ago.

SE RI PAK: It is tough. We don't have that much golf course than here, so like all different. Like a few of them -- and all the way -- Seoul, take four-hour drive and totally different golf course, not like close all the time. At the same time, it's very high price, too, the green fees. And the golf course all the time is full, because amateur plays somehow and the members. Other times, pretty much -- our country has a lot of private golf course. This way, it's more difficult to play for the young kids. Other people, they play outside and practice, things like that. Now I think so many things different, probably some players, I think they play more than before.

SE RI PAK: Actually, after I won the U.S. Open, I -- everything changed. I have to -- make practice, make the schedule, after 1998, is my rookie year, so I didn't know so much about many things going on. I just keep, okay, say, yes, yes and everything is -- doing everything for all of them. But after 1998, I learned so many things, including this tournament, I just learn a lot about my game, and I know what to do and I know what I have to do. And after first year I finished, I knew that I have to take care of myself more than anything. You know, nobody can take care of myself. So, I know that if I take care of myself and if I more focus on my game, the first year, so many things that I cannot even focus on my game -- so many things. After that, I have to go there, there, there. I just have to keep thinking about that -- that I can't even focus on the tournament. But now, so many things are coming up just so quickly. This way, I think it's more, you know, more control in myself. I know I can control myself, and at the same time I learn so many -- things at the same time in my golf game, either. This is my third year, and after first year, I think I just -- through now, I mean, it's a lot -- everything is a lot better than before, and more -- actually, more fun. That's when I won like that, I want to be like that; enjoy the golf course outside the tournament and have some fun, exciting time and I just want to enjoy it.

SE RI PAK: Actually, there's only one time I play the British Open.

SE RI PAK: I think all the time -- whole time LPGA and PGA is between -- PGA is more stronger, because a lot of great players and a lot of make great shot and is longer. U.S. Open is different from other tournaments. It's like everybody knows, has to be strong this week. At the same time, everybody want to see great players around here, especially U.S. Open is probably biggest tournament in the world, I guess, golf tournament. I think, you know, it doesn't matter -- it doesn't matter PGA and LPGA, PGA and U.S. Open the same week, I don't think it's going to be much different, I guess. Of course, men is great, but LPGA at the same time, strong players, everybody is so great.

SE RI PAK: Maybe. But I don't think it's going to -- some people are thinking, I guess, because this is biggest tournament in Women's, the Open. And this golf course is great. And the top players, they get ready for these big tournaments. I think many things happen this week, I guess. It's more fun to watch the U.S. Open, I guess.

SE RI PAK: A lot better. Much better than first year. Of course, first year, in my country has never ever happened before. That's why they want to see. They want to know more, so many things, just keep pushing me. Now, so many -- it's two years passed already and -- because everybody is like better. They know things right now what happened around the golf course, golf etiquette and everything. They learn so many things than last few years ago.

SE RI PAK: They know me. They just want to say hi to me and other times they want an autograph, take a picture, because they cannot just pass away. They know and they are just really happy to see me, so I just have to kind of say, hi, and sometimes talking longer. But it's okay. It's fine.

SE RI PAK: Now I play a lot with Nancy every week. We played, me and Lorie Kane and Nancy together played a little game together, and I feels like very, very -- you know, just very comfortable outside with Nancy, because she -- she's kind of -- she helps me a lot. I was -- in rookie years, first year, she knew it was not that easy and she told me how to control it, you know, and makes me very comfortable inside my mind and just keep telling me what to do, things like that is going to happen like this. And then, you know all the times that she said and she helped me a lot, still, I probably heard it. Sometimes she just tell me somehow, a little swing different, and she tell me what to do. Maybe kind of fix me a little bit. And, you know, just, I can't -- if I see her, it feels like -- whether she tell me or not, I just feel like that, what to do. I really want to be like her because she was so great, personality, and everything she handled so good, so well. And so I think I just want to watch her. Even though the Koreans, it's a little different, but she knew more than I do, if something happen. She see everything more than I do; so all the time I play with her or I see her, it feels like I want to stay and talk to her about some problem. So she helped a lot in my golf game, too.

SE RI PAK: Not much. I didn't see her much, because all of the times, men's tournament on TV, but sometimes I saw. I saw her, I really -- I guess before I came over here in USA, I saw her in magazine, TV some, a little bit, and I saw Nancy Lopez. I didn't know her that long, but she's really great person.

SE RI PAK: I still have same dog.

SE RI PAK: Yeah.

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