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LPGA STATE FARM CLASSIC

June 3, 2009

Christina Kim

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

JASON TAYLOR: Welcome to the media center, Christina.
CHRISTINA KIM: Thank you.
JASON TAYLOR: We're here for the LPGA State Farm Classic. I know you're excited to be back in Springfield for another year. If you would, just talk a little bit about being back.
CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, I've had a lot of success here over the years. I've had a couple of failures as well. But this is one of my favorite spots, without a doubt. The people here are fantastic. The crowds are great. Everyone with State Farm is such a huge supporter of the LPGA. 34 years of this event, it's just fantastic.
I'm just thrilled to be back.
JASON TAYLOR: Questions, please.

Q. It's not pouring rain out there. Given we've had rain recently, the weather today, how do you think this golf course is going to play maybe tomorrow?
CHRISTINA KIM: Well, considering the fact that we're, what, three months earlier in the season, there's rough, which is kind of new, it's thick, it's heavy, it's gonna be a little soggy in the morning just from the dew, if nothing more. We've lengthened it. We're at 6746 yards. It's got to be the longest course on the LPGA Tour. The fact we're not getting 60 to 70 yards of roll off the tee, it's definitely -- I don't know if we're going to be shooting 63 first round like they did last year.

Q. You have an extra role here this year. It's player/tournament director?
CHRISTINA KIM: I'm a player/director. I'm a member of the board of directors. We have independent directors from outside the golf industry as well as player/directors that represent the player body. Each of the player/directors are assigned four tournaments to become like a liaison between the tournament director as well as the tour.
Since Kate Peters and I go way back, I was there when she hit her first golf shot back at the Rail years ago, I offered to take on the State Farm Classic and be her player liaison.
I thought I would be harassed with this and that, I need this person or that. Everyone did the work for me. We've got 49 of the top 50 or some outrageous number like that. It's such a phenomenal field, I just sat back and just watched it all happen.

Q. Does it kind of feel like a major, even though next weekend is the major? Given the way the course is, who is involved in the field this year...
CHRISTINA KIM: Absolutely. I really don't know if we have a better field than we may end up having at some of the three remaining majors we have this year. We've got the best players in the world representing a multitude of countries. We've got a golf course that is an absolute bear. I can't recall the last time I've hit so many like 6-irons into greens. It's amazing out here.
It's a great, great prep course for next week's major, if nothing more. I don't know if it will actually end up making next week easier.

Q. Do you find yourself using this as a litmus test for that?
CHRISTINA KIM: I'm all about living in the moment, baby. Next week is like six days away. I have no idea. I don't even have my ticket out of here yet.

Q. With a lot of stops this year, in terms of the sponsorship, State Farm, this is their renewal year.
CHRISTINA KIM: Renewal.

Q. Obviously the great field here is a big positive for that. I know it's been talked about this year, a lot of tournaments are in this situation. Is there just collectively among the players even more of an awareness of, We really need to let our sponsors know we want you to be back next year?
CHRISTINA KIM: You know, there's a multitude of factors involved with that. There are a multitude of reasons. There's a number of events that are in renewal year. There are various reasons regarding that due to television deals. So many things are involved.
You know, I think that, you know, along with the summit, there's a lot of awareness out there. For sure, we're really understanding just how important all the sponsors are to us. State Farm has been there for us for years. Everyone needs insurance, so they should be doing pretty good.
But I think, you know, it's nice to see people kind of taking a step back and realizing, Hey, you know what, we should be doing this to every event, and I think we should be doing this to every event whether or not it's a renewal year. I like to think that I do.
Yeah, I mean, the way the economy is, everyone is terrified. If Tiger lost a sponsorship, everyone is feeling the pinch, is the way I see it. But we're in as good a place as we've ever been in terms of the talent we have, the product that we can provide. There's just a lot of excitement that's gonna be taking place in the next couple of years.

Q. You talked about how the course has been lengthened. I guess No. 13, the par 5, playing about 40 yards longer. 15 has been pushed back. Does that play different off the tee?
CHRISTINA KIM: Absolutely. I mean, both holes do. A lot of this golf course, one of its defenses used to be the wind. Now you have the lush fairways, the fast greens, the rough and the length. I remember in my first practice round, I came in a couple days early, I tried taking the same line we used to. I didn't realize that we were like 50 yards longer. I don't remember if I found my ball.
Instead of driver, chip, it's driver, 5-iron. It's such a challenging golf hole. I think it's great. One of the holes coming down the stretch, I think it's just fantastic.

Q. Yani was in here yesterday. She's coming off a win. She had a lot of second-place finishes. I don't know how often you played with her. What makes her such a good player at a young age from what you've seen of her?
CHRISTINA KIM: I think a lot of the reason why she's such a good player is she's got a great work ethic. She's dedicated. She's passionate for the game. She hits the ball harder than anyone out here. She's got great flexibility. But she's passionate for the game. Part of that is that young fearlessness. I'm 25. I'm like way over the hill on tour now it seems. I don't know. Been here seven years now, geez.
A lot of that is she's never faced adversity in the sense where she was not able to get what she wanted, you know. Obviously, except for a couple wins she didn't get. That's neither here nor there. She's got this thing inside of her, this fearlessness, which is awesome. A young, fearless woman is something to be afraid of (laughter).

Q. She and Ji Young Oh were in the playoff here last year. They're both maybe 20 years old. You're 25.
CHRISTINA KIM: I don't have to pay underage fees for a card.

Q. You came out here at a relatively young age.
CHRISTINA KIM: 18. Come on, I was a babe (laughter).

Q. The young players out here now, do they even seem more fearless than young players did five or six years ago?
CHRISTINA KIM: Well, I think a lot of it is as the years have progressed year after year after year after year after year, you know, the information available to people in terms of health, fitness, instruction, the awareness has increased, the information has increased. People are given privy to information that I didn't get when I was their age. It's great for them because it helps hone them into being a true professional, whereas me, it was kind of trial and error here and there.
But, you know, there's a lot of factors. I think a lot of it is a lot of golf academies out there, a lot of fantastic instructors. A lot of girls, they'll come out and say, There's a girl who is 19, she's on tour. I'm 17 right now. I can do that. I remember playing golf with her when I was 15. Annihilated her. I'm going to go out on tour next year and put her in her place, something like that. There's a bit of that. A lot of these girls, they always play together as years go on from the junior ranks to amateurs to the futures tour to the LPGA, whichever path they take.

Q. Is there a feeling it's eventually going to happen for Michelle, she's finally going to break through and get that win?
CHRISTINA KIM: I have no doubt in my mind, absolutely. I've known her for a number of years. She's gone through a lot of things in her life in a personal sense as well as in an athletic sense. There's no question.
There was potential for that this place last year. There was a potential for that a number of years ago. A lot of people fail to realize she's 19 and a half, is she even at a half? If people doubt her, not gonna say nothing, but I don't doubt her.

Q. Just regarding scores and how the course is going to be. You said you doubted somebody would shoot a 63 the first day. I think 18-under won it last year.
CHRISTINA KIM: And the year before. I was at 17.

Q. Can you give us a guess what might it take to win here this week, given the conditions?
CHRISTINA KIM: There's no way of saying, to be honest. There are courses I've come to where I said, Oh, my gosh, 20-plus under is going to win. All of a sudden we will have gale force winds come through, torrential downpours, an earthquake, we can only play seven holes. Anything can happen.
Depending on how prepared people are, it can be anywhere from 5-under to 6-under to 18 or 19. Anything can happen.
JASON TAYLOR: Thank you.
CHRISTINA KIM: Awesome. Thanks, guys.

End of FastScripts

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