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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 7, 2009

In-Kyung Kim

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome In-Kyung Kim, who has had a wonderful year, and we welcome her to the 2009 U.S. Women's Open Championship. In-Kyung, welcome. You have had three Top 20s in a row, and then last week all of a sudden out of nowhere you missed the cut. What happened to you?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Well, it's kind of complicated. I had to go back to San Diego and come back on Wednesday afternoon, but I missed my first flight and I had to -- like, I got there on the main night. It was a lot of travel, but that wasn't the case, actually, but I tried to practice a lot of shots that I needed for this week, and I was kind of trying to get ready for this week and it kind of happened that way, but I'm glad I'm here.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you think about this golf course? Seems like it's kind of a long golf course.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yes, I knew it was going to be a challenge this week, but I played yesterday 18 holes, checked the greens and fairways.
I mean, the conditions are unbelievable. It's really -- the course is amazing. There's a couple holes, No. 7 and No. 9. There's typical long par-3s and long par-4s, but I think it's all fair. Hopefully the weather is dry out there.
RHONDA GLENN: You are in one of the featured pairings with Paula Creamer and Lorena Ochoa. What do you think of your pairing for the first two days?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Um, (laughs), I can't complain. I'm playing with No. 1, World No. 1 player and Paula, which is a great player. I'm looking forward to playing some solid round, first two rounds. I'm very pleased with the pairing.
RHONDA GLENN: Do you like to play in front of the spectators?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yes, I think I do. Especially with Lorena and Paula.
Well, I learn something every day, and I think I'll really enjoy playing with them. Hopefully I can play as well as I play by myself, you know.
RHONDA GLENN: Questions from the audience? Please wait for the microphone.

Q. Women, young girls following the Tour, I'm just wondering, seeing all the girls in the crowd, watching you guys, what do you think is important about -- is there any kind of message you can impart? Do you feel any pressure as an example to some of those younger girls looking up to you guys?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Can you explain?
Well, there is no pressure, I think, for me. Well, I try to play my best on the golf course, and I can inspire other people, I think that's great. And I'm still learning how to play a good game, and I think it means a lot to all the players. I think that's one of our favorite -- people to look up to, inspiring. I think that's great, because that's how I got into golf, and learned and wanted to play golf, so I think so.
RHONDA GLENN: Who inspired you? Who did you look up to?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Well, first -- well, I look up to my dad first, and then Tiger Woods I think the most. But Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak. There's many more, actually.
RHONDA GLENN: So Tiger Woods. Your dad. Tiger Woods. Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak.
IN-KYUNG KIM: There's so many. I think Tiger Woods the most inspiring in my golf.

Q. Would you mind talking about Yani Tseng's personality and why you think it's so great for women's golf?
RHONDA GLENN: Could you repeat that, please?

Q. Can you talk about Yani Tseng's personality and why it's so great for women's golf?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Um, well, Yani has a really easy-going personality, I think. She's really good with people and she hits it for a long ways, and I think she's -- well, that's the way she is, I think. You can easily talk to her and she's -- well, I'm not sure.
RHONDA GLENN: Well, she's No. 1 ranked in driving distance on the Tour. You mentioned she hits it a long way. Do you think spectators come out to watch her hitting it a long way?
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yeah, I'm sure they do. And they're all like impressed with how far she hits. I heard that she's really -- she's one of, like Se Ri Pak before, she's in Taiwan, same way, she's a like role model for the Taiwanese. That's amazing that she can, you know, inspire a lot of kids back home, and respecting. That's how she -- well, yes. I don't know.
RHONDA GLENN: She inspires the Taiwanese, as Se Ri did the Korean players.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yeah, opening the doors for the Taiwanese players and the kids.

Q. You've been on Tour only for a couple of years. When you first came out, you were by yourself figuring things out and now you're on your third year; you've won twice, and you're at a major championship this week. Can you just talk about how things have changed and what you've learned and maybe how much more confident you are coming into this week maybe than you were the first time you played in U. S. Women's Open tournament?
IN-KYUNG KIM: It's -- well, same, but it changed a lot being on the Tour. It's amazing that -- well, getting, playing the LPGA Tour and playing well and coming back to the U. S. Open every year, that's amazing. That's a sign that I'm doing well.
And I've been playing USGA tournaments when I was junior, and it's always great to come back to play this challenging golf course, and I always learn something, and gain something. Keep improving by myself. It's...
RHONDA GLENN: That's a good subject. When you first came over here a couple of years ago, did you drive your own car, or how did you get around? How hard was it?
IN-KYUNG KIM: First year on the Tour, I couldn't rent a car because I was under 21. Well, still -- it's too expensive for us to -- it's like $1,000 for insurance and stuff. Yeah.
So but it's great, get a courtesy car that I could practice driving, but it's been -- it's been amazing that LPGA, all the staff has helped me, helping, not just myself but helping us English and going forward. So I think I'm very fortunate to playing the Tour and all this stuff.
RHONDA GLENN: If you couldn't drive a car or couldn't rent a car when you first came over here, how did you get around?
IN-KYUNG KIM: They do have a shuttle. And once they didn't have a shuttle for us on Match Play in New York, but I asked them, and they said they would get me a taxi, limousine, taxi every day. That's how I go to golf course.
RHONDA GLENN: You took taxis to get to the golf course.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yeah.
RHONDA GLENN: Bless your heart.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Not anymore.
RHONDA GLENN: Not anymore. Good.

Q. What's the key for the winning this, because the course is so long, and the rough, it's thick and tough.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Well, this week keep in the fairways, number one, are the important thing. I think long putting -- putting's got to be the second biggest thing to win this week, and I'm just keeping myself, I like long, long golf courses. That's what I'm telling myself kind of.
But, yeah. Putting and driving.
RHONDA GLENN: Hitting fairways and the approach putting, the long putts.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Yes.
RHONDA GLENN: Thank you very much. Congratulations on your year, and we wish you good luck this week.
IN-KYUNG KIM: Thank you very much.

End of FastScripts

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