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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 7, 2009

Inbee Park

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce our Defending Champion, the 2008 U.S. Open Women's Champion Inbee Park. We've known Inbee many times in the USGA history, the Girls Junior several times, and now as our Women's Open Champion. Inbee, how did it, or did it, change your life winning the Women's Open?
INBEE PARK: Um, I would say definitely it gave me a lot of confidence on my golf game, and it taught me how to win a golf championship, and just a lot of things, I mean, back in Korea, a lot of people recognize me, a lot of fans.
And just here in States, a lot of people know me, especially this week, a lot of people want to cheer for me. I'm very happy with that.
RHONDA GLENN: So you like that?
INBEE PARK: I very like it.
RHONDA GLENN: After you won the Women's Open last year, you donated $50,000 to the LPGA USGA Girls Golf Club, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and at 400 sites around the country, little girls are taught to at least learn to play the fundamentals of golf and to enjoy the game, and you gave $50,000 to that cause. What inspired you to do that?
INBEE PARK: I think it's just to give back. I mean, I played a lot of junior golf, and a lot people helped me out to play junior golf.
I just thought that it's going to be a good idea to give back and give juniors a dream, to be like me or be like the good players out here so they can reach their dreams.
RHONDA GLENN: What do you think it's going to take to win on this golf course?
INBEE PARK: Score-wise or --
RHONDA GLENN: Just your game. What parts of your game will have to be strong, besides all of them?
INBEE PARK: Pretty much all of them. The greens are very tricky, and it's very interesting greens. Some greens, you just -- you really have to be in the right place, and just driving the ball, you know, they have the first cut and second cut of the rough.
The second cut is a little bit deep. So you really have to drive the ball in the fairway, and then pretty much around the greens, you will have to work it around the greens.
RHONDA GLENN: Questions?

Q. How has your life changed since winning the Open last year?
INBEE PARK: It's okay. I think I answered it pretty much in the first question here.

Q. Has there been anything specific?
INBEE PARK: Okay. Well, first victory as a professional, so that's a lot of meaning to me, and I mean, especially this, winning the U.S. Women's Open, the Major, pretty much the biggest event in women's golf.
I'm just very proud of myself, and it's just everything, my golf game. Has a lot of confidence, and I got a new sponsor since last year. Yeah.
RHONDA GLENN: Can you remember, was there one moment after you won the Women's Open when somebody came up to you and said, Inbee Park, you won the Women's Open. Do you remember the first time that happened, where it was, or who said that to you?
INBEE PARK: Um, I think it was -- it was from the playing competitor, Helen Alfredsson. I played with her on the last day and I got to hug her after the round, I think she was the first one who said it.
RHONDA GLENN: But you see people now in airports or what other places are you recognized?
INBEE PARK: I really can't remember where that was. I don't know -- because I just flew out to go to Arkansas's tournament after the U.S. Open last year, and I think maybe couple people in the airport recognized me and they said, I saw you on TV.
RHONDA GLENN: How did that make you feel?
INBEE PARK: Felt like I got famous.
RHONDA GLENN: Felt like you got famous, and you did.
INBEE PARK: Yeah.

Q. Does this course favor a particular kind of player over other players?
INBEE PARK: I think it definitely favors the long hitters. I mean, the course is playing fairly long, even without any rain.
It's pretty dry out there right now, but it's playing a bit long. If it gets any rain, it's definitely advantage for longer hitters.
I would say around the greens, the good putting players will have a good week, too, because there's a lot of breaks on the greens, and you really have to read the greens very good.

Q. How about for you specifically?
INBEE PARK: This year, I'm driving the ball at least 15 yards further than last year. So that gave me a lot of advantage.
I really have to work on the puttings. And I think I'm a good putter, but -- you really have to get to know these greens.
RHONDA GLENN: So far this year you might have had kind of a disappointing year.
INBEE PARK: Yes.
RHONDA GLENN: Your best finish has been a tie for 14th. Is this the week where you feel you can turn it around?
INBEE PARK: Oh, yeah, definitely. I think I really feel like my game is coming back since last month. It's coming back, and I been really preparing myself to play in this event, and this is the event. This is the event I've been waiting all year. I mean, all last year and all this year I've been waiting to play in this event.
I'm very excited to be here, and this course really reminds me of the last year's course. I mean, I'm just very thrilled to be here, and I'm looking very forward to playing.

Q. There were some stories today that players had a meeting at Jamie Farr about the Commissioner and some players have signed a letter suggesting that she resign. I'm wondering, were you at the meeting? Do you know anything about that? And are you concerned about the direction the Tour is taking, losing sponsors, losing some events?
INBEE PARK: Um, I've heard that, but I think it's really -- I mean, this is USGA tournament, and I think it's really out of the respect. Just -- I wouldn't say anything about that.

Q. What about approaching this as a defending champion compared to somebody who's looking for that first tournament win? How does that give you confidence this week?
INBEE PARK: Can you repeat that question? Sorry.

Q. As the defending champion rather than somebody looking for a championship, how does that mentally help you this week?
INBEE PARK: Um, I think -- I think being a defending champion, you have -- I have a little bit of pressure. I mean, it's no matter how bad you want this tournament, you really have to work through the week, and deserve it.
So I think you just have to be very focused all week. And I mean this course is not going to play easy, so just keep making pars and be very patient out there, and I just have to be myself.

Q. After you won the Open last year, that's obviously a wonderful honor, but does it increase the pressure that you put on yourself and increase the pressure maybe you felt from your, you know, your country, and your friends and sponsors, et cetera? I mean, did you feel an increase in pressure that maybe affected you in some way?
INBEE PARK: Um, I think -- I mean, I wouldn't say there is no pressure, because I mean if you have more, you have more to lose, so I think that's a little bit of pressure, but I think you really have to enjoy your pressure if you want to be a good player or No. 1 player in the world.
I mean, that's something that you really got to take it and just work through it.

Q. There are so many Korean players, South Korea. Why do you think Korean players are so strong now?
INBEE PARK: Korean players, I get this question very often. I would say the support that the parents give to the players, I mean, just the work, I mean, I think they're putting the most hours on the driving range or putting greens compared to everybody else.
Sometimes I just look at the putting green, it's all Korean players sometimes. I mean, I think they work very hard, and it's the support that they get. Yeah.
RHONDA GLENN: We just had Jiyai Shin in here, and she was saying she was one of the people inspired by Se Ri Pak when she was a little girl, and she mentioned that she thought maybe you were inspired by Se Ri Pak. Is that true.
INBEE PARK: Oh, yeah, I mean, I was very much inspired by Se Ri Pak. I saw her in the U.S. Women's Open in '98. At that time, not just me, but a lot of young girls like me just picked up the golf and just wanted to be like her.
RHONDA GLENN: Did you see her win on television?
INBEE PARK: I did.
RHONDA GLENN: What time of night was it in Korea when she won?
INBEE PARK: I believe it was very early in the morning. I mean, I was half asleep, I believe.
RHONDA GLENN: Do you remember how you reacted to seeing her win the Women's Open? Did you jump up and down or run out in the street or...
INBEE PARK: Not really, because -- I mean, back then I wasn't, you know, very much into golf, so -- but after that, it was very big in Korea.
There was replays, I mean, a thousand times after that. I was able to watch it, I mean, quite a few times. I liked the way she, you know, the way she, what she did for the people in Korea. They were all happy with her, and I think that's really inspired me.
RHONDA GLENN: Is that one reason you decided to take golf seriously and become...
INBEE PARK: Yeah, it did. I mean, my dad wanted me to play golf before then. He's been begging me to play golf last two years before she won.
I was like, golf doesn't look too fun. After I watched that, it looked like very, very much fun, and I really wanted to do it.
RHONDA GLENN: Have you ever been paired with her in an LPGA tournament?
INBEE PARK: I have. I have a couple times, yes.
RHONDA GLENN: How did you feel, teeing it up with her?
INBEE PARK: It felt a little bit weird, because I never thought that I would actually be able to play with her, I mean, in a very short period of time, and being the same level of competition with her.
So I felt very honored, and I was very proud of myself that I actually made it through all the way here.
RHONDA GLENN: You've been a wonderful champion, and we wish you much luck this week in defending your title.
INBEE PARK: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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