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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 9, 2009

Na Yeon Choi

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA

RAND JERRIS: We are pleased to be joined by Na Yeon Choi. She had a round of 68 3-under par this afternoon in the first round of the 2009 Women's Open. Could you start us off by walking through your card, birdies and bogeys on your card, clubs and distance?
NA YEON CHOI: Driver. Second shot, 48 degrees. And then -- every hole or birdies?
RAND JERRIS: Just birdies.
NA YEON CHOI: 5-iron on No. 2.
RAND JERRIS: On the 11th hole?
NA YEON CHOI: Yeah.
RAND JERRIS: How many feet? How long was the putt?
NA YEON CHOI: First hole is just two feet, two feet. And then second hole maybe seven, eight feet. And then No. --
RAND JERRIS: She started on the 10th hole, so 10 would have been her first hole, 11, 12.
NA YEON CHOI: 12 is pitching wedge.
RAND JERRIS: Pitching wedge to one foot?
NA YEON CHOI: And No. 14, like 8-iron. And then six, seven feet.
No. 2, I got bunker shot in.
RAND JERRIS: Okay. From how far? What distance?
NA YEON CHOI: Maybe 12 yards, 15 yards. No. 3, maybe -- just almost 20-yard putt, long putt, I got. Second shot is 7-iron.
RAND JERRIS: Did you have an opportunity to look up at the leaderboard and to see your name at the top of the leaderboard and how did that feel in the middle of your round.
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) First of all, thank you all for coming here, and, you know, I did definitely look at the leaderboard from the very beginning, and I started very smooth and easy from the first hole with a birdie.
You know, this is the best -- this is the biggest tournament of our schedule on LPGA, this U.S. Women's Open is. And I started well today, but I'm not going to, you know, let it slide and I'm just going to make sure that I play the best to the end.
RAND JERRIS: When you played your practice rounds, is this a golf course that fits your eye and that fits your game very well? Do you feel very comfortable out here?
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, during my practice rounds I thought this was probably the most difficult course I've ever played in my career.
You know, but starting, I think, last evening to starting today, I just wasn't very intimidated by this course. I know it's a difficult course, but, you know, I was really excited to start my round today, and I thought this was going to be a very, very interesting week for me.
RAND JERRIS: Let's take some questions, please.

Q. I just wanted to ask what happened on the two bogeys at the end of the round. How did you make bogeys?
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I don't think it was a huge miss for me, and I think on a normal day, I think my confidence could have been shaken up a little bit, but since everything was working so well for me today, it didn't, you know, shake my confidence too much.
I know the hole No. 5 and 6 where I had bogeys, I tried hard, I tried my best, but, you know, overall, it wasn't too bad.

Q. Did you drive in the rough or three-putt?
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) The first bogey I hit my driver to the right into the rough, and I hit my fairway wood. That got into the bunker.
But, you know, at that bunker shot, I think I hit as well as I could have. So that's where I had the first bogey.
The second bogey I also hit my second shot into the bunker, and just had a bogey.

Q. The putt at No. 3, was that a putt you thought was makable? Did you expect to make that sort of putt? 12, I guess.
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) Hey, I'll be honest with you. I didn't think I was going to make that putt, but for some reason I saw the lie very clearly, and, you know, after my caddie checked the course this morning, he told me this was the toughest hole, one of the toughest, if not the toughest hole, but, you know, I wanted to make sure that I saved par, but it just went in.

Q. You played very well at Bulle Rock last month. Is there something about the major championships that, you know, lifts you up?
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, for -- I guess I can speak on behalf of all the players. I think, you know, we prepare the same way for every tournament on the Tour, but, you know, it being a major tournament, definitely there's a little bit more dedication. In preparation, there's just a little more with everything that has to do with major tournaments.
Especially this particular golf course is just so difficult, and I think I just did my best to play smart golf today.

Q. I was just wondering what you think of the greens. Are these some of the toughest greens you've ever played on? Do you feel comfortable on them?
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, generally speaking, of all the greens on this golf course, I think they're a little bigger than most other greens that I've played on. Speed-wise, it's very fast, and I think USGA set the pin location where most players will have difficulties making birdies.
So it's very fast, and a lot of slopes and it's difficult greens.

Q. This is your second year on the LPGA Tour. I wondered what your level of comfort is playing over here, and what of the other players, the Korean players told you about just coping on the Tour, on the course and off.
NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, I guess I'll speak particularly about this tournament and being here for the second time.
You know, I think being here for the second time, being on the Tour for two years now, I think I find it much more comfortable. You know, I now understand better about the magnitude of this U.S. Women's Open, and to be honest, I think I'm much more comfortable playing on this Tour and these golf courses than I do in Korea, so, you know, everything is good for me. Love the Tour, and, you know, things are going well for me here.
RAND JERRIS: Thank you very much, and congratulations on your good round today.
NA YEON CHOI: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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