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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 10, 2009Na Yeon ChoiBETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to greet Na Yeon Choi who, after a 68 yesterday, came back with 74 today, so she is at even par for the championship. We're going to use an interpreter for this interview. I'd like to go over her card a little bit first. You had a bogey on the first hole and the second hole. Can you tell us how that happened, please. NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I hit my driver to the left. RHONDA GLENN: So you bogeyed the first hole after driving into the left rough? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) Then I hit the second shot to the right rough. Then the next shot I got it close to the green, but, you know, I didn't hit my approach shot too well. I had to 2-putt first hole. RHONDA GLENN: Second hole bogey? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I hit my driver in the fairway the second hole, and then my second shot was okay. It was a little short in distance, and I missed my approach shot just like the first hole. RHONDA GLENN: And then the 12th hole was a bogey, the par-5. NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I hit my driver in the fairway. Second shot was fine. But the third one actually passed the pin and the green. I had to hit the approach shot, and I missed a par putt. RHONDA GLENN: So you had to chip? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) Yes. RHONDA GLENN: And then a birdie on 14, the par-4? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I hit my driver to the fairway. The second shot was great. It was about -- I hit my 9-iron for the second shot, about 10 yards to the hole and made a birdie. RHONDA GLENN: 10 yards or 30 feet. No. 16 was a bogey, par-4. NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) The first and second shot was great. I had about 30 feet with 5-iron and then had 30-feet birdie putt. Missed it about six feet, and a bogey. Very difficult hole, and I had downhill putt. I missed it. RHONDA GLENN: Three putts. That is one of the more difficult holes on this golf course. Questions? Q. Talk about the degree of difficulty of the course. How tough was the course playing today? There are no sub-par scores from the morning group yet. How hard is it out there? NA YEON CHOI: First, thank you for coming here. (Through translation.) You know, I guess just teeing off in the morning, I felt like I lost some distance on all my shots. I felt like all the par-4s and 5s were playing a lot longer than they did yesterday. So it was definitely a little bit more difficult than it was yesterday. Q. How much more difficult is this golf course than the one that you usually are accustomed to playing on the Tour? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) Most of the courses on the LPGA Tour, it's par 72, and I feel like this course really should be par 73 or 74. And just the fact that this is par 71, you can see how much more difficult it is. Q. The course is playing very firm and very fast. Would you rather see a little rain to soften things up? It might make the course longer, but it would make the greens more receptive. NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, actually, you know, compared to yesterday I didn't feel like the green or the fairway or the golf course in general was as firm or fast. You know, that's why I think I had miscalculated a couple of my shots today. If it does rain, you know, next couple of days, I think that's going to make it that much tougher for us. Q. How do you feel about your position now in the tournament? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, I really played my heart out there the first two days. I have tried everything I can, and, you know, obviously I like where I am position-wise. I think I feel good with the chance I have, but, you know, we have two more days left, and I just want to play the best golf with sort of the same mindset I had going into the first day. RHONDA GLENN: And what was that mindset? What was it going into the first day? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) You know, I think I mentioned this in an interview yesterday, too. But after my practice round on Wednesday, you know, before going to sleep on Wednesday night, I sort of drew this whole golf course in my head, sort of like an image training, you know. I know this is a tough golf course and I know this is a very prestigious tournament, probably the biggest tournament we have on our calendar, but, you know, I just wanted to come out and have fun. I know maybe I won't play so well, maybe I won't win this tournament, but, you know, bottom line was to come out here and have fun. Q. There's a 14-year-old girl, Alexis Thompson, who is only two shots behind. Is that surprising that a player so young would be so high up in an Open? And what were you doing at age 14? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) Well, to answer the first part of the question, someone like her coming here at the age of 14, I'm sure she's pretty happy, pretty happy to just be here, but, you know, to see her play that well, it's absolutely surprising and amazing. And when I was 14, I think I was playing for the Korean National Team, because I think I turned pro at 16 and won my first Korean LPGA title at the age of 16. Q. Just to follow up, could a 14-year-old win this tournament? NA YEON CHOI: (Through translation.) I don't think anything is impossible. Nothing is impossible. RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much. Congratulations. Good luck tomorrow. End of FastScripts |
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