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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 12, 2009Eun-Hee JiBETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, our 2009 United States Women's Open Champion, Eun Hee Ji. Congratulations to you. EUN HEE JI: Thank you. RHONDA GLENN: You know, how do you feel about your victory? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I, you know, I didn't even dream about winning this tournament, but, well, you know, I did it, and I think this is going to be one of the most memorable moments in life. RHONDA GLENN: Have you had an opportunity to call anybody at home, any of your family? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Not quite yet. I have not had any time since the completion, but I will as soon as I get out. RHONDA GLENN: You played beautifully, but you got off to a rough start today. You had two bogeys in the first four holes, and then you had the double bogey on 10. Will you tell us about the double bogey? What happened there on No. 10, and then we'll go over the birdies. EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I tried to hit my driver to the green and mis-hit it, but the actual location of the bunker wasn't so bad, but I mis- hit it again. That's why I had a double bogey, but, you know, at the end, I think that double bogey on No. 10 actually gave me an opportunity to sort of calm myself down, and I think it was one of the factors of winning this tournament. RHONDA GLENN: So you drove it into the bunker on No. 10? EUN HEE JI: Yes. RHONDA GLENN: Where did your next shot go? EUN HEE JI: In the bunker again. RHONDA GLENN: Another bunker, so you blasted out, and then two-putted? EUN HEE JI: No, got on -- RHONDA GLENN: On the fringe from the bunker and then chipped on and two-putted? EUN HEE JI: Yes. RHONDA GLENN: Then you made three birdies in the last six holes. Please tell us on No. 13 the club you hit and how long the putt was. It's a par-4. EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) 3 hybrid, 198 yards. RHONDA GLENN: How long was the putt? EUN HEE JI: (Demonstrating). RHONDA GLENN: No. 14, what club? EUN HEE JI: 9-iron, 30 yards. RHONDA GLENN: 30 yards. EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) 15-yard putt. RHONDA GLENN: 45 feet. What club did you hit to the 18th green? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) 6-iron, and then four meters. RHONDA GLENN: About 12, 13 feet. Okay. On 18. Questions? Q. Could you talk us through that putt on 18? What were you thinking? How did it break? And then once it went in, did you have any immediate thoughts that you can remember? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Well, I'm going to start off from the very beginning on the 18th. I know yesterday when I hit my driver, I hit it into the bunker, so my mindset coming there today was to make sure to avoid the bunker. I noticed the USGA switched off the tee box, as well. That was the first shot. And on the second shot, I just wanted to make sure I saved the par. But the distance was perfect and spin was just ideal. So it was a very good shot. On the green, I knew the worst possible scenario was the playoff, so I cleared my mind and thought, you know, let's give it a try, and then it just sunk in. Just went in. Right before hitting the putt, I was nervous to the point where my hands were shaking, but, you know, once again, I told myself to just make sure I saved par. Q. You said yesterday that you like to look at the leaderboard as you're playing around, and did you look at the leaderboard prior to 18? What did you think if you looked at it? What did you think when you saw it? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I play my entire round by looking at the leaderboard. I looked at it from hole No. 1 to hole No. 18. And I saw Candie was 1-over, so I figured let's try to make up the ground as much as I can, and if I could get up to 1-over or better, that would have been fantastic. That was my mindset. Q. (Through translation.) There were so many things that happened here this week throughout the championship, and, you know, with first round to fourth round, what was the one word that could describe the reason or your feelings for winning this tournament? Just one word. EUN HEE JI: Driver. EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Driver. Q. You travel with your mother around the States on Tour? Is that right? Is your father still in Korea? What has that experience been like for you here in the U.S.? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) You know, it's actually my father who travels with me most of the time. He was with me until the LPGA McDonald's Championship. You know, I have a funny story for you, actually. Even last year when I won the Wegmans LPGA, it was the tournament that my father stopped caddieing -- EUN HEE JI: Korean. Korean tournament. THE INTERPRETER: Oh, it wasn't the Wegmans. EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) The first tournament I won in Korea is the tournament where I didn't have my father as a caddie for the first time. So it's kind of funny how these things happen when my father is away. RHONDA GLENN: What about this week? Who is with you? EUN HEE JI: My mother. Q. You said that on the double bogey on 10 actually calmed you down? How did that calm you down? Because it looked at that point that took you to 3-over that you had kind of had blown your chance at winning, but you said you were calm after that. How was that so? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Well, up until that point, Cristie Kerr was so far ahead, and I just didn't think anyone was going to be able to catch up with her. But after that double bogey on No. 10, I basically cleared my mind, and said let's go and play out the rest of the round. RHONDA GLENN: How nervous were you on the back 9, say, starting with after you birdied 13? How nervous were you those last six holes? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Well, I wasn't that nervous at 13, but after getting the birdie on 14 I started getting the nerves. It started at 14. Q. How big will this -- do you expect your win to be, back in Korea? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Well, I think it's going to be all over the news in Korea. You know, I'm going to have to go for a lot of different interviews once I get back. And I think that also there will be a lot more people recognizing me now. Q. Are you looking forward to that? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Absolutely. Just winning a tournament of this magnitude and gaining so many more fans, I love stuff like that. Absolutely. Q. Are you another player who was inspired by Se Ri Pak? EUN HEE JI: Yes. Yes. RHONDA GLENN: How were you inspired by her? When did you first see her? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Right around the time when I first started playing golf was when Se Ri was in her prime here on the LPGA Tour. So I think it just affected the way I play golf, and basically everything, a lot. A lot. Q. Have you birdied the 72nd hole to win a golf tournament before, or was this the first time you've made birdie on the last hole to win a golf tournament? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I believe this is my first. Q. (Through translation.) When paired up with Cristie Kerr, especially on the last round, sometimes players get nervous or pressured when playing with Cristie. Was there anything that helped you in that regard? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I never felt that way about Cristie, to be honest, and she's very nice to me, and she's a nice girl. Her caddie and my caddie Zach and Cristie they're all good friends, so no pressure and nothing different. Q. When will you go back to Korea? Do you plan to go soon or what would your schedule be for now? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) I'm scheduled to go back tonight, late tonight. Q. Are you aware there was Korean-American supporters in the gallery today or was it encouraging for you or was it really big help for you? EUN HEE JI: (Through translation.) Absolutely. That was huge for me, and I know probably a lot of Americans who were here must have rooted for Cristie, but just to, you know, hear my country people, countrymen talk, say my name, chant out my name, was a huge boost for me today. RHONDA GLENN: Congratulations, once again. It was a wonderful performance. It's something you'll have the rest of your life. End of FastScripts \ |
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