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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN

August 1, 2009

Christina Kim

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND

COLIN CALLENDER: Can I have your thoughts about the round today, please?
CHRISTINA KIM: You know, I just went out there and tried to stay patient. I had a phone call with my father earlier today before I teed off, it was like 4.00 in the morning for him, and he just said go out there and just try and stay patient. If any birdies come along take them, but don't be too distraught if you make a few bogeys out there and just take it one shot at a time. So I'd like to think that I heeded his advice pretty well today.
COLIN CALLENDER: Do you advise that's the secret of playing this course or links courses?
CHRISTINA KIM: If other people are hearing this, no.
Absolutely, it's been a long year for me. I want to be patient now, and so just taking it one shot at a time and thoroughly just relishing in -- it's such a different type of golf here with links-style and carving shots into the wind and playing around the bunkers and this and that and using your creativity. It's been such a phenomenal week in so many ways. Absolutely patience is a huge factor.

Q. Have you ever played on a links course before this week?
CHRISTINA KIM: This is my third trip to Royal Lytham St. Annes. I've been on Tour since 2003, and this is my seventh trip to the RICOH Women's British Open now, so I've played a little bit.
My golf course back in Florida, I play over at Grand Cypress, they actually have -- Jack Nicklaus designed the golf course, 18 holes attributing a bunch of different golf holes links style. So I've got a little bit of a links-style course in me I think.

Q. You said "phenomenal week in so many ways." Are you just referring to on the course or the whole week?
CHRISTINA KIM: Just everything: The beautiful grey, British summer; between that, the thrill of playing in the wind and all of that, and also the selection of both Solheim Cup seems being announced in about 27 hours or so, not that I'm keeping track. And you know, there's a lot of drama, a lot of excitement, so many thrills. It's been just so much fun and like I said, such a phenomenal week in so many ways.

Q. How high up on your list of attributes would patience come as a general rule?
CHRISTINA KIM: I would say -- I don't know. It's up there with having the shots, being able to know that from 130 yards, you can hit a lob-wedge and from 130 yards you can hit a 4-iron. I think trust, confidence; patience is way up there, though. I mean, it's got to be in the top three.

Q. So you're by nature a patient person?
CHRISTINA KIM: I think that's just this week.
No, I'm not necessarily the most patient person in the world. I'm a big fan of instant gratification, but I'm learning, especially with these economic times that sometimes you have to wait for stuff.

Q. Lee Trevino commented -- inaudible -- what nerves do you think he had in mind by that?
CHRISTINA KIM: Growing up I watched Lee Trevino play a lot of golf and I thought, man that, dude is cool. He wears his heart on his sleeve, his emotions were running high and sometimes when you're in a right circumstance, your emotions will help push you to a better place in your golf.
I take that as nothing but a compliment. I think Lee is cool as all hell, so I think that's great.

Q. There was also a comment on television that the final twosome tomorrow is Laurel and Hardy.
COLIN CALLENDER: You and Catriona.
CHRISTINA KIM: I don't know that show, unfortunately. (Laughter). I'm sorry. I'm going to take that as a compliment, as well. I'm assuming maybe opposites perhaps, I'm going with that.
I think Catriona is a phenomenal player and she's got a bit of an advantage being Scottish with this kind of golf course. But it's going to be a great day tomorrow. She's an absolute diamond and I adore her, so it will be a wonderful day tomorrow. I'm just really, really thrilled.
COLIN CALLENDER: Probably a good time to go over the solitary bogey and the birdies.
CHRISTINA KIM: First hole, I had 199 yards, I hit my 5-iron just short of the green. My first putt was about 50 feet and I hit it to about four feet left of the hole and missed the putt there.
No. 11, my third shot was 57 yards. I hit my 58 degree to about six feet and made the putt for birdie.
And on the final hole, from 139 I punched a 7-iron, it was awesome, to about five feet or so as well and made that putt. Not a whole lot happened.

Q. Do you ever get in a bad mood on the golf course?
CHRISTINA KIM: Oh, if you only knew. Absolutely. Absolutely.

Q. Can you give us an occasion when that happened and describe your behaviour, please?
CHRISTINA KIM: No, absolutely, about every round I've had so far coming into this week I would say.
Last week I was still suffering from the jet-lag and all of this and that I think, so I was a bit crabby being up at 7.00 in the morning. Although I love playing in the morning.
But yeah, I've been known to -- just like when I go out there on the course, I'm having a good day, I talk to myself or whatever, but then I'll sit there and chastise and yell at myself or moan about or anything like that, mown, whine, anything like that.

Q. Given all of the drama surrounding especially tomorrow, are you happy that you're not a part of that drama and that you're on the team?
CHRISTINA KIM: Granted, anything can still happen, but I do believe that I'm on the team. And I am absolutely thrilled.
It was a heartbreaking experience for me in 2005, but it was a necessary one that I had to go through. So it made me want to work even harder and I wasn't even sure coming up on Thursday morning. I'm Asian; I'm good with numbers, but anything can happen with the way this week is going in terms of points. So I was not even sure how I was looking Thursday.
But after I came in and was not shooting 90, I figured I'll probably pretty much be a lock for the team. Now it's a bit of a leaf but at the same time it doesn't diminish the fact that I came in this week -- and adding a few Solheim points is never a bad thing.

Q. A lot of the Koreans seem to have a bit of trouble expressing their personality, it's a bit hard to get to know them sometimes --
CHRISTINA KIM: As do a lot of American people.

Q. -- what's the secret --
CHRISTINA KIM: Not really giving up -- I get asked that a lot, and I think that extends far beyond people that come from any one nation. There's a lot of people that play on the American LPGA Tour, the Japanese, the Koreans, the LET in Australia; I would like to think that I'm actually the anomaly. So I don't know.
It's just whatever it takes for people to play better golf, that's all that matter, because bottom line, we are not here -- this is not an entertainment show. We are here to showcase the best golf out there. If that means someone is going to stiff it up for 18 holes and cry when they make the winning putt, go for it. And if that means screaming "Whoop!" On every tee shot, go for it. Whatever makes for the best golf.
COLIN CALLENDER: Thank you very much and good luck tomorrow.

End of FastScripts

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