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KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIP

March 22, 2005

Grace Park

RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: We welcome last year's champion of the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Grace, talk about your health and getting ready for the tournament and everything.

GRACE PARK: Sure. I injured my back in Mexico three weeks ago, and I was struggling with it ever since. We fortunately had a week off Mexico which I completely took off, and tried to practice a little bit, didn't work. I took most of last week off or beginning of last week off, played Thursday, Friday, Saturday and then just something, again, Sunday morning, leaving my house to go to the golf course and ever since, that's I've been in pain.

But I drove out to Palm Springs, the guys in the trailer, the physio therapy, I'm actually driving out to San Bernadino a couple of times a day to see a therapist for physio therapy and I just hoping to get better, waiting day by day to see if I can play.

Q. Can you talk about being back here and what it means?

GRACE PARK: Well, it's always nice to come back to a site where I have great memories of and I certainly have one here. You know, I've been looking forward to coming here all year, I work very hard and it's still nice to be here. It's just unfortunate what's happening with me, but still, I feel like if I can just get a little better and be able to play -- be able to play.

Q. Is this the first time you've had a problem with your back or something that's bothered you for a while?

GRACE PARK: Well, I've had back pain as long as I've played golf and it's just something that comes and goes. It's golfer's back; muscles, joints, but normally it lasts for about a week or so at most. But this time around, it's pretty bad. It's pretty painful, and I don't have any nerve damage but I'm having sharp pains. So I'm going to have to get a definite checkup after this week.

Q. Is this something that you think this pain will go away by Thursday, or if you can play Thursday you'll be playing in pain?

GRACE PARK: As long as I have the sharp pain -- that pinching, if that goes away, I can play. I'm just hoping that -- this is something that has gone away in the past. I actually hurt it last year this week on Wednesday, too, and fortunately with the miracle hands of the therapists that we have here, I was able to tee it up on Thursday. But I'm hoping, crossing my fingers and going day by day.

Q. Can you talk about how your year is progressing so far?

GRACE PARK: Well, I didn't have a very good start in Hawaii, hurt my back in Mexico, couldn't practice for ten days and I just teed it up on Thursday and I played. So obviously I was rusty. I didn't have all that confidence that I normally have. I played okay. I didn't play great but I was still in the Top-10 Sunday.

Q. Could you have played with the pain?

GRACE PARK: With the pain, no, I couldn't have. I couldn't even walk.

Q. Everybody is talking about playing under pressure -- inaudible?

GRACE PARK: That's something that I'll always carry with me, carry on with me. It was a great, memorable experience and every time I watch the replay of it, I still get the shakes and still get a big smile on my face.

Q. Inaudible?

GRACE PARK: I took today's exemption, which means I ever to play. So I'm going to -- I'll have to make the decision by 7:50 am tomorrow. My tee time is 8:00.

Q. Inaudible?

GRACE PARK: Rules are rules and this is just something unfortunate every golfer or athlete has to deal with injuries all the time and it's just something that I have to deal with.

Q. I guess there was one report that you were going to an acupuncturist. What exactly is the treatment you're getting, is it massage rest or heat?

GRACE PARK: Acupuncture. Acupuncture is acupuncture. I was working with a therapist in Phoenix, in Scottsdale, actually, the whole week off, and then I just needed something immediate and that was my last resort and I went. And this guy poked a needle right here, he had me put my head against the wall and he's like, "Relax."

I'm like, "How can I relax when you're going to poke a needle right here?"

He's like, "Close your eyes so you don't feel it." And then he starts twisting it and is like, "Okay, stand up." So I stood up while crying in pain and I was standing fine. My hip had shifted and I was out of alignment, but I was standing again. The pain was still there but at least I was standing.

It does incredible things. I believe in it.

Q. What's his name?

GRACE PARK: Dr. Park.

Q. If you can't go tomorrow, but you feel better by Thursday, can you petition the Commissioner for an exception hear?

GRACE PARK: I don't believe so. Rules are rules. I took my first exemption last week in Phoenix on Wednesday and I took my second one and I'm not going to fight the rules.

Q. A couple of weeks ago you talked about how hard you worked over the golf season to get ready for this year; and coming off the great year last year, you've got to be pretty frustrated.

GRACE PARK: It is. It is very frustrating. But, what do you do? As much as I want to win, as much as I want to play well, my health is the priority and I have to take care of it. It's unfortunate. Maybe I practiced too hard and messed up my back too much. This is a problem that I've had for a long time that I've never really dealt with and this will be a good chance to take a good look at it.

Q. If you had to play today, would you have been able to or not?

GRACE PARK: No.

Q. Do you feel it in one part or -- inaudible?

GRACE PARK: I feel it all around. But it's getting better and I'm keeping my fingers back and that's why I'm here. It's much better than yesterday and definitely better than Sunday.

Q. Last time you played was Saturday?

GRACE PARK: Saturday. I don't need to practice, right? Why practice.

Q. (Inaudible.)

GRACE PARK: I'm the one that makes all the decisions, and I will be the one making this decision whether I play or not. I'm planning on taking some time off after this week for sure to take a good look at it and rehab and whatever I need to do. For the time being, I'm just here.

Q. I know you want to come back and play, but when you're injured, do you have a different perspective on the game and your life?

GRACE PARK: No. I mean, it's like I said, I've dealt with it in the past and my plan is to really deal with it, hopefully do whatever that needs to be done to correct this problem and correct this injury, so then I prevent it from happening again in the future. And I'm -- you know, I love this game, I work hard. Missing a couple of tournaments is not a big deal. I know that I can always come back and do well, finish in the top. It's not the end of the world.

Q. Can you reflect on the last year; as in was there a sizable impact on winning this major championship?

GRACE PARK: Oh, it was huge. Huge confidence booster. I felt like I matured a lot as a golfer from winning this tournament, not just getting confidence, getting the trophy, having a major title under my belt but just as a golfer and as a person, I matured a lot. I learned a lot and I was able to really enjoy the rest of the season.

Q. Inaudible?

GRACE PARK: Fortunately I've never struggled financially. Financially it was great, too. I went shopping on Rodeo the day after and it was wonderful.

Q. What would you say the percentages of being able to play tomorrow would be and Thursday?

GRACE PARK: Hoping one hundred. I'm going day by day.

I'm going to keep playing hard and hopefully get my back stronger.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Grace.

End of FastScripts.

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