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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 29, 2004

Grace Park

SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTS

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, as you all know, I'm sure, Grace Park won the Kraft Nabisco this year, what a great start to her year. She's had three seconds, two third place finishes in only ten starts. Grace, it sounds like you might be ready to win the Women's Open, what do you think?

GRACE PARK: Oh, I'm definitely ready. It's always been my goal to win this championship, and this year I think I'm more likely to win it than any other year in the past, because I'm playing so much better, and I have more confidence in myself and love the golf course. I'd like to say this course favors my type of golf game. I'm a high ball striker, and this is definitely a ball striker's course.

RHONDA GLENN: What is it you like about this course other than it's good for a high ball striker? The greens are different, they're very small, and some holes might be one bunker, but it's in the perfect place. Tell us about the golf course.

GRACE PARK: It's very long, I've only played the backside twice, I'm playing the front side tomorrow. But there are a lot of false fronts on the green where you have to carry say ten yards on to get to the flat part of the surface. And I say it favors me, because I carry the ball higher than average players. So I'm more likely to stop it, even if it's a longer carry from the fairway. And if you're over the green you're dead, because it's downhill -- there's rough, and downhill putts are super fast, trying to chip it would be that much tougher. The rough is pretty fair. So the fairways aren't the widest, but it's not too narrow, if you miss the fairway, we'll have a little more chances to get to the green, even from the rough. I like those chances, as well.

Q. You said you just played the backside. I'm curious how you approach 16, what you hit there?

GRACE PARK: 16, a little dog leg left, probably the longest hole. Hit a little draw and I should have about five, six iron.

Q. Did you hit driver?

GRACE PARK: Driver, yeah. Even if I want to hit straight, I could cut the corner, and it helps me, because -- since I hit it long I can carry the tree.

Q. Do you think that that hole could go a long way toward determining who wins this Open?

GRACE PARK: I think all 16, 17 and 18, because 16 with the hazard in front, tough green to get to, with long irons or even fairway woods, that will definitely play a big factor.

17, it's straight forward but it's fairly long. And coming down the stretch, anything's possible.

And 18 also a very long hole uphill all the way. And another long 4- 5- 6-iron to the green. Great finishing holes.

Q. How's the back after last week, and what have you done since last Thursday?

GRACE PARK: Back is a lot better and I haven't done much. I just needed to rest it. I couldn't do anything last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But it's a lot better and Rhonda asked me this earlier, I've got this accupressure thing, magnet thing on both sides of my hands, ionic bands, I've got this back brace that I wear off the course. I'm wearing Thermacare, I'm taking Aleve. I'm getting therapy, stretching. So I'm doing everything I can in my power. It's a lot better.

Q. Wait until you get as old as we are.

What in particular in the last year or two makes you think you're as ready as ever to win this particular tournament?

GRACE PARK: I'm better. I'm older, I'm mature. I think just the whole maturity.

Q. I was thinking more about your game.

GRACE PARK: Just maturing, same thing.

I'm a better golfer. I work harder at it. My goal is higher than it ever was. I'm more determined. I think that's a huge factor. I want to -- I say this loud and clear that I want to be the No. 1 player in the world. And in order to do that I have to go through everything that comes along with it.

Q. You said you played the back nine twice, do you always do that at every tournament, play the back nine twice in the practice rounds?

GRACE PARK: No, I wanted to play -- I wanted to get two rounds in, this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. But because of my back, I'm resting it a lot and I didn't want to walk too much, because walking tightens it up. And it just so happened, we have -- 16, 17 and 18, some key holes, tough holes on the backside and I said I'll just play the backside twice and get the front side on Wednesday, nine holes every day.

RHONDA GLENN: So the back nine Monday, back nine today?

GRACE PARK: Yes.

Q. So a player says she wants to become the No. 1 player in the world, won her first major, expectations grow, demands grow. Are you having fun with the process itself?

GRACE PARK: Oh, definitely. I mean, I hear this from players, caddies, you know, spectators that I look like I'm having fun out there, and I am. I say that I'm willing to take on all the challenges that come along becoming the best player. And practicing has become more fun, playing in competition has become more fun and I'm just enjoying myself.

Q. Has anything about it surprised you, this process that you're on?

GRACE PARK: That I'm not winning more.

RHONDA GLENN: You do seem more relaxed, Grace, than I've ever seen you at a USGA championship. Is that because you're better or that you had a week off or that you won a Major? There's got to be one overwhelming factor.

GRACE PARK: Not just this championship, Rhonda, but I think just every week I'm more relaxed, yet that doesn't mean I don't focus. I'm more focused but it's inside. And I try to approach it in a positive, yet fun way. If I have to do this week in and week out, might as well have fun while doing it and that's my approach.

Q. When you look at the money leaders on the LPGA and eight of them are not U.S. Players, is the game growing faster and are people working harder elsewhere, is that the explanation for that?

GRACE PARK: Well, it's not that people from other countries are working harder, I think golf is becoming more global than it ever was and I think we're fortunate, our Tour is fortunate to have the best players from all over the world and we should be thankful for that, that we compete against the best players and that golf is growing globally. It's good for the Tour, it's good for just the game in general.

Q. How long before golf dads and golf moms in the U.S. start hiring pros from Korea and Sweden and Thailand and all over the world instead of hiring their club pros for their daughters?

GRACE PARK: Well, the history I guess goes back to Europe, but this country offers so much more than anywhere else in the world, that's why we come here. This is where the best courses are, the best competition, the best teachers. I think that will stay for a long time.

Q. Grace, you mentioned that golf is becoming more global. I wonder, are you becoming more Americanized? I know you've been in the United States since you were 12, I believe. How would you sort of gauge, I guess, the cultural influences of Korea and being here in the United States as long as you have?

GRACE PARK: When I'm on the golf course I'm more Americanized, I'm more Korean, but when I'm home I'm more Korean, so I'm both. I can be American or I can be Korean. I just have Korean citizenship.

Q. I guess like you said, you're more relaxed, more confident. Is that all just a comfort with living in this country?

GRACE PARK: I think it's just me. That's the way I've all been. I just -- I don't know, just with getting older and maturing I just express it a little better.

Q. With your back and practicing all the time, how do you manage the daily grind, how do you handle the day in, day out schedule of professional golf?

GRACE PARK: So with my back problem?

Q. With everything?

GRACE PARK: I don't really get it.

Q. How do you handle the daily schedule of every day playing golf and traveling and how do you handle all that?

GRACE PARK: How do I handle it? I handle it well.

RHONDA GLENN: It takes a certain routine to travel.

GRACE PARK: Is that what you're asking? I usually take Mondays off. I try to get about three to four workouts in a week, but I only get two to three, at the most. So I try to get that on Monday afternoon, when I have a day off.

Tuesday it's a full day, come out in the morning. I practice, play nine holes, 18 if it's a new course, practice until I get everything comfortable and then I go pretty much straight to the gym, I work out. My caddy, Dave Booker works as my trainer on the road. He's a certified physical trainer and it just helps because I need someone to push me, I won't do it myself. So I do that. And then by the end of the workout session I'm done, I'm exhausted.

Wednesdays are usually Pro Am days, so depending on what time I have, morning or afternoon, I come out before or after for about a couple of hours, working on the game and take the afternoon or evening off.

And Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday tournament. So it's busy. I like to keep myself busy so I don't get bored.

RHONDA GLENN: What do you do for fun?

GRACE PARK: Nothing.

RHONDA GLENN: You shop.

GRACE PARK: I shop. I like to just sit on my bed and watch TV, realty shows, sit-coms.

Q. Just for clarification, you simply have a sore back or is it a sprain or disk, your back problem?

GRACE PARK: What about it? What is it?

Q. Yes.

GRACE PARK: It's Golfer's Back, nothing structurally wrong with it, I just -- golf being such -- it being one, same repetition, repetitive motion that my one side is so much weaker than the other, and sometimes it just gives in. And it's a problem I've had since I was 12 year old.

Q. Chronic?

GRACE PARK: Chronic. It comes and goes. I just have to get my body stronger and it should be okay.

Q. You mentioned being a more mature player. How old were you when you played in your first Tour event?

GRACE PARK: 16.

Q. Were you emotionally ready to compete on this Tour at that age, when you were a teenager?

GRACE PARK: Oh, no, I was just thrilled to get the invitation. It was from Kraft Nabisco and Terry Wilcox, the tournament director, gives exemption to junior golfers, the top junior golfer in college, amateurs, and I was the top player at the time, got an invitation. I was just thrilled just to be there. I never thought about becoming a LPGA player at that age. And even -- it's not that long ago, but even then, you know, Cristie Kerr is the only player that came out of high school and turned pro. Everybody thought about taking recruiting trips our junior, senior year, and going to college, getting a scholarship, playing amateur golf, that was what was on our minds.

Q. Do you have a feeling that someone like Paula Creamer or someone like Michelle can contend this week and even win?

GRACE PARK: I hope I win, but -- (laughter) -- but both Michelle and Paula, they're both incredible players, incredible amount of talent. And yeah, I'm sure they expect to win, they want to win, and their game will be ready to win. I like to recommend going to school, you know, just because it's something that they're never going to get to have if you miss that time.

Q. You were talking before about the globalization, how much interest is there in this tournament in Korea?

GRACE PARK: Oh, huge. I heard that there are some 30 some players from Korea playing in this event. That's unbelievable, incredible. I'm sure every golfer in Korea will be staying up watching this tournament.

Q. What's the time difference?

GRACE PARK: 13 hours. So they'll be up early in the morning, late at night, whatever, watching it. They do it every week, every weekend.

Q. Are you pretty popular there?

GRACE PARK: Of course I am (laughter). Unlike Se Ri Pak or Mi-Hyun Kim, I try to stay private. I don't announce myself going to Korea. I don't do public appearances while I'm there. I like to go home and relax and be with my family and friends. So I'm not as well-known as they are. But I'm pretty popular.

Q. Dottie Pepper told us about her fallout from jumping into Champions Lake, the gross green stuff. Any fallout for you? How was the week after and any strange things in your hair?

GRACE PARK: I felt great, and I'd love to jump in again. I know that my jump will be better next time.

Q. Did you sort of come into this year thinking it could be a good year?

GRACE PARK: After finishing third last year I gained -- I started to believe in myself that I wanted to set new goals and I wanted to really get better. And this year a step to getting better was to do better in Major championships and it was definitely my goal to win a Major championship, and I did it. And I scheduled my tournaments around the Majors so that I can peak at the Majors, and it's been working well so far.

RHONDA GLENN: Thank you so much for coming in. Good luck in the championship.

End of FastScripts.

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