ARCH WIRELESS CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 2000

Grace Park

GRACE PARK: I don't have the score card with me. I 3-putted the 1st hole. Then 4th, I knocked it to about six feet, made the putt for birdie. I hit an 8-iron. No. 8 I hit sand wedge to about five feet, made the put for birdie. 9, just hooked my 9-iron way left, left of the green, and didn't get up-and-down. 14, I got it up to the front of the green, then I chipped in for an eagle.

GRACE PARK: 3-wood.

GRACE PARK: I had like 228 to carry the bunker, I just went for it. I barely carried it.

GRACE PARK: About 15 paces, so like 40 feet.

GRACE PARK: And then 15, missed my tee shot, missed my chip, missed the put for bogey. Just a bad hole. Then 17, I chipped in again from about 20, 25 - 23 (laughter).

GRACE PARK: I do. Actually, I don't. I wish I was in better position. I wish I was more up there, you know. I mean, I can't complain. Finally I'm starting to hit so much better, you know, get my distance back, hit some good iron shots. Just not making any putts, not even getting close to the holes. A little upset with the way I've been putting this week. But no complaints.

GRACE PARK: Stress fracture on my left rib, 5th.

GRACE PARK: I did come back too soon. I tried playing. I ended up going home every time.

GRACE PARK: One of which. When I did come back, I had taken x-rays and gone to the doctors, whatever, clinics. At first, you know, I mean, I didn't know what it was. It was painful, but I thought it was going to go away, you know, tomorrow, the day after. I just thought it was like a pulled muscle or muscle spasm, something that could go away quick. But it didn't.

GRACE PARK: Very much so. I don't know. I mean, it was a lot of stress and frustration, but I think I gained a lot out of it also, you know. To struggle for the first time ever in my golfing career, even though I'm a rookie, you know, I learned a lot from that. Then the injury, you know, I had to be more patient and accept it and not push it. I mean, I think just the overall rookie year has been a good learning experience for me.

GRACE PARK: I looked shocked?

GRACE PARK: No, I was happy (laughter).

GRACE PARK: My short game has definitely improved a lot over the last year or two. You know, there's ups-and-downs. I've been out for such a long time that I didn't really practice. It's a little shaky. I could hit it really well, it goes in - if not, it's a missed chip.

GRACE PARK: It's a college that I enrolled in in Korea.

GRACE PARK: It's Ewa Women's University (phonetic), like the top women's college in Korea.

GRACE PARK: I don't know what it is in English.

GRACE PARK: Yeah. I enrolled last semester. I'm just doing a little work, not much. Obviously I can't do much because I'm on the road all the time. I've been taking my time to eventually get a degree, you know, so I can proceed on. I'm not going to be out on the tour for the rest of my life. You know, I've got to find something else to do.

GRACE PARK: Not wishes of my dad. You know, parents are the one that guide their children to, you know, go in the right step. You know, I obviously felt the same way.

GRACE PARK: I do a lot of e-mailing. They're pretty generous, actually. Just got to write a report a couple times a semester, just get in contact with the professor. Just taking it really easy right now. I think I'm kind of in a testing period.

GRACE PARK: School in the States are not very cooperative. There's not distance learning or correspondent classes, not at ASU. The school in Korea is obviously very well-known in Korea. They're willing to work with me on helping me get my degree. You know, it's for the future, it's not right now. My main focus is golf. But if I can just keep it up little by little.

GRACE PARK: Oh, yeah. I think the older I get, the more I feel attached to my home country.

GRACE PARK: Probably. I don't know, I might go back and forth. Too far, I don't know.

GRACE PARK: Everything. I don't know, maybe it's because I go back there for vacation now, and I can have all the fun I want, you know, see my friends, family, eat all these Korean foods (laughter). I just feel like I'm home when I'm there, even though Phoenix is home to me, too. Hard to describe.

GRACE PARK: None. I was actually going to start in August, this past August, but my injury at the end of July kind of stopped everything. You know, I couldn't play. You know, I was starting to play better, you know, and I was feeling better about my game, hoping that I would play well at the end of July and August. I was going to start looking into it. Just kind of made a pause to everything.

GRACE PARK: No, no. I mean, I had great opportunity, you know, something I may never have again. But it's a chance I'm taking. I'm waiting a little more until I do better, will give me better opportunity than right now.

GRACE PARK: Yeah.

GRACE PARK: Actually, I'm not disappointed. I'm not happy about it, but I'm -- I've gotten over it, you know. It's something that I don't care for now. I mean, I felt confident that I could win the award in July. A win will definitely make it feel better.

GRACE PARK: Make putts.

GRACE PARK: Oh, yeah, I will (laughter).

GRACE PARK: The Rookie-of-the-Year, it's only up to the regular season.

GRACE PARK: It's not under my control. I would have liked it that way. I would have liked it. Change it! Thank you.