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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJune 2, 1999Grace ParkWEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we have with us the 1998 United States Women's Amateur champion, Grace Park, who last year won a wonderful duel with Jenny Chuasiriporn over 36 holes. Grace won 7-6. I got to see most of it. She played great. She's a very long hitter and probably could be considered one of the players to watch this week in the Women's Open; of course, that's a little bit longer than we normally play for the Women's Open. Grace, tell us, first of all, how is your game right now? Are you ready to really be a contender in this championship. GRACE PARK: I think I'm at the top of my game right now. I personally like the course very much. And as you mentioned, it's long; so, I definitely have an advantage going into this. I think I'm playing well; so, I'm looking forward to this week. RHONDA GLENN: It has been 32 years since a woman amateur won this championship. The last one was Catherine Lacoste 1967. Jenny came very close last year. Do you think you as an amateur have a good chance to win this championship? GRACE PARK: Why not? I think it definitely is my goal to do really well and finish hopefully No. 1; but, you know, I'm here to have fun and have a good experience; and, you know, my game is going well. So hopefully I will do well, and I'll just wait and see what happens. Q. Grace, you think that experience would matter a lot at the U.S. Open, but if you look at some of the past champions over the past 15 years, Laura Davies, 24 and Annika, do you feel sometimes that it's better to be young and fearless and not know any better? GRACE PARK: Yeah, I mean I have nothing to lose, and I have all to give. You know, I'm just going to be going for it and hope that I, you know, put a lot of great shots and make a lot of putts and not worry about anything else but golf. Q. Grace, can you tell us what some of your longest drives have been and how are you able to hit the ball so long? GRACE PARK: Well, recently at the NCAA I hit a 342-yard. The wind was really strong with me, but still that was an official yardage, I guess. I've hit a couple times over 300, 280, somewhere around there. I don't really account on how I hit it that long. I guess I've just been fortunate to be a long hitter. Q. Do you lift weights? GRACE PARK: I used to a lot in high school, but I kind of stopped doing it. I do more cardio workouts than lifting. RHONDA GLENN: Referring to weight training, is that what you were talking about? Is distance something that you've ever tried to work on, or you've ever tried to get more distance as you were learning to play? GRACE PARK: As I said, I've just been fortunate just to be a long hitter from the beginning. I never had to work on getting my yardage there or getting my irons or drive longer than I ever did. Q. At what point did you seriously consider starting turning pro after this week? GRACE PARK: There really wasn't a specific point. I had been thinking about it for a while, and, you know, it was just a matter of me being ready for it. And just over the past months, I've been thinking really hard; and I thought, you know, this is about the time that I give it a try. Q. What makes you think you're ready for it now? GRACE PARK: I think regardless of how I'm playing, I think I'm ready mentally. I'm ready to be out competing in the higher level than I had. Q. Is there any sense that you didn't have anything left to prove as an amateur? GRACE PARK: It is true that I, you know, accomplished pretty much, you know, a lot as an amateur and a junior, but that wasn't the reason. It was just a matter of myself getting ready for the TOUR. It was my goal to finish college and finish four years, but plans changed. I'm ready now. Q. What did you learn at the NCAA Championship this year about your game? GRACE PARK: Well, to tell you the truth, I wasn't fully satisfied with my game at the NCAA. But just overall game management and plan and how I, you know, prepare myself going into a tournament and control myself on the golf course whether I'm playing well or not. And just kind of, you know, I wanted to finish my last tournament well. It was kind of -- there's a little bit of mixed emotions. Q. Did you talk to Coach Linda Vollstedt about this decision; and if so, how did she advise you? GRACE PARK: I did talk to her. I don't remember exactly when, but in the last month or two. And she was very supportive, and she still is. And she gave me a lot of great advice. You know, she was a great friend to talk to and a great, you know, coach to get advice and information from. Q. Grace, can you just give us a little background growing up? I guess your parents, are they still in Korea? How long have you been apart from them? Just a little history? GRACE PARK: I came to the United States in '91 when I was 12 to Hawaii, and it was to get more opportunity in golf and school education. I moved to Phoenix in '93 and went to high school and just played golf. Q. Who did you live with? Were your parents with you then? GRACE PARK: My parents have always been in Korea. They are still in Korea. I've lived with an aunt in Hawaii and, and then when I moved to Phoenix, I lived with like a guardian family, host-family type, and my parents always went back and forth to come see me. Q. Is that tough? It seems like it would be hard for a 12-year-old to leave her family and her home. GRACE PARK: I guess looking back, it was tough. But at that age, I guess I just kind of took it, I guess, as my life. I kind of liked the freedom that my parents weren't always there to give -- I mean, I had a lot of freedom; so, I guess I kind of liked that at that age. Q. Do you have any plans of finishing school regardless of your decision to turn professional? GRACE PARK: I haven't really thought about it. You know, I would like -- it would be nice if I can finish, but right now, I know that it's really tough playing golf and going to school at the same time. So, you know, my concern is to just focus on golf for now and, you know, think about that in the future. RHONDA GLENN: Your fellow countrywoman, Se Ri Pak's success, did that have anything to do with your decision? GRACE PARK: No. I mean, Se Ri, it's her own life. I'm leading my own life. Q. How do you feel or how do you think you will feel playing alongside someone like Annika or Karrie or Juli Inkster, these proven veterans? Is there any intimidation factor at all because of you still being an amateur this week? GRACE PARK: I think I would have been two, three years ago, a few years back. But I've already played in over a dozen LPGA events and played with some of the greatest players, and kind of saw -- have seen what it's like out here. So I'm more relaxed, and, you know, I just focus on my own game and not worry about anything else outside of my own. Q. No fear? GRACE PARK: No fear. Q. Having spent so much of your life here already in the United States, do you think you'll feel any of the cultural pressures that Se Ri has felt? You know, being torn between living in the states and having a lot of demands by the Korean media? GRACE PARK: I guess I can't ignore it. I guess it will always be there, just because that's how the culture is back home. But, you know, I haven't gotten through it yet. I don't really know what it's like, to tell you the truth. I'm not worried about it. You know, I know that I'm going to be wiser -- wise in making, you know, whatever I do, my decisions. And hopefully it won't be that much of a factor. Q. Do you think you will talk to Se Ri or the other Korean players about that before you come out here full time? GRACE PARK: Maybe. But I have not really thought about it. Q. Can you talk about your schedule for the rest of the year? How many tournaments you'd like to play? GRACE PARK: I am going to go ahead and play Futures event for the remainder of the season. It starts next week. I have eight planned and hopefully make it high enough on the ranking where I can pass first stage of school or something like that. Q. Would you expect to get some sponsor exemptions? GRACE PARK: I did get through, but I went ahead and cancelled those to go ahead and play full time in Futures. Q. What's the advantage there? Just getting up the money list on the Futures? GRACE PARK: Yeah, and hopefully getting an advantage going into the Q-school. Q. I know Se Ri is very popular in Korea. Where do you stand in terms of popularity in Korea? Are you very well known? GRACE PARK: I don't know. I guess golfers know me. More people know me now than they did last year or the year before. But, I don't know. Q. When you look at what has happened to her, you've got to wonder, you know, if you continue to be a success that you could face the same kind of pressures and attention. GRACE PARK: I'm not really concerned about that. I'm not going to take it as a pressure, just an advantage that, you know, people in my country are looking after me, and, you know, giving attention to what I do. And just take it as a positive thing. RHONDA GLENN: Have you had a lot of attention this week from the media, from the Korean media? GRACE PARK: Not yet. I think they are slowly starting to arrive today; so, not yet. It has not been too bad. RHONDA GLENN: Grace, we wish you a lot of luck this week. Have a really great week. Thank you for being with us. End of FastScripts…. |
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