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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 13, 1995Grace ParkCOLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO LES UNGER: I am not sure if we ever met a younger visitor at the U.S. Women's Open press room, Grace Park, who yours truly, will have the pleasure of watching play at the Girls Juniors in about three weeks or four weeks whatever it is, we will be in Massachusetts at the Girls Juniors where she will be one of the favorites. You've come through with a one under, 69. Grace, congratulations. I am sure you must feel pretty good about it. GRACE PARK: I played very consistently out there and -- I don't know. LES UNGER: Did you expect to break par today? GRACE PARK: Not really, but I have been playing very well lately and I just had good shots off the tee and into the green and putted well. Q. How about just taking us through, for the record, those holes that are other than routine pars? GRACE PARK: Number 4, par 3, hit good shot into the green, but I back spun off the green and I had about 50, 60 footer to the hole and 3-putted. Easy bogey. Then 8, I hit a good shot into the green with a 7-iron and made about 4-footer for birdie. 9, I hit good shot off the tee, 7-iron to the green and made about 25 footer for eagle. Q. Could you give us your clubs, the yardage you had with the 7-iron? GRACE PARK: Here about 150. LES UNGER: Back 9. GRACE PARK: Number 10, I 3-putted again from about 40 feet. I missed about a 4-footer. 16, I had 3-putted again. I hit the green and I had about 35 footer and I left my first putt short about 5 feet and missed the putt again. 17, I hit good drive off the tee, 2-iron to the green 2-putted 30 feet for birdie. Q. How far was your 2-iron? GRACE PARK: 240, 245. LES UNGER: What were your goals as you set out today? GRACE PARK: Well, supposedly just making the cut was my goal, but well, I'd like to make the cut tomorrow and just whatever happens, I will let it happen. LES UNGER: How about just bringing us up-to-date on your scholastic season. What you have done since last summer, for instance, any accomplishments back at home that is worth noting? GRACE PARK: I have played well. I won my State Championship in high school. LES UNGER: The Arizona State Championship. GRACE PARK: Yes, then I just won 2 Nationals within a month. LES UNGER: You qualified where and with what score? GRACE PARK: Qualified in Sacramento with 72, 4-hole playoff. LES UNGER: A 4-hole playoff? GRACE PARK: Yes. LES UNGER: For one spot? GRACE PARK: Two out of 4. Q. I haven't seen this hole, but on the 3rd hole; your approach shot up on the number 1 tee box, would you say that was probably the biggest turning point of your round, the 45 foot downhill save you made there? GRACE PARK: Oh, yeah, I just -- all I was trying to do was just get it by the hole so that I could make an easy bogey, but I got lucky and it just went in. Q. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, it has pretty much already made your Open by shooting a 69 today? GRACE PARK: I am very satisfied. Very happy for myself and just hopefully I will get lucky as today. Q. What is the name of the high school in Arizona that you go to? GRACE PARK: Xavier College Preparatory. Q. You are a junior? GRACE PARK: I will be a junior this fall. Q. You will be a junior? GRACE PARK: I will be a junior. LES UNGER: What is your birthdate? GRACE PARK: March 6, 1979. Q. Do you have a driver's license? GRACE PARK: Yes, I do. I got it on my birthday. Q. When was your birthday? GRACE PARK: March 6th. Q. What are your classmates thinking of all of this? GRACE PARK: Well, I don't know, I am sure they are happy for me and, you know, there are a lot of good athletes at my school. So, they are all used to it, I guess. Q. Would you describe yourself as a typical teenager? GRACE PARK: I am a very typical teenager off the golf course. I am -- I do all the normal stuff that everyone else does. Q. Like what? GRACE PARK: Going out with my friends, you know, seeing movies, shopping. Q. Hanging out? GRACE PARK: Hanging out. LES UNGER: How much time each week would you say is dedicated to golf? GRACE PARK: I get out of school at 2:30 everyday, so I practice from about 3:30 'til about 6:00 and on the weekends I try to play 10 holes if possible, so... LES UNGER: Are you a member of a club or private course? How does that work? GRACE PARK: We are members of the ^ More Valley Country Club. Q. You mentioned on TV that you want to go to college before you turn pro. What is the reason behind that? Is that something you always wanted to do? GRACE PARK: I am in no hurry to turn pro, you know, even though I would like to later on, and in case I can't play golf in the future, I will have a backup. Q. You are of Korean decent? GRACE PARK: Yes. Q. When did your family move here? GRACE PARK: My family -- my parents are still back in Korea and I moved to Hawaii in '91, January of '91, and then to Phoenix in '93. LES UNGER: What is your living situation? GRACE PARK: I have a guardian who lives with me and she takes care of me. Q. Why is that? Can you explain? GRACE PARK: The reason? Q. The reason for the separation from your parents. GRACE PARK: It was hard for me to play golf there and my parents thought I had a better opportunity. Q. So it was golf driven? GRACE PARK: Golf and education, both. LES UNGER: Do you travel back and forth at all or do they come here to see you? GRACE PARK: I go there in the summer sometimes, but not this year, unfortunately. My dad travels with me in the summer to tournaments and my mom too sometimes. Q. So that means even at the age of 12, they must have known that you had something special as a golfer, I mean, if that decision was made back in '91? GRACE PARK: They must have, because -- I don't know what happened, but -- my sisters lived in Hawaii for a long time and they just thought it would be a good opportunity for me. Q. Did you know you were a good golfer when you were 12? GRACE PARK: I was good for my age, you know, I played in a couple of tournaments and did very well, so... Q. Did you have 90% of your growth at that age? GRACE PARK: I was probably about an inch or two shorter than I am right now. Q. How tall are you right now? GRACE PARK: 5'5, 5'4 and a half. Q. Considering how well you played in the practice rounds this week, are you really surprised at your score today or did you think, yeah, that is about what I -- about what I thought I was going to shoot? GRACE PARK: Practice round I am more, I guess, relaxed and -- but the course fits me very well. I think I just got lucky out there. Q. What did you shoot in your practice round? GRACE PARK: 2 under on Monday. Q. How how many practice rounds did you have? GRACE PARK: I had 3. Q. Were you always under par? GRACE PARK: I only -- I played one ball on Monday and other times I just hit from everywhere. Q. Did it help you not to take -- I know you didn't practice yesterday; you practiced, but didn't play a round? GRACE PARK: I mean, I thought three rounds were enough for me and I was -- I had felt ready. Q. You seem very relaxed out there. Were the nerves spinning at all or was it all -- GRACE PARK: I was surprised I wasn't nervous out there. I don't know, but I guess I learned a lot from the Dinah Shore back in March and I didn't really think it was U.S. Open. I just tried to play my best out there. LES UNGER: We could look it up but who were your playing companions today. GRACE PARK: Susan Thielbar - can't say her last name, and Crissy Klein. Q. Grace, you really popped it on 17. I think you had like 300 something yards off the tee. Was that your longest drive? GRACE PARK: I hit a good drive. I hit a lot of good drives out there today off the tee and it was one of my best. Q. Were you angry after the bogey at 16? GRACE PARK: Well, I got a little frustrated, but... I made so many short putts today, I got over it quick. Q. Just to clarify, did you say you have a membership at Moon Valley in Phoenix? GRACE PARK: Moon Valley Country Club. Q. Where the LPGA plays, so that is a real long golf course. Did that have any effect on you here today in your game? GRACE PARK: I guess I am a pretty long hitter and since this altitude is helping me hit longer, it was easy for me to hit approach shots. Q. Who teaches you in Phoenix? GRACE PARK: Bill Forest at TPC in Scottsdale. Q. Grace, can you remember how old you were the first time you broke a significant figure, like the first time you shot in the 70s and first time you shot in the 60s, can you remember that? GRACE PARK: I was in fifth grade and it was a tournament, I shot 78 which was my best score ever and shot 99 the next day. Q. What about breaking 70, how old were you when you broke 70? GRACE PARK: I think I was 14. LES UNGER: Best score you ever had? GRACE PARK: 64 at Arizona State. It was some state tournament, I don't remember actually. Two years ago. Q. What was it like being away from your parents you know, having a guardian and not being around them, what was that like for you? GRACE PARK: It was hard at first, but I got used to it and eventually -- and I see them a lot, so I am used to it. Q. What was the hardest part? GRACE PARK: Actually I liked it first because I was away from them then. LES UNGER: Is that off the record? GRACE PARK: Off the record. I don't know, it wasn't -- well, I moved to Hawaii first and my sister was there for me, so it wasn't very hard. I got used to it very quickly and I don't know what the hardest was. Q. Do you have any brothers? GRACE PARK: I got older sister and little brother. Q. Does your little brother play? GRACE PARK: He used to but he quit. Q. Does your older sister play? GRACE PARK: No. LES UNGER: You have gained citizenship, or not, here? GRACE PARK: I am here with V1 visa right now, but I am going to try to apply for a Green Card. Q. What is your average with your driver here? GRACE PARK: I have no clue. I don't know. Q. At sea level or elsewhere, how far you normally hit a driver? GRACE PARK: I am just getting around 240, I don't know. Q. Also your voice sort of trailed off before, did you say you had won a tournament or two in Korea? GRACE PARK: I won one in Korea when I was in the 6th grade. It was just a junior tournament. Q. What kind of visa did you mention? GRACE PARK: V1, student visa. Q. What is your hometown in Korea? GRACE PARK: Seoul. Q. Is that where your parents are now, Seoul? GRACE PARK: Yeah. They are here with me, though, this week. Q. What about your guardian, I mean, do you live with a family there who plays golf? GRACE PARK: It's a lady, she doesn't play golf, but she is there for me. Q. So you don't have any discipline at home; you can do whatever you want? GRACE PARK: Actually I do have discipline, but you know, she trusts me, so... I am a good girl. Q. How was it finding this guardian or hooking up? GRACE PARK: Just family, friends and -- I don't know. Q. What is your favorite movie? GRACE PARK: Well, I like "Cutting Edge." I don't know. Q. Have you patterned your game after any certain players? GRACE PARK: Well, I can't think of any right now. Q. What is the best part of your game? GRACE PARK: I guess -- I am a good hitter, I guess driving off the tee, I could probably do that the best. Q. As a 16 year old, what are some of the things you miss when you are playing golf? GRACE PARK: In the summer I am always out-of-town and never get to go on vacation or do something fun, but I made a lot of good friends out there in junior golf, so... Pretty much happy. LES UNGER: Any concluding statement about today? I mean, would you like to be sitting here again tomorrow? GRACE PARK: Sure. Why not? I am not used to this, but why not. LES UNGER: Well, you better start getting used to it. Q. The putting everybody talks about how treacherous the putting is here. Was it treacherous today? GRACE PARK: I was striking it -- stroking well out there. I just couldn't get used to the speed and -- but I should be fine, I am going to be practicing this afternoon, so... Q. You left a number of putts short? GRACE PARK: I left 99% putts short today. Q. Is that because you were just scared to make a run at it? GRACE PARK: Yes. Q. Your caddie said you had 36 putts with a 69, that five times you were inside seven feet, you missed a birdie. So putting just kept you from shooting lights out? GRACE PARK: Yeah, but I hit 17 greens, that is my best. LES UNGER: The leader at 66 made 22 putts today. GRACE PARK: Wow! Well -- Q. You said one thing, you mentioned the discipline of your guardian. Where is she hardest on you using discipline, studying or -- GRACE PARK: I have got a curfew and as I said she trusts me, so I could do pretty much whatever I want to do. Q. Do you know who Tiger Woods is? GRACE PARK: Oh, yeah. Q. Ever play with him? GRACE PARK: I never have. But I hope some day. Q. Ever been in any events with him? GRACE PARK: I played few junior tournaments with him, but that was -- my first tournament was I think his last or something like that. So... Q. Are you like the female Tiger Woods? GRACE PARK: No, I am just Grace Park. LES UNGER: Tiger is Spark. Grace, thank you, and stay cool and I hope to see you tomorrow. GRACE PARK: Thank you. End of FastScripts.... |
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