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KIA CLASSIC

March 25, 2011

Jiyai Shin

CITY OF INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: First off, Jiyai, our tournament leader by six shots. I'd like to welcome you and get some thoughts on the round today, a pretty good one.
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I jumped on the birdie bus when I started (laughing). Well, my shots were pretty good. I just missed the one green today, and my putter was so good today too.
Anyway, well, it feels like this is real golf. Yeah, I kept thinking, oh, this is really a nice day for me.
THE MODERATOR: We're going to run through your scorecard.
JIYAI SHIN: Sure.
THE MODERATOR: So birdie on2.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 7-iron from the fairway, and I left about maybe 20 feet to the putt.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie on 3, the par-5.
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I left 75 yards to the pin, and I hit 54-degree , and just a couple feet to the hole.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie on 4.
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, hit a 7-iron from the fairway, and I left about 7 feet to the hole.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie on 6.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 9-iron from the fairway. Just five feet, no, four feet from the hole.
THE MODERATOR: Birdie on 7.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 9-iron, and also three feet to the hole.
THE MODERATOR: And then birdie on 9.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 23 hybrid, a 23-degree hybrid, and about 15 feet to the hole.
THE MODERATOR: 11 birdie.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit pitching wedge, and just two feet.
THE MODERATOR: 12.
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 5-wood from the fairway, and almost 12 feet to the hole.
THE MODERATOR: And then birdie on 14?
JIYAI SHIN: I hit 8-iron from the fairway, and, yeah, almost 12 feet to the hole.

Q. You said you got on the birdie bus today. Did you know when you started this morning that you were on that bus? Did you feel like you were going to do something?
JIYAI SHIN: Actually I didn't know, because this morning I wake early because usual tee my time was 8:45. And then three hours delay so I was just waiting. I tried to keep thinking about making a good image for the round, prepare for the rounds.
This course is really tough for the players because the fairway is so soft, and the greens are so fast. Yesterday I really played a little bit harder to play on the green because the green is so fast. So this morning I think my goal was not to make bogey. So it worked, and I didn't make bogey. I made a lot of birdies.

Q. Do you think you have an advantage that you are finished and there are a lot of players who are going to have to play part of their second round tomorrow?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah. I think I'm really lucky to finish today. I played very well, so I'll take a good rest.

Q. Is that one of the best rounds of your life?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, my best score was 8-under, 8-under par. I hit a lot of times 8-under par, but I couldn't make 9-under par. So today I made the first time.

Q. But as far as hitting the ball close to the hole, is that as good as you've ever done as far as hitting the ball with control on the green close to the hole?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I made a lot of birdie chances inside of 15 feet, so I had a really good -- I had more chance to birdie. So I missed a couple things, but still pretty good today.

Q. Did you miss any fairways off the tee? And also on 15, was that the wind that left you short of the green and you had to chip up?
JIYAI SHIN: I missed the one fairway on hole number 3. Yeah, I missed it a little bit full, so I missed a little bit left the fairway. And then missed the one green on number 15 -- no, 16. It was 15, right, par-3.

Q. What happened on that hole? Was the wind on the shot that left you short of the green? A missed club?
JIYAI SHIN: Just missed the wind, because I always think -- I'm thinking about the wind too, but not that strong. The wind was really strong up there, so I just missed the wind.

Q. Did you hit a 6-iron?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I hit a 6-iron.

Q. As you kept making birdies, do you start to think how low can I score? Does your mind work that way or can you just ignore how well you're playing and keep playing well?
JIYAI SHIN: Actually yesterday I played very well too, then today my goal was just 3-under par. So I just kept thinking just make a couple more birdies and no bogeys. So I just kept focused for my shot too. Yeah, it was really easy, simple play today (laughing).

Q. Did you like this course when you practiced and before the tournament started? Did you think the course suited you?
JIYAI SHIN: Well, the course shape is really tough and the greens are so fast. Before the tournament, I always worry about the greens. The greens are so fast.
Then when I played the Pro-Am with amateurs I didn't make any putts (laughing). So before the tournament, I was just thinking, oh, please my putting, make a birdie, please. I'm praying all the time. Then I played good now.

Q. How were the greens? A couple of players said they were a little bumpy because of spike marks in the rain. How did you find them?
JIYAI SHIN: Oh, yeah, it is. So much rain this morning and yesterday so the greens were very soft. So when I'm walking I get a footprint. So it's a little bit bumpy. We're not comfortable with the short putt. We have to keep focused when we short putt.

Q. How important is the number one position to you?
JIYAI SHIN: How important?

Q. Yeah.
JIYAI SHIN: Actually it's really big because I'm all the time dreaming. That's my goal too. I was there, so I know how big pressure when I was number one. But I still want to get there.
This is my third year on the LPGA Tour, so it's come very quick, but I think I still have a good chance for the number one spot, so I'll just keep going.

Q. I noticed looking at your yardages, are you longer than you were a year ago? Seems like you're longer.
JIYAI SHIN: Yes, I changed the coach and I changed the swing a little bit. He makes more distance. Around, I think, between 10 to 15 yards.

Q. That's a lot.
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, that's a lot.

Q. What did you do? Can you explain?
JIYAI SHIN: I just changed a little movement in my lower body movement, a little more move to forward.

Q. Who is your coach?
JIYAI SHIN: His name is Glen Daugherty. Yeah, he's from San Diego. We started since January. So I still keep making my swing at the moment, so I'm really happy to play good play today.

Q. Have you lost any accuracy or still straight?
JIYAI SHIN: Still straight (laughing).

Q. How did you and Glen get together? How did you pick him? Did you spend most of the off-season then in Southern California?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I was training in Palm Springs four more months, so my new coach was there too. And he also went to last week and this week too, but he left yesterday. He missed it today, but he's coming tomorrow.

Q. So did you stay here all off-season or did you go home? Did you stay in Southern California?
JIYAI SHIN: I stayed out here.

Q. You live in Atlanta though, right?
JIYAI SHIN: Yeah, I live in Atlanta, but I'm looking for a second house in Palm Springs. Next week we're playing in Palm Springs, so I'll look around for a house.

Q. If you win this tournament, you could buy a house next week in Palm Springs?
JIYAI SHIN: That sounds good. That's my plan.
THE MODERATOR: 9-under 64 ties the low round in relation to par for the year. I.K. Kim shot a 9-under 63 in Thailand.

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