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LPGA STATE FARM CLASSIC

June 9, 2011

Mindy Kim

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome our leader, Mindy Kim, into the interview room. Congratulations, 8-under today. What went well for you out there today, and did you expect, I guess, to have this kind of a round?
MINDY KIM: Honestly, I did not expect this at all. I putted well out there. Um, you know, I tweaked a couple things with my swing, and it wasn't, you know, it wasn't hooking. So, I mean, you know, I hit the ball great today.
MODERATOR: A lot of the players have been talking all week about how this is a golf course you can score well on. How were the conditions today, and how did that feed into how well you were able to play?
MINDY KIM: Um, there was no wind out there today. I mean, you know, there were -- I mean, the wind started blowing on, you know, on, you know, on No. 17, and it was just howling.
Other than that, I mean, it was pretty calm out there. It wasn't really long of a golf course, so, I mean, I guess that's what was able to, you know, shoot a low round I guess with everybody -- not just me.
MODERATOR: You've been playing well lately and had a lot of top-10 finishes. Been up there. What's been going right for you all season leading up to this point?
MINDY KIM: Um, I really don't know. I mean, I had a good off-season. I prepared myself better than I did the last two years, and so, um, you know, I guess I put more, you know, hard -- I worked hard basically. Bottom line.
I mean, I think that's showing. But, you know, it's just -- for me, I think I've never been in this position, so it's just really an experience for me, like a learning curve.
MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Is this 64 career-wise? I know you had a 65 last weak? Where does this rank?
MINDY KIM: Oh, yeah, you're right. It's my first shooting an 8-under par 64.

Q. You had a 65 I think second round last week.
MINDY KIM: That was a 6-under par, because it was par 71.

Q. 71, okay.
MINDY KIM: Yeah.

Q. So yeah, career low.
MINDY KIM: Yeah, I just noticed.

Q. You got off to a great start. You were 5-under through 8. Your tee shot on 9, did it go into the hazard?
MINDY KIM: No. See, the thing is, this is what happened. I hit my drive and we were looking for the ball. You know, it didn't -- we didn't see it bounce from the tee.
Then we looked and it was in the hazard but it was on the grass. So it was -- we could hit it, but it was embedded. Yeah, that's why there was no bounce. Yeah, got a tough break.

Q. You're going really well and then you take a bogey there, but then you turned around and birdied I think 11 and 12?
MINDY KIM: Yeah, something like that.

Q. So, I mean, maybe a few years ago, you know, you'd been going good and had a bad hole like that, a tough break, a few years ago would you have let that maybe bother you more?
MINDY KIM: Yes, definitely. I mean, it kind of bothered me today, too. But I have to get over two, so so be it. Yeah.

Q. The string of birdies you had the front nine, the five in a row, did you just feel like you're just going when you're getting on those streaks?
MINDY KIM: Yeah, apparently. I mean, I really wasn't counting like how many birdies I could make in a row, but I guess I made five. So, you know, there's that. It was good.

Q. I understand you were born in Seoul.
MINDY KIM: Yes.

Q. When did you or your family come to the United States?
MINDY KIM: I came here when I was six years old. My mom came with me and my dad is still in Korea. My mom goes back and forth. My dad works there.

Q. What's your dad's name?
MINDY KIM: You know what, you can just call him -- he has an American name. It's Young, Y-o-u-n-g. That's his American name. Let's just go with that.

Q. You said you've had some Top 10s this year; off to a real good start today. I mean, your first-round lead. Like you said, a lot of things this is the first time you've been in this position. I mean, career low round, leader after the first round. Is the next part, this is the next learning experience now, Okay, I got to go tomorrow -- I mean, you're learning how to handle new situations, you know?
MINDY KIM: Um, yeah, I guess. I mean, like, I really felt comfortable out there today. Um, this was my first time playing with, you know -- in the A time, which is with better players. You know, I was kind of nervous that I was playing with Yani. I haven't played with her since I was like -- seems like last time we played was like when we were 12 or something.
She was long; she's still long now. I played with I.K. at the Sybase Match Play and I lost there. But, you know, I had a good feel of what their games were.
But, um, I really learned a lot from them. They're very great players.

Q. Of the front nine birdie streak, I mean, just generally all your birdies today, I mean, did you make some long putts or were you hitting it close? Any one or two of the birdies that stand out?
MINDY KIM: I just hit everything close today. I think that's what really made me able to make it or putt it into the hole. So, yeah.
MODERATOR: Thanks, Mindy.
MINDY KIM: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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