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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 11, 2011So Yeon RyuCOLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO THE MODERATOR: Thanks for joining us, So Yeon, the 66th U.S. Women's Opens Champion. It was a long week. Tell us how you feel and what it means to be the champion of the U.S. Women's Open. SO YEON RYU: First, thanks for the media staying for Monday. Actually, my plan is if I graduation at the university, I try the qualifying school. Qualifying school is really tough, but now I win this tournament, so I just coming here just direct. So it's really happy. When I was start golf Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Women's Open tournament, so this tournament is really specially for me. But I won this tournament, so I'm really happy and unbelievable. And thanks for everything, yeah. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. Could you please just give us the details of your university, like what it is, what level you're at? And the second question, the distance of the 6-iron in regulation at 18, please. SO YEON RYU: I studying physical education, and normally I studying -- just basic is English and some kind of sports and anatomy. Q. What's the name of the university? SO YEON RYU: Yonsei University. Q. What level are you? SO YEON RYU: I'm junior, yeah. Q. You finished your junior year? SO YEON RYU: I left just three months. THE MODERATOR: She just finish the first semester of her junior year going into the second semester. Q. The 6-iron, how far was that, please? SO YEON RYU: The 18 hole, the distance was 170 yard, and I can hit 6-iron 160 yard. But a little bit high altitude is here, so I can hit the 170 yards. Q. Two questions: How nervous were you this morning coming out to finish those last couple holes? And how tough of a juggling act will it be for you to play competitive golf and finish your studies? SO YEON RYU: In the morning when I hit the 16th hole tee shot I really nervous, so I couldn't smiled. But my caddie keep talking, So Yeon, just smile. Calm down. So I felt a little bit more comfortable. And then I don't know why, but I just like 16 hole. Actually hole 18 is really difficult, but I made a birdie the second round, so I had a little bit more confidence in there. My plan is if I retire the golf player, I really want to try sports marketing or sports or golf clothes designer. So it's pretty hard. I just practice golf and I'm going to university. I think university is really good for me, because sometimes I really stressful of golf. But if I going to university, I just studying and really delicious food really eating together my friends and just laugh. I love my school, yeah. Q. Starting the playoff, do you think you had a little edge because you had been out and played three holes already this morning? SO YEON RYU: Yeah, sure, because same pin position and same teeing ground. I play really good 18th hole, so it's really good for me. It's really huge benefit, yeah. Q. First time around after you parred 17, you were still a shot down going to 18. Were you discouraged, or did you have a little talk with yourself? Your caddie say anything to you going to 18? SO YEON RYU: I feel okay, because just my goal is top 10, but I'm second place that situation. But I have just one chance in just last hole, not afraid. Just enjoyed it maybe, yeah. Q. You talked about looking up to Se Ri Pak, and she was one of the players who came out on the 18th green to douse you in champagne. How exciting was that for her to be part of your win? SO YEON RYU: I finished morning, Se Ri told me, It's really great play. You're a really great person. Last year I play with Se Ri in Korea, and she told me, you have a lot of talent, so keep going. Keep practicing hard. But I finished the playoff and Se Ri told me congratulations, it's really special for me. Q. Could you give us what clubs you hit and yardages on the three playoff holes, please? SO YEON RYU: Hole 16, the distance is 160 yards, and I hit the 7-iron. My birdie putt is seven yards, and my par putt is one yard. And 18 [sic] hole I hit the driver, and then the distance is 292 yards from the pin, but I just hit the 21-degree utility. And then my third shot is 110 yards. I hit the pitching. The birdie putt is four yards, and then I made a birdie. 18 hole I hit the driver and 175 yards; I hit the 5-iron. My birdie putt is 1.5 yards, yeah. Q. Do you feel like you had an advantage in the playoff because you were able to come right from the golf course and she had to be on the practice range and hadn't played a hole? You already had knowledge of where the holes were, et cetera. SO YEON RYU: Yeah, is good for me, because Hee Kyung just practice, but I play the three hole in same condition. Yeah, it's really huge benefit, yeah. Q. You've beat her maybe three years ago in China, so does this memory make you the confidence? SO YEON RYU: Yeah, sure. Finish 2009 season and then we start 2010 tournament in China. We going to playoff three hole, and I won that tournament. So I felt a little bit more comfortable. Actually, it's same situation, because in China Hee Kyung pick up the first tee off and I pick up second tee off. But today it's same situation, so I want to just believe that two years ago. (Laughing.) Q. Last night after you were finished, how much were you thinking about the three holes that you still had to play today? SO YEON RYU: Yesterday I really tired, so I just want to really good sleep. But I couldn't sleep well because, I don't know, is dream or I think, just keep thinking about hole 16. (Smiling). So my condition is not great this morning, but I made birdie hole 18, so... and I make a more energy in there. Q. So you are a university student, right? How do you feel about now you are one of the most famous golf player in the world? SO YEON RYU: Ah, I think just my dream is Hall of Fame, but it is just starting, yeah. I'm still unbelievable this situation, so, yeah, first starting. Q. Did you say before you were thinking of coming to LPGA qualifying school? Is that what you said earlier? SO YEON RYU: Yes. Q. How do your plans change now as far as the LPGA? SO YEON RYU: LPGA is my dream tournament, so I really hope playing in LPGA. Before I couldn't decide if I play the LPGA or KLPGA, but maybe today I must decide this situation, yeah. Q. How much did Se Ri's success affect your decision to play golf? Did you start playing because you had seen what she was doing, or was there some other reason? SO YEON RYU: I start golf on Wednesday, but Se Ri won the tournament on Sunday -- no, actually in Korea it's Monday. Golf is just my hobby. When I was young my goal is violinist. I really like music. I really want musician, but my elementary school have... THE MODERATOR: After school extracurricular activities. SO YEON RYU: Maybe five yards driving range. It's really small. Just playing soccer with my friends and just chipping with my friends, so golf is just... SEAN PYUN: Golf is just a hobby, something I did for fun at that time. Until Se Ri really won the tournament, I was only enjoying golf as a hobby. But I really enjoyed as much coverage that she was receiving through the network TVs in Korea and seeing that made me want to play more. You know, I wanted to be a violinist, but the problem with that for me was the violin, whenever I performed, there was a more subjective scoring. There wasn't a clear scoring. You know, it was basically based on who was judging my performance that day, and I didn't like that aspect of it. That's what sort of turned me into golf instead. Q. Do you play in Japan sometimes? If so, what do you describe? How do you describe? What's the difference between Japanese players and Korean players? Because how two Japanese players were leading, but at the end two Koreans playoff? SO YEON RYU: I think Japanese players really great player. And big different is -- I think, just my opinion -- long game of Korean is a little bit more better, but short game is really -- Japanese player really strong spot short game. Especially I playing with -- 2006 Asian Game I playing with Mika Miyazato, and Mika is really great chipper and great putter. I really envy Mika Miyazato. Q. Some players have won the U.S. Open and gone on to do great things. Others have not done much at all after winning. Are you confident this will be a big launching pad for your career? SO YEON RYU: Um, I don't know if I'm believe it. Maybe is really big stressful for me because I won the first win the LPGA tournament, U.S. Women's Open. So it's really maybe really big stressful, huge stressful. But I happy to playing the golf, so I just enjoying play golf. Q. What family did you have here to support you? Whoever was here, is that normal that they travel with you? SO YEON RYU: My mother. Always I travel with my mother, yeah. Q. What's her name? SO YEON RYU: Kwang Ja Cho. Q. Could you spell it? SO YEON RYU: K-w-a-n-g, J-a, C-h-o. SEAN PYUN: Cho is the last name. Q. As a junior, at what point did you get to be really good at golf? SO YEON RYU: Maybe middle school, the third grade, because I... SEAN PYUN: As a ninth grader I made it to the Korean national team, and I think that's when people realized. Q. What age is ninth grade? SO YEON RYU: Fifteen. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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