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TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP BY COCA-COLA

September 23, 2011

K.J. Choi

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Through interpreter Michael Yim

LAURA HILL: We'd like to welcome K.J. Choi to the interview room. You talked a little bit outside about how much easier of a time you had with some of the shorter putts today and to put yourself in contention heading into the weekend. Maybe just talk about what was going right out there.
K.J. CHOI: Tee shot is great today. So far nine times I think at TOUR Championship, and best score so far in the second round. I'm so happy because yesterday I'm starting tee shot, and second shot in -- anything is easier than better at any time. Putting sometimes miss five feet and 10 feet and 15 feet and many missed putts. And today morning early, 45 minutes at the putting green area, and then stroke, five feet, 20 feet, 60 feet, 30 feet, and more comfortable in the putting. Tee shot and second shot great today.
So far, so good. The swing great, and then scoring fantastic. I'm in very good position for the weekend, and I'll keep going for best finish.

Q. You've always used a larger putter head. Is that becoming what you're going to probably play with from now on? Because you've been playing with that large putter grip for a long time now.
K.J. CHOI: You know, a long time ago I'm putting with small grip and something wrong hit it in the follow through and stuck in the left hand, what happens in my putting stroke. I think five years ago, I'm looking at TV, the commercial, and super stroke putting, release is very good. I order it, and come to my home, I look at it, oh, my goodness, too big. I'm switching the grip, and then three months into my home state. After time after a tournament come, practice with big grip, and then after that tournament, then thin grips.
And then I'm starting 2007, AT&T National, and the first time I tried. But always my right hand is a little bit stuck in the left hand. And after switching to the big grip, it's more better than the thin grips. So far I cannot change anything, so I keep going with the thick grips.

Q. On the putting grip again, does it take your hands out of it a little bit and make it more a shoulder and arm motion?
K.J. CHOI: Sometimes with the thin grips in the stroke, and then hand too much and come up head earlier, and distance control is very bad. Sometimes I hinge too much and the ball go too much. That's why with the thick grips very relaxed in the hands and the shoulder and boom, every time in the single, the roll is very comfortable. Can you try? (Laughter.)

Q. You said you spent 45 minutes on the putting green today. What is your usual time that you spend on a putting green before a round?
K.J. CHOI: Normally I practice 30 minutes. Today I spent a little longer on the putting green. Normally I have trouble reading lies on this course, lies and the speed of the putt, so that's what I focused on today.

Q. You hit a lot of shots really close today. Was there something different or was it just that you got in rhythm and could hit them? You hit a lot of shots really close today.
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, I mean, I definitely had good rhythm today. Good rhythm leads to great confidence. The key thing for any player is to -- whatever you're doing out on the driving range, when you're practicing before a round, it's important to try to keep that rhythm and take it onto the golf course when you're playing, and I think that's what I was able to do today is keeping the consistency between the driving range and when you're playing out there. So I think keeping the same rhythm was a key factor today.

Q. We've followed your play for the last two days. You looked very comfortable. Has your religion helped your game?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, it's all about believing. I've always had faith in the Lord, whenever I'm playing out there. Mentally it helps me keep a strong mental state of mind. What I always do is I pray and keep singing hymns, and it helps me a lot.

Q. Right now you're projected to be No. 1 in FedExCup points. Have you thought about the bonus money at the end, or is it difficult to not think about it?
K.J. CHOI: You know, it's really too early to predict. We still have two days left, and I don't really think about the money. But you never know what can happen in the next two days. You know, if I were able to win that money, then there would be a lot of good use -- I could put the money to good use through my foundation. But as I said, there's still two more days left, so all I can do is try to finish it out and hope for the best.

Q. You mentioned that you have trouble reading lines, but you have two top 10s in your last two visits here. So what about this course does fit your game?
K.J. CHOI: I mean, honestly, before I didn't think this course fit my game or my swing, but ever since I've gone through the swing changes, working with Steve Bann, my coach, I'm hitting the ball more solidly. I'm having good extension through the ball, releasing it a lot better. That's helping my game. And I think because of the swing changes, my game actually fits this course now compared to before.
So it's a -- the effect of working with Steve Bann is really helping my game right now.

Q. With Steve Bann, he was telling me that you've made the changes gradually over the years instead of a big overhaul, and it's really helped with your shot making. On No. 9, he said "he's going to hit a big draw" because before you used to hit a little cut, and now working with Steve you can hit different shots?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, definitely. It's taken me at least six years to come to this swing. I've gone through a lot of trial and errors throughout the process. During pressure situations I used to go back to my old habits, but Steve Bann, he kept on -- he convinced me that this was the way to go because with a full release and with a natural draw, higher trajectory, it's going to help my game fit the longer courses, the harder greens, where most of the tournaments are held at.
So this year I felt very confident that the swing change was going very positively. And with swing changes like this, you can't really change overnight; it has to be very gradual. And I think that's what happened.

Q. I've also heard that you play games when you're practicing your short game. Can you give an example of a game?
K.J. CHOI: It's sort of like a mind game that I play with myself. Practice sessions can be really boring and stressful, so I try to enjoy it. I try to have fun when I'm out there practicing. You know, when you're making putts, either you're going to have 50 percent missing it or making it, so whether -- if I have a double bogey out there, it's at least better than a triple bogey. If I have a bogey, it's better than a double bogey. So I'm thankful for whatever I do that it didn't do any worse than what it could have been. I think it's a mind game that I play with myself.

Q. We know you're a member of the International Team of the Presidents Cup. Today you played with Steve Stricker. In case you play against him in the Presidents Cup, do you still have confidence to beat him?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah, Steve today, he wasn't playing 100 percent well. He told me that he's had a bad throat, therefore his left hand, he didn't have any senses in his left hand, so I told him he should get a lot of rest because I know what it's like being hurt and not being well. I've been hurt before, too, and it's definitely not a good feeling.
With regards to the Presidents Cup, I don't care -- it doesn't really matter who I face. I mean, whether it's Steve, whether it's someone else, I'm always going to try my best, just take it hole by hole, so that's all you can do is try your best.
LAURA HILL: K.J., Mike, thank you very much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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