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March 30, 2012
RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA
THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Se Ri Pak to the interview room at the 2012 Kraft Nabisco. You're three shots off the lead held by Yani Tseng. Similar situation to last week where you were in the hunt early in the week. Just tell us how good it feels to play well at the Kraft Nabisco?
SE RI PAK: It was actually. First of all, I was really glad to be back in my game, first of all. And I guess this is so far my best round for all career here, I think, for first two rounds. Of course, I've got two more days to go, but I'm really happy about my game.
First, I feel really calm on the golf course and I'm trying to play my own game. Everything's working out really well. I feel confident, and I feel great to go to the weekend.
THE MODERATOR: You've won other majors but not the Kraft Nabisco. Does that stay in the back of your head?
SE RI PAK: Always. So this is my 14th time playing in Kraft. I'm waiting long enough to be up there at least once to get this trophy. It's taken a little while, but hopefully this week.
Of course, you think so much about you really want a tournament and I gave myself a lot of pressure, so I don't think that helps my game a lot. So I'm very happy for this week. I'm playing as best I can, and I'm trying to enjoy golf as much as I could.
So that's my weekend thought. So hopefully it's working well until Sunday, and we'll see you guys back here again.
Q. You talked last week in San Diego about how you really started to enjoy playing golf again and reinvest in the game. Can you just tell the media here why that happened?
SE RI PAK: Why that happened? Well, let's see, I'm having trouble for five or six years, actually. I was learning every year what to do and what is a better way for me to really love playing golf. I still love a lot the golf game, and I can't quit it because I still really want to play.
It took a lot for myself to be happy. It wasn't too difficult, but it was difficult to find out. So it takes a little longer and a little while to find out. I said how lucky I am still playing and loving golf. Of course, I'm still healthy, and I'm still pretty much still young to be out there and play.
Just learning. Having a lot of experience being out there, traveling, playing with the players and making some friends and having a better social life, making it come automatically. This isn't so much for me to be out there golfing, and I know it should be enough to play golf out there.  To me, there's nothing there. Just go out there and play my own game.
Some days you have to take it. But before I accepted it, I can't accept I'm having bad days. That's just part of it. So now I'm really happy I'm having some fun. So that helps a lot, and everything's going pretty well.
Q. This last couple weeks is this just a mental thing being happy or is it something physically that you're doing different with your game that's kind of come together?
SE RI PAK: Just everything's coming together. I mean, slowly I know I'm getting better and better, and my attitude and everything is getting slowly better. Starting last year around the fall, just, I don't know how, everything's really calm for me. Out on the golf course, I'm excited to go out and play again. There is no pressure. Just go out and play with the young players together and learn from them.
Of course I mean I was having back then that age to play out how they play and what they're thinking, just pretty much you go back and look at the season, it wasn't expecting too much. But I think I can learn a lot and how being on top feels and that brings a lot of expectations every week and a lot of pressure.
But I was thinking the other way to try to get less expectation. Just go out there and play my golf as much as I could, and everything comes together.
Q. When he mentioned that this is the one major you haven't won, you got that look on your face. Do you want to win this tournament because it's this tournament, or do you want to win it because it would complete the Grand Slam?
SE RI PAK: Really it would complete the Grand Slam. This is one of my goals I've set. So it's one of the biggest goals is getting into the Hall of Fame. Of course, that's the biggest, and next, trying to win a major like this. Then now this is the goal for me for 14, 15 years.
This is the one I need, but this is the one that always gives me a hard time. So hopefully winning this week. Of course, I'm going to do my best. We'll see. I'm trying to go out there and have some fun as much as I can.
Q. How dominant is Yani playing right now, and how hard is it to chase her when she's playing like this?
SE RI PAK: It's not easy because she has a lot of confidence in her game. Everything's being, as I said, I know how she feels. Because when you have a lot of confidence, it can do everything at the same time.
So still the door is open for a couple of players. So it's not easy, but behind it's a lot easier than top, you know? It's better than you're on the top and trying to look far away.
But she's a really good player right now. Her mental and everything has been just too good.
Q. You've been out here for a while and seen Lorena and Annika and other great players. How is Yani now compared to them as far as her dominance on the Tour?
SE RI PAK: It's kind of different. Back then, Annika really you've got four or five top really great players. Lorena, yes. She's a great player. And now, Yani just, actually, she's by herself up there. So of course it depends on‑‑ it's pretty different. The golf course is different.
Mentally Yani is ready. She's really an aggressive player. Some players are different. But it's a different game playing. She's right now playing well enough to do something difficult. But back then it's great but really different. It's fun to watch at the same time.
Q. Do you think you can beat her this weekend?
SE RI PAK: Well, that's what we're here for, right? I think it's open for everybody. So it's probably not easy to chase from the back.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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