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CHICK-FIL-A CHARITY CHAMPIONSHIP

April 29, 2004

Christina Kim

STOCKBRIDGE, GEORGIA

PAUL ROVNAK: Christina, thanks for coming and joining us, with a 7 under 65, right now you're all alone in first place, and it's the lowest round of the year for you. Tell us about your day and we'll take questions from there.

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, I just, God, I don't know, I just had a different mindset coming into this tournament, and I missed the cut two weeks ago in Las Vegas and I was just real bummed out. I just sort of put myself together and just said the scores are out there, the birdies are out there. There's no reason why you can't make four, five, six birdies out there or a couple more.

I'm not complaining. I think I just went for a more aggressive play than I have in the months past. I used to be a very aggressive player back in my young days when I was good. Ever since I came out here, last year, I'm encountering new green, they are a lot faster and in much getter shape than I'm used to. I used to just sort of baby my putts from the latter half of last year and all this year. That's just not the type of putter I am and I've been a little more aggressive with my putts and iron play and everything. It's finally starting to show because I'm an aggressive person apparently.

Q. You've had times in your life where you've put many really low numbers up there. Is this one of those numbers by itself, or do you think you have something going in here that might work all week?

CHRISTINA KIM: You know, that's a fine question. I really don't know how to answer that. I've just been trying to live in the moment. Every shot, I just took it one by one. Even if I had a bad shot or a bad cut, I just sort of tried to clear my mind and just attack everything as a brand new shot.

I can be honest with you in saying that I think this is probably one of the best rounds that I've ever had, even though I've shot 8 under before and things like that, the only bogeys I had today came from 3 putts. I was actually yesterday in the Pro Am, I was talking with one of the guys I played with and he was saying how he likes the fact that I'm an aggressive putter because I'm not afraid to make a 3 putt and I sort of had that mindset coming in. Yogi Berra said 80 percent of the putts you miss short don't go in. I thought of that a little bit today.

Q. After you've shot low scores like this, have you had trouble following up next day or have you been able to put a couple of rounds together like this before?

CHRISTINA KIM: You know, I can only think of one other score that I've had that was really low that was not in like a final round or anything. You know, normally, I would think that, you know, I think a lot of players out here, if they post a really low score, they tend to have a little trouble. They are like I birdied this hole and this hole; why can't I do it today.

It's hard to say if I'm going to be able to follow up tomorrow, but I'm just trying to have the same mindset I had today, of just attack everything, think of every shot as being the one and only shot, the only chance you get. Sure, in the practice round, you can throw down two or three balls if you don't like it or if you can't hit the green, but you can't do that out here. Try to have this kind of mindset coming in.

Q. Do you think you'll be nervous in the morning though once you sleep on this and see what position you're sitting in going into tomorrow?

CHRISTINA KIM: You know, in all honesty, I would not be nervous unless it was coming to the final couple of rounds where they reshuffle everything. I had a good time. I played with Wendy Doolan and Shi Hyun Ahn, they are wonderful, sweet people and kept me in a good mood today. I think, God, it's hard to say. There's no one there's going to be people behind me, there's going to be people front of me. I guess since I'm quote unquote in the middle of the pack, because we have not reshuffled our tee times, I hope I won't be nervous.

Q. You told me you played here last year for the first time?

CHRISTINA KIM: Yes.

Q. Did you learn anything from last year's round that helped you today?

CHRISTINA KIM: I learned a lot on the greens yesterday and the day before. I remember a lot from last year because they have similar pin placements. I can't remember the names of the guys I played with two weeks ago in my Pro Am, but I can somehow remember what the greens were like when I came to this course.

You know, I think that definitely playing last year, I had a really good round for the first holes that I played in. And, you know I just I would like to think that, you know playing last year just sort of it made me feel comfortable. Besides, the people here are wonderful, great southern hospitality, if that's what you want to call it. Everyone has been really sweet and really kind. It's just been a very jovial atmosphere out here which definitely helps.

Q. Being the lead, you don't seem like you're nervous at all, you're having a good time, but is being in the lead at all intimidating for you?

CHRISTINA KIM: You know, it's hard to say. I think golf is such an interesting sport. It sort of interesting when you think of everyone playing in a tournament to see who is the best player. But one person who plays their best versus one person who plays their best, the scores can be different.

I just think that I had a really great round and I'm sure a lot of girls had good rounds. I'm sure some of the girls out there had a really good rounds, but they are still only two shots back. I'm just happy with how I played and I'm trying not to worry too much about what other people do.

Q. What's clicking for you specifically in your game right now? What's going well?

CHRISTINA KIM: My irons. I'm actually figuring out if you hit the irons close, it's a lot easier to make the putts.

Yeah, I told everyone else, the last half of last year and all of this year, I've been sort of babying my putts. I used to be a really good putter when I was aggressive. So yesterday and today I just sort of talked to myself and said, you need to get it past the hole because Yogi Berra said, 80 percent of the putts you leave short don't go in.

So it's kind of hard to make birdies if you don't go past the hole. Been working a lot on that and just been concentrating a lot on my irons because I haven't been hitting them very well, but last week and right now, I'm hitting them really well.

Q. Do you feel that this course suits your game?

CHRISTINA KIM: I guess it does. You know, I like to think that there is not a course out there that doesn't suit my game. I've shot lights outs at U.S. Girls Junior. Several years back I played a course that the fairways were probably about the width of this step. They were just dinky little fairways and tree lined, and I shot 8 under there. I went back a year later and was like, how the hell did I ever shoot 8 under? Yet wide open courses I've had good scores.

I'd like to think that every course is beautiful in its own way. So every course has the ability to be taken over, I guess you could say, but I don't want to say that. I just worked well with the course today.

Q. Are you having fun?

CHRISTINA KIM: Of course. I like to think that there's you should always have fun because it could be so much worse than what I've got. I'm loving life right now and, you know, there's always a warty when I'm around.

Q. Do you prefer a four round tournament or a three round tournament here?

CHRISTINA KIM: I love this course, it's a beautiful course. It gives us one more day to stay in Georgia; it's a beautiful state. The people out here are awesome, like I've said earlier. This is a truly special course, I think. So to be able to come out here and play every day is great.

End of FastScripts.

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