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U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPAugust 19, 1999Sung Yoon KimPEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA LES UNGER: What were the two results today, the scores. SUNG YOON KIM: 1-up in the first match, and 2-1 in the second match. LES UNGER: Was it ever -- were you ever trailing. SUNG YOON KIM: The first match we never trailed. The second match we were down 3 after six holes. LES UNGER: Down 3 after six holes? SUNG YOON KIM: Yes. LES UNGER: Can you talk about the rally to get back ahead. SUNG YOON KIM: We talked about it, and he was telling one of the reporters outside that we just thought that if we halve one hole, we can sort of turn around the momentum a little bit, and that's what we were trying to do a little bit. One hole, and we finally got that; he started putting it into gear, and he got some good shots. Q. What hole was the turnaround? SUNG YOON KIM: That was the 9th hole. Q. At the age of 16, how do you have such strong nerves that you're down 3, but you were able to come back and win? SUNG YOON KIM: I just started over. Just got one hole. Q. Did you birdie 9? SUNG YOON KIM: I did birdie 9. LES UNGER: Is this the first time in the United States. SUNG YOON KIM: No. What, playing golf? LES UNGER: Yes. SUNG YOON KIM: No. I've been here the last couple of years, back and forth. LES UNGER: Are your plans to go to college here, or what's coming in the near future. SUNG YOON KIM: I would like to go to one of the universities here, go to school here. But I guess because of my English, talked to some of the coaches, because I've got to pass certain tests; that's probably out. LES UNGER: Are you working on your English. SUNG YOON KIM: Not quite. I'm trying to learn. Q. Arizona State has quite a bit of affinity for players from Korea. Would that be a consideration? SUNG YOON KIM: If they would take me without English, sure. Q. Have you been playing in the United States all summer, or did you come over and try to qualify specifically for the U.S. Amateur? SUNG YOON KIM: A few schedules were set up. The Junior World and the U.S. Junior. I qualified for the U.S. Junior in York, Pennsylvania, and after that, I qualified for this tournament. Q. Where did you qualify for this event? SUNG YOON KIM: Tuston Ranch in Tuston, California. Q. Are you a high school student now, or do you spend more time on the golf course? SUNG YOON KIM: I am a high school student, but I play more golf than school, actually. Q. Is there a subject you enjoy in school or focus on? SUNG YOON KIM: Just sports, PE, whatever. Q. I notice that you've won this year the Korean Amateur; is that stroke-play or match play? SUNG YOON KIM: Stroke-play. LES UNGER: Is golf in the United States what you expect it to be? Is Pebble Beach what you expected it to be, or are there surprises. SUNG YOON KIM: I didn't expect the golf course to be this tough. LES UNGER: And yet you're apparently doing what's necessary. SUNG YOON KIM: Just lucky. Q. Are you at all surprised by being in the Final 8? SUNG YOON KIM: My goal was to get into the Final 8. And from here, if I do anything better, I would be surprised and excited. This was really my goal, to get into the Final 8, because I didn't qualify for the Final 8 for the U.S. Amateur, I lost in the round of 16. This was my goal. LES UNGER: How long have you been here now playing. SUNG YOON KIM: I've been going back and forth. LES UNGER: Is this the longest period, perhaps, that you've been here. SUNG YOON KIM: About a month now. LES UNGER: Is it possible that you are adjusting and acclimating to courses here and playing better as a result of that. SUNG YOON KIM: With the golf courses completely being different from Korea, I'm more used to this type of course. But the rough was something I was surprised with here. And now, it's been about a week, I'm starting to get more comfortable in the rough, also. LES UNGER: Is there not very much rough on courses in Korea. SUNG YOON KIM: Not that much. Q. How many practice rounds did you play before the start of competition this week? SUNG YOON KIM: Pebble Beach and Spyglass, one each. Q. Is your father a teaching professional in Korea or touring pro? SUNG YOON KIM: He used to play the Korean PGA TOUR a while back. He's sort of retired now, but he did play the TOUR in Korea. Q. Are there any notable victories or accomplishments he had during his career? SUNG YOON KIM: No. Q. The youngest player to ever win the U.S. Amateur was Tiger Woods. Does that make you excited to think you could even be younger than he was if you won now? SUNG YOON KIM: Yeah. Q. How big a story would this be in Korea, or is it already? Can you relate how important it would be? SUNG YOON KIM: What I'm doing over here, it's in the newspapers and the media in Korea. But I think it was Se Ri Pak that sort of set the table there. I don't know how big it's going to be, but there are reports coming back and forth on how I'm doing. Q. Is any of your family here? SUNG YOON KIM: None of my family is here. Q. Did you fly over to the United States yourself? SUNG YOON KIM: I flew by myself. Q. Do you know Se Ri Pak or Grace Park, and whether their success in this country had any influence on you deciding to play in this country? SUNG YOON KIM: I do know Se Ri Pak from a long time ago, Juniors and everything. I don't know Grace Park, because she lived most of her life over here. What they do over here doesn't influence me whatsoever. LES UNGER: How did you two become partners here? FRANK BAIK: I played many Tours over here. And I got to know his father, and his instructor is really close to me. And since I live over here, and I'm the only person they know, they sort of sent me over here; asked me if I could caddy for him over here. LES UNGER: Have we declared your name so everyone knows who you are? FRANK BAIK: Frank Baik, B-a-i-k. LES UNGER: How long have you been -- were you born here? FRANK BAIK: Actually, my family came here when I was about 6. LES UNGER: You talk such regular English, that it sounds like you have been. Q. Is your father your main coach or are other instructors involved? SUNG YOON KIM: No, I have a different coach. One of my father's friends. He's a touring professional that's won a lot of tournaments in Korea, and he really takes care of my swing. We're on the phone back and forth. He wishes he could be here, but he has a tournament going on. Q. Is your father involved in the coaching activities? SUNG YOON KIM: No. Q. You say in your biography that you like comic books and movies. Do you have a favorite comic book or a favorite movie? SUNG YOON KIM: It's pretty much all Korean comic books, like a series of these. So many variety of these. Q. And movies, are there any American movies or all Korean movies? SUNG YOON KIM: I liked the movie Air Force One and Face Off. I like action movies. LES UNGER: If you were to win, what would take place next week, anything special? SUNG YOON KIM: Just probably just be a little more famous in Korea. LES UNGER: In other words, you are heading back to Korea when this event ends, no matter what? SUNG YOON KIM: I have a tournament scheduled on the 24th. It's a World Junior Championship in Korea. They invited top Juniors from other countries. If I get to the finals, I'm going to have to miss that tournament. I need to go back right away. Q. When is the plane ticket right now for going back to this tournament? SUNG YOON KIM: The 22nd, actually. Q. Which is Monday? SUNG YOON KIM: No. Sunday. It can all change, though. LES UNGER: Is America what you expected it to be. SUNG YOON KIM: I just love it over here, and I wish I could live here. LES UNGER: Is Pebble Beach what you thought it would be, or -- SUNG YOON KIM: It's beautiful. I really like it here. Q. Do you have any brothers or sisters? SUNG YOON KIM: Two brothers, older brothers. Q. Are they golfers? SUNG YOON KIM: The oldest one, he's trying to be a TOUR professional over in Korea, the other brother does not. Q. As an U.S. Amateur Champion, there's some exemptions here. We're talking about some serious stuff. Is that of great interest? SUNG YOON KIM: It's probably the most important, actually. End of FastScripts.... |
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