|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
SAFEWAY CLASSIC PRESENTED BY COCA-COLAAugust 15, 2012Na Yeon ChoiNORTH PLAINS, OREGON KELLY THESIER: We'd like to welcome Rolex Rankings No. 4 Na Yeon Choi into the interview room. Thank you for joining us. This golf course seems to be one that you've really enjoyed, looking at your results in the past couple years, finished runner‑up the last two seasons here. What is it about this golf course that really suits your game and how much are you excited to be back here in Portland again? NA YEON CHOI: First of all, I'm really excited to be in Portland. You know, I like the people. I like the course very well. You know, I like to do shopping in here and weather is perfect, no rain. I'm really happy to be back in Portland, and like you say, not to see, and I have great results from here. So I have a lot of confidence with this golf course. And I mean, I think I can read the greens very well. That's why I played well the last two years and I think even this year, I have really good confidence with this golf course. So hopefully get good results on Sunday. KELLY THESIER: Last year, you went into a playoff with Suzann Pettersen, and although you lost that playoff, you went on to capture a win in Malaysia after that. Your game seemed to even get better as the season went along last year. What did you learn from that experience of losing in the playoff to Suzann, and how much has your game progressed even since that tournament last year? NA YEON CHOI: Well, actually, I don't want to say I was losing from Suzann. I'm really satisfied with what I did on Sunday, even during the playoff. I just played aggressive. So I don't have any regret after that. If I have any situation like Sunday or next year or whatever, I think I feel the same way. I would like to play aggressively and even if I did my best, it doesn't matter about the results. Last year, I finished the runner‑up, but I'm really satisfied. So you know, I think I got some good vibes from that, because I didn't think I'm losing. So, you know, when I'm satisfied about my game, I always get some confidence from that. So that's why I could play well after finishing runner‑up from last year. KELLY THESIER: It's been a very special season, you captured your first major victory at the U.S. Open's open and I know you got to go home to Korea after that. What was it like to see your parents and to celebrate your win with everybody there at home? NA YEON CHOI: I was very surprised. So many people were waiting for me in the airport, and a lot of media and a lot of cameras was there. So, I mean, you know, still, I couldn't believe I won the major tournament. But I have to separate right now. You know, very hard to focus on my game after I won, after I win the major tournament. So I have to go back to what I did before the U.S. Open, so I have to focus on my game and try to keep working on what I have to do. So I don't know, I will try, you know, never forget that feeling during the Sunday in the U.S. Open. But I have to, you know, play before I try the U.S. Open, just go back to normal. KELLY THESIER: And it's been a whirl wind for you since that victory, too, from going home to Korea, to then going to the Evian Masters and then you went to the Olympics after that. It's been quite a few weeks.  How have you been able to kind of get yourself back focused on golf and let all of that attention and the focus and all of these crazy things? NA YEON CHOI: It wasn't difficult to focus on my game. Again, I realize that when my body is tired, my mental is tired, too. So very hard to focus on my game. So, you know, I went to Korea right after the U.S. Open, and then I had only five days, a day off in Korea, and was busy. I went to Japan to play golf and then I flew to Evian and flew to London and fly back to Orlando. You know, my body was getting tired, so I tried to get rested really well and even this week, you know, the weather is getting very warm and hot tomorrow during the tournament. So I try to take a good rest and just try to work out every day. My swing coach he's in here in Portland, so you know, we know what we have to do. So I'm just looking forward to just playing this week. KELLY THESIER: How nice is it to come to this event and work with your swing coach and tweak everything and get those reminders back, after the season gets long and probably not having him there all the time. NA YEON CHOI: I think when he comes to the tournament, I have always good results. I'm not saying 100 percent, but like almost. Even this week, we try to work on a little bit of basic things, and he just reminds me, because I have some pressure after I won the U.S. Open. And he reminds me, you have less pressure than other players. So just go out there, have fun in the practice rounds with your caddie or with your partners. I'm trying that, even today, I have great members during the Pro‑Am, so we are trying to have fun and talk a lot. They always asking me about the U.S. Open, so I try to remember what I have feeling from the U.S. Open. I have a great day, and even tomorrow or during the tournament, I hope to have fun. Q. Do you like the change on No.9? NA YEON CHOI: I heard right now there's three par 5s in a row? Q. 8, 9 and 10. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I think that's the key to play well. Pars on No. 8, 9, 10, that's really important for scoring I think. People can‑‑ I think there are some players that can reach it in two on 9, 10, maybe some players can reach it in two on 8, too. So I think I have to focus really hard on 8 through 10 and then, you know, try to get some birdies or low scores from there. Q. It's supposed to be really hot. Do you do anything different to deal with the heat? NA YEON CHOI: Well, actually, I drink a lot of water. Not during the day; before the day, like today or tomorrow, I try to drink a lot of water and then, you know, maybe I can use an umbrella during the walk. Q. You're obviously playing with the fleece? NA YEON CHOI: I don't know, this makes me feel more tight, my muscle. Like I always wear this sleeve for like ten years, so if I don't wear this, I feel like really weird. KELLY THESIER: One other thing I wanted to ask you about, you have a new caddie on the bag this week, Jason Hamilton who, is Yani's former caddie. Caddie changes always require a bit of getting to know each other, but what are you excited about with having Jason on the bag? NA YEON CHOI: I mean, me and Yani, we are good friends, so I know him very well. I mean, we didn't talk much, we didn't play each other, but I know him very well and we are very comfortable with each other. So you know, I work with him starting yesterday, but it didn't feel weird. It was a comfortable feeling, and I know‑‑ everybody knows that he's a good caddie and he has a good experience. So, you know, we start this week but I'm going to try to ask him what he thinks about the yardage or the greens, everything. So we try to‑‑ I think we need to trust each other, but I think we're doing great right now. KELLY THESIER: Did Yani have anything to do with‑‑ did you talk to Yani about having Jason on the bag at all? NA YEON CHOI: Actually, no. This morning I had talked with Yani this morning, but we didn't say anything about the caddie. I think we are good friends, but this is some kind of business. So I think that's why she didn't say anything, and even I didn't say anything, either. KELLY THESIER: She was saying earlier that she was excited for you and for him and when she made the switch, she was saying it was one of those that everyone understood they needed a break and Jason has a lot of wins under his belt, too. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I think so, when I change something around me, it always gives me a good, fresh feeling. I mean, I don't like to change caddies very often, but my old caddie, Shane, has some personal problems, and then he recognized and introduced me about Jason. They are good friends and they are both from Australia. I trust Shane, and then when Shane said he's a good guy, he's a good caddie, so I trust Shane and Jason right now. KELLY THESIER: Wonderful. Thanks again for joining us today and best of luck this week. Hope to see you in here a number of times. NA YEON CHOI: Thank you very much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|