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RICOH WOMEN'S BRITISH OPENSeptember 11, 2012Lydia KoWIRRAL, ENGLAND COLIN CALLANDER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I don't actually think we probably need to introduce Lydia here but in case somebody has been asleep for the last three weeks, she has won the U.S. Women's Amateur followed by the CN Canadian Open to become the youngest winner on the LPGA and also the first amateur to win on the LPGA Tour since JoAnne Carner. You must be delighted with the way you're playing. LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, U.S. Amateur, that was a big win and to follow that up with the Canadian Open was amazing, yeah. COLIN CALLANDER: What is your best memory of the last few weeks? LYDIA KO: I guess just the two wins. Yeah, I haven't legal had I had a win until a few months ago, so it was good to have that kind of a finish. It's also good to just win at such a great competition. COLIN CALLANDER: You had your first chance to see the Hoylake course today. What did you think of it? LYDIA KO:  Oh, I actually played yesterday. It was really windy. On the first hole I went in the right rough and second shot in the right rough and then third shot in the right rough again, so it's tough (laughing). And I consider myself quite, you know, consistent, quite straight off the tee, and it was quite tough. Yeah, I reckon it's one of the hardest golf courses I've ever played. COLIN CALLANDER: You played The Astor Trophy last year in this country; is that the only time you've played links golf in Britain before? LYDIA KO: Yeah, that was actually the first time I came to the U.K. So that was a first. We have a few links golf courses back at home but not as tough. COLIN CALLANDER: And was The Astor Trophy the only course that you played when you were here? LYDIA KO: I played Royal Portrush for the British Amateur. Q. When I spoke to Guy Wilson, your coach, before the Canadian Open and I asked him about your goals and he kind of had to pull you back a little bit because he said that you said you wanted to win, not just make the cut. What about this week, are is your goal to win? What are your goals? LYDIA KO: Actually, my goal wasn't to win (laughing) the Canadian Open. You just want to make the cut really, and that's good, just making the cut. And it's really tough to get going against the pros. Here, just once again, you know, it's the top players out here, so I'll just be playing my best and hopefully I'll be able to make the cut again and go from there. Q. Does it help having Guy over here helping you threw everything? LYDIA KO: Yeah, definitely. I haven't been home for a while so it's good to have my coach there, and he's going to caddie this week, as well, so that's also quite relieving for me. Sometimes you get new caddies and you have to get used to it but I know Guy well, so hopefully we'll be able to make a good combination. Q. How do you think you're going to cope? LYDIA KO: For a few tournaments, I've been the youngest competitor and I've coped. I don't really think about my age or what I've done really. I'm just one of the 156 players that are here. Q. You're a long way from home; what's it like traveling the world playing golf, and where and how do you fit in school? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I don't go to school much. Most of the time I'm at golf, and like the start of the year from the first eight weeks, I'm out of school. But my schoolunderstands, so that's a good thing, and I have to mainly do all the work after, when I come back. So there's lots of catch‑up work to do. Q. Do you plan to go full‑time in the game once you turn 18? LYDIA KO: I want to go to college, as well, so we'll have to see. But I graduate in 2014, so still got a couple of years to juggle things around. Q. Michelle has played a few games, a few tournaments in the men's game; would you like to follow Michelle and play in some PGA tournaments? LYDIA KO: I haven't thought of that yet really. Q. Tiger Woods was asked about you at an event two weeks ago and this was his quote: "I had heard of her before a couple of years ago and it was hard to believe that a 13‑year‑old could be that good, but she was, and now she's fully matured at 15. It's great to see her playing like that." And he was asked if you remind him of him, and he said, "I wasn't that good at 15."   What is your reaction to having Tiger say that, those things about you? LYDIA KO: It's an honour, yeah. I think he did many more very good things at that age, more than me. As you can see, he's a superstar now. Yeah, it's awesome to have people like him saying those kind of kind words. Yeah, it kind of makes me more inspired. Yeah, it's awesome, because they are all of the people I really look up to. Q. It was a couple of months ago that you played at Fairhaven just up the road; how much would you say your game has played in the intervening 12 or 13 months? LYDIA KO: I guess changes have been made because when you get to a certain level, there's not a huge thing to change. But I don't know‑‑ yeah, I was playing really good then, and I'm confident with my game now, as well. So I guess a little change has been made and like winning two weeks ago, those kind of changes gave me more confidence. I reckon 12 months ago, I wasn't putting as good as I am now. Yeah, I think putting is one of the biggest things. Q. What is the most nervous you have ever been? And it doesn't necessarily have to be related to golf? LYDIA KO: I think the U.S. Open. First hole I was lining up my putt and my hands were shaking so bad. I couldn't put the line straight. So that was the first; I knew I was nervous in all the other tournaments, as well, but then, I don't know why, I just couldn't put the ball straight. Yeah, it was really nerve‑wracking, even though like when I was like talking to myself, like, oh, why am I this nervous. But I guess it's the U.S. Open, that's why. Yeah, that was probably one of the most nerve‑wracking moments of my life. Q. Do you think that experience at the U.S. Open will help you this week in your second major? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I think so. That was my first major, and this is my second one. So I guess it will be a little more comfortable but yes, still nervous. Q. What do you remember about when you first started playing golf with Guy? Do you remember liking it from the start or what do you remember about that first one or two years? LYDIA KO: I've got a really bad memory. I can't remember what I did a couple weeks ago. So remembering like nine or ten years ago is a long time. Like I'm predicting and guessing that I probably liked the sport; as a young kid, if you don't like it, you'll probably have a fit and just go, oh, I don't want to do this anymore. I've done it for the last ten years, so I guess I've liked it from the start and I like it now. Q. Why do you think you and Guy work together so well? LYDIA KO: My mom, like when we went to New Zealand, my mom and dad said to get a place just near a golf course, so I guess it was a coincidence. I don't know why (laughing). I guess like especially as the years passed, we got to know each other really well. Like sometimes with some coaches, it's just students and teacher. But like we are kind of like friends, kind of relationship with that. So I think that got us to like each other more and be much more comfortable. I'm the kind of player that has fun at the same time; I can't do, you do this and kind of boarding school kind of style. So yeah, I'm kind of like more free, those kind of things, and I think Guy has got that kind of personality, as well. So that kind of made it I guess. Q. What's your favourite place you've visited in the world? LYDIA KO: I pretty much like everywhere, because I'm originally Korean, I quite like to eat Korean food. So I quite like the States like as a venue, because you can't find the Korean food anywhere. So I like it there and I like Australia, as well. COLIN CALLANDER:  You're one of ten amateurs in the field this week. Do you know any other competitors? LYDIA KO:  I know Holly Clyburn and Amy Boulden, because they were both at the Astor Trophy, and I played with Holly two years ago. Q. What did you do in South Korea while you were there? LYDIA KO: I just met family and relatives and just hung around. I mainly got to see what Korea was like. It's very different. It's very different to New Zealand and it's quite busy and there's lots of cars, lots of people. Yeah, so I didn't have much memory of Korea, so I just wanted to see what Korea was really like. Q. Did people recognise you? LYDIA KO: When I was on the plane from Canada to Korea, there were a couple of people that did recognise me and I did a couple of autographs on the plane. Not much like out on the street. COLIN CALLANDER:  Lydia, thank you very much and good luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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