|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
KRAFT NABISCO CHAMPIONSHIPApril 2, 2013Na Yeon ChoiRANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA KRAIG KANN: Once again here in the media center at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. I'm joined by the No. 3 ranked player in women's golfer, the Rolex women's world rankings, Na Yeon Choi is here. Thank you so much for being here. NA YEON CHOI: Thank you. KRAIG KANN: Talk to me about your preparation for this event. You've been on the west coast for a while and you did not go back to Orlando, right? You've been out here practicing? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I came here last Thursday, and then I played the course on Friday and Sunday actually. I feel like I'm ready to play tournament. My coach is here and we had a good working on it. I really have confidence, and I'm ready for the first major. KRAIG KANN: You have one major already, right? NA YEON CHOI: Yes. KRAIG KANN: You don't have this major yet. This requires jumping into a pond, so I want to ask you this question right away because anybody that knows much about you knows you had a fear in your life of swimming and water. If you see all the pictures we've got around us, you have to jump into the pond. Are you okay with that? NA YEON CHOI: I don't know. Actually, I talked to my caddie and caddie said like, Don't worry about that. After you win, then I will holding you and walk to the water and jumping into the water. You don't have to worrying about the swimming. Last year my caddie had like arm swing whole round on Sunday just in case. I hope good results come. KRAIG KANN: We could maybe throw a raft out there. You had quite a year last year. You not only won that major championship, but you also won the CME Group Titleholders at the end of the year. Those are the two biggest checks awarded on the tour last year. That was very smart, winning the two big ones. What did that do for you? I know you've won seven times and had great success. What did last year do for you? NA YEON CHOI: Well, I won the first major tournament, and it feels like the monkey is off my back, you know. Also, I got a lot of pressure because a lot of people expect me to play well again, especially major tournament. A lot people call me like major champion. Sometimes I got like a lot of pressure, but also I got good confidence from there, and honor. I mean, I try hard on major tournament, but I can't control about the result. I know what I can control, so the only thing I focus on is that. I am really looking forward this week, yeah. KRAIG KANN: We'll take some questions in just a minute. When you see No. 3 in the world, and you talked about this last year at the Titleholders about wanting to be No. 1. When you won the major and went home, tell the story again about what it was like in your home town and what it's like to be such a recognizable person now. NA YEON CHOI: I think the main thing is Se Ri won long time ago, and then we just came back to there. And then another ‑‑ Se Ri won the tournament, I think when she won U.S. Open I think a lot of Korean people got good momentum from there and good vibes from there. So I think I tried to help them remind that feeling. So I think that's a really big thing to me. KRAIG KANN: Do you feel a lot of pressure in your home country? NA YEON CHOI: A little bit, because they want me to play well, like all expectation. But I can't control about that. That means they support me a lot, so I try to accept that. KRAIG KANN: Questions. Q. You played pretty well here. You finished a couple times in the top 10. What do you like about the golf course in particular? NA YEON CHOI: I think this course is very challenging golf course, and also I got good memories here. When I was little kid I play with two legend golfers on Sunday. I play with Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb on Sunday, and I still remember that feeling. When I check my pairing on Saturday, I couldn't believe how I play with them. But first hole on Sunday, the starter announce their name so long because they won a lot tournaments and both Hall of Fame member. But when they announce my name like 2008, from South Korea, Na Yeon Choi, a lot people still (indiscernible) a lot and I got really good vibes from there. I'm so excited. And then after the round Annika caddie gave me good compliments. Yeah, I was so happy. I still remember that feeling. KRAIG KANN: The tour right now with the No. 1 player being an American, have you spoken to Yani since she is no longer No. 1 about what she's felt like since then and how much do you think about being No. 1 in the world? NA YEON CHOI: Well, actually I haven't talked to Yani about golf much. I actually talk about like the other things. But I thinking she going to play well again because she don't have much pressure right now. I think she has a lot of good ability to play well. I think she going to come back very soon. KRAIG KANN: And Stacy? How do you feel about her right now? She is very tough to beat. NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, she is very good player. I play with her like four, five times already in this year. She hit very far and she's good putter and I learn many things from her. When I play with her and when she had a birdie chance or some chance, she always make it. I think I learned many things from that. Q. I just want to follow up, what did Karrie Webb say to you? NA YEON CHOI: Karrie? Q. Karrie Webb, yeah. NA YEON CHOI: I said Annika caddie. He gave me come compliment. I was only 20 and he said, You're a good player. Keep doing what you're doing. Yeah. KRAIG KANN: Talk about where this game is right now for you, the depth of the tour. That question was asked earlier in here about how tough it is to win out here. Clearly you're one of the best players if all of women's golf, but it's getting more and more difficult to win. How do you approach that? NA YEON CHOI: It's getting difficult because a lot of players playing so well, especially a lot of Korean players playing well these days, and especially Stacy playing well. But it's kind of like motivate each other. You know, if I see Stacy win some tournament I feel like I can do it, too, so it's kind of like motivate each other and trying to work hard. KRAIG KANN: You were moving into a new house, right, in Orlando? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I move to Kings Point. KRAIG KANN: How is that working out? Have you bought a lot of furniture? Good decorator? NA YEON CHOI: Actually I hired the home designer and she did many things already. I moved to Orlando end of the December, but the already to live in there. So, yeah, January third I move to new house, and then I practice and then I spent a lot of time with the family and play golf with my family, too. That was the first time I play with my family. I had really good time last wintertime. KRAIG KANN: What's the most expensive thing or the favorite thing you put in your house so far? I know you hired a designer, but you had to pick some things out. NA YEON CHOI: Probably my bed in my room. I can remote control for massage from my bed. KRAIG KANN: A remote control for the bed. I like, that. That's good. Questions. I want to ask you about something. We're going to make a big donation here. I think it's very safe to say that you love to give back to the game. Last year on the media day in Toledo you and I spent some time at the Boys & Girls Club in Toledo. That made a big impression on you. Last year when you won the U.S. Women's Open, you wanted to find a way to give back. Tell us a little bit about what you're about to do here today. NA YEON CHOI: Actually, I started to donate in 2005 when I just turned pro in Korea. I was 17 years old, and I promised my dad when I earn money I would like to give back to them. Because when I was young, my family didn't have much money for playing golf at the moment, so many good people helped me for playing golf. I just give to USGA junior golf, better environment for playing golf. That's why I donated twice. After the U.S. Open Sheboygan gave me a lot of good memories from there. A lot people were supporting me a lot. Also I went to Boys & Girls Club in Toledo, and I tried teach kids for playing golf and they love it. I got good vibes from there. I just think right away, decide right a way I want to try to help them. That's why I choose Boys & Girls Club. KRAIG KANN: Megan from the LPGA has got something for you. I'll let her give it to you, and you can tell us what it is. It's pretty large. You can only keep it in your car so long. We'll let you talk about that. This is $30,000, right? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, $30,000. KRAIG KANN: To the Boys & Girls Club of Sheboygan. Some folks want to come up here. This is Bob from the Boys & Girls Club. (Check was exchanged.) KRAIG KANN: Thank you all for coming. Before I let you go though, the important of where you are and this victory that could come your way soon in a major like this, I know you got one already, but what this event would mean for you at the beginning of the year, the battle for No. 1. NA YEON CHOI: I think this is one the favorite tournament for me. I know this tournament has a really long history. If you look back, only two Korean player win like over 40 years, so I would like to join with them. I mean, if I win this tournament just the beginning of the season, so should get good confidence from this week. But I know I can't control about that. I just talked to my mental coach like 10 minutes ago. These days I hit very well, but it's hard to focus on the course I think because sometimes I think too much being No. 1. So I try to, you know, aspire, reach my goal, or what is my daily goal and try to stay with that. KRAIG KANN: So far your goals are working out. Best of luck this week. Thank you so much for the donation, the time, and good luck. NA YEON CHOI: Thank you. 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
|