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U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJune 25, 2013Na Yeon ChoiSOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK CHRISTINA LANCE: We're here at the 68th playing of the U.S. Women's Open. I am honored to be joined by our defending Women's Open champion, Na Yeon Choi. We were just talking that you were here for Media Day last month and it was cold and wet and windy, about as opposite as it is now. How much did you learn from the course then that you can apply to the course now? NA YEON CHOI: Well, I came here five weeks ago and the weather wasn't good, so I think I played very long. Especially the first hole was the most difficult hole out there, but I hit driver and then I hit 3‑wood for the second shot at the moment. But yesterday I hit 4‑hybrid. So almost every hole, two or three clubs different. So like yesterday and today I played the course, the course played a little shorter than that moment, but the course is dry and the greens are dry and firmer too. So I think the course is very difficult. Q. How are you feeling coming into the championship? NA YEON CHOI: I feel great. Actually, last week I finished well on Sunday. I shot 5‑under, so I got some good confidence from there, and my coaches are here this week, and we're working on a little bit technically and mentally and everything. I just felt the last couple of weeks I got a lot of pressure on myself, especially my posture wasn't great when I was walking and everything. So I just tried to be more of a champion all week. I just do my best for defending my title, but also I want to do it walking with more confidence and having fun out there, just do my best for my job. Q. Very important question. I remember at Wegmans you told us that you were going to have Inbee over to your house for a week and you were going to cook for her. How did that go and what did you make? What was the food like? What were the meals like when you had Inbee over to your house? NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, two weeks ago Inbee stayed at my house in Orlando. First day and second day, I cooked some Korean meat and soup, kimchi soup, and some Korean barbecue. Then actually she helped me a lot, so I just knew she has some talent for cooking too. We had a great time, and also we played a lot of different sports. We played tennis and bowling and we had fun. Q. Who was better? Who won? NA YEON CHOI: I think at tennis, that was my second time to play tennis, but I think I'm better than her (laughing). Q. I wonder if you could maybe tell us a little bit about why ‑‑ you know Inbee very well, why has she been on this run? What do you think it is and maybe we see her being‑‑ she never shows any emotion. Does she have emotions we don't see? NA YEON CHOI: Well, two weeks ago I tried to find out how she practices or how she‑‑ what kind of emotions she has. I think everybody knows that she has a great short game, a good putter, and she's very consistent player. But I think also she travels with her fiancee, and I think she's really comfortable with her life right now. I think she's very happy. She never thinks negatively. Everything is thinking positively. Actually, she didn't practice much. In Orlando the weather was very hot, but I think for sure even resting is very important to practice. So she's always having fun with her fiancee and around people, and I think she's very happy. I think that kind of makes her confident and makes better results and good results. Q. Maybe talk about just the success, especially it's quite a streak here that you guys have going. Do you have a little bit of a fun rivalry with the other ones in terms of ‑‑ I know you guys are all good friends, but just a rivalry because you all played so well in the majors? NA YEON CHOI: Well, you talk about like me and Inbee or all the Korean players. Well, I mean, golf is a very individual game, sport, so it's harder to tell. I'm just going out there and fight with some Korean player or my friends. I think I have to fight myself. I mean, when they play well, like my friends or a lot of Korean players play well, I've got some motivation there. So just keep working hard. If she can do it, then I can do it. I've got some good vibes there, so just keep working hard. I think that's a good rivalry with each other. I don't really want to say like that word because we are good friends with each other. But I think it's to motivate each other, I think. Q. Is there a way that you can kind of tell that you feel differently coming in this year as opposed to a year ago? What does the victory last year do for you mindset‑wise? NA YEON CHOI: What is the mindset difference last year and this year? Q. Uh‑huh. NA YEON CHOI: I think I got good experience from last year at the U.S. Open. After I won that, I got more confidence, especially with a difficult course. So when I came here like five weeks ago, the course was very difficult, but I still had good confidence because I tried to think how I controlled my emotions last year, and how I did well last year. So I just tried to keep thinking positively. The USGA tournament, we always need to be patient in the 72 holes until the last hole. So I think I have to keep focused on what I have to do, but still I need to be patient. Sometimes bogey, I think, is a good score. So I think just trying to make less mistakes out there. Q. Is there a memory that you have from last year's tournament that you carry over to this year, something that helped you be particularly successful or something that kind of boosts your confidence? NA YEON CHOI: Well, it's both. Actually, I got a lot of confidence from last year, but also I've got pressure too. A lot of people expect me to play well with the U.S. Open. And even myself, I've got a lot of expectation, too. So sometimes I've got a lot of pressure, but I think a lot of good players play with pressure, and that motivates too. I think I like that feeling. It makes me tense and excited and that kind of thing. Q. You mentioned about Inbee about how she just seems so peaceful and so relaxed and so happy. Could you kind of say the same about you? Is that kind of where you are in terms of your life? NA YEON CHOI: I'm very happy to play golf, especially on the LPGA TOUR in America. All my family live in Korea. But I think I know what I have to do, and I love to do my job. Even my manager, my trainer, my caddie, it's all from my decision. So I know what I have to do for my job. Sometimes I'm very jealous to Inbee, because she has a very happy life. But I think I have a happy life too. So I don't know, maybe first of all I have to look for some fiancee, then maybe I can have good results too (laughing). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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