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PURE SILK-BAHAMAS LPGA CLASSICJanuary 22, 2014Lydia KoPARADISE ISLAND, THE BAHAMAS THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. We would like to welcome Rolex Rankings No.4, Lydia Ko. Have you gotten used to having that low of a number by your name, being that high in the World Rankings yet? LYDIA KO: No, not at all. I don't think it's something you kind of get used to. THE MODERATOR: First off, welcome to the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic, your first event as an LPGA member, starting off your rookie year. You've played so often out here on the LPGA Tour over the past two seasons. Do you feel like a rookie this season, or does it feel any different as you come into this week? LYDIA KO: Not really, but then I have this kind of feeling inside going, oh, I'm finally an LPGA rookie. Yeah, I guess things came really fast, and yeah, I'm just really enjoying the moment. THE MODERATOR: The last time we saw you was at the CME Group Titleholders at the end of last season, your first event as a professional. You've spent the last couple months getting used to being a professional and doing all the things that it takes, getting sponsors, getting all that put together. Let's talk first off about kind of sponsors. I know you went with Callaway. What was kind of the decision making behind that and how excited are you to be using Callaway clubs? LYDIA KO: I went and visited Callaway just before Evian, and yeah, it was a good experience. I went just before CME, and yeah, they had the new clubs out, the 2014 stuff, like the Big Bertha. Yeah, I hit them, and they felt really good. They didn't feel that different compared to my old stuff. Yeah, I kind of fell in love right there, and I said to my mom, "We're going with Callaway." THE MODERATOR: I know a new coach, as well, working with David Leadbetter. How excited are you to be working with him, and kind of what was that decision making? I know it's never easy making those decisions and making changes like that. LYDIA KO: Yeah, I've been working with Sean and David. I was working with them last week. Yeah, a lot of people are like, suddenly big changes. After turning pro you're doing this, this and this different, but I love a challenge, and I personally don't like my coach being there at a tournament. Because Guy would have been based in New Zealand, it's hard for him to come over on a week off, and he said we could work it out and he could come to tournaments, but because I wasn't a player that liked that kind of situations, I thought it would be better to get a coach near where I would be based. THE MODERATOR: And Orlando is now going to be home, kind of your home base, or have you not quite decided yet where you're going to have home base in the U.S.? LYDIA KO: I think highly likely Orlando, but we haven't got a house yet. THE MODERATOR: Still looking at all of that? It's not easy to make those transitions coming from halfway across the world and making sure you get adjusted for a season, but it seems like it's off to a good start. LYDIA KO: Yeah, everything is different pretty much. THE MODERATOR: One other thing: New caddie. What goes into choosing a caddie for you? What were the important things, and talk about who your new caddie is. LYDIA KO: Yeah, I have Scott on my bag, Scott Lubin, and he caddied a couple times or a couple years for Jack Nicklaus, that name everybody knows. He caddied out on the PGA TOUR and Web.com, as well, and yeah, I think he was about to move and caddie again on the PGA TOUR, but my manager Jay said, how about this, and we kind of‑‑ this kind of happened right now. Yeah, it's not what I really look‑‑ I kind of look at what I need and what my game is, and I see what my weaknesses are, especially like windy conditions like it is today, I might need help with club selection and how much extra yardage I need from the wind, and I kind of needed a caddie where he could actually support me and I would be able to hit the ball confidently. THE MODERATOR: I know also you're paired with Stacy this week. Stacy was there the first time that you captured a victory at the CN Canadian Women's Open, and now she's one spot ahead of you at No.3 in the world. How do you learn from players like her, and what's it like now to see yourself grouped up with that top three of the players on the LPGA Tour? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I can't believe it. Like even last week I was practicing and I was watching Suzann hit some balls, and I'm like, wow, I'm actually hitting next to Suzann. I played with Stacy for the first time at the U.S. Open, I think not last year but the year before, and I was really nervous. I think‑‑ it's the same feeling, but to kind of have known her a little better than I did two years ago, it kind of makes it more better and more relaxed. Q. I understand there's a little story behind your going with Sean and David. Is there a connection that led you there? LYDIA KO: Yeah, well actually my dad, like he went around researching, and he saw a couple of Hee Young's stories, stories that she said, and she said that Sean‑‑ because she's being coached by Sean, and Sean was very specific, and he kind of could pick out the small little differences. Yeah, that's what I think my dad loved about it. So my dad said, oh, this might be good. Obviously everybody knows David Leadbetter, as well. I asked Hee Young how Sean was, and she said obviously he was good, so I got his email, and we kind of talked from there. Q. Making the change, obviously there was a strong reaction to it in New Zealand. I was wondering if you were surprised by that, and once a player gets to your notoriety, there's going to be a lot of scrutiny on every little decision. Have you learned something about what it's going to be like? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I was so surprised. I didn't even know it would make a story, but it was like big news in New Zealand, especially within where I was. Everyone was, oh, blah blah blah, and I was really surprised. But yeah, I guess a lot of people gave me advice saying this is what happens when you're up there. It's not always going to be good. There is going to be negatives, as well. Yeah, I kind of tried to go past it then. I talked to a couple other players, and they supported me. I had to do what was the best for me and my situation, and a lot of other people gave me support in that, as well. THE MODERATOR: We were just talking with Stacy about the adjustments of all of a sudden being in the spotlight and having that glare more on you when you're up near the top players in the world, so I think that's one of those things that happens for everyone, adjusting and learning how. This year on the LPGA Tour it's going to be a little different in that we have the race to the CME Globe, a season‑long points competition. You're already excited because it's your rookie year and you get to compete for things you hadn't been competing for before, but what is it like to have the possibility of a million‑dollar prize check out there for the winner of the season long points race? LYDIA KO: Yeah, I guess it's like a two‑for‑one package. Rookie season, I'm having fun, a whole new system came out. Yeah, it was really cool. I saw it in the news, and yeah, it's really good for the Tour and for every player. They're more determined to win, I guess. Yeah, it's about consistency, as well, but I'm just going to try and enjoy it, and like strategically nothing has really changed. THE MODERATOR: You're not thinking about that million dollars? We already joked at CME how it would be different for you to have a paycheck at the end, so I'm sure a million dollars would be a lot of money at the end of the season. LYDIA KO: Definitely more than I've ever earned. Yeah, it would be great, but so many players who are in contention. It's going to be hard to get there, but yeah, like I said, I'm just going to try my best and see. THE MODERATOR: When you head into your rookie year, do you set goals for yourself in terms of everyone talks about the Rookie of the Year award or wanting to win golf tournaments? You've won two LPGA tournaments already, so you come in a little bit more experienced than some rookies do, but do you put specific numbers in your mind of what you want to accomplish, or are those not things that you do when you're approaching the year? LYDIA KO: I take it week by week, and stuff like Rookie of the Year, they're kind of presented at the end of the year, so that will be something I will think about later in the year. I guess it's a work in process to get there. But yeah, it's just week by week, playing my best. Some courses may fit me better than others. I haven't played over three quarters of the courses on the Tour, and there's 32 tournaments this year, so it's going to be a whole different feeling. Yeah, I played less than 20 tournaments last year, which is going to be totally different to this year. THE MODERATOR: Speaking of golf courses, does this one seem to suit your eye? You played a little bit out there so far. What do you think of the golf course and how it fits your game? LYDIA KO:  It's really nice. I won Swinging Skirts where they had a little bit of grainy greens, so I guess grainy greens out here, and yeah, I haven't played in the paspalum grass before, so that's a bit new. I don't know if I have and I don't know, but yeah, that's a bit new, especially with chipping, and sometimes it gets really sticky. Yeah, it's really nice, especially because some of the courses have long rough, but it's moderate here, which is good. Q. When a player turns professional, there's always a question about how they'll respond versus how they played as an amateur. Did you have questions about that, and did you answer them at Swinging Skirts? LYDIA KO: You know, a lot of people said, aren't you turning pro too early? I think that was the biggest question. Yeah, I guess winning Swinging Skirts kind of said, yeah, I was ready. But no, I didn't have that coming. Yeah, I think just by winning that, that kind of cleared off the what‑ifs a little bit. And then the changing coaches was another set of what‑ifs. Hopefully I'd better play well this part of the year and kind of get them away. Q. Have you ever been to the Bahamas or the Caribbean before? LYDIA KO: No, I haven't been in this area before, but it's so nice. The water color is totally different. Yeah, I was getting physio one day back at home, and my physio said, oh, you should go down to the islands just next to Orlando and Miami, and I said, I am. He didn't know what it was called. I was like, I am actually going to Nassau. Really nice. Hopefully the weather stays nice, none of what happened last year, and yeah, it should be good. Q. Have you done anything fun while you've been here? Have you been on the water slides or anything like that? LYDIA KO: No, most of the time I go to nice places I seem to visit the golf course only, which is pretty sad, but maybe we can switch it around, go to the slides. Q. As far as finding a home in Orlando, when are you looking to buy a place and move? LYDIA KO: I have no idea. My mom is kind of in charge of that. She would probably be able to answer that question much better than me. Q. As far as changing to Callaway, I saw a story but I still don't know what you're actually playing. Could you kind of go over what's in your bag for us? LYDIA KO: X Hot 2 was the same driver I used in CME Swinging Skirts. The Big Bertha Pro woods, 3‑wood and 5‑wood, and the X Hot 2 hybrids, pro and the normal one mixed, and XF Pro irons, Mack Daddy 2 wedges, and the 330 mallet putter, Odyssey. THE MODERATOR: You sounded like a very good equipment rep right there. Pretty impressive to be able to recite those. Q. What ball? LYDIA KO: Titleist Pro v1's. THE MODERATOR: Thank you so much for joining us today. Hopefully you continue to enjoy your rookie season, and best of luck this week, and hopefully it gets off to a great start. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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