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SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC PRESENTED BY ACERMay 28, 2014Inbee ParkGALLOWAY, NEW JERSEY THE MODERATOR: It is my pleasure to welcome in the Rolex Rankings No. 1 player in the world Inbee Park. Inbee, 59th week consecutively in a row at the top of the rankings. Hopefully sound doesn't get old, does it? INBEE PARK: No. It never gets old, obviously because that's where you want to be obviously. And yeah, that's a place that you never get sick of. So yeah, it feels great to be up there, and everybody is trying to push me to play better. Sometimes you don't play good, but there is weeks that you can play good. So just trying to build confidence. THE MODERATOR: This season's been a lot different than the past couple of years where there's been a few players dominating. We've had so many different winners this year. You're still looking for your first win. What do you think the outlook is with the state of the tour with so many different winners? What do you think it is? INBEE PARK: Yeah. I think we're going to have a lot of winners this year. I don't think one player is going to dominate the tour this year. Looks like everybody is really improving, trying to push everybody. And everybody is playing so good. So it's good that everybody is helping each other's game; and yeah, I didn't have a good week last week, but you always get a time that you're not playing so well. And I was very confident after a two‑week break, and I was hitting the ball great, I was putting great. And yeah, I was very confident coming into last week, and once the tournament started, I just don't know what happened. I lost everything. I was hitting the ball bad. I was putting so bad last week, and yeah, just feeling not very confident this week, but trying to build the confidence before the Open. And I think these two weeks going to be very good preparation for the U.S. Open. And that's what I'm trying to really focus on. THE MODERATOR: Does it feel weird not playing on the weekend? Your last missed cut was almost a year ago, last May. Does it feel weird? INBEE PARK: Yeah. I mean I didn't try to do much of a change on my putting stroke or swing or anything. Even if I wasn't winning this year, and obviously last week give me some kind of a shock. So I can definitely give it some change this week, like maybe a little putting stroke change. I wasn't putting great this year, but I didn't really change anything or try to change anything because I was still finishing Top 5, still finishing Top 3. I really think I needed that time where I really needed a break and just tried different things and tried to find that trophy, you know. Yeah, you know, it's good that I get this time going before the Open. It's not during the U.S. Open. So yeah, I think I didn't play well this last year at this time. It's almost the same, like Bahamas before this week, I missed cut last year. And then after a couple of weeks of, you know, not very good weeks, then I started winning three in a row. So hopefully same thing is going to happen. Just wishing for luck. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Inbee. Q. First, what do you think about this course here at the Seaview, and how much do you know about it and how it relates also to Pinehurst? INBEE PARK: Yeah. I've played quite‑‑ you know, I think four years here on this golf course. And this golf course, I really like this golf course, the layout. And there's some dogleg holes and not every hole is a driver hole. And like last week's golf course and the next week's golf course is very favors long hitters' golf course. And I'm not a long hitter. So last week and next week is going to be a challenge for me. But this week definitely it suits my game out of the three weeks, and yeah, this golf course makes you think. And you know, off the tee sometimes you have to lay up, sometimes you have to be more aggressive. And small greens, you have to play accurate. So the putting I'm trying to putt, roll some good putts, but these greens I putted last three days, and it's not easy to read these greens. They're very sensitive. Some putts I hit it right edge, it breaks, and some putts it doesn't break. You really have to hit it really pure to make the putts. So I'm just trying to get my confidence going for the putting. Q. How much do you like coming here to New Jersey and to the people around here as well? INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean I always like playing in the East Coast of the country, and yeah, I think it's good fun and people are very fun. And I played with really good guys today, with four amateurs today. It was very fun. And yeah, we always like coming here and playing. Q. Inbee, you had such a wonderful year last year winning the first three majors and all. How does that match up with your expectations for this year? Obviously to duplicate the three would be amazing, but what were your expectations coming into this year and how tough is it to go without a win even though you have played well? INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean except for last week, I really think I played great this year.  Every part of my game improved except for my putting this year. I mean obviously last week everything was bad, but except for last week everything improved. I felt like my game everything improved except for the putting. I think that's really a good sign. The putting, some years you don't putt as good as last year. I probably won't get a year that I'm going to putt like last year. It's going to be very tough to beat. But yeah, definitely my goal was to win tournaments this year, and obviously the one I missed last year is the British Open. So winning that tournament would be the biggest goal this year and playing some good golf on the major tournaments. THE MODERATOR: Now, a new homeowner, just bought a house in Las Vegas. You got to go home for two weeks after the stop in Dallas. What's been the best purchase you've made for the house? You guys have any furniture? What's it look like inside? INBEE PARK: I think it's ready for people to live in now. Yeah, the deliveries came quite quick; and it's furnished, and yeah, I can go there and relax now. THE MODERATOR: How nice is it to have actually a base in the U. S. instead of kind of traveling around, having to go back to Korea, not knowing? How much does that help you to have a home base in the U. S. now? INBEE PARK: Yeah. I think you don't have to fly as much. And yeah, having a place I think it gives you a more relaxing feeling and second home in the U. S. This is where I spend most of the time. So it's always nice to have a house. Q. Inbee, can you‑‑ what effect do you think having the U.S. Open back to back will have on women's golf? And do you have any concerns about maybe the state of the course on the second week depending on how the men play and the weather, that kind of thing? INBEE PARK: Yeah, I mean it's good. I think we're going to get a lot more exposure this year playing back‑to‑back U. S. Open with men. I think course wise, we might get some bad lies, but I'm sure the USGA is going to take care of that and trying to make the best conditions for us to play. So I really trust them on that, and they are really good at course setting. So yeah, I think it's going to be good fun, and we can watch men play and maybe learn from them a little bit, and then try to apply to our game on the next week. So I think it's going to be very good. Q. Inbee, you mentioned how great it is to hear you're No. 1 every week for 50‑something straight weeks. Is it something you think about on a week‑to‑week basis? And also, could you talk about the challengers coming from behind you like Stacy and Lydia? INBEE PARK: I think, you know, anyone, the tournament from anybody, Top 5 can probably take over. So I think whoever has the win first is going to take over No. 1, and I kind of have a feeling that we might get in a couple of No. 1 players this year. But as long as I can stay up there by the end of the season I think I'll be happy. Q. Inbee, everybody is talking about the U.S. Open, and I'm sure you saw that Lucy made it as an 11‑year‑old, and she'll be out there on the course with you guys. First, what was your initial impression when you see an 11‑year‑old is going to be playing the U.S. Open against all you guys? And also, maybe what advice would you have for her to keep her grounded since she's doing this at such a young age? INBEE PARK: Yeah. It's amazing. I don't even know what I was doing when I was 11. I think being able to get experience to play in the U.S. Open is going to be such a nice experience for a young girl, and obviously, you know, she's going to have fun no matter what, whether she plays good or bad. I think if I was her, I would just try to learn from other players and whoever player she is playing with, and trying to have fun. I mean she wouldn't be thinking much. She will just be trying to have fun and just, yeah, go out there and show what she can show us. THE MODERATOR: Any other questions? All right. Well, thank you for coming in. Have a great week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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