An Interview With:
IN-KYUNG KIM
Q. A fabulous round of 7 under par but could it have been even lower? How do you feel?
IN KYUNG KIM: I feel very happy with my round. Actually I’m very pleased, but I have some chances on 9 and a couple more birdies, I would have gotten lower a little bit. I think I hit it a little bit too close or something; that wasn’t easy, the little putts, it was hard to read them. But I’m very happy that I finished strong in the end.
Q. Your first time here in Dubai; did you like the course when you first saw it and think that you could do it well here?
IN KYUNG KIM: I only had one practise round, nine holes. I got the back nine done.
Yeah, the course conditions is just perfect, and actually, today was kind of more harder on the fairways and greens. But yeah, I like the golf course.
Q. How valuable is your caddie, Terry, because he’s won here twice and he’s won 75 times around the world. Presumably his experience is invaluable, isn’t it?
IN KYUNG KIM: Yes, he’s I don’t know, he’s just a good caddie. Great caddie, actually. I’m glad that we are working out well on the golf course, and off the course, as well. So I’m very pleased and he did a good job today.
Q. What was the absolute key to your round today?
IN KYUNG KIM: Actually yesterday was a bit windier in the afternoon but I was more comfortable on the golf course. I had the right numbers and had some good shots into the greens, and some of them that I was able to make, and missed some. But yeah, I’m very pleased.
Q. What was your best birdie and how long were your birdie putts?
IN KYUNG KIM: The shot of the day, actually I think No. 8 is an easy hole, kind of the green is above, so you can’t really see how it landed. I had 4 iron and I think it was a good birdie.
Q. How close?
IN KYUNG KIM: I have to say 12 more than 12. 15 feet.
Q. This is your first time in Dubai; have you done any visiting?
IN KYUNG KIM: Actually I haven’t done any touring, because I’ll be staying two more days after the tournament. So I look forward to that.
Q. How do you like the course?
IN KYUNG KIM: The course, they have some good holes, dogleg left and right, and you have to kind of pick the right target to hit the fairway.
But yeah, it is a good golf course that, you know, I have been watching on TV the Dubai Desert Classic, the men’s tournament. So it’s cool to come here and play, actually.
Q. Your caddie won here twice already. Does he use the same yardage book?
IN KYUNG KIM: I think he has a little different yardage because Annika hits it further than I do. But he won here twice and he won the par 3 event twice.
I think I have the right caddie here.
MICHELLE WIE
Q. A 69 yesterday, 3 under par, by the time you teed off today, 9 under was posted. What was the goal going out? What was the game plan?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, just hit some fairways, make some putts. Just keep making birdies. I made two stupid bogeys today, and try not to do that the next couple of days. But you know, keep making birdies and try to keep going low.
Q. You made a terrific birdie at 12 and then made a 3 putt 6 at the 13th. How important was the birdie at 14 for momentum?
MICHELLE WIE: Oh, it was very important. Just that 3 putt on 13 was quite strange. I felt like pretty good with my putting still have to keep working on it and keep making putts. Hopefully they will be going in the right way.
Q. How do you feel overall compared to yesterday?
MICHELLE WIE: I feel like I’m having a lot of fun yesterday. It’s pretty cool playing in Dubai.
But I feel like I’m playing pretty consistent. Like I said I want to make a lot more birdies and keep playing better every day.
Q. Anymore schoolwork to come, or will you now focus on winning this tournament?
MICHELLE WIE: I have an exam tomorrow, so we’ll see.
Q. Why is that so important for you? People will say, Michelle Wie is going to make a fortune playing golf; why is she so interested in getting these qualifications?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, I do believe that education is one of the most important things. I believe in that, ever since I started playing golf, before I started playing golf. And I just don’t think that even if you become a professional athlete that you have to give up your education.
Hopefully I can send that message out there; that you can do both, you can go to school and you can come out here.
Q. What’s your paper on for tomorrow?
MICHELLE WIE: I have an exam. It’s on communications, just about the new like the digital media in society I guess.
Q. Will you be studying tonight again?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, probably.
Q. How will you send in the paper? Will it be tomorrow that you have to send it by Internet?
MICHELLE WIE: No, it’s an actual exam. So they will send it to me, and I have to take it down and answer questions and stuff.
Q. So today, you started really well with three birdies in a row. Where did it come from?
MICHELLE WIE: You know, I kind of went out there, I saw the scoring was really low and I was like, I have to start out like this, you know. So I just kind of went out there and it kind of worked out.
Q. How did you make the bogey on 6?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, actually I was in the right sand and I hit a good shot, but had to chip. I chipped it to about four feet and I missed the putt.
Q. Just a couple behind at the moment. How do you feel about your chances of winning and having a good weekend?
MICHELLE WIE: I’m just going to keep having fun out there and keep trying my hardest and trying to make a lot more birdies and to not make any bogeys.
Q. Yesterday’s leader had a double bogey in the water on 18, were you aware of that?
MICHELLE WIE: No, I didn’t. You can’t see the scoreboard until you get on the green.
Q. Did you look at the scores of other players?
MICHELLE WIE: Well, you know, sometimes I look. Sometimes I don’t. Doesn’t really matter I guess. I’m just trying to go out there and make as many birdies as I can.
Q. You said you missed a few putts. Did you think those were easier putts to miss?
MICHELLE WIE: Yeah, I missed a couple of short ones out there. Definitely going to work on that today, and hopefully that won’t happen tomorrow.
Q. Will you get enough sleep for tomorrow?
MICHELLE WIE: For sure, I’m definitely going to sleep well.
Q. Do you know how many putts you had today?
MICHELLE WIE: I do know I didn’t hit many fairways. That I know. But I can probably give you a linear regression on that.
AMY YANG
Q. Amy, how was your round today?
AMY YANG: I feel better from jet lag, getting better every day, but I started with holding a few putts but the back nine the putter wasn’t working though.
Q. Playing with a South Korean player, do you know Kim very well?
AMY YANG: Yeah, I know her very well. Through this season I have seen her every week when we play in tournaments, yeah.
Q. What is she like?
AMY YANG: She’s a really nice girl. When I see her, every time, she’s always smiling and I think her mind, she’s a positive girl. I really like her, yeah.
Q. How is the course playing today compared to yesterday?
AMY YANG: I guess yesterday was more harder conditions. It was more windier but I think it’s pretty much the same. The greens are all fast and hard. It’s hard to control.
Q. The Koreans are dominating in golf; what is the secret?
AMY YANG: What is the secret? I don’t know why but I guess just they are all practising.
Q. But you work very hard, don’t you?
AMY YANG: (Laughing). Working hard.
Q. Are you training, coaching?
AMY YANG: I don’t know how just stay long and practice. If they stay long and practise and they play well.
Q. How do you feel about your year on the LPGA? You came very close to winning; right?
AMY YANG: You know, my year has been okay for me. It’s okay for me. First, starting up the year, I wasn’t really, you know, playing well. But it’s getting better, better every week. I feel good. I like it.
Q. Are you feeling like you’re playing well at the moment?
AMY YANG: Not yet. I guess I need more experience and more practise.
Q. Do you think you are on top of your game at the moment? Is there anything else you need to work on?
AMY YANG: I need to work hard more.
Q. Which areas? Which part of your game are you hoping to improve?
AMY YANG: Short game and putting, yeah, like the short stuff.
TANIA ELOSEGUI
Q. So, Tania, tell me about your hole in one and how did it happen?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Well, I just hit it. It was 135 metres to the pin and it was a little bit downwind from the left. I hit it it was not a good impact and it went straight to the pin and it pitched a metre and a half short of the hole and it went in. It was brilliant.
Q. And you saw that happen; right?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Yes, because I didn’t see the first one in Ireland. So this one, I’ve seen it.
Q. So this is your second hole in one?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Yes.
Q. And what does it mean for you through the tournament, because now you’re 6 under par and in contention, or quite near the top of the leader board. How do you assess the day today?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Well, it was a great round today, and I am still feeling very, very tired because I am coming from the States.
So let’s see if I can rest this afternoon and sleep well tonight and just rest for tomorrow.
Q. Would you like to finish well here to finish the season?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Of course, I would like to have a good weekend and try to be at the top.
Q. Next year, will you go play in the States all year?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: No, I don’t think so. I think I’m going to do half and half. I haven’t seen the European schedule, so I’m going to check on that when I come back and try to do half and half, 50/50.
Q. Why is that?
TANIA ELOSEGUI: Well, because I like Europe. I like being in Europe. I like the Tour, and I like the people. But I guess if you want to try to be in the majors, you need to play in the States, also, and that’s why I went to the Q School. But I like this tour and I would like to keep playing on this tour.
MARIA HJORTH
Q. Sorry to see your ball in the water on 18. Can you talk us through what happened there?
MARIA HJORTH: I hit a really good drive, and second shot was a perfect 4 iron. Hit it maybe a little bit heavy. But I think wind was maybe a little bit stronger as well, and you kind of expect it but obviously went in the water, but I took a drop. But a perfect yardage and hit a shot, for some reason, the wind is just so much stronger obviously than I thought and it came up short and spun back again.
So that’s how it is. Of course, it’s disappointing to finish off like that, because I played pretty solid again all day today. Just didn’t make as many putts as I did yesterday. So we’ll see. There’s still two rounds to go.
Q. Do you feel that you can recover and get back out there?
MARIA HJORTH: Yeah, definitely. I’m playing well enough. It’s just one of them little mishaps that happened and you know, it’s just unfortunate that it does. You know, just have to go on and move forward.
Q. What was the strongest part of the game today? You seemed to be pretty consistent, except for the last hole. You would have been once again on top of the leaderboard?
MARIA HJORTH: Yeah, my tee shots were really good, and I think my irons have been pretty solid, as well. Today I didn’t putt as good as I did yesterday.
So the putting is still a little bit so so today. But I think overall, place the ball in some good places on the fairways.
Q. Anything you plan to change for tomorrow?
MARIA HJORTH: No. I’m playing well and I just have to go out there and just be aggressive and make a lot of birdies.
Q. Is it going to be on your mind tomorrow, the 18th?
MARIA HJORTH: No, you have to leave it and that’s how it is. I can’t change it. You have to just go on tomorrow.
