First round comments from Choi, Kim and Stupples

NA YEON CHOI: Yeah, I like it. I feel really comfortable with this course. I like this course. I feel I can play well, and tomorrow just keep simple things.

DANA GROSS RHODE: What do you do to stay relaxed on the course and stay calm and comfortable on the course?

NA YEON CHOI: Because I think I know course, I think every green and every bunker. I think I can play every hole in my head.

IN KYUNG KIM

DANA GROSS RHODE: IK, welcome into the scoring tent or media tent. Had a great round. You’re co leader right now with Becky Brewerton. You’ve already had one win this year and you’ve been playing really strong. Can you just talk about your round today?

IN KYUNG KIM: Today’s round I think I played very solid. I had some bad tee shot off 9, but I was able to make some birdie on par 5s, so 1 under on the front nine.
Back nine, No. 11, I just, you know, holed out with a 9 iron, so it was great. But played very solid and I made some putts and I left some putts there, so very happy with the round.

DANA GROSS RHODE: Questions.
Q. Just wanted to ask you about the course, and also about Becky Brewerton’s performance.

IN KYUNG KIM: Well, the golf course, yeah, the course is a little soft overall, but the roughs, I think they grow rough more tougher and longer this year maybe because of the rain. But thicker, definitely.
They have some tight landing area with the driver. It’s very hilly, so it depends where you’re like landing at. So I think hitting fairways gonna be really important this week.
Greens are a little soft, but there are a lot of big undulations on the green so it’s still tough to putt.

And Becky, she’s not on LPGA Tour?

DANA GROSS RHODE: No.
IN KYUNG KIM: Congratulations on last week.

DANA GROSS RHODE: Can you talk about the part of your game that’s strong right now, kind of this season what’s been going well for you. It is your game? Does this course fit your eye very well?

IN KYUNG KIM: This golf course, I think it should fit my game because of the narrow fairways and small greens. If I make some putts, I think I’m very fortunate on this golf course.
This year, I mean, I’ve been I think I improved a lot since last year. Winning the first win I gain more confidence. I just keep working on my swing and putting and all the game and mentality, and I think it helps.

Q. (No microphone.)

IN KYUNG KIM: Definitely. I mean, some golf course we go there several years, so I know the golf course and the way I play it, and how I play it I think I played better. I think I kind of learned how to play the shots and figure out which shot to play.
So I think experience, and, you know…
DANA GROSS RHODE: You said you left some putts out there. What were some of the holes that were pars that maybe could have been birdies? You had no bogeys.
IN KYUNG KIM: Yeah, well, I mean, No. 2, the par 3, that green, I don’t know, it break very fast from the right side where I had a putt.
So there are some putts that I think it’s more greens than hills sometimes. I just couldn’t find some speed on the greens. So it wasn’t easy to putt aggressive. Even though the greens are slow, you can’t really play too aggressive, so…
DANA GROSS RHODE: Any other holes?
IN KYUNG KIM: I think No. 11 played tough today because it was downwind. The pin is on the right and there is a bunker behind it. But I was fortunate to have just, you know, holed out. But I think that 11 played tougher.
Other than that, 12 and 13 are tough, but it was downwind today so we had more shorter clubs in. So, I mean, it was better than having into the wind.
KAREN STUPPLES
How pleased are you with your opening round of four-under?
KAREN STUPPLES: I’m very pleased with four-under. I’ve a new set of irons. I feel very confident and it’s all about confidence. I’ve made some good putts. I could have had a few more coming in but for the first round, I’m very happy.
What are your new irons?
KAREN STUPPLES: I’ve got some new Mizuno irons. I’ve been playing with Mizunos for a number of years and I’d kind of worn them out so I was looking for a new set. I’ve been trying to find the right set to fit me and I’m really happy with this set. They are MP62s.
You had success here in Evian a few years ago. How do you feel about this golf course?
KAREN STUPPLES: I love it. The whole week is lovely. We stay at the Ermitage Hotel, which is lovely, and the views of the lake. To be honest it’s nice to be in Europe again. I feel very comfortable. This week, Bobby and I, we’ve left Logan with his mum and dad so we’re actually getting some sleep as well. It’s like a nice golfing vacation for us.
You are staying in Europe for the British Open and Wales. What made you stay on?
KAREN STUPPLES: I grew up on a links golf course and to have a chance to play there will be fantastic. Why not? It’s just around the corner from England and it means I can spend some more time with my family too. My mum and dad will come out. I can stay here and play a bit of golf as well. I’d like to play more European events and this is a good way of playing while I’m here.
What are your hopes for this week?
KAREN STUPPLES: Obviously every time I turn up to play a tournament I want to win. What I have done today has put me in a position to build and hopefully on Sunday afternoon I’ll have a chance to win it and that’s all you can ask for any given week. I feel it’s been a tough year for me, I’ve had appendix surgery and I’ve had all kind of other things going on so to come back to form will be nice, that’s really what I’m looking for.
When was your surgery?
KAREN STUPPLES: March. I had appendicitis, so I wasn’t happy about that. Just before the Kraft Nabisco. It kept me out for four weeks. Everybody said it should be six weeks and I didn’t believe them but it was. I didn’t play for four but I shouldn’t have played for six. You know how golfers are, we’re stubborn and want to come back quick.
Are you feeling that everything is coming together now?
KAREN STUPPLES: I really do. I feel like my putting is good, my short game is good: everything is coming on song at the right time. I played well at the US Women’s Open but didn’t really capitalise on that like I should have done. It’s nice to come here and play well again. I hit some good iron shots which gave me the opportunity to make birdies.
What did you think of Rich Harvest Farms?
KAREN STUPPLES: It’s going to be an awesome match play course. It really is risk reward. I think the better ball matches will be unbelievably interesting because of that. Foursomes will be interesting too because you can get into an awful lot of trouble around that place. I think it’s a first class operation, even down to the little things like the breakfast I had. They really looked after us and treated us fantastically which is amazing really because we are the opposition.