An
interview with: MI HYUN KIM
RHONDA GLENN: Mi Hyun Kim is
our next guest, she shot a 2-under par 68. She tied for 4th last
year in her very first United States Women's Championship. Fine
round Mi Hyun. If you could tell us what kind of condition the
golf course was in today and how it played.
MI HYUN KIM: There wasn't much
difficult today, except the course -- it's a long
course. The course was quite long today. And I didn't think
there was much difficulty. My putting still was quite good today.
And also I practiced a lot on the fairways on the practice round,
and that helped today's game.
RHONDA GLENN: You had three
straight birdies on the back 9, 10, 11 and 12. Tell us how that
happened.
MI HYUN KIM: Today on the front
9 I had a couple of chances of making birdies, however putting
-- putts just slid by the hole. On the 10th, I told
myself I've got to get a birdie. So on the 10th with a middle
wedge, about 60 yards from the hole I hit it about three feet
to the hole, made a birdie. And 11th -- with a 11-wood
I hit it about three feet to the hole and made a birdie. And
12, with 6-iron I hit it six feet to the hole, made a birdie.
RHONDA GLENN: How long was the
11-wood shot.
MI HYUN KIM: 160 yards.
Q. How much do you think being
in the heat of the battle last year at the Women's Open will help
you this year?
MI HYUN KIM: Last year at the
U.S. Open I learned how to attack the course and also how to manage
the course. For this year, instead of trying to make birdie,
I try to avoid the difficult holes. And the easy holes, I attacked
the hole to get birdies. So this kind of course --
especially last year helped. And I will be improved on course
management as the round goes by, so I expect to do better.
Q. Mi Hyun, did you like being
in the first group of the day? And what time did you have to
get up?
MI HYUN KIM: Well, I didn't want
to be late for tee time, so about 2:30 I happened to wake up.
And then I couldn't go back to sleep and tried to go back to sleep,
but couldn't. So it was difficult morning.
RHONDA GLENN: I noticed you
have a zero down here for the number of putts on the 9th hole.
Did you chip in there?
MI HYUN KIM: No, it was one.
RHONDA GLENN: 1-putted.
25 putts for Mi Hyun. You putted very well today.
MI HYUN KIM: Thank you.
RHONDA GLENN: Tell us about
your putting.
MI HYUN KIM: It is the first
time to play with A.J. Eathorne, and A.J. had a really good short
game rhythm and putting stroke. So I don't usually watch how
other players putting stroke. But I watched and tried to learn
how putting -- how she putted today, so that helped
my putting too. And my putting was quite good since last week.
And also last week to prepare for the Open I changed my putter.
I use -- never compromise, but I used the same model.
But it's a lighter putter because of a fast green, so that helped
my game, too.
RHONDA GLENN: Even though our
sheet shows a zero for the 9th hole, she did not chip in. Rather
than the 25 putts on the sheet, she had 26 putts, just so we have
that clear.
Any other questions?
Q. You've been in the hunt quite
a bit this year especially, and you play well on tight, narrow
courses. Does that mean that your game is well suited for the
U.S. Open type of courses? And how do you like this course so
far?
MI HYUN KIM: I like --
I prefer narrow course because I'm not a long hitter. So when
I can drive, like since it's narrow -- since my driver
is accurate, I can drive, but -- I prefer a course
that others cannot drive, but I can drive on tee.
RHONDA GLENN: You mean --
MI HYUN KIM: My tee shot is very
accurate. I like the narrow course, rather than the long.
RHONDA GLENN: This is a little
of both, isn't it? Long and narrow.
Q. Are your clubs --
how much different are your clubs from standard length to adjust
for your height?
MI HYUN KIM: I use the same length
of driver, same length of iron. Since I'm short, it looks longer
to me. However, I use the same standard driver and iron.
RHONDA GLENN: Standard length.
Q. Could you give us some idea
about how significant it would be for you to win the American
Open, significant for you personally and for your country?
MI HYUN KIM: Not just me, I think
every player in this field and the Tour. The Tour players' object
is winning the U.S. Women's Open. And when I first came to the
USA I promised that -- I promised and I dreamed of
winning the U.S. Women's Open. But my mother, she said, she will
never let me get married until I win U.S. Women's Open, so I must
win it (laughter.)
RHONDA GLENN: Do you have a
boyfriend?
MI HYUN KIM: No, not yet.
RHONDA GLENN: Can you have a
boyfriend before you win the U.S. Women's Open?
Q. What's your mother's name?
MI HYUN KIM: Wang, last name,
W--a--n-g. First name,
S-u-n-h-a-n-g.
Q. From 13th to 18th hole, these
holes are very difficult. And how did you play today and how
did you overcome the difficulties. And on the 3rd and 4th round
how do you prepare for those holes?
MI HYUN KIM: For a Tour player,
a long course or short course, it doesn't matter, it doesn't effect
the ability much. You've got to try to make birdie every chance
you're given. But on 15th, when I made a bogey, I had enough
chance to make par, however I tried to make birdie, then I made
a mistake. So in this kind of long course I don't worry much
about length, I don't really care about the difficulties of the
course, I try every -- every hole and I give my all
effort to attack the course.
RHONDA GLENN: How did you make
bogey on the 15th, how did that happen?
MI HYUN KIM: I had a really good
tee shot. However, there was downwind and also side wind, so when
I hit it -- I didn't want to hit it over the green,
so I went to the downwind. And at the time when downwind was
blowing I hit it, but the club was a little bit open and pushed
to right.
RHONDA GLENN: Missed the green,
then? Chipped on. How long was your par-putt.
MI HYUN KIM: Maybe 12 feet.
RHONDA GLENN: Missed a 12-foot
putt for par.
Thank you very much. Wonderful golf round.
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