An
interview with: SE RI PAK
RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen,
Se Ri Pak, who is a former U.S. Women's Open Champion, finished
the day at 1 under par And Se Ri, you told me that you were quite
tired today.
SE RI PAK: Yes, I am, actually
mentally, really tired Always USGA ‑‑ it's not easy
to make it So starting at 8:00 o'clock, first tee through 18,
my mind, actually, mentally couldn't rest at all I had to think
which way to land to make it much easier the second shot And
I didn't want to have any trouble at all I kept thinking and
talking and make myself easy to play today all day It was pretty
difficult all day It was a hard time.
RHONDA GLENN: Were you generally
pleased, though, with your round at 1 under par?
SE RI PAK: Yes I mean, the way
I'm hitting today, I really liked that And this golf course,
it's pretty hard to make lots of birdies, it's pretty hard to
make, especially with the greens getting firmer I really am
happy about today's round.
Q Se Ri, are we looking at a
Se Ri Pak who's back in the form she was like at Black Wolf Run?
Because I know you have worked extremely hard for the last couple
of years.
SE RI PAK: Yes, I really do
I mean, first year for me, well, I can't even remember everything,
because everything was pretty new to me But after that I improved
my golf game And I knew that And after I won the U.S. Open gave
myself a lot of confidence about myself, my golf game and even
Tour. So I knew that and I was just trying as hard as I can in
practice and get the top player.
So last three years I got a pretty good
experience for me to be right now in the standing with Annika
and Webb Those are all great players So I really ‑‑
well, I'm getting confidence every year, better than a few years
ago I'm in pretty good shape And I really like the way I am
right now.
RHONDA GLENN: How are you different
as a person than when you won the Women's Open?
SE RI PAK: Well, actually, the
first year, 1998, I really have a big change It's like mentally,
and so many people and everything is so different, my living
And after that, well, actually, first was pretty big improved
for my golf game I mean, that year for me as a rookie, as like
an amateur, pretty much And I don't know much about here and
golf game and LPGA Tour But after that happened, just everything
so quickly, had to learn fast, and my game is learning fast, and
just everything is I have a lot of confidence, everything And
so I'm touring now, I just don't know, every year, no matter what
I get, a lot of confidence of everything And right now just much
happier I really enjoyed my golf game and my life Over the last
three years I really had pushed myself too much about play good,
you have to play good I want to play good And I worked harder
and harder and harder I knew that last year was work as hard
as I can But it doesn't come everything ‑‑ to everything
come together And I let it go And now everything trying to enjoy
about living and about my golf game and about the Tour So right
now everything is perfect I'm doing really well this year.
Q Following up on that, you're
talking about improvements in your golf game Physically how is
your golf game different?
What changes have you made since you
won at the Women's Open to now, putt, driving the ball, any of
those elements of the game?
SE RI PAK: I think just all together
I mean, no matter what I was on the golf course and standing in
the tee box And the way I pick some aim to play good The place
perfect to land it Before I'm not sure I pick something, I know
always the same thing, same routine and everything But I'm just
not sure when I set up and everything, before I hit Even after
I hit I still can't trust it But now after that and to now every
year is I can trust myself and trust in the golf course And right
now no matter what in the golf course, no matter what, I pick
the golf club, putter, everything, it's pretty much confidence
So everything has got to be all together and make myself and everything
pretty easier to play golf.
RHONDA GLENN: Any swing changes,
any changes in your short game?
SE RI PAK: I am actually ‑‑
well, everybody knows already I got my new coach since last year,
September And the same swing, same style, not much different
to change But now I kind of a little bit more short swing, but
it's more powerful A little bit more shorter And the club to
ball, the impact is pretty speed And everything is going to be
pretty consistently to land it all my distance, even driver and
my irons, short games, everything So everything got to be pretty
much easier going on.
Q We've seen a number of things
that indicate that the international players, if you will, won
13 out of 15 tournaments this year They've won all but one of
the recent Women's Opens Canadians and Korean are at the top
of the leaderboard right now What do you think is behind this?
Clearly seems to be a trend.
SE RI PAK: Well, actually, I
just cannot exactly give the answer for this But I think now
much younger players in Tour every year And every year ‑‑
younger players get learning really faster, quickly, even through
the same thing as I do So all the international players are going
to be getting I think under 25, I think So everybody is pretty
young. Everybody learning So somehow they can ‑‑
traveling ‑‑ it's not used to it But I think everybody
enjoyed it And they really want to play well, as everybody here
And I think they knew that kind of a little different game as
the way they play in the country. That's why I think it makes
us a little bit more strong To be sure we have to be mentally,
to make sure we have to be strong enough to play in the Tour.
So this way I think all international or ‑‑ I think
international, everybody is playing better right now, I think.
Q The way the course is playing,
the length and so forth, and with your first round as 1 under,
how do you think this course is going to play for the rest of
the field and what do you think under par it's going to take to
win the U.S. Open?
SE RI PAK: I think I heard that
Annika won 1995, 1996 that time, 8-‑under? I think that's
kind of pretty close, I think This golf course is really set
out really, really difficult, every hole We can't relax for one
second Every green is going to be getting firmer and the green
is really fast And around the green is a lot of trouble And
we miss a fairway, that make a lot of hard time to be up‑and‑down
So going to be just ‑‑ I don't think it's going to
be easy to play well and the one that gets the trophy this week
So probably the last few years ago, when Annika scored, I think
going to be the best And then I think everybody ‑‑
they try already I think ‑‑ the best thing is I think
how to play the golf course much easier, to get more smarter,
to get a trophy, I think.
RHONDA GLENN: You said you were
so tired today, and after having to concentrate on every shot
on this golf course, do you feel that this week you are mentally
tough enough to win on this golf course?
SE RI PAK: Yes, I am Yes I
really work hard for always this week I really ‑‑
especially this week is a really, really strong field and everybody
is actually mentally strong They want to get ready for this week
So I knew that already a few weeks ago I trying to make sure the
way ‑‑ no matter whether I miss or not, trying to
be patient And I knew that it's not going to be easier, so just
make sure mentally everything, physically, golf, my game, everything
has to be strong So I'm pretty much get ready.
RHONDA GLENN: Se Ri Pak, thank
you very much Fine round of golf today.
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