An interview with:
KIM SAIKI
KIM SAIKI: I only hit ten greens today, but I had 10 one-putts,
and the greens that I did miss, I was very fortunate because I was just on that
first fringe, so I missed it in the right places today.
Q. The putt you made on --
I think it was 5, you had a nice long putt?
KIM SAIKI: Let's see, number 5? Yes, it was. I think that
was probably the turning point in my round, just -- i was very focused
and I was very confident, and I just stayed patient. I just plowed my way across
the golf course.
Q. When you saw you name on
the leader board, how did you feel?
KIM SAIKI: I know if you shoot anywhere around even par in
the U.S. Open, it's a good score, so I just went about my
business and tried to hit fairways and greens, and fortunately I was able to
get the ball up and down when I missed the greens.
Q. (Inaudible)
? KIM SAIKI: I've been playing well last week. I had a good
finish at the ShopRite -- I finished 15th -- and on my last round I finished
4-under, so I feel great for this week.
Q. It seems like you're just
going about business even when you were 2-under par, you were really just going
about business?
KIM SAIKI: There is a lot of golf left so I didn't want to
get too excited too early.
Q. It seems like you had a
lot of confidence coming into this week.
KIM SAIKI: Yeah, it has given me a lot of confidence. I've
worked really hard on my game the last few months, and my ball striking is improving,
and I'm much more focused than I was. I feel great and I feel comfortable on
the golf course. I think it's one of the better U.S. Open
courses I've ever played. I'm looking forward to a good week.
Q. What changes did you make
ball striking and confidence-wise?
KIM SAIKI: I've been working with a new instructor now, Greg
LaBelle [ph] out of Butch Harmon Golf School, and very simple
things. It's not any different than what I've worked on for a while, but we've
clicked as instructor and student, so I feel very good about what's going on
in my game.
Q. Confidence-wise it looks
like the stress level is not there anymore.
KIM SAIKI: Exactly. I think when you start striking the ball
well and making putts, you become much more confident.
Q. When you say it's one of
the better U.S. Open courses, you've played what makes it so?
KIM SAIKI: I like the layout and I like everything about it.
It's very challenging but very fair. It sets up really good for me.
Q. Does it please you to know
you have the course record? No one has shot under par here yet; can you imagine
that?
KIM SAIKI: Wow, no, I can't believe that.
Q. Can you see how the course
can change if the wind kicks up, that it can be one course on one day and a
completely different course on another day?
KIM SAIKI: The practice round I played 9 holes in the pouring
rain, and the course played a lot longer. I could see the wind picking up, and
the course kind of drying out and becoming faster.
That's when the course will be much more difficult. There
is quite a few holes that are pretty long because they are into the wind. But
I think it will be difficult as the week goes on because the greens will firm
up. Right now they are responding very well, and they are not extremely fast,
but they are a pretty good pace right now in comparison to the beginning of
the week.
Q. Strike while you can?
KIM SAIKI: Exactly. Got to take advantage of the conditions.
Thank you.
