An interview with:

SE RI PAK

Q. Ladies and gentlemen, Se Ri Pak won the 1998 United  States Women's  Open championship in her first season as a professional, one of two majors. Last year she won five tournaments in 21 appearances. She is playing with our defending champion, Karrie Webb, and Meredith Duncan on Thursday. The course is long, the wind may blow. How are you going to handle the Prairie Dunes Golf Course?

SE RI PAK: I think always the U.S.  Open golf course will be that way. It feels great. You have to be smart. The golf course looks wide fairway, but when the winds get blowing, it's going to be narrow. Wherever I go out there, I want to be comfortable as I can and pick the right stop to make it.

I just don't want to fight with the wind, so just go out there, make as comfortable as you can, and just play. I think that's the best thing to do, especially at this golf course; winds, and golf course gets long, greens get small. I don't think it's easy at all, so I think I go out there, just try to have some fun.

Q. Thank you. Questions for Se Ri?

How does this course setup compare to DuPont where the LPGA championship was played? I know there was a lot of talk about the size of the rough there. How do the two compare?

SE RI PAK: I think pretty close, pretty close. But green speed-wise, much better. Greens are pretty soft. You can (inaudible) in the green, small greens. But it's not like McDonald's DuPont Golf Course, at times small greens, but really no chance to stop the greens. But this time lot of undulation. Small greens, but you can stop the greens. But greens-wise, is I think better, but rough condition is like probably harder, so  --

Q. Se  Ri, can you talk about the budding rivalry that's come up between yourself, Annika, and Karrie over the last few years and what it's meant to golf.

SE RI PAK: I think it's the same question every week. I kind of have little bit of unshadow under Annika and "Webbie" because I think they are a couple years early than I am, and then they play really great golf for a couple years nonstop. They are pretty young   -- I'm the youngest one -- but pretty young. At the time they were putting in such strong play and record every week, every tournament, especially Annika did great for a couple years. "Webbie" is doing great still, so pretty much I have undershadow with them, but starting last year I think is getting better.

Part of it not really much happy, I was under the shadow with them, but it's getting better. I'm still new to many people, I think, so I'm pretty much used to it; and then now as it gets better, my play gets better, and now people know about me a lot, and little bit attention about me, so now we talk about Annika, me, and Karrie, so pretty much big three in the LPGA, pretty happy right now. Now it's get better.

Q. Se  Ri, is there a reason why it's the three of you in particular at the top, as opposed to an American player being with you, why Swedes, Europeans, Koreans are dominating the play now? Talk about why international players are playing better than U.S.

? SE RI PAK: I don't have any good answer for that. But I think now  -- i think every year right now is lot of international player from different countries, especially from my country. Right now there's 13 players before me, and Pearl Sinn, only two or three people on Tour, but after two years later, like 13 player on Tour, so looks like many younger player coming out, look for LPGA thing.

A lot of pretty much like Australian player, Sweden, like Annika, countries play really well, but I don't see

much -- any American young players coming up, so looks like a much more younger player in different country. That's why looks like every year you can see new names, but it's pretty young.

I think they  -- i got no idea, but I think they learn a lot when they come to the U.S. because on the LPGA Tour, they have such great and strong players. At the same time, you improve game a lot. You watch them, especially Annika, Webb, and top player, they learn quick.

Part of country  -- my country is little bit behind it. So when they come to new country, they learn a lot, they see new things, they learn new stuff and improve a lot of their game because they find out what to do that they didn't know before. Little difference, but perfect condition.

You can play whatever you want, practice as long as you can. That makes a big difference. That's what I think is the difference.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about the popularity of the sport growing in your country and how many golfers you see coming over? Do you see that growing more and more over the years to come?

SE RI PAK: I don't know how many is going to be come up to here, but I think like three years ago, four years ago, I see at times a lot of amateurs playing golf. Well, now big sport.

Like every parents, my country, people are trying to tell their kid to play golf. And then now I think a lot  -- can't even count -- I think how much -- and I can tell because of right now all the TV, we have a golf channel, too.

Before we never thought about it. Now, the Golf Channel, they make a lot of new golf course, and they make a lot of junior school to play golf, make a perfect condition for them, so that's a big difference to four years ago and right now.

So I don't know how many players are going to be here, but I hear they are going to keep coming up here.

Q. Your own golf channel in Korea, is that called the Golf Channel in Korea, or does it have a different name?

SE RI PAK: I think, like, name is like 44 Channel, Golf Channel -- Golf Channel 44, I think like that. They talk all day long about the golf.

And then at the same time, I think there is a golf channel and show on TV.

Q. They get both American and Korean versions?

SE RI PAK: I think so.

Q. Se  Ri, were you able to watch on television most of Korea's World Cup games?

SE RI PAK: I did, yes.

Q. Were you surprised at how well they did?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yes. I mean -- I mean, for my country, it's such a big thing about the World Cup; and then, our country, people like soccer and baseball, so it's going to be big. But at the same time, the World Cup in my country is the biggest thing. Especially for me, my country, team is doing very well, I really don't care my game too much. I was watching TV, like screaming, trying to reward the soccer team when they are close, but I was really surprised how big improve for a couple years ago and right now, so we always talk about the teams, how well every country, they talk about the soccer. That was pretty exciting for myself, too.

Q. If it's only been the last three or four years when golf has taken off in Korea, can you describe your development? Did Samsung have a lot to do with sponsoring you as a youngster and getting you to the point where you are now?

SE RI PAK: I think part of it is my sponsor before, but not anymore, but was the first in my country that one of them sponsor as sports player, they sponsor. That such a big deal. And then at the same time I was doing so well in here. First time before I came here my goal was maybe after three years. Later, I get pretty much used to it, and doing well, but as soon as I get here, never thought it was going to be so quick, so  -- and then after  -- by that time  -- i mean, my country have economic really bad, so my country, people was really sad and down a lot.

Same reason the most big changes, I think, after probably they  -- something new to watch on TV at the same time. And they know there is no need U.S. or the kind of Ryder Cup stuff, like who in the world, all country player, top player, and one of them was a Korean player doing well, started winning and started making a big deal, so after that they make it much more big deal.

You're watching TV a lot, and they change mind about the golf game. Before the golf was pretty expensive fees to pay, you have to pay a lot of fees, and then the golf course, extra fees, and the golf set was expensive, golf course always private, you cannot afford it.

Now pretty much (inaudible) people is like no more sports. That's why it gets bigger, I think.

Q. Nancy Lopez, when you first came on the Tour, was very friendly to you, and you were telling us after you won the Women's  Open that she was helpful to you, and now she's been given an exemption to play in this U.S.  Open. You must be pleased about that. Are you still friends?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yes. She's the best person, I think top player, best player, but her personality was perfect. She always for giving the people, smiling, help whereever they need help, always open her mind to listen to them.

First time I'm here on Tour, I don't have any friends, I don't have any  -- you know, to say something, and then after U.S.  Open, such a great feel for me. Every week interview, I have to see a lot of people here, and I have to spend a lot of time to do something without the golf, so I kind of getting crazy about it.

And then Nancy say that  -- she saw me in the locker -- I kind of always confusing, little bit upset looks, like, and starting she say that how to control yourself, what to do, this way to help for you, or this part of your game, and then at the same time part of your job.

So I just change my mind, listen to her. Sometimes I got hard time, I try to tell her that, and ask her if I'm doing the right things to do, and she just keep telling me that.

And then after, I mean, she looks like a  -- she looks like my mother, too. I comfortable when I talk to her. She always say "This is my daughter," kind of joking, but she is a great person. I hope to see her every day, every year, but she's going to be retire soon. Kind of little bit makes me a little upset, but she's really great person. I never forget her in my life, I think.

Q. Questions? We had two over here. We'll start in the back row and work up. Considering your success with the Tour, how much do you consider yourself a mentor to all the other players who have come on the Tour since you began winning?

SE RI PAK: After Nancy did that, feels great, so I try and help as many as I can, especially if they need help. In my country players was 13 players. Pretty much I know them all, and then pretty much I'm pretty much oldest one, I can tell them what to do, they ask me. I can ask someone if I don't know, so I'm trying to help as many as I can, and after you help, it feels great, though.

Q. Se  Ri, what do you do as far as you practice golf a lot, but what are some of the other training things you do? Do you run? Do you lift weights? What are some of the things you do besides just playing golf?

SE RI PAK: Well, I really love golf. I love to play. So I spend most of my time at the golf course. Of course, we love golf, it really doesn't do anything much. I do a lot of exercising to make myself healthy and make a good shape, so I kind of lift weight little bit, lot of stretching, and then couple massage every week  -- three times a week, and then probably just do  -- what I'm doing with golf is make it helpful to my game, so just like resting as I can, and then little bit of work out, make myself healthy, and then that's about it. I really don't do much of anything without golf.

I really love play golf, and I always like to spend time on my game, so I just don't know anything about that.

Q. You talk about the 13 women  -- korean women on the Tour, but in the PGA you really didn't hear of men players until Choi this year winning. Is it more popular among women, and how has his success been accepted over in your home country?

SE RI PAK: I think same way. Before I start in U.S. here on Tour, never thought is going to be easy to be here and play, because totally new life, you know, like language is different, food is different, and leave -- all the country is different people, is different everything, is pretty new, and then it's hard to get used to it. It's really difficult. Especially right now  -- i shouldn't say it's easy in the LPGA, but PGA is most hardest sport, I think.

The men's sports are going to be harder than any women, I think. Any guy is going to try  -- i don't think they ever thought to be here and play. Somehow K.J.  Choi is -- he's the one first time in my country try in PGA. We all surprised he make the school in PGA, never thought about that. He doing well in PGA, and he won this year first time in his life. This is one of the biggest things. That's why I think PGA guy  -- kPGA, Korean PGA guys, never even try.

At the same time, different conditions, traveling, but you have to fly every week, you spend a lot of time at the hotel. This is harder, so they don't want to hear it. Japan and Korea is pretty close, not a big deal, but going here is totally different. They wouldn't have thought about it, I guess.

Q. Can you talk about playing with Karrie in the first two rounds? She thought you guys could maybe play off each other Thursday and Friday. What's your feeling about that?

SE RI PAK: I always like to play with strong player. Me, myself, mentally strong, I think, so I knew that she's going to play good at the same time. I just don't want to lose at the golf course, so I think that is pretty good. At the same time, a lot exciting. And then I can learn  -- i can learn something from Karrie. I mean, she plays good. She's little bit  -- two years older than Tour as I am, so I think I can learn something from her. I can improve my game, and then I play well, so pretty such great things. I always like to play someone really good, even Annika.

Q. Se  Ri, the course record for women here is 71. How low will some of the women go this week? Do you have any idea what the low score for a round will be at the end of the week?

SE RI PAK: This week?

Q. Yes.

SE RI PAK: I think is the level par play is going to be best score, I bet, because I was playing yesterday in the morning, and the winds picking up, no way you can play under par here, no chance. Probably can make couple birdies, but something has to help you make bogie there, so I never thought is going to be red numbers. Probably, let's say, just even. My goal this week going to be play 70s, 70s, 70s, four rounds, though, level is perfect.

Q. All right. Thank you very much Se  Ri for being with us. Good luck this week.