An interview with:

SE RI PAK

RHONDA GLENN: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome Se  Ri Pak, a past United States Women's Open Champion. You won this when you were 20 years old, and you became at youngest winner in history. Now we have 14 teenagers in the field, does that make you feel old?

SE RI PAK: Oh, yeah. I used to be the youngest one on Tour, but now they get younger, and younger, I think I'm getting older. It's a little different.

RHONDA GLENN: This course seems very difficult. It would seem to me that your game is particularly suited to this golf course, what do you think?

SE RI PAK: Well, golf game -- I'm swinging well, hitting the ball well -- who knows. But this tournament -- this golf course -- the first time I ever play in the U.S. Open, in '97, this was the first time after I qualified to make this tournament. I finished 21st. And then right after next year I won the U.S. Open. That was such a great thing. Yeah, this -- I remember five years ago, it still never changed, still tight, narrow fairways, rough is longer, greens are really firm, like ice on the greens, the greens are really fast. So this golf course is -- how you play, golf course management is the key this week, I think.

RHONDA GLENN: I agree. And also at 6,500 yards it's a longer course in yardage. Is it truly playing that long or are you getting so much roll in the fairways that it's not as long as it looks on the card?

SE RI PAK: It depends. I played in the morning and the afternoon, there's a big difference, too. You play in the afternoon it seems a little more short, because the ball is releasing on the fairway, and the greens get much faster. But in the morning, I finished today, morning you hit, there's not as much release. The fairways are softer because of the water. And the greens are the same, softer in the afternoon. It's long, but just depends as the day goes on.

RHONDA GLENN: What's the longest club you hit into a par-4 on this course?

SE RI PAK: Depends which way you're -- I think 6-iron is longest I hit in par-4.

Q. Se Ri, why do you think Koreans have been so successful on the LPGA Tour, and how big is golf in Korea?

SE RI PAK: The first question is pretty hard to say. I think -- well, first time I came here I was No. 1 in Korea. And then Mi-Hyun Kim, she's doing pretty well. And I think they have a lot of confidence before they come over in U.S. And we learn a lot about our game and golf or on the golf course, because when we growing up it's different than in U.S. So basically wherever you have the condition of the golf course or the way a person is playing tournaments, it's totally different. And after you're learning and you find out, you play well, you have a lot of confidence, and then after, I think, that's why we're pretty much better, now we think more. And they have to decide what to do, and they have much more a lot of playing. This is one of the biggest thing, they kind of learn a lot about the game, I guess, because I did it the same way.

RHONDA GLENN: You said it was very different in Korea from the United States. What differences are you referring to?

SE RI PAK: Growing up, the background. Here in the U.S. you can play wherever you go, perfect, wide range, practice on the perfect grass, greens, fairway, it's perfect conditions, you can practice any time you want. But for our country there's a lot of private golf course, you can't even actually go out and play, to practice or play, pretty much practice, and it's really hard balls. It's all day. The same time ,we have four seasons, so the weather conditions are different and the balls and greens and everything, just the way we have a hard time practicing whatever you want. This is a big difference.

Q. I notice you have something on your wrist. Are you having a wrist injury right now, is it affecting your game at all?

SE RI PAK: Well, actually not a big deal. I pulled my muscle while I was practicing on Monday, but I think basically it doesn't much bother me right now, but it's a curative measure to take before the tournament, I just thought I better take care of it.

Q. When you think back on '98 when you won, how have you changed as a player? What's the thing maybe that you do better now than you did back then?

SE RI PAK: I think right now I am better player than a couple of years back. First time I won the U.S. Open, yes, definitely, but that time I just don't know anything about what's going on in the golf course. I trying to play every single shot as best as I can, but still I'm swinging, I'm playing my game and I'm playing on Tour, but still I'm not sure what I'm doing on the golf course. But now I just -- I mean until five years back, later, and I learn a lot every single year, every week I'm playing tournament .And at the same time and I think my mentally growing up big difference, too. I got stronger, and now it feels like I know what to do and I'm much more controlling myself well. And I'm pretty much excited to play every week and I pretty much enjoyed it. That's the biggest key, I think.

RHONDA GLENN: Let me ask you, now, are you still living in Florida?

SE RI PAK: Yes.

RHONDA GLENN: Which city do you live in?

SE RI PAK: Pretty close to Bay Hill golf course.

RHONDA GLENN: Is your sister still living with you? What kind of arrangement do you have now in Florida?

SE RI PAK: It's my house. I live in my house. And my sister is on and off, they go back to Korea and then my parents come over and see me. I'm pretty much traveling a lot. Every week, so pretty much alone.

RHONDA GLENN: Do you have any dogs right now?

SE RI PAK: I still have Happy. And my sister's friends take care of her a couple of times, and now she doesn't want to give me back anymore.

Q. When you were growing up in Korea, did you play just golf or did you play other sports, too?

SE RI PAK: I did play other sports before I played golf. I was the track, 100 meters, basically play a lot of different stuff, but, yes, I played different sports before I played golf.

RHONDA GLENN: Did you run the hurdles?

SE RI PAK: Yes. That's why I have a strong lower body. That helped me a lot.

Q. I arrived a couple of minutes late, so I hope you haven't answered this question. I'm just interested in all the Korean women who are now joining this Tour, and you seemed to blaze the trail. Why do you think it's happened, why do you think there are so many good, young golfers, coming out of South Korea?

SE RI PAK: That's simple. It's because of me, it's all my fault (laughter.) I was just saying earlier, I'm the one first from Korea to join this Tour, it's such a strong field, you can say that. Every year is different. Soon as I'm doing well on this Tour, there are about 18, 20 players on the Tour, Korean. I know them for a long time, we're all pretty good friends. So basically looks like I'm still in Korea, sometimes I see them, it's not a big difference. But they come over here they're not sure -- I was the same thing, I'm not really sure if I came to U.S. and I'm joining LPGA, I'm not sure I'm doing right or not, because I don't think it's going to be easy. Because you have a totally different life. The country is different, food different, especially the language is different, and golf course, and friends, I don't think you have any friends here. So, so many things I don't think you can handle that well. And as soon as I start for me, and I'm doing well ,and I give them a lot of confidence and they're coming over here and try, and they learn a lot about their games. I think like mentally they get stronger. So if they play in Korea, because such a strong field, but different. You always play perfect conditions, equipment is really great, every month, every two or three months, and you play with the strong players, at the same time, everything all together comes from helping a lot. So whatever they come from my country they play well, because I think they learn or growing or probably a lot of experience, too. So there will be helping a lot to play.

Q. Do you think now that you're over here more of your friends on Tour are the Korean players, as many as there are, or more Americans, Canadian, Australian? Do you spend more time or have more friends on Tour that are Korean or nonKorean?

SE RI PAK: I actually never counted. I think I still more friends -- more Korean players. We play all together same Tour for like -- I play six years on this Tour, but we don't have any time to spend, you know, talking or eating dinner, it's just such a hard time. We were friends -- not having any good, good friends, just friends, with the Korean players.

Q. Going back to when you did well, everybody else got confidence that they would do well. What made you decide to be the first?

SE RI PAK: My personality, no matter whatever I choose, golf or business or any kind of -- I always trying to be No. 1, trying to be the best. So I'm not ever think about come over and just play golf. I mean before I came and decided to play U.S. i said, I just want to be No. 1 golfer, especially a woman, playing the LPGA. I don't know any players -- probably same goal, but the personally I have always to be the best, that's why I came over and started playing.

RHONDA GLENN: Any thoughts about 1998, that great year? What do you remember about winning that championship?

SE RI PAK: Well, pretty much everything. I have such a great, great memory always come back, and sitting -- always having interview, that was the biggest thing for me. The first time I won probably, after that, I start -- every time I'm sitting here, giving all the interviews, that makes me look like this is the same, 1998, doesn't seem any difference to me. This is a new year, but still pretty much exciting about it.

RHONDA GLENN: Have you seen Jenny Chuasiriporn recently in the last couple of years.

SE RI PAK: Well, I mean I kind of starting to play with her on Tour. But some reason she's not playing that well. I can't see her on Tour. But we don't have actually -- not having any time for each other to talk or to be honestly friends. But hopefully -- hopefully she'll be doing well and I can play with her again, once again the same group.

Q. This is Pumpkin Ridge and '97 is the first time you played an Open, you were 19 years old. We have two 13 years old in the field this year, can you imagine playing in a tournament like this when you were 13? Could you just envision being 13 and playing in an event like this?

SE RI PAK: Huh-uh, I don't think so. Basically I started late in playing golf. But I don't think -- you talk about -- you're talking about the twins?

RHONDA GLENN: We have two 13 years old, Michelle Wie  --.

SE RI PAK: She's 13 still? I thought she was 14. I thought you were talking about the twins.

RHONDA GLENN: And Sydney Burlison from California, two 13 years old this week.

SE RI PAK: They're amazing, they're great kids. I don't know the other one, but I saw Michelle Wie first time at the first major, she was practicing right behind me. I didn't know she was Michelle Wie, I'm not sure, because I never met her. I saw her swings, she's amazing. She's 13. She can swing, and it looks like she can play. She's really, really such a strong kid. And I think she's going to do really well. So I'm really happy for them and hopefully they're doing well until then growing up and turning pro, the future -- they're future LPGA players. But hopefully they will do really good this week, and I'm really happy for them, too, proud of them.

Q. How much did winning a Major at a young age help you to win other Majors? Did it take pressure off you? You won a Major when you were very young, did that give you, you think, confidence to --?

SE RI PAK: I think huge. When you play U.S. Open, that give -- already have a lot of confidence, especially U.S. Open just everybody dream about it to play, at the same time dream about to win. But for me, I was young, I already did, that was my dream, my dream to get this U.S. Open trophy. But I did. After -- my success starting from after U.S. Open, I think. You won the U.S. Open, now looks like I can play, go out there, do my best. I won the U.S. Open, I learned a lot. It makes me a lot of strong feel, mentally, physically, my game. So it was pretty important to play one of the biggest tournaments. So I think for them, really, really great chance, a really great choice, too.

Q. Before you have to play, do you have any private things, like never talk to a reporter or things like that?

SE RI PAK: I don't have any ever, I never have a problem before I'm teeing off or before the tournament. Basically everybody -- all media, everybody, people know that was from the tournament, to try to help all the players, not trying to squeeze it in, to give them a hard time. So basically I don't have any problem for that, I mean just always I'm doing the same goal, trying to play best as I can, but just go out there trying to make it even for the day, and then make myself much more comfortable to play on the day.

Q. The recent Majors, you seem to have just one bad round that keeps you from winning. Do you think you want to be a little more consistent in the Majors?

SE RI PAK: It depends, but every tournament is the same thing, it's not -- before you play the tournament, when we're playing the rounds, you have a plan. I have a plan for that. Like I said earlier, before I tee off, I said, okay, we're starting first tee, even par is a good score. And then the days go on, probably make some birdies, make some bogeys, that's why golf is pretty silly, you don't go out and just aggressive play or safe play, you just go out there and have a plan for myself. And if I have a chance, definitely I play much more aggressive, but otherwise trying to be much more smart games and make it -- don't give any trouble myself.

Q. Do you like being paired with Annika in the early rounds where you know exactly what she's doing or would you rather she was somewhere else on the golf course?

SE RI PAK: I play with her a lot, many times already. Basically when I play with her it probably help my game, too. She's a great player. At the same time when I play I can learn from her, how she play, help me out sometimes -- she's such a great and consistent player. So my game has a lot of confidence at the same time, but sometimes helping to look at someone that play good. So tomorrow go out there, just playing my own games and have some fun.

RHONDA GLENN: Do you like, when you're paired with her, so you know how she's scoring?

SE RI PAK: Yeah, but at the same time, it's just somehow mentally, automatically get much more probably stronger, I guess. Because I know she's good.

Q. Even with the influx of South Korean and other Asian players, there's still an enormous emphasis on academics back in Asia. Can you tell us about your experience? Was there a point where you had to back off from the academics in order to pursue a career like this? And what would you say to aspiring athletes who are in a similar position?

SE RI PAK: Well, the best thing is I think you came and play and learning. You have to have a lot of experience to play whole different kind of condition of the golf course. That's the best thing to do.

The second thing, no matter what, just give themself or ourself give a lot of confidence, instead of, oh, I'm here, just trying to play good or not sure, or sometimes just mentally kind of -- automatically get weaker. So that's the thing best you can do is just go out there, they do their best. But the thing is to give themself a lot of confidence that they can play.

Q. I was actually speaking more about children who are in -- first starting to learn golf. In Korea there's a major emphasis on scoring well under exams and getting to the next grade level, and as I'm sure you know, academics is frowned -- athletics are frowned upon and academics are still very highly regarded. There's quite a dichotomy in the Korean society.

SE RI PAK: I cannot answer that.

RHONDA GLENN: When you were in school, were you discouraged from playing golf or did your golf teachers discourage you from studying and being in school?

SE RI PAK: Asia different than U.S. asia pretty much trying to have -- we play sports or whatever we have our best things and just help a lot of helping from school. You don't have to take this class or just skip the class and give them time to practice. And help us out a lot at the school. Where here you have to study at the same time go practice later on. But our country pretty much schools are helping a lot to go out and take their time to practice learning, so really it's different. Schools helping kid to give more practice time or give them to have a lot of experience. But we don't have any good place to practice much, that's the thing that's different than here, I think.

RHONDA GLENN: Your school actually let you out of class so you could practice?

SE RI PAK: Right. Pretty much all Korean -- I don't know any Asian -- our country pretty much helped a lot of kids.

RHONDA GLENN: With whatever you wanted to do, sports or academics?

SE RI PAK: Right.

Q. You mentioned that you got a late start in golf. What prompted you to concentrate on golf instead of track?

SE RI PAK: Because of my dad, actually. First thing he just wanted me to try some golf, but I really wasn't interested in the golf. But the first time I went to junior tournament and then as soon as I saw them -- I was 14, and then they are 10 or 9 years old, they play -- they shoot like even par or under par. I wasn't supposed to play golf at all at that time. And then everybody -- and the newspaper they know from whole city, whole country, they know who's the best, she's a good player, but that makes a big difference. Looks pretty cool. Because everybody knew my name and I'm going to be on TV, and whenever you play well, you've got such a great sports. And then people are going to recognize me a lot. That makes me a big difference, that I just changed my mind, okay, I'm trying to get -- play golf, instead of track. And probably much -- and the future is much more better. When you -- in track, probably oldest age is 30. But golf, age doesn't matter, you just keep playing better, much more better in the future.

Q. You never got the recognition in track?

SE RI PAK: I did really good. But I know -- I'm not going to be too long. No matter what I really want to do, but age-wise you can't have it that long for your future. But I know golf is going to be better in the future, at the same time. It's such a great sport. So I decided to change it instead of track.

RHONDA GLENN: Thank you, we wish you good luck this week.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports ....