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CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN


August 24, 2014


So Yeon Ryu


LONDON, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR:  Good evening, everyone.  I'd like to welcome the new 2014 Canadian Women's Open winner SoYeon Ryu.  How good does it feel to hear that?
SO YEON RYU:  I've been waiting and wanting it so much that I really cannot feel anything right now.  It's always good to be the champion at the front of the trophy.  The other thing is NaYeon made a birdie at 15 and I made a bogey, so it was only one shot difference, so I was really nervous, and I was really scared because I didn't want to kick out my really great opportunity and I didn't want to chase down, so I was scared about it on the 15th hole, but I made a really great birdie at 16, and after that I was a bit relieved.  It feels really great to play with really great golfers.
THE MODERATOR:  You mentioned NaYeon's name.  What was it like playing with such a good friend out there, especially when it got down to a one‑ and two‑shot lead?
SO YEON RYU:  You know what, almost one month ago we played as a team.  Also we always help each other at tournaments, and we always like discuss about how we're going to hit this shot, that kind of thing.  But now we were rivals on the golf course, and that one was quite tough.  The good thing is NaYeon and I still had a chat and still were having so much fun, and after I decided to win, NaYeon came to us and don't cry and just enjoy your winning.  I feel really happy with it.
Also NaYeon hasn't won any tournament the last probably 15 months or something, so also I really look forward to another win for her.
THE MODERATOR:  You've been one of the more consistent players out here on Tour, 27 top 10s since your last victory in 2012.  What do you feel like put you over the hump in this tournament?
SO YEON RYU:  You know, I don't know when was it, but one of my friends asked me, SoYeon, do you want to finish top 10 every tournament or do you just want to win one tournament and miss the cut every tournament, and I said, you know, it's a really hard question, but at this stage I really need to win, so I'm just going to take a win just rather than finish top 10 every week.
But the good thing is I still had a lot of opportunity the last couple months and couple years, then finally I made it, so it feels really great.  I played really consistent and finally made it.
THE MODERATOR:  So you set a course record here this week, 23‑under in relation to par, and you were chasing a very historic record in LPGA history.  How big of a factor did that play for you after you made the turn when you struggled just a little bit?
SO YEON RYU:  Well, yeah, I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't reach the record but it still feels good.  I still have the tournament course record, and it still feels really great, the historical part of the thing, like Annika, Karrie Webb, Inbee already made a lot of historical record, but something I can do is really honest.

Q.  A couple of quick questions:  First of all, did you see anything in your game heading into this week that you said, you know what, I've found something, I think I'm going to put up a good number?
SO YEON RYU:  You know what, I spent quite a lot of time, but before I'm going to tee it off every day, my warm‑up was so bad.  First day I had zero expectations, so I think that was why I could play well, because sometimes it's better to be less expectations, because after you hit a great shot, it feels like that's a really great shot.  But if you had a really great warm‑up, but after that if you miss one shot, it feels so bad.  So I think that kind of process helped me a lot.
But one thing I found out is when I do putting, I just hit my putt too much, so I just try to roll it, and I know how I could roll it, so I think that's the one thing is a really great key for us, for me.

Q.  Other than your ball‑striking what really impressed me this week is how calm, cool and collected you were.  You looked as fresh after your round as you did before you teed off.  Where does this come from?
SO YEON RYU:  I think enjoyment.  I really wanted to enjoy this tournament because, you know, somebody asked me why do you play golf, because I'm happy.  I'm happiest girl when I'm playing golf.  I had a lot of opportunity to make a win, but I couldn't.  After that you could be hate the golf, but I still really enjoy playing golf, and I wanted to be happy girl on the golf course.  I think that's kind of the attitude that makes me fresh.

Q.  My one question was after nine holes today you had a six‑shot lead at that point.  Were you aware of that lead, and did it affect your mental game at all?
SO YEON RYU:  Well, you know what, I was‑‑ it could be sound like cocky, but after I made a birdie at the 9th hole I was sure I could make a win.  But actually, you know what, NaYeon almost chased me down, so I was pretty nervous at that moment.
I think maybe my biggest mistake is I made a 6 at the 10th hole.  That's kind of make me push myself because NaYeon made a birdie at 11.  But the good thing is when I missed the putt, still I hit it great, but I just misread the line, and when I miss the green, I still hit a great shot but just missed the club selection.  I could keep trusting myself.  That's the more important one.

Q.  You said a friend told you do you want to be top 10 all the time or do you want to win a tournament.  So what changed?  Did you decide to be more aggressive?  Did you decide I'm going to take some chances so if I don't finish top 10, fine, but it will give me more of a chance to win the tournament?
SO YEON RYU:  Yeah, I think that kind of attitude will be more helpful for my game.  Other things, when I had a really great chance to win, I was thinking about I couldn't Wayne any tournament the last two years, I really need to make this.  If I cannot make this, I'm going to be loser.  That kind of attitude just make me crazy, but now definitely I made a win, so maybe I could more enjoy my golf and I could more enjoy toughness time.

Q.  What was going through your mind when it was down to a one‑stroke lead going into that 16th hole?  What were you thinking when you went to tee off and what were you thinking when NaYeon hit her shot into the bunker there?
SO YEON RYU:  You know what, NaYeon is one of the great bunker players on the LPGA for sure, so I thought NaYeon was going to make a birdie, so I really needed to make a birdie.  When I hit that shot I was really focused.  The other good thing is I thought, okay, let me think about take this nervous because everybody is nervous and NaYeon is nervous definitely, so I just accepted my nervous thing, so I just tried to enjoy it, and I hit a great shot, and I made a really great birdie, birdie putt.  When NaYeon shot the bunker shot, I think she missed the shot, but still, she had a birdie chance.
Then last couple holes she made a really great birdie putt, so I thought she was going to make it, but she missed it.  So I think that made me more relax because if I'm going to make it, it's two‑stroke difference, but if NaYeon made first, I think I couldn't make it at all because I really had to make it because I need to get winning the tournament.
I think today is really like biggest hole was 16, and my biggest putt was 16 birdie putt.

Q.  The fans were very supportive of all the Canadians here this weekend, but of course they were also very supportive of you.  What was your overall impression of the fans this weekend?
SO YEON RYU:  You know what, I've always been really happy to be in Canada.  I mean, all the golf fans are really nice, but especially I do love Canada because like I have a lot of connections.  My English teacher is Canadian, and I always like sharing my heart with my English teacher, so I just feel like more like Canadian.
The other thing is Canadian fans really love to encourage all the golfers, not as their mind, they're always like shouting, clapping for us, so I feel really great about that.  Also this is not only one tournament in Canada.  Also we play the Manulife.  I had such a great memory with a lot of Canadian fans, so I have really big help for all the Canadian fans.

Q.  What are your thoughts of all the great volunteers here this week?
SO YEON RYU:  I don't want to say just this week's volunteers is best, because every tournament volunteer is awesome and every volunteer for LPGA is just awesome.  But the thing is this is my special moment, and they were being with me, so I'd like to say they are wonderful.

Q.  What advice would you give to a young woman just starting out to golf?
SO YEON RYU:  I'd like to say think about what you really like it.  Actually golf is my job, so I need to play well because this is my job, you know, but otherwise this is one of my hobbies.  When I'm playing golf, I'm so happy.  That's why I keep playing well and I keep can play golf.  Then LPGA schedule is quite tough.  I'm always traveling and I'm always packing and unpacking.  Sometimes it's crazy, but still I do love to play golf, that's why I can do that.  I'd just like to say just really think about what you like it, and if you really like playing golf, just play golf.

Q.  SoYeon, you went to the same restaurant the first three days of tournament play.  Did you do that last night, too?
SO YEON RYU:  Yes, I do.  The funniest thing is I had a dinner with NaYeon, Inbee and I.K. on Wednesday, and then after I signed my card, NaYeon asked me, why don't you go to have dinner every Wednesday night, so I think that's a good tradition, so I think we're going to stick with that.
Q.  What was the name of the restaurant you went to every night?
SO YEON RYU:  Shogun.

Q.  What did you think of the champagne shower on the 18th green by Inbee?
SO YEON RYU:  You know what, I've been waiting so much the champagne.  I was ready to get champagne, so I smell like champagne right now, but I'm still so happy.  The other thing is I put on the champagne to Inbee maybe more than five times, but finally she gave it to me, so it feels great.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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