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FUBON LPGA TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIP

October 24, 2015

Lydia Ko

Taipei, Taiwan

MEGHAN FLANAGAN: Another fantastic rounds, 5-under 67, heading into the final round, 13-under par. Fantastic round today. A little bit of a shaky front nine but the back nine was really, really good. Would you take us through your day, overall thoughts and feelings.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, I started off well. Hit it close into 2. Hit it close into 3. Made good putts for birdie. And then hit a horrible tee shot on 5 and found the ball and called it unplayable and made a double.

I kind of got back with a good birdie on the next hole and then on 8, I'm pretty sure everybody -- my ball only went an inch from inside the bunker to outside the bunker. I made a good up-and-down to make bogey.

I think in a way, it was good that I made the bogey rather than a bigger number, because if I made a bigger number, I would have been over par for the day and I think the scenario would have ended up a little differently.

But I played solidly on the back nine after two days, but today was the better nine and I got some putts rolling. I chipped in on 11. I think I gave myself more opportunities on the back nine.

MEGHAN FLANAGAN: Birdie on the last. That has to feel very good going into tomorrow, four-shot lead, feeling comfortable with that? Obviously it's better than one two or three but four shots has to be something you're looking forward to for Sunday.

LYDIA KO: It's always great to go into any round with a couple-shot lead but like I experienced today with the double and making a good bogey, if you hit it in the wrong stuff, you can bring out a couple big numbers.

But I think if you're striking the ball well and making good putts, then obviously it will be a whole lot easier. There's so many top players at the top of the leaderboard, so it's hard to say that I've got the trophy right now for tomorrow. So I know that I need to play solid golf tomorrow, just enjoy it and not think about it. I think the pairings should be the same group as today.

So yeah, I think we are going to have a lot of fun out there and I'm sure everybody will be making a lot of birdies out there.

MEGHAN FLANAGAN: It seems like you almost started playing better as the conditions got worse. I saw you put on your little short-sleeved jacket and things started rattling. Were you thriving in the tougher conditions? Do you think that kind of happened today?

LYDIA KO: I hope so. Because I don't know how much better it's going to get tomorrow. If that rain suit is going to bring me more birdies, maybe I should have it the whole day.

I mean, I don't know, this weather is a huge factor to this course and the wind direction. And the rain, I know it's not pouring, but a little bit kind of makes it even a little bit more annoying because it's not really umbrella weather but it's like -- it's a little bit where you get affected by it.

But I mean, it is what it is. It's so much better than what we thought we might have coming into this week and it's better than the forecast. I think we've been very fortunate the last couple days, so hopefully it will stay the same tomorrow or maybe we might seen see some sun.

Q. Bogey on No. 5 and No. 8 cost you three shots -- can you still reach the under 22 like Inbee?
LYDIA KO: I have to shoot 9-under tomorrow (laughter). It says two more birdies and no bogeys or doubles -- if I shoot it, it's great. I don't know, I mean, like I said the other two days, the wind plays a huge factor. They pulled the tee forward on a couple holes, like 18.

So in a way, it made it a little bit more reachable for us. I don't know what they were going to do. They got three tee options, so even there, they are just hitting the tee forward or back and reduce or add a couple shots.

Yeah, I mean, 22-under, that would be a pretty superb round for tomorrow.

Q. You seem to have something going with Taiwan and you seem to win whenever you play in a tournament hosted by Taiwan or in Taiwan. Your first professional win was in Taiwan, the Swinging Skirts Ladies Masters and you won back-to-back the Swinging Skirts Classic in San Francisco. So what's going on?
LYDIA KO: I don't know, and now I'm sponsored by Swinging Skirts (laughter).

The Swinging Skirts have been so supportive, the chairman, and they have kind of asked my mom if I can be their daughter; and my mom said, they can take half and I'll have the other half.

They have been super supportive. It was so nice of them to invite me as an amateur to come and play in their event in Taiwan and to be able to win my first professional win in front of them was a huge week for me. And then to win in San Francisco, that was another great memory. So it kind of feels like family, whenever I see them or anyone on the Swinging Skirts team, I just love seeing them and they have been so great to me and I think they have grown the game in Taiwan, also.

It's great to play in front of fans that love watching you play. They are here to support us. You can even see in the weather, they are still here. Even if my favorite player was here and it was rainy and windy, I don't think I would be out here watching.

So for them to come out here, I know it's quite far from Taipei City and a lot of the major towns, and for them to make the effort to come out and watch us play, we've got to be very thankful of that.

Yeah, that's always great to go to tournaments where there are great memories and the fans are just fantastic.

MEGHAN FLANAGAN: I know you talk about the No. 1, but winning here would give it to you. We always say, that's just an added bonus, if your play is to support that. Does it make it more special to take it with a win than a runner-up or tie for third; that win, makes a statement.

LYDIA KO: Yeah, came in tied second in Ocala and then became world No. 1. To me, obviously I was happy that I became world No. 1 and I was going to become world No. 1, but it did sting a little bit with the way I finished the last couple holes. And it wasn't the finish I was expecting. But you know, on that day, Na Yeon still played great.

To be able to win and become world No. 1, I think it would be just an extra bonus. But I think winning will mean more to me rather than becoming world No. 1. The world No. 1 will be the added bonus.

Inbee is playing great, and she's playing consistently well week-in, week-out. With the rankings, anything can change; with a couple wins by some player, they can be world No. 1. With how all that goes, I don't know how it will end up tomorrow but I think winning this event will be the focal point of it and then to become the world No. 1 would be a great bonus.

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