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CAMBIA PORTLAND CLASSIC

June 29, 2016

Naomi Ko

Portland, Oregon

THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Naomi Ko into the media center here at the Cambia Portland Classic.

Naomi, this will be your first LPGA tournament that you've played in. You've also qualified for the U.S. Open this year, so you'll play there next week as well.

What's the feeling like playing in your first LPGA event?

NAOMI KO: Definitely excited. I remember coming here on Sunday just to get a feel for the greens and hit some balls on the range. At first it was kind of obviously a new atmosphere being with some of the pros. I know some people are trying to qualify on Monday.

But it's definitely -- this week and next week, I've been telling a lot of people it's the two weeks that's for me to get a feeling of what it's like and see what the pros do to see if it's something that I really want to do once I graduate from school.

So far so good. It's awesome.

THE MODERATOR: You just finished your freshman year as well. How do you like school so far and collegiate golf?

NAOMI KO: It's a lot of fun. Definitely different trying to balance the school side of it, the academics, and the golf and also being away from home, but slowly starting to learn how to manage all of it.

THE MODERATOR: You have a major in mind? Something you're interested in studying?

NAOMI KO: I'm thinking sports management. Yeah, going well so far. (Laughing.)

THE MODERATOR: Okay. You're in the right place.

NAOMI KO: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: You qualified for this event in particular playing in the Amateur Open, as you said, earlier this month. How was that day for you once it was all said and done and you knew you had won that and qualified for this? What was that feeling like?

NAOMI KO: It meant a lot. I knew I was going into the U.S. Open obviously, but this is kind of a really big tournament to start off with, especially because I haven't played any professional tournaments before.

I think it's just as big for me. Being able to play in this event gives me on an opportunity to get a feeling of what it's like, like I said before.

But, yeah, it meant a lot. I was just really excited. My dad was really excited. The whole family. So, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: You had to experience playing alongside Brooke Henderson in Canada, right, at like a national team function?

NAOMI KO: Yes.

THE MODERATOR: Have you seen her out here yet? I think she just got here like last night.

NAOMI KO: I haven't seen her yet. I haven't seen her for a while actually. I think the last time I saw her it was right before she announced she was turning pro. We were praying the World Junior Girls in Canada at Angus Glen and we were on the same team. That was the last time I saw her.

Then she th turned pro and started winning tournaments.

THE MODERATOR: Do you see that and think, I was just playing with her; this could be me once I get out here on the tour and start to compete?

NAOMI KO: Yeah, um, I do --I thought about it, but, I mean, I know I'm not too far away, but I still have a long ways to go just because I've got the school and everything.

But definitely that's my No. 1 goal, is turning pro and making it onto the LPGA Tour and hopefully play with Lydia and Brooke and just the best players in the world. So, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Who do you have here this week? Your family? Who is caddying for you this week?

NAOMI KO: My dad. My dad is the only one here this week.

THE MODERATOR: Has he caddied for you before? How are you guys approaching the tournament, I guess?

NAOMI KO: He has caddied for me before. I think we're a really good match. He knows my swing very well, and the yardage is just really important. When we're on the green, he knows my putting speed. I like to guide into the hole, and that's probably one of the most important things for a caddie to know, is how to read the greens according to a player's speed.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Being in B.C., does that course and the way it's set up feel familiar to you, or you grow up on a different type of course?
NAOMI KO: The trees definitely. The course that I'm from it's a lot of trees; the fairways are lined with trees.

In terms of the greens it's very fast, very firm, so that's a little bit different. But I have played at courses, like Langdon Farms where I qualified to play here. The greens were very fast there as well. I have a little bit of experience. Hopefully it will go well.

Q. As a Canadian, can you explain how big a star Brooke is back home?
NAOMI KO: Very big. A lot of people joke because I live on an island. A lot of people say people on the island are very slow. Even there, like everyone knows Brooke. I think just watching her on TV in general -- I've watched her on TV and the highlights and everything, and it's amazing to see someone that you know beyond TV be such a big star like that.

But at the same time, you know them. So it's awesome. She's big star in Canada.

Q. How young were you when you started playing together?
NAOMI KO: I think I first met her when I was 15. Yeah.

Q. Was it kind of obvious that she was that good, or did it kind of play out?
NAOMI KO: I think she was a very good player since she was a junior. She started winning a lot of women's amateur tournaments. I guess she won almost every tournament she played in. Just made sense for her to go pro. Why not go and play with one of the best in the world?

Q. How did you end up in North Carolina?
NAOMI KO: I think one of the biggest things is I had a lot of connections with Brittany Marchand and Augusta James, and then also -- I forget her name, but I know them very well. They introduced me when I first made it on to the national team. They introduced me to their team just in general.

One of the coaches on the national team is a very good friend of Page March, which is the head coach there. I think that was a really good start.

Then I went for an official visit and saw the campus, the facility, and it was really nice.

Q. Is this tournament a tune up for next week?
NAOMI KO: No. I think just playing an LPGA event is just a big honor in general. I don't think I -- I didn't even have that in mind, like I'm going to play this event to get ready for the U.S. Open.

After I made it that was kind of how I thought of it, this is a good way to prepare, but it's just as big as the U.S. Open for me. So, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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