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CANADIAN PACIFIC WOMEN'S OPEN

August 25, 2016

Lydia Ko

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Q. 5-under, Lydia. What was the strength of your round out there?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I played really solid, birdied the first hole straight off the bat, so when you made a birdie in the first round on the first hole, it gives you good momentum. I was putting really well and hit the ball pretty good throughout the round. I missed a few on my back nine, but still, to come off with 1-under after that delay, I'll take it.

Q. How was your putting today?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I missed a few putts, 7, 8, and then a clumsy three-putt on 3, but at the same time, I chipped in from a place where I wouldn't have thought I would have chipped in. At the end of the day, it all balances out, and I made a good up-and-down on the last hole to save par. I think I've just got to look at the positives. I felt like I stroked the ball pretty good and hit the ball fine. Just got to keep continuing good, positive thoughts into tomorrow.

Q. What hole was your chip-in on?
LYDIA KO: 6. Yeah, I was long left and the pin was front right, and I chipped it in.

Q. How did you find the course conditions?
LYDIA KO: You know, they were really firm, and even with the moisture and the density overnight, it was still really firm for our first 11 holes. Obviously with the rain, we had a little bit during our delay, the greens were a little bit softer than what we were playing, so things that -- shots that you thought would run out like 10 yards, some of them even spun back, and I don't think we could have seen that if there wasn't the rain. The rain I think definitely made the greens a little softer, but at the same time it didn't make the greens slower. It was still pretty quick when we were putting out there.

Q. You didn't find the delay was a distraction at all?
LYDIA KO: No, I had lunch like three times and I had fro-yos. No, it was good. We were just talking in the dining area. When it comes to weather, at the end of the day, we can't control it. I wish there could be a switch where we could put out the sun or put some overcast, but when it comes to weather, we can't control it, so when it's that case, you just have to go with it. It's not like I'm the only one in that situation, everybody is affected by it.

Q. Do you set daily goals for yourself?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, you know, I like to set daily goals, and even at the start of the year, I don't really set how many tournaments I would like to win, it was more minor goals that lead up to me playing better. I think that way it becomes more realistic. If I say, hey, I would love to win five times this year, even though I could be playing great, if somebody plays better, it could not happen for me. I think to me, I like to set minor goals and goals coming into different rounds.

Q. I'm thinking like today, for example, 5-under; would that be a satisfactory round?
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I thought something around 4-under would be around the top of the leaderboard. But here it all depends on the weather. If it starts getting really windy, the greens obviously dry out a little bit, and it's obviously tougher to hit shots closer. With the moisture there has been around here, the rough is really lush, so if you're in it, you could have a really good lie or you could not have a great lie and you just have to punch out.

Q. How much of an advantage it is just to make sure you got your round finished today?
LYDIA KO: At the end of the day, we're all playing the 36 holes before the weekend, but I don't exactly know how much time I'm affected for tomorrow. I don't know what the weather is going to be like, so I could end up not being the one that's not finishing by tomorrow. Who knows. But hopefully the weather will hold up and there will be no more delays and all of us can finish by tomorrow.

Q. It must be pretty cool for you that no matter where in Canada this tournament goes, it always seems like you see your name go to the top of the leaderboard.
LYDIA KO: Yeah, I've felt such a warm welcome whenever I come to Canada, and obviously because I think I've played well here, that I think that grows a little bit more. But the fans have been great. I said Canada reminds me a lot like home in New Zealand, and when you can relate back to places where you can relax and you love being there, I think that's just another great part of that tournament. Even though after the delays, the fans still come out to watch me play. I don't know if I was in their shoes if I would be able to come out three hours later, but for them to be so interested and so excited to see us here, I think it's really cool to see that.

Q. Do you know that nobody has ever won this particular tournament four times?
LYDIA KO: No. I mean, my first win in 2012 in Vancouver was something that I could have only really dreamt of. It was more than something that I could have just dreamt of. Just obviously coming off with a really cool win for me at the U.S. Am two weeks before that, my goal really as an amateur was to try and make the cut at what professional event I got to play, and to come off as a winner, I thought that was so cool. That's why going back there last year in 2015 just brings a lot of great memories. You can see some familiar faces that you saw a few years before, too.

Q. Does this course really set up nicely for your game?
LYDIA KO: You know, I hope so. There are some really tough holes, and depending on where they put the pin positions, it can really affect if we can approach the greens or not. Sometimes if they tuck them and the greens remain really firm, then being in the middle of the green most of the time is not a bad thing, but because it is very contoured, there are some up-and-down slopes, even 30-footers aren't easy putts.

Q. You're the defending champion of this event but there's a picture of Brooke Henderson out there on the signage. Is it kind of weird to see a picture of another player --
LYDIA KO: No, I've walked by, and I said, that's a great action shot. It's a perfect shot. What I think both Brooke and Alena Sharp and Lorie Kane, what they've done to grow golf in Canada I think is great. I think it definitely makes sense that they have a face of the superstar of Canada on the signs, and I think that pumps up the fans here that are here to cheer for her. I think that's the great thing about it, especially in her shoes or in the other Canadian girls' shoes. To be their national open, I think it's cool to see their familiar faces out there, and I think it's really cool that they can advertise her. She's been playing amazing. I think she definitely deserves that position.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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