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MARATHON CLASSIC PRESENTED BY DANA

July 14, 2019

Sei Young Kim

Toledo, Ohio

THE MODERATOR: All right, everyone, welcome in. Happy Sunday evening. It's my pleasure to be joined by the 2019 Marathon Classic presented by Dana champion, Sei Young Kim. Sei Young, this is your ninth career victory today. How does this one feel?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Feel great. I really want another win, especially this week, because last two weeks I play really bad. I was like, Oh, I really want to win some, yeah, tournament.

I did this week, and so happy with that.

THE MODERATOR: You talk a lot about some of your idols, the greats of the game, and Se Ri Pak is one of your idols. She won five times here. What does it mean to you to have your name alongside hers now?

SEI YOUNG KIM: I'm very honored my name alongside Se Ri Pak. Since I was young she is one of my idol. She's a great player. She win five times this tournament. Yeah, I got very big inspire from that win.

So, yeah, I wish I could follow her career.

THE MODERATOR: Walk us through your round today and playing alongside Lexi Thompson. The crowds were huge, but the pressure didn't get to you and you brought it home.

SEI YOUNG KIM: I got a lot of pressure, especially hole 14, par-3 -- is that par-3? Yeah, a lot of people is like Lexi, Lexi, because Lexi has got booster and then she make like the three in a row -- she make the birdie three in a row.

I got extra pressure from there and I little scary. So, okay, I try to calm down and don't scare that. Just focus on the, yeah, what I have to do.

So, yeah, until the end she made the birdie and the eagle last two hole. I knew she got par-5 the last two holes, so I couldn't count for sure the win until the last hole.

THE MODERATOR: This is your second win this season, the 2019 season. Two majors coming up. Those will be your next two starts. What are your goals? You're missing a major championship from your resume. That's about it. How do you manage the pressure and expectations coming up the next few weeks?

SEI YOUNG KIM: I haven't had a win the major tournament yet. I think I try too much when I play the major tournament. I just play the same as regular tournament, even major. So I wish I could win another majors, just, yeah, but I don't try too much. Just let it go. Let it happen, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and open it up for questions.

Q. I know Se Ri is an idol. I think she has the tournament record at 23-under. Played awesome all week. Did you know that? Did you have that number in mind at all just for the heck of it?
SEI YOUNG KIM: Actually I didn't know until after finishing tournament. Some guys told me. If I knew that, I setting new goals break up the record. But I'm very, yeah, little -- not sad, but I'm very satisfied with the win, yeah.

Q. You mentioned the pressure on No. 14. I know a lot of fans were out there chanting like, USA, USA and that kind of thing, and Lexi was classy and told them to quiet down. Is that annoying and do you appreciate Lexi's gesture?
SEI YOUNG KIM: I was feeling a little bit not annoying, just little fear. I feel little fear. So I just focus on the not fear. I'm not trying to focus on the fear. I'm trying to focus on the what can I do.

So that makes overcome that happen. And then after 14 I good up and down, great up and down at that hole, and I got momentum. Then I was able to make the birdie 15.

Yeah, so getting better. Yeah, my feeling getting better after that hole.

Q. You've won a tournament shooting 31-under, 27-under, and 22-under. What about your game let's you get on like these birdie barrages?
SEI YOUNG KIM: When I play the lot of birdie I think a key is I didn't do like too much. Just playing and focus on the moment. Yeah, so when I play bad, like too much, Oh, okay I'm going to make the birdies. When I like that attitude make me like no good.

So I think I keep the like -- I keep the same attitude and the same thinking, yeah, whatever tournament. Uh-huh.

Q. No. 10 Lexi made the long birdie putt and then you made a putt off the fringe on top of that. Did you sense that was kind of a moment where things kind of changed? Felt like she might eat into your lead, but you made a putt no one really thought you would make probably.
SEI YOUNG KIM: Until the hole 13 I didn't any pressure even she make the birdie. But after she make the three in a row birdie, I feel starting a little pressure.

Yeah, but I try to overcome that moment. Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: After you won at Mediheal in San Francisco, you mentioned you wanted to get back to playing like you were your rookie year in 2015 when you had three wins, Rookie of the Year. Is that still one of your goals?

SEI YOUNG KIM: Yeah, that's my goal. Same as first years until the retire my golf career. Yeah, so just play.

THE MODERATOR: Is that more about the number of wins or was there something about the way you were playing in 2015 you were trying to get back to?

SEI YOUNG KIM: 2015?

THE MODERATOR: Yeah, you had three wins your rookie year.

SEI YOUNG KIM: Uh-huh, I think a little different. When I rookie year I setting goal three win at the time, but now I didn't set any my goal. I just playing. Yeah, whatever happens I just recognize. Yeah, so, uh-huh.

Q. The last two holes you had the five-shot lead. You talked about fear and whatever. We were half joking on 17 about what if Lexi eagles 17 and eagles 18. What were you thinking at that time?
SEI YOUNG KIM: What were I feeling?

Q. Yeah, what were you thinking?
SEI YOUNG KIM: Maybe more shaking my hand, because after she -- when she played 18 hole she almost tap-in eagle, and then I knew she -- I knew make sure she going to make the eagle.

When I chipping from the third shot I was really shaking my hands. If I miss it, it could be playoff. If I fade or something, it's a long over the pin.

But I try to cut the bad things and then just keep playing. Yeah, I'm very -- yeah, happy with just finish par. (Laughter.)

THE MODERATOR: What are your celebration plans for tonight?

SEI YOUNG KIM: My cousin here, so we going to have good dinner. Yeah, just spend a good time.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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