ISPS HANDA WORLD INVITATIONAL

July 29, 2021

Chella Choi

Galgorm Castle & Massereene Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Chella, you're one of three tied for the lead after the first round.

CHELLA CHOI: Uh-huh.

Q. How great were the conditions this afternoon? They seemed pretty nice for scoring.

CHELLA CHOI: Yes, very lucky. I think when I play with Olivia that's very good luck for weather. You know, like all players not much practice rounds, so everybody same condition and don't know golf course, so I trying to focus on just keep fairway and keep the green and make a good -- made a good shot today.

Q. Just because Olivia is Irish?

CHELLA CHOI: Yeah, she gave me a lot of good luck. And she play good today and she is very nice girl, so I talk with her like very good. Personality very good and she starting to qualifying this year, so, yeah, it's very good.

Q. Did you give her some advice on qualifying?

CHELLA CHOI: Good luck. Only one time for life. Hopefully. And she play so good and she know everywhere, so I trying to follow her to tee shots, so that's why I played good today.

Q. I saw an eagle on the scorecard. I think at one point they had you down for two eagles.

CHELLA CHOI: Yeah.

Q. But you had the one eagle on No. 1. Start with that one. Take me through hole No. 1 and how you found your way to an eagle.

CHELLA CHOI: Hit driver really good and second shot I hit 3-hybrid and make five feet and make eagle.

So when I practice round only remember like 1 through 6 or 7. So I think 1 through 3 is very easy to golf course, so I trying to make -- I really want a good score to starting, but I made my goal today, so that's why easy make of golf today.

Q. So you said you only saw holes 1 through 7 in your practice round?

CHELLA CHOI: No, no, no. I play 1 though 16.

Q. Okay.

CHELLA CHOI: But just remember, yeah. And I feel like 1, 2, 3 is easy hole, so I really want to make a birdie first starting because I don't remember not much golf course, so I really want to play good starting. Yep.

Q. That's a good goal. And you did that. 2, 3, 4 you also had birdies and also a birdie at 9, 12, and 13. Bogey-free on the back nine. How good was it to make the turn and then shoot bogey-free on the back nine?

CHELLA CHOI: Shot was good No. 15 through 17, but I didn't make a putt, but I really good read but only make a speed or just a little bit.

But No. 18 I pulled it my tee shot, but I really good up and down last hole so I really good memory here and very positive.

Q. Have you ever been to Northern Ireland before?

CHELLA CHOI: First time ever, so I'm very exciting, and nice weather today. You know, first time like that event, right, man and women? So I play with two guy when I practice round, so it's very fun. Like first time ever I feel like no tournament. I really enjoy this day here.

Q. So never played in an event of this nature, this format?

CHELLA CHOI: Yeah, it's not much. Very unusual, right, this tournament? So I really -- before tournament I feel like really when I play with like guy practice round really, but when I practice with them, like they short game and putting is really good so I really enjoy that.

Q. For tomorrow, you're playing the Massareene course. Were you able to practice over there at all?

CHELLA CHOI: I play yesterday pro-am. It's very long for me because I play morning yesterday. So I play all hole, so I know golf course.

Q. Nice.

CHELLA CHOI: Better than here I remember. I think that golf course too like greens pretty good condition. Fairway the is little wide than here, so I think trying to keep fairway and keep green, make a putt easy, right?

Q. Yeah.

CHELLA CHOI: I try to do my best.

Q. I heard it was a little bouncy, a lot of run out.

CHELLA CHOI: Uh-huh, right.

Q. Did you see that?

CHELLA CHOI: But yesterday rain a lot so fairway got very wet. I know I heard very firm but yesterday was not, so it's little difficult, so I trying to make -- first couple hole I trying to make how I play golf.

Q. So first couple holes are your bread and butter, get off to a fast start?

CHELLA CHOI: Yes.