CME GROUP TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 18, 2021

So Yeon Ryu

Tiburon Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. So Yeon, really solid round for you today. We've got a 6-under 66. Pretty solid start for you out here. You hit 13 of 14 fairways, 16 of 18 greens. How easy did you find Tiburon today, I guess?

SO YEON RYU: Well, I was really struggle with my game last week, so I actually spent a lot of time on the range and putting green, and then finally I was able to swing without any like negative thoughts.

So I think that was really big key. So I think I hit it pretty well, especially compared to last week. So I had a lot of birdie chances, but ironically I was able to make middle and long range putt, but I was not able to make a lot of like short putts.

So I actually missed quite a lot of putt inside of the 12-footers, so hopefully I can make more putt tomorrow and then hopefully I can hit great swing like today.

Q. It looks like from 9 to 14 you rattled off five birdies in six holes. Take us through that stretch of golf.

SO YEON RYU: I think I was in my zone. Like when you're doing really well you don't really think about the future or like look back behind.

I was really focus on each shot, each hole. Now looking back I was able to play really, really great golf within like five holes. (Laughter.)

Q. What lessons did you take from Pelican with you to here to start off so hot?

SO YEON RYU: I think it's really about the confident. Like no matter how I perform I think I better to trust myself on the golf course and that I really need to swinging without any negative thought.

I feel like I had so much negative thought and I was always worry about what if I'm going to miss left, what if I'm going to miss right, instead of thinking about how I'm going to play.

So I really try hard to think about the positive stuff and only think about how I'm going to play.

Q. Conditions are a little bit softer. Obviously getting rain at the moment. How did you find the conditions around Tiburon, a normally firm, fast golf course?

SO YEON RYU: Well, actually like you mentioned a lot of the greens a little bit of elevated, so if greens softer it's definitely easier to hit it more aggressively.

So if we going to have a lot of rain today we might can expect a bit of -- bit more the birdies tomorrow.

Q. Having played here so many times, have you ever seen Tiburon play -- there is a lot of the scores in low red numbers. Have you ever seen the course play like this?

SO YEON RYU: I think this is my ninth year to play this golf course. When you play same golf course for like long time you know how to play and then you know what type of practice you need to do.

So I think that's one of the reason why all the players playing so great. So hopefully I can get some benefit of playing this golf course for like nine years and then just being really comfortable on the golf course.

Q. How would you rank your 2021? What grade would you give your season?

SO YEON RYU: I think I play very inconsistently this year, so I'm actually not really satisfied with my season. And then one thing I really unhappy about is I don't think I was really confident on the golf course at all.

So that's my goal for next year. I really want to come back with the full of confident, and then I actually believe full of confidence comes from the lot of hard work.

So I am ready to do some hard work and then hopefully I am going to feel more comfortable to being on the golf course and being more positive.

Q. Did last season - and only playing a handful of tournaments - being home, did that rejuvenate your career, do you think, allowed you to reset?

SO YEON RYU: Yeah, I think -- well, I stayed in Korea for nine month, and since I joined the LPGA Tour I never stayed in Korea more than five to six weeks.

All of a sudden I was able to spend time in Korea for nine month and then I just got really convenient. I was able to speak Korean everywhere I go and I don't need to pack anything. I literally just live comfortable life. Like I wasn't really in competitive situation.

So I think after that I was kind of struggle the beginning of this year for sure to prepare the season. Like I was not ready to practice for like five hours a day. And then like being honest, I don't think I did my best to prepare this season.

So now I learn, when you're not doing best, I mean, when you're not prepare your best, you definitely cannot perform well as you wanted. So that was a really big lesson.

So now I'm super motivated to practice harder and get everything better for next season.

Q. The winner gets $1.5 million. What would you buy with that kind of money?

SO YEON RYU: Well, I'm actually going to move to Vegas, and I haven't look around to places. I'm just going to move in with my friend and see how it goes. If I can have that big check, maybe it's going to be more option to pick some houses.

Q. Why Vegas? Because of the golf and...

SO YEON RYU: Well, I been professional for 14 years. I start to play golf when I was line nine. Like I didn't know I was going to be -- I was going to be professional for this long time.

And then I had a feeling that like at one point I start to obsess with the golf instead of just having a really good balance, just in Dallas just make me think about only about golf.

So I thought it could be really great to have some friends and then just do my -- well, do my work when I have to do work, and then just off the golf course I just really want to have some fun.

So I have really good friends in Vegas. I hope that move could help me out to enjoy my life even better.

Q. Are you a big poker player or gambler or anything like that?

SO YEON RYU: I am not big gambler. That's why I move to Vegas, because I know I'm safe. (Laughter.)