BLACK DESERT CHAMPIONSHIP

May 1, 2025

Grace Kim

Black Desert Resort

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Grace Kim after her first round at the Black Desert Resort. A lot of birdies on the scorecard today. What worked so well for you?

GRACE KIM: I think just knowing this course can really stitch you up if you don't get your target lines right and just hitting the fairways and green. Just managed to do that very well.

I think hitting fairways is never really an issue for me. It's more just getting it on to the green and getting it close.

When I did get it close I took the opportunities and tried to commit to a lot of my putts today; kind of worked.

Q. I know there are a lot of the blind tee boxes out there. How much importance was the practice rounds, pro-ams, and what was the approach you had knowing it's a course we never played?

GRACE KIM: Yeah, at the start of the week, Monday was pretty tiring after the Sunday flight, so I took that day quite easily. Tuesday I pushed 18 holes for a practice round, and made sure I got to see the whole course at least once before the pro-am as well.

Yeah, just really took my time on the tee boxes and trying to get my start lines right and, yeah, kind of in the same headspace with my caddie.

Yeah, I guess that worked out quite well.

Q. This is one of, if not the, highest elevation we play in all year. How did that affect your clubs, your numbers?

GRACE KIM: Yeah, it can get pretty firm out there, too, on the fairways and greens. Yeah, knowing you can hit it and rip it and just kind of get 250 easy is quite nice.

Yeah, I mean, you just try to use that to your advantage and try to go for it as much as you can on the par-5s as well. That's probably why, yeah, a lot of birdies out there. Yeah, just trying to get in the right position.

Q. Now that you've had a couple times around the course, any different strategies you'll implement maybe tomorrow, maybe be more aggressive, anything like that, that you didn't think of before?

GRACE KIM: I was pretty aggressive today. There were a couple tee shots where I didn't need driver but I hit driver still, and I really backed myself knowing I can hit it pretty straight.

Yeah, so probably the same thing again tomorrow, still that aggressive mindset. Yeah, just I guess backing myself.

Q. And then we were just talking before you came in, lowest round of the season so far. The excitement on your face. How good does this one feel and how do you hope to build on this for the rest of the week and hopefully for the rest of the season?

GRACE KIM: I mean, I was talking to my team. I've never -- not never, but this whole year seems like I've struggled a bit the first round. Makes my second round obviously a lot more stressful trying to make cuts.

I just said i just need like a 7-, 8-under; that would be nice. Got it done today and definitely feels nice. I can kind of just play freely tomorrow. At the same time I'm still not going to -- yeah, just going to stay in my lane.

Q. How many drivers did you hit today? Do you remember exactly?

GRACE KIM: No. No.

Q. Over or under five?

GRACE KIM: Driver? Yeah, over five. Yeah, two par-4s where you really don't need driver but I just went for it. Ended up in the middle of the fairway in the tightest spot possible; made birdie. Hit wedge. Yeah, it was quite nice.

Q. And on those two were you within 100 yards?

GRACE KIM: Yes, all within 100. It was about like 80 meters, so that's when you try to go for it and try to make as much as you can out of those.