KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 19, 2025

Auston Kim

Fields Ranch East

Quick Quotes

Q. Auston Kim is with us now at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. Auston, a nice start for you; 1-under. What are some highlights from your first round?

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, I made a lot of really good putts today. I feel like my proximity to the hole was really good. I also hit a lot of bad shots, so it's kind of unfortunate how many bogeys I made today.

It's a major course, major week, conditions are really tough, so I'm pretty proud of the fight that I put up today. I made a lot of birdies.

Q. What is it that makes this golf course so difficult for maybe fans at home or those of us that haven't got to play it yet?

AUSTON KIM: I think the most difficult thing is dealing with the heat. There were times I had to lock in really hard just because the heat is taking a toll on you. You kind of want to just get into a daze and it's hard to focus.

But the heat was probably the hardest part, and then hitting the fairways. I had to chop it out of the rough twice today, including on the last hole. I thought I was going to make double for sure, but I managed to make a really good bogey.

Like the wind was making the greens really hard to hold. I definitely hit a couple shots that spun a lot more than I thought they would and they managed to hold.

But I was watching coverage this morning and it just looked like balls were just continuing to roll, especially on holes that were downwind. You would think those holes playing downwind would be easier because you're closer to the green, but if you have a bit of an awkward yardage or you're in between two clubs, then you can knock it through the green or end up hitting it short and have a super long putt.

Q. You told me at the U.S. Women's Open that you were reminding yourself that you belonged in these situations. Having played well through your LPGA career and you get into a place like this, how do you continue to remind yourself that you do belong among this kind of field?

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, I know I'm in the nascent stages of my pro career, but I'm learning a lot, definitely gaining a lot of experience and confidence. I'm also working really hard on my mental game, and there were couple times where I got really upset today but I was able to reset and try to make the next shot as best as possible, better than the last one.

So just a matter of staying in it. Like I watch a ton of men's golf and like J.J. Spaun said last week after he won, like you don't have to do anything spectacular. You don't have to hit superhero shots. You just have to stay in it.

I feel like that's such good advice for a course as hard as this one this week. I don't have to pull off these superhuman shots. Need to hit fairways and greens, and if I make par, great. I know I am probably gaining partial strokes anyway, and those will add up at the end of the week.

Q. What is the process of a mental reset for you? What do you do?

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, I let myself feel the emotions. I'm a bit of a yapper. I yap with the ball. If you're standing right by me I'm saying a lot of things to my golf ball. I talk it out. I say what I want to say about the shot and then I feel like that helps me accept what's just happened.

And there was a lot of yapping today. I feel like if I talk it out and let these emotions through me, gives me a chance to get through it and I feel more prepared for the next one.

I think acceptance is key for me. And like any sports psych will say, just feel the emotions and try to accept the outcome, and make the next shot better.

Q. Who is your mental coach?

AUSTON KIM: Rick Sesssinghaus.

Q. You talk about making a good bogey on 18. There is a crazy stat out there that I think more double bogeys than birdies at 18. Tell us about that hole. Where is the dangers?

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, the other two girls that I was playing with today, we were walking up to scoring and just shaking our heads at how hard that hole was playing.

I think it's the fact that carrying that bunker is about 245 with a bit of crosswind today. For a lot of people, like you can't really carry that with a 3-wood. I mean, I ended up hitting 5-wood today just because I was warm and sweaty and wind was kind of down.

Ended up getting the worst break possible. It landed in the rough and sunk down into like the base of the grass. My caddie was saying like mark it and see if it's embedded. It was not embedded. It was in grass probably this long. (Indicating.)

I ended up having to chop out. Missed it into the bunker. Saved up and down. But I think it's the fact that you don't have a lot of room to stop your tee shot after that bunker that's in the middle of the fairway.

Again, about 245 carry, and then it's 285 to the end of the fairway if I'm remembering correctly. That only gives you about 40 yards of area to try and stop your tee shot.

One of my playing partners hit a really good drive but it went out a little bit hot and ended up hit the downslope and rolling through had she to chop out backwards.

With you saying that were more double bogeys hole than birdies on that hole, I can completely understand and I can completely see it. I just don't think there is enough area for people to stop their tee shots and have a solid approach into that green. The pin was tucked left today, so all those bunkers come into play.

If you're in the two right bunkers then it's not that bad of a shot. If you end up kind of in line with the pin, short, or even left of the pin, then not much area.