BLUE BAY LPGA

March 5, 2026

Auston Kim

Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Auston Kim after her first round at Blue Bay LPGA. Coming off a couple weeks in Asia, but playing well; T2 last week and off to a strong start this week. Talk about where your game is at right now.

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, I feel like mentally I'm on top of things very often, more often. Put in a lot of hard work over the offseason and really cool to see it pay off.

Overall my game is feeling okay. I feel like last week I didn't really have my A-game and today I didn't really have my A-game, but my short game and putting is really saving me. I hit my irons better today, too, so more chances.

I think I made nine birdies today and four bogeys, so I think I just need to get a little tighter off the tee. Like the 12th hole was my third hole and I probably hit like worst shot of my life on 12 today. Just I managed to find the ball and made bogey, but I think overall like I'm just hitting a couple shots here and there that are really costing me. Couple three-putts today, and just a couple bad shots off the tee. Overall the rest of it was more solid than before.

Q. You mentioned working in the offseason. What was the areas you really tried to focus on that you felt you could have improved coming into this year?

AUSTON KIM: Yeah, I wanted to be a little more consist of the off the tee. I really struggled with that probably halfway through last season. And probably my mental state standing over putts. Like not being worried about things that I can't control or worried about is this going to go in or being worried about a bad outcome.

I'm more worried about or more concerned with what I want in every situation and how I can achieve it. I think it goes back to what I said last week about competing with every shot. It takes a lot focus, but I feel like harnessing my focus in a more positive way is good, it's more constructive, and overall it's been working better.

Q. Consistency off the tee, is that sometimes maybe taking driver out of the bag. We know that you're one of the longer hitter. Or is it trying to hone in the driver and still use that length?

AUSTON KIM: No, it's just like me telling the driver like, you got to listen right now. I'm not really one of those players who takes driver out to hit 3-wood. I'm kind of stubborn that way, too. It's like even if I'm not hitting driver well I'm still going to want to hit driver just because I don't want to hit 3-wood. But, overall, like I just need to work on the driver more. Overall solid.