MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 17, 2026

Gina Kim

Blythefield Country Club

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, very pleased to be joined by our newest LPGA Tour winner, Gina Kim. I guess I'll start there. LPGA Tour winner Gina Kim. Does it still feel real?

GINA KIM: No. It still hasn't settled in. I'm not sure when it's going to settle in. But, yeah, even the night when I went to bed after I won I thought I was dreaming for a second.

So I think it's still going to take some time for that to sink in and really feel like reality to me.

Q. Yeah. A lot of people like to do something nice or buy something for themselves after their first win. Have you decided what you're going to do with some of your winnings?

GINA KIM: I'm planning on paying off my parents' mortgage, and then I'll probably donate a little bit of money to the Duke golf team's fundraiser called Birdies For Babies that goes directly to the NICU and PICU of the Duke Hospital.

So that fundraiser has always been close to me, and it was spearheaded by my senior at that time Virginia Elena Carta. I'm definitely going to figure out how to donate to there and kind of get things rolling on that side.

Q. Couple more questions about last week before we move to this week. Take us through I guess the final couple holes. Was there a moment you and Yana were like, we have a really good shot to win this thing?

GINA KIM: Yeah, just didn't feel real that whole day. Felt like a fever dream almost. But I think on 17 when Yana made the putt and we were walking to the 18th hole and the way the crowd reacted, I think that's when Yana and I realized oh, shoot, this is actually going to become a real thing.

And so walking down that path going to the 18th green we were just soaking it all in and it was just the best moment of my life.

Q. Yeah. Shifting gears to this week now, have you got to see the course at all?

GINA KIM: I have.

Q. What have you made of it and how does it suit your game?

GINA KIM: Yeah. I personally like narrow golf courses. I love it when the rough is thick and penalizes when you don't hit the greatest shots.

I think this course does exactly that. This is I think my -- oh, it's my fourth year playing here and this is actually where I got my first hole-in-one as a pro -- in my career actually. So I have a lot of good memories here. I'm really excited to get the week going, so...

Q. How do you maybe -- trying to think of the right way to phrase this -- temper your expectations now that you've tasted victory, kind of come back down to earth a little bit and focus on the next tournament and next shot, stuff like that?

GINA KIM: Yeah, I mean, I think before I won I always tried to imagine what it would be like when I finally got my first Tour win. I don't think anything changed. My plan doesn't change. The way I think doesn't change. Getting double guac a Chipotle still is scary to me. I'm not one to go crazy with my money.

So I'm just excited to be here. I still know the feeling of what it was like it lose my Tour card back in '24, so once again, I am grateful to even have a tee time to even play in an LPGA Tour event.

Q. Take us through the details of the hole-in-one here. What do you remember?

GINA KIM: I remember it was my 5-iron and it was 167 yards blowing left to right. Pin was in the middle left and it was fading. It actually hit the front of the green and rolled up because the greens were really firm that time.

And I didn't actually see it go in, but I knew based on everyone's reaction that it went in. So that helped me make the cut and then eventually finished tied 18th, which got me into concussion and Evian that year.

So, yeah, I mean, I still remember it like it was yesterday because that -- this tournament actually helped me get into Evian, which was my first time playing there. So, yeah.

Q. What has the reaction been like for you the last couple days? What have you heard from players about your win?

GINA KIM: I think it goes to show how close-knit the LPGA Tour is. I mean, I think I've been stopped every five hearing congratulatory messages. You know, they've been so kind and so gracious. I truly felt the love for the past few days.

And people who I didn't realize still had my phone number reached out, too, so it's been so nice. I'm very humbled and grateful for all the support I received.

Q. After such a great week last week, what do you think will be the biggest challenge this week?

GINA KIM: I think mental exhaustion. I poured everything I had into that final day, and I think now that adrenaline is slowly wearing off I can feel myself dragging a little bit.

So I'm just taking it easy and making it nice and fun, and just I -- I'm just going to do my best and see where it goes. But I'm just even happy to have the opportunity to play here and then KPMG next year -- next week, excuse me.

Q. I believe if I remember correctly, now going from teammates to playing in the same group as Yana for the next couple days, what's it going to be like now going against Yana?

GINA KIM: I mean, it's safe to say that we all know we are competitors, but at the end of the day we're all friends, too. We're all out here trying to do the best we can, and just being able to play with her again this week, I think it'll be really fun. I think we'll both be relaxed and have a good time we were having at Dow.

So I'm really excited to get the tournament started with her.

THE MODERATOR: Awesome. Thank you so much, Gina. Congratulations again. Good luck this week.

GINA KIM: Thank you. Yay. This is my first pre-tournament press conference. This is so exciting.