LOTTE CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTED BY HOAKALEI

October 1, 2026

Auston Kim

Hoakalei Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Auston Kim after her first round her at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei. Really solid round for you; 5-under chasing down A Lim. How would you assess your round overall, especially the eagle on ten?

AUSTON KIM: Very quiet first six holes and very eventful middle six holes and then again very quiet last six holes. It was a bit of a wild finish for me. I hit a couple shots this weren't that great, but I am very proud of the middle third of round because it was a very quiet start for me, especially on a course like this.

Aki started with three birdies in a row so I was kind of like itching to make something or get something started, so it was actually nice to get a lot of good shots in the middle of the round.

Q. And then you talk about taking advantage of this course. What are some of the intricacies of this course that make it challenging or attackable?

AUSTON KIM: This course is almost weird to play without wind, and I can't imagine hitting a couple of tee shots without the predominant wind. It tends to get a little bit slow on the greens, a little bit bumpy sometimes and very grainy.

So putting myself in good positions off the tee and then having as many short clubs as I possibly can going into the greens is nice. They're not ripping back. The balls are stopping right when they hit the green. Maybe spin a touch depending on slope.

So it's actually -- like it's tough because of the wind and how narrow some parts of the course can get. It's not really a shootout, but there can be a lot birdies out there, so just capitalizing as often as you can.

Q. You talked about the wind. I know you said it's weird to play without the wind. How do you come into an event like this knowing there is wind? How do you prepare for a test like that?

AUSTON KIM: Thankfully I've played a lot of events in the wind this year already. This year alone I've got a lot of practice in the wind, and a lot of it has to do with trust and how much work I put in throughout the year. We're all very warm. We are all at a point where we're highly impressive and ready to go whether we practice or not.

So it's just being able to trust in all the work I put in, trusting my shot, my setup, and my game. I was able to hit a lot of good shots out there today.

Q. Last one: Coming off a very busy stretch with Solheim and some other events. Busy stretch ahead going into Asia. How do you balance resting and knowing obviously with two very important events at the end of the year versus still wanting to compete and try to capture that first win for you?

AUSTON KIM: Right. I'm a little tired but I love playing golf and I love competing, and any week out here is a great experience.

Like the past month I've learned so much about myself and my game and any time out on the golf course is a win right now. A lot of people who I look up to or who I consider role models have told me to get as much experience is a I possibly can and be as patient as I can.

I feel like I have a lot good momentum on my side and even though it is a lot of work, I am very thankful to do what I do. Golf is really exciting right now so I'm just trying to ride the wave as long as I can.