BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP

October 23, 2026

Haeran Ryu

Pine Beach Golf Links

Press Conference

Q. How do you feel about your round today?

HAE-RAN RYU: The wind was stronger than I expected early in the round, so I was a little concerned. But I spent a lot of time practicing in the wind yesterday, and I think that really helped me today. It's a little disappointing how things turned out on the final hole, but I'll take it as a reminder to work even harder tomorrow. I'll try to stay calm and approach tomorrow's round with a clear mind.

Q. Was your putting off today?

HAE-RAN RYU: If putting had been the problem, I wouldn't have made those two long putts.

Actually, I did a good job saving par today, so I wouldn't say putting was the issue. I'd say I missed a few good birdie and par opportunities. Of course, it would be great if every putt went in. But I don't think it's fair to say my putting was the problem just because I missed a few.

Q. Still, you made back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16, two holes that can really make a difference. I imagine that must have felt pretty good?

HAE-RAN RYU: Yeah, after making those two birdies, I was ecstatic. But I finished the last two holes with pars. I had a chance on the final hole, but the double break was really hard to read. Still, I feel like I got two gifts with those birdies, so I was able to finish the round on a positive note.

Q. With the strong winds this week and the Vare Trophy up for grabs, how much attention are you paying to managing your score?

HAE-RAN RYU: This is actually the third time I've been asked about the Vare Trophy, so let me be honest. I'd be okay even if I didn't win it. I haven't really been thinking about the Vare Trophy today. Instead, I've been focusing on how to manage my game out there. Playing in windy conditions is still extremely difficult. It's hard even off the tee, and on the second shot, I'm constantly reminding myself not to hit the ball too high and to keep it down. That's the mindset I've been trying to maintain throughout the round.

Of course, the Vare Trophy is an award I really want to win. But if wanting an award were enough to win it, wouldn't every player have one? So I'm leaving that part up to fate. I think the best thing I can do is focus on the situation I'm in and do the best I can with what I have.

Q. Looking back at today's round, where would you say you faced the toughest stretch?

HAE-RAN RYU: I think it was after I made the three birdies. I then made par for about five or six holes in a row. If I had dropped a shot with a bogey during that stretch, things could have gotten a little tricky. But I managed to save par pretty well, even under that pressure. So I'd say those six or seven holes were probably the toughest part of my round. Once I got through that stretch, I was rewarded with those back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16, which felt like a gift.

Q. You've had a solid first round and got off to a great start. How are you planning to approach the remaining rounds? Now that you've played the course once, I imagine you have a better idea of how you want to approach it.

HAE-RAN RYU: Yeah, I think today was a really good day for me. But we don't know how the weather is going to change over the next three days. If the conditions stay similar to what we had today, I could tell you how I'd prepare based on the way I played. But we still don't know what the weather will be like over the weekend, and I haven't checked the forecast for tomorrow in detail yet.

The weather can be a big factor on this course, so there are still some uncertainties. Tomorrow will probably be the day with conditions most similar to today.

I'll use what I learned from today's round to read the wind a little better and spend some extra time working on my putting, especially with the putts I missed today. That's how I'll prepare for tomorrow.

The forecast for the weekend doesn't look particularly good, so for now, I'll focus on playing my best and then see how things develop.

Q. The Jeolla region also holds a special place in your heart. How does it feel to be playing here, and what has the atmosphere been like for you?

HAE-RAN RYU: I've been competing in tournaments in Korea for about three weeks now and I've been really surprised by how many fans have come out to support us. I know it's quite a long journey to come all the way to Haenam, so I'm really happy and thankful that so many people have made the trip to support me here. This area is also special to me because my father's hometown is nearby. So it's been particularly nice to see so many people from the Jeolla region come out and cheer me on. I think we'll have a lot of support over the next three days as well. I'll do my very best to play even better than I did today, so I hope everyone will continue to come out and cheer me on. Thank you so much for your support.

Q. The greens seemed to be running at around 3.5 to 3.6 today. How did you find the pace and distance control when putting on these greens? And what adjustments do you think you'll make heading into tomorrow's round?

HAE-RAN RYU: Even though we had rain the day before yesterday, I think the greens are running really well.

The greens were extremely fast at last week's KLPGA tournament, so having played that course and then coming here, I'm very happy with both the green speed and the overall condition of the greens.

Compared to last week, the greens are relatively slower here, which made it a little easier for me to control my distance. I think that helped me get through today's round without making a bogey.

As I mentioned earlier, I didn't make any bogeys today, but there were still a few putts I felt I could have made. So tomorrow, I'm going to focus a little more on those areas and try to manage my game even better.