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SHELL HOUSTON OPEN

April 1, 2008

K.J. Choi

HUMBLE, TEXAS

DAVE SENKO: Well, K.J., thank you for joining us in the Media Center.
Just maybe get us started, you had a chance to take a look at the course today. Maybe just your thoughts and your observations on the course this year.
K.J. CHOI: I think the course conditions are very good from what I've played the last two days.
I think, you know, the greens look very smooth. The putting line is very clear. I think, you know, there's going to be a lot of good scores out today -- this week.
You know, I'm hoping -- I played the course at Houston seven times and I'm hoping, you know, this year might -- this is my seventh time. This year might be my best year.
You know, especially being in front of, you know, all my home fans. You know, I really hope that I can make them happy.
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DAVE SENKO: How does it feel to be able to play at home, spend a week at home?
K.J. CHOI: You know, it kind of feels awkward, you know, playing because you travel around most of the year, you know, living out of the suitcase and going back and forth from the course to the hotel.
This week I'm at home so it sort of feels weird, you know but, at the same time, you know, can't deny the fact that I'm having my family there, just to drive away from my house, you know, it just make everything more comfortable.
I've been living in Houston for awhile now so I'm very well -- fell like I'm well adjusted to this city, the life here in the U.S. and I just hope, you know, this week is going to be a better week for me.
DAVE SENKO: Questions.

Q. Obviously this is not Augusta National but they've set the course up to help prepare the players that are going to Augusta.
Is it helpful to you and what portions of what they've done help you prepare for next week?
K.J. CHOI: You know, few of the holes I noticed that, you know, they resemble some of the holes in Augusta, like, you know, the greens, you know, they undulate towards the water.
If you don't hit a good shot the ball is going to land and roll into the water. Things like that they've done a good job.
So you've got to have good spin control out there that week. Although the greens are probably different, I think the course set-up is, you know, in some ways -- the roughs are pretty similar. I think it's going to be a good experience for me and for a lot of the players that are playing the Masters.

Q. K.J., why do you think you've played better in Houston the past couple of years? What have you done to get more comfortable? Is your wife just cooking better now (laughter)?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah. I mean if you look at my past performance, I think I'm get being closer and closer, you know, within Top-5. I think, you know, my experience on the Tour in the last few years and definitely, you know, I think my skill level has definitely increased. It's gotten better, you know.
You know, all those factor with the fact that I'm playing out of my home town. You know, it just -- I think believing that I can play well out here is probably the biggest factor why I'm playing better these days.

Q. What did last season do for you in terms of what your goals are with your career?
You had your best year last year. Kind of where are you now and what your expectations are?
K.J. CHOI: When I set my goals, I mean I don't really think about, you know, I finish what, 5 last year so I'm going to have to finish better than that.
If you really, you know, get too concerned about, you know, numbers, money, things like that, I think you're not going to play as well. So, what I try to do is I try to stay focused on what I've -- the work that I need to do, the different, you know, shots that I need to improve on, different parts of the game that I need to improve on.
If I'm able to focus on my routine, daily routine and try to, you know, elevate my game, my overall game and keep my body in the right condition, just live a very hard working life, then I think everything else will take care of itself.

Q. Do you feel like your game is good enough right now for what awaits you next week?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah. I'm, you know, actually -- I think I'm on the right pace right now.
You know, this week there's a lot more wind than what I think is going to be next week, but I'm really concentrating on my spin shots, high shots, you know, controlling the backspin so it doesn't fall off the green and go in the water.
So I think I prepared well for next week and I just hope this week is going to be, you know, a good experience for me.

Q. You kind of used to seeing your name in the Top-10 in the world? A few years ago that must have seemed like a long way away.
Every, now every week there's -- Yeah. You know, I'm actually more used to seeing, you know, my name up there now. You know, just the overall atmosphere of, you know, my name being in the Top-10 in the world.
But, you know, I try -- I'm not really too concerned about that. I don't try to really think about that too much. Like I said, I just try to, you know, work hard everyday, just stick to my routine.
I think what my objective is trying to close that gap between in the players who are better than me, you know, just looking at them, seeing what they're doing different, what I need to do to close the gap, and I think that's what's really important.

Q. What do you think that gap is?
K.J. CHOI: I think mainly probably, you know, the ball speed, you know, and also like when you're hitting it out of the rough, you know, the way the ball comes out, I think it's a little different. I think I need to have better flexibility, you know, improve on my short game.
You know, there's a lot of areas that I need to improve on and I think -- also, you know, honestly when I go to different courses, I still think I have a little bit of difficulty in trying to figure out, you know, the greens and I think when I become more comfortable about all these things, if I'm able to, you know, make up for all my weaknesses, then I think my overall game is going to be more effective.

Q. K.J., what was it like a few years ago when you played in Korea? What kind of reception did you get from the fans and just what was that like? Had to be really cool.
K.J. CHOI: You know, I feel happy, you know, seeing all the positive reaction. Actually it was lot more overwhelming than what I had expected, you know, the fans, the interest, the support, all the cheers that I got, which is a lot more than, you know, what I thought, and, you know, it sort of motivated me to work harder.
You know, you really have to be up there in order to -- I think fans appreciate more when you're playing better. I think through -- by playing the Ballentine Championship, I noticed that the overall level, the interest, just the attitude of the gallery, everything, it just increased, you know, it's gotten a lot better than the years before, and, you know, I also realize that wherever I play, whether it's in the U.S., a European tournament, that I have fans everywhere around the world. Really made me happy.

Q. Is winning a Major championship one of your primary goals for this season?
K.J. CHOI: You know, like I said, I mean I don't -- obviously if you're a professional golfer you want to win a Major, you know, once in your career, but I don't like say I have to win it this year, you know?
I don't want to put pressure on myself. Obviously some day I want to win it and I think I'm getting closer to it every year so that actually provides -- you know, it makes me know that there's hope at the end of the tunnel.
You know, I think what's important is that when I'm in the hunt, when there's an opportunity for me to grab that chance, then I have to be prepared for it.
If I'm not prepared for it when the chance is right there and I don't, you know, win it, then that's meaningless. If I'm well prepared and when the opportunity comes, then I want to be at a position where I can grab that chance.

Q. There's obviously so much attention on how well Tiger has been playing but I'm wondering when you see last year you saw Padraig, Zach, Angel win Majors, is that the sort of thing that sort of makes it seems a little bit more within reach?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah. All those players, Harrington, Zach, Angel, I think they were able to win because they were prepared. They were in that position to take that win. They were ready.
I think, you know, my time -- hopefully I want to say my time will come and that's why I say I have to be prepared now in case a chance comes, and, you know, I've gone through -- I've had some disappointing finishes at Majors from my personal view.
I've gone through a lot. So I think the Lord, you know, He's going to dictate to me when I'm ready and I just want to be prepared when that chance comes.

Q. K.J. with you being more known the last couple of years, your play has made you more visible, what's the strangest place you've had somebody recognize you?
K.J. CHOI: Yeah. I mean there's several instances, you know, like this is what really occurs to me, comes to my mind is when I'm at a stop light and a car pulls up and the guy next to me notices who I am, you know, and he says, "Hey, K.J., go K.J.", you know, when I see things like that it makes me, you know -- makes me happy. It makes me surprised.
There are instances when I'm in a hamburger joint, you know, the employee notices who I am and, you know, I notice the service is totally different (laughter).
Even when I'm at a gas station people notice me. So, you know, when I experience things like that, I definitely can realize the power of, you know, the media, TV and I also think to myself that I need to, you know, work, just keep to my routine, work harder, prepare well because there's a lot of people that's watching me.
You know, it's a very motivating thing for me to see that.

Q. Do they recognize you when you go into Hooters with Daly (laughter)?
DAVE SENKO: Everyone okay? Okay, thank you K.J.

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