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LPGA STATE FARM CLASSIC

July 17, 2008

Christina Kim

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Christina, thanks for joining us. You sat here yesterday and said you were looking forward to playing well. I think being the leader in the clubhouse and shooting a 9-under qualifies for that. Tell us about your round.
CHRISTINA KIM: I know. I wasn't defending champion, but I felt like it just a little bit because I came so close to winning last year. It's funny to say, but I had defending runner-up jitters on the first tee.
It was a thrilling day, but it took me a couple holes to get my head out of my way, I guess. So really just sort of let what could happen here happen.
But, no, it was a great day. It was the best pairing I've had in a really long time. I know it's very random, the pairings, but the fact that one, two, and -- although Annika wasn't here, I believe we were the two top finishers that ended up playing together. It was -- must have just been true coincidence, but it was great.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Let's go over your scorecard. You had seven birdies and an eagle today. First birdie was on the third hole.
CHRISTINA KIM: Yup, third hole I was 170 yards to the pin. Hit a 6-iron to about four feet, maybe five. Made the putt.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: On 6?
CHRISTINA KIM: No. 6 I was 202 to the flag. Hit a 5-wood just short into the bunker. I was like inches from clearing it. From there I hit out of the bunker so about six feet or so and made the putt for birdie.
No. 8 I had 102 to the hole and hit it to about ten feet. Made the putt, so I had a 52-degree wedge for that one.
No. 11 I was 130 yards out. Hit 9-iron to about 20 feet or so -- no, I'm sorry, it was about 17 feet right there. Made the putt for birdie there.
12 I had 112 yards to the hole. I hit a 52-degree wedge to about probably nine to ten feet. Made the putt for birdie.
No. 13 I hit 240 yards to the hole. Hit a 3-wood probably about 20 feet right of the cup, and then I had like an inch for my birdie. But I missed my eagle putt for a tap-in birdie.
No. 14, we were 185 yards. I hit a 6-iron to approximately -- must have been about six feet or so and made the putt for birdie.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: And finally got that eagle.
CHRISTINA KIM: Yeah. No. 16 I had 205 to the hole, I believe. I hit a 5-wood. I holed out from about 23 feet.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Nicely done. Questions for Christina.

Q. You said you had kind of first tee runner-up jitters. Sherri was there, too and people know you. You said that that first drive you weren't happy.
CHRISTINA KIM: It was horrible. Oh, my God.

Q. But just where did it kind of kick in? Was it on No. 3 where you got the birdie or where you started feeling like, Hey, this is okay?
CHRISTINA KIM: Yeah, I mean, No. 3, you know, it was -- I had been feeling great for the last -- I mean, this entire season I've been feeling really, really good about my game. No. 3, it was one of those shots where you should have clubbed up and then hit it into the wind and let the wind take it.
For some reason I felt like I needed to finagle a shot in there, so I hit my 160 club even though it was dead into the wind. Hit it low and let it run up.
It was one of those things where you had to play the shot instead of just relying the wind and expecting it to do this. I forced myself to sort of get into the zone by hitting one of those really tough shots and executing it properly. I think that helped me get my head out of my butt really. I was able to focus a little bit better.
Yeah, No. 3 was one of the key holes. It was my first birdie of the day and it was three perfect shots. It's funny, because all day long a lot of my putts I was standing there -- you know, I would hit my shot into the green and I would walk up and stand over the putt and it would feel like, you know, what was it? I guess it would be ten months ago because I had almost the exact same putt probably three or four different holes.
It was kind of a thrill because I made every one of them except for one because I had the worst brain fart ever. All of them it was just like, wow, it was just like last year and I knew it was going to go in. Kind of cool.

Q. I know we beat it to death yesterday about the fact that a lot of top players not being here. When you see Michelle Wie kind of near the top of the leaderboard, does that put a lot of sizzle back into a tournament?
CHRISTINA KIM: Absolutely. It's unfortunate that -- again, it's very unfortunate that however many of the whatever players decided not to show.
But bottom line, if someone wants to win they're going to win. It does not matter if Lorena Ochoa is here or not. If someone wants to win and they really, really want it, it's going to happen.
The fact that Michelle came out strong early -- did she really have an eagle on 15?
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: She did.
CHRISTINA KIM: Wow. I thought that was a mistake scoreboard. When you see someone like Michelle Wie, you know, people have had a lot of speculation about her and how her career is going to progress.
But the fact that she can show them, Hey, I can shoot 5-under on a great championship golf course, it does sort of just kind of stick it to them a little bit.
But, no, seeing someone like her that can go on a barrage of birdies, because she does have the advantage of hitting the 300-plus-yard drive. I was only 285, but whatever.
It definitely does sort of -- it tightens the group a little bit on you. You know she can make them so you have to.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: She holed off from like 170.
CHRISTINA KIM: Shut up. Really? O-M-G.
ASHLEY CUSHMAN: Isn't that what she said? Just a hundred?
CHRISTINA KIM: I was gonna say. Snap.

Q. In a way it seems like a long time ago. I think your rookie year you had a 62 out the Rail.
CHRISTINA KIM: Uh-huh. I'm sorry, that was my second year. Rookie year was...

Q. At that stage in your career everything is relatively new and exciting. You come in here today with a 63. An excellent round. I'm sure 63 isn't ho-hum, but when you come off the course after does to still feel the same as it did after you maybe shoot a 62 your second year?
CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, all things considered, I left at least four putts out there easily within 15 feet. There were a couple -- like the last two holes that were quite makable. The 17th hole I just lost some steam on my putt and left it like six inches short, almost a foot short.
But, no, there were a lot of putts left out there. It probably hasn't hit me yet that I've shot 63. It's the lowest round I've had in years it seems.
Probably the lowest round I've had since that 62. Yeah, because I think when I won -- back when I won it the lowest round I had had was 64.
It's a little bit surreal right now. I feel like I'm locked in 2007 because this tournament has done a lot for my career.
I was runner-up to Cristie Kerr here in '04, and that was my first, you know, real look at a win. I was able to go and have several top 10 finish thereafter before my first win on tour.
Then this time last year when we were here I just gotten dumped from the Solheim Cup team and emotions were so high.
You know, everyone with the tournament staff had been so great to me. There was so much positive energy coming out that I went and almost won here again.
You know, for me, this tournament is so important to me. If you look at my career, this has been the tournament that's sort of changed my year. My second year it taught me how to, first almost win, and then it taught me how to win.
Then coming here last year taught me to sort of reach for greater things. As devastated as I was not to make Solheim Cup team, the fact that I realized that there are, bottom line, more important things not just in life but in competitive golf. This tournament has been like a milestone for me.

Q. What about tomorrow? In the afternoon I think it's going to be another hot day, maybe even a little hotter. Afternoon rounds the greens might be a little more interesting. What do you think?
CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, the way I see it, if you're hitting your putts true it doesn't matter how many spike marks you roll over or doesn't matter how many pitch marks you have to tap down or whatever.
If you see a line and you trust it, I really think that sometimes it extends beyond just the stroke. If you really want it -- like watching Tiger win the Open. On the 72nd hole his ball was airborne probably 72% of the entire putt, and it still went in.
I think there's something magical about certain places in the world when it comes to golf. For me this place has been absolute magic.
You know what, I'm just going to sit here and revel in my 63 and just go out there and realize -- in my opinion, I had a good look at 58 out there. The fact that it's still out there, you know, who knows what could happen. I'm just thrilled to be in here.

End of FastScripts

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