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SYBASE CLASSIC

May 20, 2005

Christina Kim

NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK

JOEL LAMP: We've got Christina Kim here in the interview room.

Christina, 1 over par 72, you're 5 under for the tournament total. Let's go over your score card first. You started on the back side, No. 10, and it was uneventful except for your bogey on 14.

CHRISTINA KIM: Yes, No. 14, I hit a good drive down the left side of the fairway. I had 129 yards into the hole uphill into a little breeze, and since it's been cold all day, the whole course has been playing longer. I tried to grip an 8 iron and hit short of the green, and it spun all the way back down off the green. So that was you know, and I failed to get up and down. I actually chipped it to about four feet but missed the putt coming back.

JOEL LAMP: Then you came back on the front side with birdies on 2 and 3.

CHRISTINA KIM: Yes, No. 2 was 140 yards. I used my 8 iron and I hit that to about four feet and made the putt.

No. 3, I was 25 yards short of the flag with my second shot on the par 5, used my 60 degree wedge, chipped it to 15 feet and made that putt.

No. 4, was playing 195 yards, I used my 5 wood and hit into the left trap. My shot from the bunker failed to reach the putting surface. I was still in the rough, and my chip, I don't know why, but it went like 50 feet that way. And I 2 putted for a double bogey there, not very fun.

JOEL LAMP: Bogey on 8.

CHRISTINA KIM: No. 8, I missed the fairway. I had 97 yards to the hole. Unbelievable lie. I gripped down on my pitching wedge, tried to hit it out there and get it on the green, which I did. I was about 30 feet from the hole and then 3 putted from there and I missed a 4 foot putt downhill coming back.

JOEL LAMP: You closed the round on a high point with a birdie at the ninth.

CHRISTINA KIM: I hit my drive well right of the fairway. Luckily I carried the hazard. I was 116 yards to the hole going uphill and into a stiff breeze again. Used my 9 iron and put it to 18 feet right of the flag, made the putt.

JOEL LAMP: 1 over par, you're 5 under for the tournament, just talk about your thoughts about the round.

CHRISTINA KIM: The entire day was playing really tough. You know, I don't think the high is supposed to get more than 56 today. So most people are going to be bundled up as it is. For me, the more layers I wear, the more difficult it is for me to swing, I have to swing around my body enough as it is sorry.

No, it was very cold out there. The ball is not going as far. You know, you're having to play different shots because, again, the greens are very difficult out here. They put some really interesting pin placements out there, and it's only Friday.

But, you know, overall I am satisfied with the round. I made a couple of mistakes but no round can be perfect, and I just went out there and just tried to stay patient and just stuck with it until the bitter end.

Q. How important was that putt on the last hole just for your frame of mind going into tomorrow?

CHRISTINA KIM: You know, I made two birdies, holes No. 2 and 3. No. 3 was a par 5 which I like to think that I like to play my par 5s like they are par 4s. I haven't really made anything of any distance. I didn't make anything of a good amount of distance today. I was very happy to see that because I saw that I can read these putts and that I can read these greens, so I was happy to end on a good note.

Q. Are you comfortable with a lead? Do you enjoy being on the top like that?

CHRISTINA KIM: I like the way I see it, I'm only halfway there. I'm up around the top right now. I don't know where I'm at. I'm just happy to know that I tried my best and I'm playing my hardest, and, you know, wherever I end up is where I end up.

You know, I've been in that situation where I've been in the final group, I've been leading. I've been in that top little echelon of players that I'm trying to get used to it. I kind of like it.

Q. Have you had any situations where you felt like you did not handle that situation well, handle the pressure well?

CHRISTINA KIM: I'm sure that I have, but I try and focus on I try not to think about the negative things. I try and focus more on the positives. I'm sure that I have. My memory is shot as it is, so I can't really remember yeah, selective memory, exactly.

Q. You talked yesterday a lot about the kind of fun that you have on the golf course, on a day like this where you are maybe struggling a little bit more, do you still have that same level of fun out there?

CHRISTINA KIM: That's one thing that I notice out there, I think partly just because of the weather, but also just, and also due in part to how I was playing. I wasn't having as much fun. There was times when I was trying to force myself to smile or make a joke or something like that. Considering how dreary the day itself was, I think that I was pretty happy and pretty festive considering, you know.

Q. How important is it to you that the fans see that your personality is such a big part of your game and who you are, for you to show that personality?

CHRISTINA KIM: Well, you know, I don't know how quote, unquote important it is for me, because I just try and do what I do. You know, with me, if I play well I'm happy, and if I'm happy, I play well. I don't know if it's like the chicken and the egg; I don't know which one comes first.

I just notice that I like to make people smile and I like seeing people enjoying themselves. Especially somebody who would want to take time out of their day and who would want to watch a bunch of women chase a white ball over a bit of grass. I'm always very appreciative and very grateful to have the fans come out and watch. You know, I just try and do what I do, and so I don't really know how important it is.

Q. We see a lot of athletes look like they are not having fun out there. Does that puzzle you almost that you're playing a kids game and making a lot of money, and a lot of people don't seem to be having the kind of enjoyment that you do, not just in golf but in sports?

CHRISTINA KIM: I think in other sports you'll see I think for me, like my enjoyment, my happiness, whatever, it's sort of how I take my intensity, and that's how I portray it to others. You go out and you see people, you see like marathon runners, sprinters where they are snarling and don't look like they are having fun. They are so intense and that's how they perform their best and I respect that. I don't necessarily live the same way, but I can understand that, see that and respect that.

JOEL LAMP: Thanks a lot, Christina. Good luck this weekend.

End of FastScripts.

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