August 8, 2003
2003 U.S. Women’s Amateur
Gladwyne, Pennsylvania
An Interview with:
IN-BEE PARK
BETH MURRISON : Congratulations on another win today. You are moving on to the semifinals of the Women's Amateur.
Can you talk a little bit about how you played today and how you feel moving on?
IN-BEE PARK: I played pretty well today. Pretty solid. I feel great.
Q. What's working well for you in your game?
IN-BEE PARK: My driving and short putts. Not long putts.
Q. Are you familiar with Virada's game, have you ever played her before?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. Because she the one who you will be playing tomorrow?
IN-BEE PARK: All right.
Q. She is a former NCAA champion, is that intimidating, or are you just very excited?
THE INTERPRETER: She is very excited playing against Virada. She is only 15. She will take it as a learning experience. She never had a chance to play with her but she likes to play with the good players. I think she has less pressure, so she is going to enjoy, have fun. You never know what's going to happen.
Q. What were your goals coming here this week?
IN-BEE PARK: Top 16.
THE INTERPRETER: She wanted to be top 16.
Q. So she already exceeded that. Are you tired?
IN-BEE PARK: A little.
Q. You were 3-up early, after like 3 today?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes.
Q. Did it get a lot closer, did it get to like 1-up or anything, or were you pretty much ahead the whole time?
IN-BEE PARK: 1-up and 2-up.
THE INTERPRETER: I think she was pretty much in control. She was 3-up and she was 2 all the way to 17. It was a little comfortable.
Q. In-Bee , how is this different playing in the Girl's Junior ?
IN-BEE PARK: Less pressure.
Q. Do you see it because you are younger and they don't expect much out of you because you are still a kid; what do you think?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes, I think so.
Q. You don't feel nervous at all this week?
IN-BEE PARK: Just enjoying it.
Q. Do you enjoy it more when you win?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes.
Q. Have you trailed in any of your matches? I know you were all square in the morning .
THE INTERPRETER: She was always up. She never was down. She never went to 18 yet.
Q. Hasn't played 18 yet? Do you remember how to play 18?
THE INTERPRETER: From the practice round.
Q. Do you feel like you gotten a lot mentally stronger, the more Match Play you've played?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes.
Q. Do you find yourself thinking any differently?
THE INTERPRETER: She is playing a lot smarter. At this time her father is caddying. He is doing a great job. She feels a lot more secure, comfortable, having her father caddy for her. Her father knows every part of her game. The father being there, I think, is a pretty big help in this tournament and he is doing a great job.
Q. When was the last time your dad caddied for you?
IN-BEE PARK: U.S. Open qualifying.
Q. When was that in June ?
IN-BEE PARK: In June .
Q. In-Bee , we are looking for players for our Curtis Cup team, are you an American citizen?
IN-BEE PARK: Oh, no.
Q. In-Bee , your father, he doesn't live here full-time, does he?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. He is just here for the summer?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes.
THE INTERPRETER: He is going to go back home. It will be a great present if she is close enough.
Q. Yes, I guess so. She would be the youngest at 15.
THE INTERPRETER: 15. She was defending champion, she repeated. Nancy Lopez , that kind of stuff. Too much pressure. I'm one of the youngest, okay. It's a different story. Just play, have fun, you will be fine.
Q. Have you had fun this week?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes, really.
Q. How much fun have you had? What was fun about it for you?
IN-BEE PARK: Playing in great tournaments.
Q. Did you go to any of the parties or anything?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. The club party where they had the music and everything on Saturday?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. You didn't go to the parties?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. You don't like to go to parties; did you go to the player's dinner?
IN-BEE PARK: No.
Q. It would be nice if she went, they always introduce the champions and she is a champion, it would be nice if you went?
THE INTERPRETER: She loves to play the USGA tournaments because the settings are very challenging for her and the competition. The Match Play tournament.
Q. You seem to like it, you seem to be good at it. When you are at home what course do you play?
IN-BEE PARK: Blackberry.
Q. Now when you play that, what tees do you play from?
IN-BEE PARK: Black.
Q. Are those the back tees?
IN-BEE PARK: 6200.
THE INTERPRETER: But she played from the 7,000 ones, and she played from the blue tee which is 6800. But she usually plays with the black tee which is 6250.
Q. Okay. That's pretty close to this. Just about 100 yards shorter.
THE INTERPRETER: Sometimes when she plays with the boys she will go back.
Q. In-Bee , I grew up in Florida, and I always found it difficult when you practice on a flat course and you come up here and play USGA tournaments and they have a lot of hilly lies, how did you learn how to play a lot of hilly lies?
IN-BEE PARK: In Korea , the golf course is like, very, very hilly. I practiced a lot.
Q. How long did you play in Korea , how many years before you came here?
IN-BEE PARK: Two years, 3 years.
THE INTERPRETER: All of the golf course is in the mountains because we don't have a lot of land. They build the golf courses in the mountains. There is a lot of up and down.
Q. How long have you lived here?
IN-BEE PARK: Two years.
Q. So you have only been playing golf five years?
IN-BEE PARK: Yes.
Q. It's amazing. Thank you very much. Congratulations. We will see you tomorrow. Good luck.
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