"The AIG Women's Open Requires Something Different To The Other Majors" | Lydia Ko Press Conference

okay good afternoon everyone I'm delighted to welcome the two-time major winner and the Olympic champion Lydia Co to the interview room uh first of all L um how does it feel to be back playing in a major championship at St Andrews after your first appearance in 2013 here yeah um you know pretty unbelievable in the sense that it's been that long since um you know I came here I think St Andrews was the second British Open I'd played at the time um but yeah now excited to come back to a golf course that I played before I must say I don't have like a lot of memory um I think I was just trying to survive the wind and and the conditions at the time um but yeah it's it's great to be here and obviously this is the home of golf so um you know it's kind of like a bucket list Place uh for a lot of people and um yeah I'm excited for this week to get going from tomorrow and obviously after you're winning Paris and sort of riding a high at the moment um you looking forward to contending this week and putting yourself in in a place to challenge for the championship yeah I was saying that I haven't played like particularly well on lyx golf um in my um 11 or so appearances that I've played uh but there's always a time for a change and um it would be great to have one of my best finishes here um now I I've gotten to love Lynx golf more over the years I think before I was so frustrated that it was windy and rainy and all of the things combined and you know the conditions um could play a big factor in you know how our rounds are played but I think I've slowly gotten to love it more and uh you know I love how that you have to be so creative when you play Lynx golf you know numbers are sometimes very irrelevant so yeah it's um it's fun I know I I know D Donald is a very different type of golf course to hear but to kind of get in the rhythm of playing lyx golf uh I I really enjoyed that and um I think that's good always a good preparation coming into the open for us great stuff we'll take questions from the floor if you raise your hand we'll get a mic to you uh Beth in the front row when hello when did you find do you remember when you had this shift in mentality to to learn to embrace the conditions um I think I uh when we played in mirfield a couple years ago there was one of the most fun I'd had uh you know on links um I don't think we played in like heavy rain that week it was just you know very windy but I was like you know what like not hitting a stock 7 iron 155 yards is okay and sometimes it might only go a 100 yards and like it's funny um in ways and I think it becomes a little bit U more light out there um I think last week I I hit a really good drive on the fairy on my first hole of the day and I had 195 to the pin and I knew that my three would would not reach the green and you just stand there and you can't do anything about it and it's um you just take the joy out of all that but I think mirfield was kind of a time where I stepped off after the woman's open I was like I actually really enjoyed that and um you know over after that I think every time I played it's just been more and more fun and whereas before I thought like why are we out here like of all the sports why did I choose an outdoor sport to where I have to deal with everything um but this is the beauty of it and I prefer playing link style Golf Course when we are at the women's open and obviously we're going to getting uh we're going to get a true test of that this week then where's the gold medal now and do you have you taken it out and just stared at it and enjoyed it um it's in it's in my hotel room um inside my backpack um we we didn't really get a like a case for it um so we wrapped it up in a to and then just put in my backpack um it was you know my sister and I were there in Paris and uh we had a few more family members come over this past week uh so my mom took a picture with it and you know my brother-in-law and my husband is here so we're all just enjoying it um but I think when after Sunday this week it will be more of a a relief and in a way where I can take a step back and kind of take everything in uh whereas these past couple weeks I'm you know also trying to play the best I can at these events so I'm just focusing on what's right in front of me but yeah I'm uh excited to get this tournament started but then also excited for it to end you know after Sunday and um really Embrace what an amazing three weeks it has been for me okay the next question from brenley at the front what do you remember specifically about 2013 um I would imagine you probably played a few holes on Saturday with the winds but is there anything that still stands out from when you think back on that that week the weather I am pretty sure I played in calm conditions on that Thursday and I was like oh this is fine this golf course isn't that difficult and I don't know if it's cuz I said that um the weather Gods uh said you're going to get a beating the next day okay um so I played in you know super windy conditions on Friday and I was very humbled um to say the least uh you know it was it felt like a completely different golf course you know I played here even on Monday and the whole back nine apart from 10 11 I didn't hit a club under a three hybrid coming in apart from and also apart from the 18th so it can play really long and I think the wind direction whether it's just across to being like Crossing into make such a big um difference around uh this golf course and especially with my ball uh ball shape so yeah it's um I don't uh remember like one specific thing but I knew that that was when I was quickly humbled uh there and I was like you know what don't don't say anything about a golf course and don't ever say anything's too easy because you just never know um you know we could get sun and then 5 minutes later it could be raining sideways and I'm sure you weren't surprised shortly after the Olympics to get asked about you know when are you going to retire when you going to hang it up um when you look at some players in the past like a Suzanne who have kind of retired on the spot had like a walk-off kind of going away is that the type of person you are or are you the more of the type of person who would just kind of finish out a season and then call it quits yeah I think you just have to listen to yourself um the way Suzanne did it after holding that P solheim I mean she couldn't have finished her career on any more of a high and I mean she's pretty much accomplished everything that uh she could have um or maybe would have wanted um so yeah it's it's you know very I I think uh circumstantial and depends on the type of player you are um like I think that was so cool what she did the mic drop but uh it's it's much harder to do when you're playing the British Open in in a couple weeks in in my position but I still um I've always said that while I'm competitively playing I want to play at the highest level I possibly can and you know continuously work hard with my team to become a better more consistent player so that's that's the goal right now and um you know it's kind of been go go go since the Olympics so I haven't really had a lot of time to think about everything and um I don't want to rush into any uh decisions but no this is definitely not my last press conference or anything like that so yeah it's um it's exciting you know what what's ahead and in ways it can be scary because I've played golf since I was five and this is this is my life um whether I like it or not and um golf has given me so much uh for me to be thankful for on and off the golf course so I think it's it's not an easy decision but I have I know I have a great support team and family that's so supportive and um you know great mentors that are going to help me and give me advice uh and I feel very fortunate to be in that kind of position but all in all I'm just excited that you guys aren't going to ask me what about that one point what about getting into the Hall of Fame I'm glad that that's kind of over now okay Martin in the front when you spoke to us last week at D Donald you said You' spoke to your team after the Olympics and and they asked you about a goal and you said maybe one more major would this be the dream one given this event at St Andrews and obviously you know Ryan Fox is one here and done Hill links can you be inspired by that yeah um maybe I'll tell or call Foxy I one up you a kind of cuz it's the woman's open um but yeah it's uh I mean I've always wanted to play well you know at a women's open I do think it requires something a little different to maybe some of our other major championships um you know in Paris was what happened there was almost too good to be true I still think um I feel so fortunate and you know people say oh it's cuz you've worked hard but I mean I don't know a single player out there that's not working hard that's you know they're still practicing when it's raining and know or if it's like 110° outside so everybody works hard and I just feel very fortunate that I've been given these these opportunities um and having these unbelievable highlights uh in my career but you know if that story tale fairy tale happens again here I mean I've got to find a way to give back uh because I just feel like I've been receiving so much and you know even a lot of overwhelming support um after everything that's kind of happen players Andrews love playing the old course but also love being in the town is that something you felt in your visits here over the years uh when I came here in 2013 I remember I went and visited like the castle and um did probably all those touristy things um you know I have family with me this week so we've been kind of checking off all the restaurants with like the high riviews around here um you've got to have fish and chips uh uh here so I've had that as well but yeah a a lot of things off the golf course revolve around food for me um which is one of the things that gets me most excited about I'm excited when we have good food and player dining or just like a lot of good options um and there's you know quite a few around here so yeah enjoying enjoying the little perks of it and like I don't know when St Andrews is is hosting the wom's open again um but it's it could potentially be the last time I'm in this uh town that I I want to enjoy the little things okay Chris on the right hand side just adding to that Lydia you also said earlier that it's a bucket list venue is that something that you're able to appreciate while you're out there playing or is it just sort of a focus on performance um you know I've never always been like a big golf nerd or um so it's never been like okay I want to go to these like know top 100 courses but I know that for um some people that you know are really passionate and love these kind of golf courses this is this is a treat um you know it's held multiple championships but outside of that there's just so much history here um so yeah it's I mean it's hard to kind of take everything in when you're playing uh just cuz you're focused on the shot in front of you and trying to um execute that shot properly uh but I think it's kind of when the week is over or when you're walking over the soen bit bridge and looking at all the architecture around here that's when you're like wow I'm at a very special place and um you know this year is is more special because I have my family with me and my team with me to uh kind of enjoy this moment and um I think these you know photos that I take uh or these moments that I kind of capture uh in my mind are going to be the things that I look back uh when I'm done with golf and go wow how fortunate was I to play two women's British um uh open at St Andrews and and go to some of the uh best golf courses in in the UK so you had the team photos on the on the bridge that must have been a nice nice moment for you it's a must um I think when I'm pretty sure when I was like 16 or 17 playing here um I was like what are all these people you know taking their photos like what are they going to do do with it but now like as I've gotten a little older and I think I'm able to appreciate know it's these kind of things that make it um like for me like Paris winning the gold medal was obviously the biggest one of the biggest uh highlights of my career but outside of that like just the experience of being able to represent your country the fans that were you know surrounding the t-box on number one like the whole buildup those are the things that I kind of take uh away from and um I know that uh when you're not in that position anymore I I'm probably going to miss that um so yeah I'm just trying to take in all this and even though it may seem cheesy um I I know that it's I'm going to feel like oh you know what it's it's a good thing I did that then okay we'll take the final three questions in the room we'll start with Michael at the back hey I'm back here so there's a lot made of the fact that it's 10 years now since Rory won a major I'm sure you don't need me to tell you it's been eight8 and a half years for you it's another stat yes sorry sorry I like my stats but uh yeah you know how can you articulate just how much of a personal frustration that is for you and considering all of the incredible things you've done in that time are you as surprised as we are that there's not more Majors there um honestly winning the first one in Evan was a bit of a surprise um I had a little stat there following me too you know was the last opportunity where I could beat uh Morgan's amazing record of being the youngest um uh major winner um and I was like well it's the last one I'm probably not going to do it here and and I had a great final round and ended up um winning and then won the Ana inspiration now the Chevron Championship um the following year so th those were um it was a great per period of of time um you know I think as all of us tour players we are our goal is to try and peek at the majors but it's you know easier said than done um it's not just about you know you could do everything correct and it just could be that time of the month or you could uh you know you could just be tired or get the wrong side of the draw there's just so many um variables uh that you can't control as as well so I think it's it's a lot harder and I know that every time Rory teas it up like everyone asks him and obviously he played he played amazing at the uh US Open but people just talk always just talk about his finish but I mean the guy played awesome you know so it's just I think sometimes we get carried about who won like who like how many years it's been like it's it's a drought this that but I think it's it's difficult and um know all of us as players were trying to work to be at the highest level at that time um but you know sometimes it just doesn't go that way um but I'm still no matter what I'm still proud to you know be a major Champion I know I know that not all golfer has the um opportunity to even say that um but know whilst I am playing I do want to uh you know keep putting myself in contention and um I think if you do that you're I'm going to become more comfortable being in that kind of position and I think sometimes that's that's all you know all of those things build up and um if it's going to happen it's it's probably going to happen Okay [Music] swarmi uh Lydia you just said you started playing at about five five years of age and you achieved just about everything there is to achieve you know the youngest world number one youngest major Olympic medals do you think it's now more comfortable for you to play golf with less pressure of achieving more because you've done done it all um I think I think we're all greedy in the sense that no matter if you know I think anuka is won 70 something times and I'm sure she may be feeling like oh she could have won 80 times and I'm like wow she she's you know one the one of the greatests of all time but I think while you're still doing this you still feel like you can get better and I think it doesn't matter if you're the number one ranked player in the world like Nelly or you're the last player in the field this week like we are all continuously working to become a better more consistent player um just with golf that you do have your little ups and downs little roller coaster rides but you know you're trying to minimalize those um I guess the discrepancies um but know in way I guess it is easier but we're all uh I think we're all competitive and that's why I think we're playing at this level um of sport and you know we want to do better no matter like how much or how little you've achieved okay Alex Lydia you answered one of the questions earlier and it triggered a question for you now is do you have a LoveHate relationship with golf oh yeah I mean uh in some days it's ha hate hate um and some days I I could kiss my putter you know it's it's just I think that's just the way it works um you know I have walked off the golf course you know with tears uh in my eyes from Joy and and from frustration and I think that just shows um how you know deeply invested we are and how like I said like golf is my life as much as I want to separate it like I can and um you know I think when I was younger I used to always think about the negative things of why can't I go to a school Camp uh with the other kids why do I have to go like practice after school but you know all those moments um you know they have kind of led me to the journey and the place I am right now and um know I think like I've had my my fair share of like emotional ups and downs and but that's just part of it and I don't think that's because I'm just playing golf I think that's with anything um you know in life and uh you're going to sometimes have the better days and sometimes not have a great day but that's just that's just life and I think golf is a very um uh it golf puts everything kind of into perspective and I think it gives you life lessons outside of just becoming you know a better golfer okay we'll take one final question just on the far side here um obviously speaking about your relationship with golf there um there some people who are surprised that you're even contemplating when you're going to retire over the next few years but I guess does that come back to you know look at Lexi Thompson retiring at 29 do do we underestimate the the psychological to of competing at 10 15 years at the very top yeah I think there's just um um you know a lot of factors that go into making um go into I guess the equation of how a player decides to retire um you know I know some players don't really ever fully retire you know they play in the Casal know one or two and there some like soan you know retiring at the Chevron Championship this year Lexi announcing her retirement I don't think um there's a like with golf or uh it's a little bit more flexible than other sports where if you hit a certain age you're potentially too old um you know with golf as long as we keep um putting ourselves in in good shape and good health you know we have the opportunity to be able to keep playing this sport which is an amazing thing um about golf uh but yeah there are you know the physical TOS but also the psychological parts and you know Lexi has done so much uh for the game of golf and for the for our tour she she is at every single prom party so it's not just what she does you know on the golf course inspiring these junior girls and the people out here but she does so much off the golf course as well and know I'm sure that even when she does retire it's not like she's going to go Mia and not be seen again um I'm sure she's still going to be involved in golf in in some shape or form um but I think there are just different factors about it and as uh you know as much as we're very grateful to be able to do what we love and compete at a high level I think there is the other side of things um that you have to you know consider and um you know as you know as someone that's maybe like closer to that than uh that point in my career than when I was a rookie it's uh you know you become to realize all of these things and you know respect you respect the player for the decision that she uh you know came up with and um know it's it's their Journey so all we can do is just uh clap and and say thank you and um I'm sure the whole golfing industry is very um thankful to have such an uh inspirational role model like like Lexi okay we'll bring things to a close there Lydia thank you for your time and very best of Lu this week thank you